Welcome, OkieDispatcher! If it's less than $1,000, better start writing the check, if you're well-healed enough for the expense and can live with what the .45 does and cannot do. For cost, they're gonna' run like hounds to the foxes! GI .45's ARE pretty loosey-goosey, but they shoot EVERY time. Peach basket groups are a distinct possibility. Most will group less than 3" at 50 meters if you've got a smithie in your corner. (That made sound like a tall tale, but I knew an armorer at West Point that had a standing bet HIS guns would group less than 1" from a machine rest at 50 meters and he never lost a bet.)I owned one of his guns and it was the best I've ever had, seen or heard about. (UGLY, though.) Further, the .45 is HEAVY. The, "condition-of-readiness," is an issue. Range sucks, compared to a .357, even a .38 Special. Choice of bullet? There isn't any. It's loud but it's kick and bark isn't as irritatiing as a .357 - at least, not to what's left of my hearing. (No, I'm not deaf from the shooting sports - it's from 25 years standing in front of school BANDS!) The 1911 fits my short, fat hand like Kim Novak's - err, never mind. It has rather poor penetration, which can be good or bad. You can use a .22 converter which is a God send. Enough from me. I'd've stopped sooner but I couldn't hear everybody saying, "Hey! Shut up and sit down!"
