Thread: .45 ACP vs. 10mm in Dan Wesson 1911 Commander?

Good choice. Man, this thread makes me miss my Kimber.

Is this the weapon in question? I like all the 1911's

Originally Posted by icedog

Is this the weapon in question? I like all the 1911's

Yep! That's her exactly! Just google Dan Wesson Commander 1911 (lookslike you already did)...tons of reviews pop up (way more than with most guns I google) and they ALL give this gun very high marks, especially when price is factored in. Youtube has a good video review and there is a killer review on gunblast.com too....anyway, very nice pistol. Unfortunately I'll have to sell my Para Ordnance P12 to be able to afford it =(

O well, at least I'll still have a 1911 .45 =)

The reason the FBI went with the 10mm is because at the time the 40 was really new and they wanted something with more oomph than the 9mm and the 10 fit the bill however it was an issue with women and smaller guys who had trouble handling it so they got custom loads of lower force.

I worked for the INS and we used the 40 S&W and what we did is the uniformed guys got a barretta model 96 (as I recall or was it the 94) Brigadier with a strengthened frame and us plainclothes types got an H&K also with a highly strengthened everything and they loaded up the round to the max. Initially the frames cracked with use and when I used it in my Glock it seriously messed up the spring with only a few rounds fired.

I have a Glock 21 .45 and I love it! I would stick w the .45 over the 10MM because I stand a better chance of an accurate double tap w the .45...

I love 45's, My last purchase was a Springfield XD. Great Weapon, but I have yet to see any 45acp that would be really good for concealed carry. Most are too big. Here in Fla. your usually in a T shirt and shorts, so I have to be ab le to put it in my pocket. I went with the Kel Tec 9mm w/ Springfield Ranger ammo.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The reason the FBI went with the 10mm is because at the time the 40 was really new and they wanted something with more oomph than the 9mm and the 10 fit the bill however it was an issue with women and smaller guys who had trouble handling it so they got custom loads of lower force.

I worked for the INS and we used the 40 S&W and what we did is the uniformed guys got a barretta model 96 (as I recall or was it the 94) Brigadier with a strengthened frame and us plainclothes types got an H&K also with a highly strengthened everything and they loaded up the round to the max. Initially the frames cracked with use and when I used it in my Glock it seriously messed up the spring with only a few rounds fired.

Curious. I assume it was cop loads...+p+? I saw them crack a Taurus snubnose 38sp.

Get the .45 ACP. 'Nuf said. BTW, after reading a couple of reviews, I'll have to handle one!

Are you planning to reload? If so, the cost difference between the .45 ACP and the 10 mm will be negligible (but I don't know how much you can ease off on the powder charge of a 10 mm and still have your pistol cycle properly -- it is a high pressure round). If you are not going to reload, there are a lot more choices in "cheaper" .45 ACP than in 10 mm, and .45 ACP will be available in any gun store in the US, unlike 10 mm. You'll want to run a bunch of the cheaper ammo through the pistol at the range in order to get really familiar with the particular pistol you buy, and you'll want to try at least a few different brands of premium ammo to see which your pistol likes better, in order to pick your self-defense round. So having more options in cheaper ammo can be important.

I tend to think of the 10 mm as being in the same category as the .41 Rem. Magnum -- a really great round (both originally designed for law enforcement, as I recall) that got left behind by the marketplace, but good for handgun hunting and longer-range target shooting. One wouldn't think of the .45 ACP (or the 9 mm or the .40 S&W, for that matter) as a hunting round. One of my favorite revolvers is my S&W Model 57 in .41 Rem. Mag (not a concealed carry gun). But I reload, so the cost per round difference is not an issue.

In terms of concealed carry, you probably ought to rethink the .40 S&W round. It is a smaller round than the .45 ACP, and so your small, concealed carry pistol will hold more rounds of the .40. I don't think there is any real lack of stopping power in the .40, and it should be easier to control than a full-house 10 mm round, especially in a small handgun. The .40 already is a sort of light-load 10 mm, anyway. And I don't think you're likely to go hunting with a concealed carry pistol, so that potential of the 10 mm round will be of no use to you.

Just my 2 cents.

wmssims

If I were you I would just buy one of each...

I have:

Colt Combat Elite 10mm,
Colt 1911 70 series 45
Colt Commander 45
Glock 20 10mm
Glock 36 45
Colt Govt 45

And love them all!