Getting a .45 pistol

[Podunkadunk]

My brother says I'm a freak because my fingers aren't that long. I'm 5'8" and 200 pounds and my wife is 5'3" and 125 pounds and her hands are bigger than mine. I have a Makarov .380 with rubber grips and it is a little big (with regular grips it is perfect size) but the rubber grip was more comfortable.What brands of guns are good for smaller hands?Just to give you an idea my hand is only 7.25" from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger.

Steve,
At 5'10"/210 , mine is 7.5" from wrist to tip of middle finger. Not much difference. I don't have a problem shooting anything in the pic above. Also, you can compensate a lot with proper support techniques with your other hand. It will make you more comfortable.

 

[hudlow]

Steve,
At 5'10"/210 , mine is 7.5" from wrist to tip of middle finger. Not much difference. I don't have a problem shooting anything in the pic above. Also, you can compensate a lot with proper support techniques with your other hand. It will make you more comfortable.

I just measured my hand and it's roughly the same size as yours. I thought I had fair-sized hands, I always wear a XL sized glove.

Now I've seen some big hands...I once saw a guy who could lay a full sized 1911 in his hand and there was nothing hanging over.

That was a hand! And he wasn't any bigger than you are, height and weight.

I agree that if you can get your finger properly seated on the trigger then it's more a matter of technique and hand strength than it is a matter of hand size.

hud

 

[Kendall69]

I'm a Glock man. It just feels sweet in my hands, and with 17 shots in the magazine, chances are the bad guy is going to run out before me...

 

[Podunkadunk]

I just measured my hand and it's roughly the same size as yours. I thought I had fair-sized hands, I always wear a XL sized glove.

Now I've seen some big hands...I once saw a guy who could lay a full sized 1911 in his hand and there was nothing hanging over.

That was a hand! And he wasn't any bigger than you are, height and weight.

I agree that if you can get your finger properly seated on the trigger then it's more a matter of technique and hand strength than it is a matter of hand size.

hud

That was a big hand!

Yeah, proper gripping is key. If you have to "stretch" to get your finger on the trigger, the tendency is to "pull" the trigger. I don't mean literally pulling to the trigger as in to fire it, I mean "pull" the trigger to the right, which puts point of aim/point of impact to the right. The idea is to direct the pressure against the trigger face in such a way as not to induce any movement other than straight back; sideways movement is detrimental.

Proper gripping with the other hand is detrimental also. Find a natural, easy feeling grip and stick to it. Practice, practice, practice.

Good luck.
Podunk

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Seems to me that the point of getting a pistol is to hit your target. In the case of a defensive gun, to hit an attacker.

The handgun that has the highest 1st shot hit potential is the Colt pattern model 1911. No gun designed to date matches that weapon for first shot hit potential in actual gunfights.

Another interesting thing is that the more bullets in the gun the more likely the shooter is to miss his target under stress.

Keep it in mind when you buy a defensive gun.

 

[KubotaSteve]

Apparently I can't read a ruler right either. It was 6.75". I'm going to visit the gun dealer tomorrow. Hopefully they'll have a wide selection to choose from.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Seems to me that the point of getting a pistol is to hit your target. In the case of a defensive gun, to hit an attacker.

The handgun that has the highest 1st shot hit potential is the Colt pattern model 1911. No gun designed to date matches that weapon for first shot hit potential in actual gunfights.

Another interesting thing is that the more bullets in the gun the more likely the shooter is to miss his target under stress.

Keep it in mind when you buy a defensive gun.

Bob, not trying to be a smarty-pants, but "first shot hit potential" is relative to the shooter! If you don't know how to shoot accurately, it doesn't matter what kind of pistol you are shooting.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting your post. Please clarify. Thanks.
Podunk

 

[cp1969]

Seems to me that the point of getting a pistol is to hit your target. In the case of a defensive gun, to hit an attacker.

The handgun that has the highest 1st shot hit potential is the Colt pattern model 1911. No gun designed to date matches that weapon for first shot hit potential in actual gunfights.

Another interesting thing is that the more bullets in the gun the more likely the shooter is to miss his target under stress.

Keep it in mind when you buy a defensive gun.

I don't know what you mean by first shot hit potential. Pointed or aimed?

If you're talking point shooting, old timers say the SAA Colt is best for first shot hit potential but these days, no one is interested in that. Spray-n'-pray is the new modus operandi. Of course, the old Colt only holds five, but if you connect with number 1, you still have four left. The original 1911 design used a flat mainspring housing and this was replaced in the 1911A1 with the arched mainspring housing to correct a point shooting problem by making it shoot higher. I have tried point shooting with a 1911 and have found it harder to hit with than a (S&W) double action revolver.

If you're talking aimed fire, I am puzzled how the 1911 would be any quicker to aim, especially with regular factory sights, than any other handgun.

 

[EarPlug]

How about a Smith & Wesson M&P45? Comes with 3 different grip sizes.

Jack

 

[George2615]

I've got two .45's. A Colt M1991A1 (newer version of 1911)and a ParaOrdnance P10-45. Like them both. Carry the P10 and Colt is for home protection. No problems with either. I found the full sized Colt too large for easy concealed carry. The P10 is much smaller and easier to carry. Both are very accurate as far as I'm concerned.