compact .45

[cmbthgun]

anyone carry a compact .45 and have any suggestions for defensive ammo as far as making up for velocity, penetration, and expansion? Thanks

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bravo3]

With a compact you are probably going to have to experiment with different ammunition until you find the load that will do the job but not cause a jam in your gun. Not to knock your choice, but in a 1911, the .45acp was meant to be delivered through a full size 5" or 6" gun. At the very least, a 4" which is marginal IMO. There's simply nobody that can answer that question with any level of certainty without trying it. Good luck.

[Bud White]

Well i consider the compact as a 4inch or so gun or little longer like my 1911sc ..So far the 1911sc runs on everything i fed it today still expermenting ... the Glock 36 had been a little more nit picky but does well with gold dots

[deadeye]

I carry either a Para Companion (3.5" barrel) or Colt Defender (3" barrel). Both are loaded with Federal Premium, 230gr, Hydra-Shok JHP's. I don't really know the ballistics of this round from a short barrel, but, I also don't worry about it. I know this round will feed, fire and eject reliably from both pistols and that's my main concern. I don't believe in a "magic bullet" and think shot placement trumps other considerations. I wouldn't feel any better or any worse protected if my pistols were loaded with factory hardball, some super CorBon load, or my personal 200gr LSWC handloads. Except, for reasons I won't go into here and now, because it would take this thread off course, I prefer carrying factory ammo to my handloaded ammo.

Good shooting.....deadeye.

[acparmed]

I have a Kimber CDP Compact, which is an Officer's frame with a Commander 4" barrel. I shoot Federal 230 grain Hydra-Shoks in it for defense. In expansion tests I have run with wet newpaper they expand to .70 caliber vs my 5" custom where they expand to .78 caliber. Weight retention is about the same at 97%. I consider this to be more than adequate for my personal defensive load.
I have some 165 and 185 grain Hydra-Shoks but I have never tested them for expansion or penetration. All of them function in my guns 100%, so I have no problem with carrying any of them. I just prefer to hurl the biggest, heaviest bullet at the BG I can.

As for velocity, I understand that you lose about 50 fps for each inch of barrel length you lose. The published velocity of Federal 230 Hydra-Shoks from a 5" gun is 880 fps.

[RSSZ]

deadeye, I'm of the same opinion as you ref.---I don't worry about the ballistics out of a short bbl.--- The feeding,fireing,and ejecting is way more important.---THERE IS NO MAJIC BULLET--- And finally,and in my humble opinion ,shot placement is foremost and what I DO have time to worry about !!--- I would rather shoot simi fast and super accurate and put them in the COM than spend allot of time freting about the ammo in my weapon.------

[Betty]

I use either 230gr. or 185gr. Gold Dots (whichever I can find to buy and have on hand at the time). Gold Dots feed perfectly out of my USPc, and they expand well. I'm terrible quoting ballistics, so I use what I know that works and the rest is up to aiming well and shooting until the threat stops.

[The Tourist]

I like the heavier Golden-Sabers, myself. However, I would also use the Gold Dots if I found them more often in my area. If I see Gold Dots they are usually in .40 SW.

I must add that all of my 1911 .45 ACPs are now in the full size configuration.

I did own an Officer's ACP, but used the heavy stuff there, as well.

[Armed in TN]

i carry both a G36 and a G30 as a back up and a carry weapon. i have used both Golden saber and Gold Dot in a 230 gr.. They have been the two best for the money and what you can find in your area. depending alot on the recoil of your compact.... Good luck!

[RSSZ]

RECOIL !! To me,recoil has an awful lot to do with what ammo I use/train with/carry in my CCW.My short bbl.(3") Kimber will function perfectly with the +P++ loads(COR BON etc.)but the muzzle flip is a little too much and my times back on target will suffer. Not much though. I would rather give up 0.2 - 0.4 sec. but put the shots(I ALWAYS double tap) on target. With my full size Colt I can do this with the 165gr. COR BON ammo.With my 25 oz.,3" Kimber I cannot. So I carry a somewhat "lighter" loaded 230 gr. Black Talon in my Kimber which are completely controlable.----

[Japle]

I carry a compact Witness .45 with the steel frame. It came with a ported barrel, but concerns with shooting from a retention hold and loss of velocity made me replace the 3.6" ported bbl with a 4.5" unported one. This made no difference in concealability, gave me some more power and I don't have to worry about getting blasted if I have to hold the gun in close when I shoot.
I carry Cor-Bon 165s and a spare mag in a nylon knife sheath.

Before I wore it out, I carried a LW Commander with a 5" bbl.
As a bonus, the extra barrel sticking out the front of the slide looks cool!

John
Cape Canaveral

[AZG23]

Very surprising results...having just got a new G30...i searched for what most thought the best all around round would be for the sub 4 in barrel. Magic bullets aside...I picked the Speer 200 gr +P Gold Dot as it was highly recommended and carried on Glock Talk. Decent velocity, decent weight and penetration...and it expands to .74 in ballistic gelatin tests from a G30 barrel. Sounds like the best of most worlds...now...practice practice practice...shot placement is EVERYTHING. And it has to reliably feed and cycle in your handgun.