Walther PPQ-45

Hands-on review of the Walther PPQ-45:

Currently on my wish-list...

.45 Longslide

New Para Offering:

PXT Single Action Limited

$1,399.00

By Para USA

Para Website

Seen on Gunbroker..........

 WWII P38

Quote of the day: The refinish job on this gun was accomplished by someone who knew what they were doing. Not done by some chucklehead with a $6 bottle of cold blue. The pictures show where it's been buffed and polished and where some pitting had been removed. Gunbroker.com

Ruger SR1911

A classically styled pistol designed with all of the modern manufacturing advances that you have come to expect from Ruger. Accurate, rugged and reliable, the SR1911 is 100% American-made in American factories with American workers.-Sturm Ruger Co.

 $799.00

Specs:

• Catalog Number: SR1911
• Model Number: 6700
• Caliber: .45 Auto
• Slide Material: Stainless Steel
• Grip Frame: Low-Glare Stainless Steel   
• Sights: Fixed Novak® 3-Dot 
• Capacity: 8+1 
• Barrel Length: 5.0"
• Height: 5.45" 
• Length: 8.67" 
• Width: 1.34"
• Weight: 39.00 oz. 
• Twist: 1:16" RH 
• MA and CA Approved? No  

Features:

• Original 1911 Series 70 design provides for easy takedown and re-assembly.  
• Slim traditional design with hardwood grips and checkered backstrap.
• Precision CNC-controlled machining process  results in a superior slide-to-frame fit and smooth slide travel.
• The stainless steel barrel and bushing are produced from the same bar stock, on the same machine, for improved accuracy.
• Positive barrel lock-up allows for a superior accuracy out-of-the-box. 
• Oversized ejection port and extended magazine release enhance competition performance.
• Lightweight, aluminum, skeletonized trigger features an adjustable over-travel stop and provides a very crisp, no creep, light trigger pull with a quick, positive reset.
• Skeletonized hammer is lightweight and provides faster cycling.
• Dovetailed, 3-dot sight system features a Novak® LoMount Carry rear and standard front sight that combines optimal target acquisition in an ideal carry configuration.
• Stainless steel frame and slide feature blasted, low-glare finish and slide serrations for positive grip.
• Oversized beavertail grip safety provides positive function and reliability. 
• Extended thumb safety and slide stop lever provide for improved, positive manipulation. 
• Visual inspection port allows for visual confirmation that chamber is loaded.
• Titanium firing pin; one 7-round and one 8-round stainless steel magazine; bushing wrench;
  and soft case                                                                                                                                              
  

Independent Gun Reviews:

• Combat Handguns: Enhanced 1911 suffered no malfunctions, despite lack of cleaning, with a variety of 1,000 rounds. Surprising level of accuracy. Modeled after the Series 70 1911, except titanium firing pin. Lacks frame rail. Safety lever favors right-handed shooters. Aftermarket 1911 parts will fit. Very good trigger out of the box, breaking at 5 lbs. Trigger reset at 1/4 inch for rapid-fire capability. Machine injection molded parts keep costs down (hammer, sear, grip safety, thumb safety, mainspring housing, front and rear sights, and disconnector).
• Handguns Mag: A much better gun than the price ($650) would indicate. I’d compare it to lower end Kimber and Smith & Wesson.

Lightweight 1911 Style Autos

If you prefer more firepower than today's micro-pistols have to offer, maybe you are looking for something more along the lines of "large and light", such as these .45 auto-pistols, which utilize innovations such as aluminum-alloy frames, and shortened grips and slides:

Kimber Compact Stainless II 45 ACP

$1,009

Specs:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Height: 4.75"
• Width: 1.28"
• Weight: 27 oz. (empty)
• Length 7.7"
• Mag. Capacity 7
• Full-length guide rod
• Materials: Aluminum Frame and Stainless Slide, Match-Grade Steel Barrel
• Barrel Length: 4"
• Fixed Sights, 5.7" radius
• Grips: Black synthetic double diamond
• Trigger: Aluminum Match Grade, 4-5 lb pull

Notables:

• Extended left side safety
• Plastic rear mainspring housing for weight reduction
• Excellent fit and finish
• Bushing-less barrel design
• Excellent Accuracy
• Excellent Reliability

Negatives:

• Hard to pick up front sight in low light
• Lack of grip texture or checkering on front strap
• Sharp edges around ejection port
• Special takedown tool needed for disassembly
• Bullet feed ramp seems prone to damage over time
• Includes only one magazine

Springfield Armory Lightweight Champion Operator # PX9115LP 45 ACP

$1,076

Specs:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Height: 5.5"
• Length: 7.5
• Weight 31 oz. (empty)
• Magazines: two 7-round, blued steel
• Barrel: 4" stainless steel, match grade, fully supported ramp, bushing-less bull barrel
• Sights: Fixed, low profile, combat rear, dovetail front, tritium 3-dot
• Trigger: aluminum match grade, 5-6 lb pull
• Grips: Cocobolo hardwood
• Frame: forged aluminum alloy, accessory rail, black hardcoat anodized
• Slide: forged steel, Black Armory Kote
• Recoil System: dual spring w/full-length guide rod

Notables:

• Full-length grip with a shortened slide
• Steel mainspring housing
• Ambidextrous safety
• Excellent trigger, 4.7 lbs
• Good accuracy
• Great reliability
• Good in rapid-fire
• Quick sight pickup
• Excellent machine work on the barrel feed ramp
• Excellent night sights
• Included holster and mag pouch

Negatives:

• Lack of grip texture or checkering on front strap
• Handsome wood grips tended to be slippery
• Ambi-safety tended to bruise the dominant hand knuckle
• Safety was super-stiff to operate
• Sharp edges on ejection port
• Stiff controls overall, which "did not change with use"
• "Horrible takedown procedure" (and reassembly) 

Sig Sauer 1911 C3 #19GS0031 45 ACP

$1,200

"The 1911 C3 is a 7+1 compact .45ACP featuring rosewood custom wood grips and is available in a Two-Tone finish. Weighing in at just under 30 ounces unloaded, each 1911 C3 is machined to exacting tolerances and hand-fitted to insure reliability and performance." Sig Website

Specs:

• Item #1911CO-45-TSS-C3
• Action: Single Action Only
• Trigger Pull: 5 lbs
• Length: 7.7"
• Width: 1.4"
• Barrel Length: 4.2"
• Sight Radius: 5.7"
• Weight Empty: 29.5 oz.
• Mag Capacity: 7 Rounds
• Sights: Novak Night Sights
• Grips: Slim Profile Custom Rosewood Grips
• Frame Finish: Black Hard Anodized
• Slide Finish:Stainless

Notables:

• Checkered Front Strap, for extra secure grip
• Easy, no-tools takedown
• "Super accurate"
• Stainless slide and barrel
• "Great reliability"
• Fixed sights

Negatives:

• Lacks accessory rail
• Safety on one side only
• Unusually flat at top-of slide
• Pricier than most comparables

Para USA Warthog

$1,069

"This is the stainless version of the original super-compact .45 with truly awesome firepower. There is no smaller, more powerful 1911-style, 10+1 semi-auto .45 ACP in the world." Para USA

Specs:

• Product Code: WHX1045S
• Caliber:  .45 ACP
• Capacity: 10+1
• Barrel: 3"
• Weight: 31 oz.
• Length: 6.5"
• Height: 4.5"
• Action: Single Action
• Material: Stainless

Notables:

• Two 10-round magazines, one with extended grip
• Blackened version available with Trijicon night sights
• Bushing-less-barrel design, stainless match-grade
• Loaded-chamber indicator
• Colt-style series '80 firing pin safety
• Slide features Para's Power Extractor
• Flared ejection port
• Skeletonized hammer and trigger for weight reduction
• Good trigger approx. 5 lbs. of pull w/clean break
• Rubber "O" rings prevent grip screws from backing out
• Vertical serrations on frontstrap
• Left-side thumb safety and grip safety w/swelled palm section
• Front-beveled magazine-well
• "Exceptional accuracy", 2" at 25 yards-Combat Handguns magazine
• Bearable recoil w/200 grain handloads

Negatives:

• Tended to malfunction if not cleaned and oiled every 150 rounds
• Magazines difficult to load completely due to stiff springs
• Hammer drops down even if the slide is not completely closed
• Punishing to the hands after several hundred rounds

Ammo Shortage!

Howdy Gunrunners!

Hey, what's with the ammo shortage and triple-priced existing ammunition supplies? I know it's "Fear of Obama" and his policies taking effect, but so far he hasn't touched our guns. Now I can't find ammo, and guns are overpriced like never before. So Obama and the Libs win anyway. Nice.

Here are my review picks of the month:

"Budget" .45 Autos, which, these days, means under the $1,000 mark. It's amazing what people can be made to swallow-Three guns were reviewed extensively, and here are the results.

Para-USA GI Expert
Classic 1911 Single Action $600.00

• Sights-Highly Visible
• 2 Eight-Shot Magazines-Competition Quality
• Stainless Barrel
  
• Substantial-but not oversized extractor
• Standard Guide-Rod
  
• Left-side thumb safety only
• Focused on reliability with all types of ammo
• Good slide to frame fit
• Trigger 4.5 to 5 lbs
• Groups 25 yds. 1.0 to 1.9 inches
• Highest muzzle energy of three guns tested
• Fastest first action shot of three guns tested
• Best buy pick of this trio

CZ 97BD No. 01406
Decocker version of model 97B .45 Auto $874.00

• Based on classic CZ75 design
• DA/SA action
  
• Can be safely de-cocked with a round in the chamber
• Left side decocker lever only
• Self-illuminating night sites
• Loaded chamber indicator
• Well-designed rubber grips
• Two ten round magazines
• "Very controllable"
• Main two stress points - easily replaceable parts
• 13.5 lb double action trigger, 5.5 lb single action
• Good accuracy, .8 to 1.25 inches
• "One of the best TDA guns ever"

Beretta PX4 Storm F JXF5F25 45 ACP

Polymer-framed pistol w/hammer ignition

• Three interchangeable grip sizes
• Accessory Rail
• Ambi-Decocker/Safety lever
• Super-modern look and styling
• Rotating barrel lug for smoother action
• Ambidextrous magazine release
• White dot sites
• One 9 round, one 10 round magazine
• Fairly difficult to change grip sizes
• Long trigger pull for double action first shot
  
• Easy to field strip
  
• Good accuracy, 1.3" to 1.7"
• Slowest into action, of these three pistols
  

The decocker must be pressed down, then up again every time the slide is racked after inserting a full magazine. This could be tiring to some shooters. Also the decockers "stuck out too much", making racking the slide an awkward process.