compact .45......

[NSP64]

I was looking at compact .45's and saw bersa has one. Anyone shoot or own one? Or maybe a witness compct .45?

[Multigunner]

All I know about compact .45 ACP pistols built from 1911 pistols is that two guys at the old shooting spot had brand new ones and both jammed repeatedly. They asked me to look at them and try a few mags from each, and neither jammed when I fired them.
Near as I can figure it was one of those limp wrist jam situations.
I've never had a jam due to not holding the pistol tight enough, and I don't really lock my wrist either. I was always told it was best to let the 1911 roll back a bit with recoil.

Anyway thats something to look out for in cutdown big bore pistols.

I don't think I'd care for anything more compact than a Colt Commander.
I was suprised that both those cutdown pistols printed pretty tight groups with such a short barrel and rear sight mounted far forwards (about the same orientation as a snubnosed revolver) with very short sight radius.

[Lonegun1894]

I had a Witness Compact until recently. I never had any issues with it, and it always shot well. It had a definite preference for defensive loads (more expensive if you choose to buy instead of load them) over just average or light loads like my 1911 likes, but as long as it was fed the ammo it liked, it never acted up. If you get one, the overall lenght is about the same as my 1911 Commander size, but it is a bit wider due to the double-stack magazine, if that makes a difference to you.

[NickSS]

I have two compact 45 ACP pistols one is a Officers size 1911 and the other is a taurus PT 145. The Officers model is made by Rock Island and shoots very well but is sensitive to lead bullets. Semi Wad cutters must be seated so as to leave almost no lead exposed above the case mouth. When I do that it gobbles them up without a hitch. It likes my lyman 230 gr RN but does not like the Lee 200 gr RF that my other 45 gobble up without a hitch. Other than that I like it but it is heavy not as heavy as a full sized 1911 but not a light weight as it goes about 27 oz. The Taurus PT 145 Millennium pro is a really nice pistol. It is only six inches long and five inches high and weighs unloaded about 20 oz. It is comfortable to carry and has a safety lever. It is basically a SA pistol carried cocked and locked when a round is in the chamber. It is striker fired and if it does not go off the first time you can pull the trigger for a second try before racking the slide. The pistol carries 10 rounds in the mag and that is a lot of 45s for a pistol not much larger than most 380s I have seen. To date I have put all sorts of ammo through it without a single hitch or any sort. I really like it for a CCW hand gun.

[NSP64]

NickSS, I did not know it had multi pull capability. I will have to look at one next time I go to the gunstore. I have a full size RIA and really like it, and had a compact model that was picky about boolit profile.

[Geraldo]

I had a Colt Officer's and a Kimber Custom shop and I would have trusted either for a carry gun.

As far as second-pull or second-strike capability, people need to rethink that. It's based on the presumption that the round will fire on the second try, but if it doesn't you've wasted time that could have been better spent racking a new round in.

[DanWalker]

I had a bersa thunder 380 that I trusted my life to. Now I trust it to protect my 18 year old daughter. It is utterly reliable, and VERY accurate for a pocket gun.
If I hadn't have fallen head over heels for a Kimber Ultra carry, there would be a Bersa 45 in my holster now.
Bersa's are terrific guns! I'm currently planning on getting a Bersa 22 for my wife so she can have her own plinking gun when we go shoot.

[bobthenailer]

I have 2 compact 45 acp pistols a Para Ordance P12 3 1/2 inch barrel with a aluminum frame.
with add on trijujcon night sights , ambi saftey , ed brown beaver tail grip saftey and a recoil guide rod , The gun is accurate and reliable ! ive owned it for about 17 years .
The second is the Kahr CW 45 , 3 1/2 inc barrel . it is also reliable & accurate . this is the less expensive version . I paid $459.00 for it new.
I like carrying the Kahr much better, it makes a smaller print on clothing than the P12 , no safteys to manupliate , and the ambi safteys have come off on me when carring , Ive carried 1911s for 40 years.
Although i love the 1911 and have several , and wont sell them, im really impressed with the Kahr . actually i have 2, a PM9 3 inch 9mm and the CW 45 .

[Catshooter]

The Kahr PM 45 (about three inches) is very nice, I love mine. Smith & Wesson Shorty 45 is a commander sized weapon that I also love. It will feed an empty case loaded into the mag as you shoot. Until it just goes 'click' you can't tell the empty fed.


Cat

[AnthonyB]

I could never get my P45 to be reliable and traded for a Glock 30SF. I wanted the Kahr to work; it went back to the factory twice. Maybe it is time to try another....
Tony

[bobthenailer]

i know of about 10 Karhs that people have ! all are accurate & reliable ! most of the people have more than one .
A friend had a PM45 , and i also shot it . IMO the grips to short making it more diffcult for recoil control and follow up shots . IMO you have the same secenaro with the PM40 , that ive also shot ! but as stated i also have a pm9 and love it , very shootable

[lbaize3]

I sold Bersa pistols to numerous people when I worked at a local gun shop. Everyone reported that these pistols were accurate and dependable. However I have had a bad experience with a Colt Officer's model that somewhat soured me on any 45 less than commander size.

I carried a full size 1911 during my years as a sheriff's deputy. It was dependable, accurate and comforting. My father carried a commander during most of his 33 years at the Beaumont police department. We never experienced issues with our duty guns.

The magazine seems to be the main issue with compact pistols. You need a heavy magazine spring to properly feed a pistol that has greatly increased slide movement. I have had good luck with a 4 inch Kimber and a compact Para-ordinance LDA in 45acp. But I never felt that I could have trusted them completely because of that Officer's model that malfunctioned at the wrong time....