Help me pick a compact .45

I'm selling my .40 because quite frankly I dont like the recoil of the round. Not that its rough, I just dont like the snappiness. So I'm getting a .45

Here's my short list:
HK45c
S&W MP45c
XD Compact 45
Glock 30SF or Gen 4 30

All but the HK are anywhere from $500-$600, with the HK being 2x that. Seeing that it would be used in a life or death situation, the HK price isn't really a big deal breaker.

I held a Glock 30 earlier today and I hated it. Fingers didnt really line up with the grooves and it really does feel like holding a 2x4. I know a guy out near me that has a G30SF that he said I could shoot, I just gotta find ammo for it

I have big hands so the tiny guns like G36 and XDs are a no-go, I want my pinky to have a place.

 

Springfield XDS. I believe it is the handgun of the year this year. I also have big hands and when I looked at one it didn't seem too small at all.

 

xds has been my primary for about a year now. i have huge hands and put about 800 comfortable rounds down range with it. carry it every second of every day

 

my vote is the m&p45c, i got the .40 version and i chose it over the glocks because it's left hand friendly, to change the mag release, it takes 30 seconds. and i chose it over the XD becasue i dont care for back grip safeties, imo it's one more thing to fail. with the M&PC you can get the mag extended for a few buck so it's a fullsize grip when you just want to target practice. and with h&k, if it's the double action, i say go for it, for CC i personally like it decocked as a safety instead of carring a firepin that's constantly under pressure.

 

The one thing I don't like about the HK45c is it's about 5.5" tall, which is significantly taller than the rest (around 4.8") and also my .40 was 5.3" and I felt that I printed like a mofo with it.

 

if you're worried about someone noticing it, get an ruger LC9. personally, i dont care if someone see's my gun, i'm not waiting for trouble, i'm deterring it. but to each his own.

 

but in the end, it's all about what feels best in your hand. my M&P also wont fire with the mag dropped. i dont know if the others have that feature, but i like it so if i ever get into a fight with someone i can just drop the mag and not have to worry about a gun in the middle of a fist fight.

 

my father got an LC9 as a compact defense alternative to carrying the glock 40 the department gave him (as most know it's unnecessarily bulky). very slim and compact but has a great weight to it when it's in your hand and I didn't notice my pinkie vying for grip and I have abnormally large hands. then again it's been awhile since I held it and you may have Andre the Giant hands

 

Here is what you want!
http://www.kimberamerica.com/1911/custom-ii/custom-tle-rl-ii

 

you mean this?!

https://us.armscor.com/products/1911-tactical-a1fs-45acp

 

Never shot an armscor, I can only comment on guns I own!

 

I was actually thinking about the Witness 45 compact too, only problem would be finding one.

8+1, 4.5" high, grips a little thick but I'm wondering if I could put some VZ grips on for a CZ compact.

 

That XD-s is very accurate at 100yds...check out this guy...he's very good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtnDae4P2I8

 

might as well go with a 1911, tried and true.
you can get one of them rock island armory's for 425 on Gunbroker easy.

 

HK, USP Compact, They have the recoil reduction systems on them in .45 and .40 as well. Softest shooting .40 I've ever used.

What kind of .40 do you have now OP?

 

I own the compact S&W m&p .40 i love it. but the ultimate handgun would probably be a 1911

 

CZ P06, but a guy already put a deposit down on it and he's giving me the rest in a week.

 

CZ's are fairly harsh. I had the Baby Eagle in .40, pretty much the same thing.

Poly pistols absorb more snappiness, HK with either the dual recoil spring (full size) or the Nylon buffer (compact) work really well. The trigger on the HK sucks tho, but there's a simple mainspring swap you can do.

I Just sold my Kimber Stainless TLE RL II, had the Kimber compact (Lousy pistol) and a Springfield Operator. Watch out for compact 1911 designs. They arent bad per say, just high maintenance.

 

oh, and .45 ammo cost a pretty penny nowadays. Even before all this crap going on they were a bit more than 9 and .40...

 

Yeah 1911s are nice but at the pricepoint I'm looking to spend and the size I want it doesn't really match up. Glocks are ugly but it'd be concealed 99% of the time so that doesn't mean anything. I just want one that works 100%.

A buddy of mine just got an XDs I'll see if I can meet up with him and at least see how it fits my hand if the shops I'm going to tomorrow dont have one.

As for ammo, I can still find some at the walmarts near me. Federal 230 FMJ bulk packs are ~$32, WWB are ~$40. 40sw prices are $30 for fed, $37 for WWB so its really not that big a difference.