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I have a Kahr cw45. Going with 200 gr bullets. Made double tapping a breeze. If I went 185gr bullets. Felt recoil was like a 308. Felt recoil can be lower even farther, by reloading lighter loads.
 
My daughter is 5'2 and about 110. Her gun is a TCP .380. She whipped thru a whole mag of .45s in my CBOB with no problem. After she shot it she asked what it was. If it would fit in her purse easily she would probably take it from me.:) Therein lies what may be the biggest reason to not carry a .45. Most of the guns are fairly large and/or heavy.
I carry the CBOB most of the time, but there are times I slide my TCP in my jacket pocket. By the way, at 5'9 and 160 I'm not a big guy to be hiding a gun on!

I've owned and shot many very powerful handguns, up to and including the MONSTER .500 S&W Mag. My first .45 was an aluminum framed Officers. I do work with my hands and maybe that has something to do with it, but I've never felt the .45s recoil was harsh.
 
I thought this was going to be a "big, slow" versus "small, fast" rehash.
You can increase the mass or the velocity to put more energy into your target, but the two effects are not interchangeable. The .45 is known for going far enough but not too far, unlike say the .357 mag or sig.

The reason to not use a .45 is because you need capacity, e.g. if you're a cop or soldier. Me, I'm determined to run the other way from trouble, and the likelihood of needing more than my normal complement of 7 rounds is virtually nil.

The work of Professor Gary Kleck is enlightening! Statistically speaking, we have a 99+% chance of NEVER needing our CCW. If by chance we DO need it, there's a 98% chance that it will end the confrontation with ZERO shots fired. If perchance you DO need it and you DO need to fire, there's a ~95% chance that it will end with exactly ONE shot fired. Those are some kind of odds! Y'all are welcome to visit gunsite.com to doublecheck these off-the-cuff recollections.

To those people who point to well-documented shootouts involving massive firepower I say, you have a far greater chance of being hit by lightning. If you want to do something &/or buy something that will realistically increase your odds of survival to old age, might I recommend a:
1) gym membership;
2) Chantix prescription; and
3) full cage with 5-point harness in your daily driver.

Sadly, these are not as much fun as collecting handguns.
 
I don't carry a .45 but do own one and have carried it a few times. I also do not htink the recoil is bad at all. As said above, it's the weight factor in the .45 handguns that stops me from carrying one. As such, I carry a PM9 . But I do love the feeling of firing the .45.
 
The work of Professor Gary Kleck is enlightening! Statistically speaking, we have a 99+% chance of NEVER needing our CCW. If by chance we DO need it, there's a 98% chance that it will end the confrontation with ZERO shots fired.

I'm in that group, all I did was show my .45 through the front window of our MH. I then ran to the back for my 12GA. By the time I got back to the front they were GONE. Once in 25 years of carrying is enough to convince me (and even my wife) that I will continue to carry!

8 former US Presidents have been NRA Members
80 MILLION gun owners didn't shoot anyone today, a few criminals did!

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The "Feedback Score" is low by 4, not everyone posts it I guess.

Deen
NRA Benefactor/Recruiter
Washington Arms Collector member
South West Washington Arms Collector member
 
I don't carry a .45 but do own one and have carried it a few times. I also do not htink the recoil is bad at all. As said above, it's the weight factor in the .45 handguns that stops me from carrying one. As such, I carry a PM9 . But I do love the feeling of firing the .45.
you will need the extra mag with that 9mm. Try the P45. what weight factor. One shoot one target with a 45acp.
 
Honestly, if we could get the weight of the 200-230gr load, maintain velocity and recoil properties, but increase capacity, it'd be great. But then the downside would be moving to a longer bullet and people already complain about how a double stack .45 is "too big" and .40 has "too sappy of recoil".

Another reason....45ACP doesn't have great velocity increase with barrel length like lighter weight 9mm, and thus isn't great in a subgun.
 
I often carry a .380 or a 9mm, but a .45 is on my beside table.
That 240gr+P will stop just about anything short of a grizzly bear.
It's also a stainless frame P220, heavy frame = light recoil.
I gotta agree, I prefer the .45 for almost every scenario.
 

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