Handgun Question

[Brown Bear]

Okay, so I want to get back into shooting. It'll be a casual thing for me. Few days in the summer with a couple of buddies at the range. Don't need/want to spend a fortune on a "race" gun, just a casual good "shooter". Looking at the new Remmington 1911 R1....yes, it appears that Rem is back in the 1911 game after all these years. And it's going to be cheap....for a 1911, at least! Also looking at the CZ 85 Combat.
The CZ is a 9, and the 1911 is, of course, a .45 ACP.
Don't need/can't warrant buying both.
The 1911 is kind of like a Harley. It's American, and you can "build" on it.
The CZ will be left "unmolested"
Thoughts??

[eddyb123]

Take a look at these, Hi-Point firearms. I thought they were interesting.

[looproll]

Tough choice. Can't go wrong with a well built 1911, but the CZ has a great reputation as well. The 9mm may be a bit easier on the wallet then 45 ACP. In all honesty I shoot my Ruger 22/45 more than any large calibre. Great for plinking and very, very easy on the wallet even with the price of 22 LR going up so much in the past few years.

[Canuck223]

Well, since you got out of shooting, the cost of ammo has likely doubled, so unless you are loading your own, 9mm is still a relative bargin.

I love the 1911 design. I've lost track of the number I've bought, built up, then traded for something else.

If I had to buy a new 1911, I'd go for the STI Spartan on the low end, or the Trojan if my budget was bigger.

The CZ 75/85 is an excellent design. The hot model right now is the SP-01 Shadow. The trigger out of the box is excellent, and the sights are perfect.

However, my current competition gun is the STI GP6, made for STI by Grand Power in Slovakia. It's a 9mm DA/SA using a rotary barrel lock up that is unbelievable. The felt recoil is negligable. The polymer frame feels great. The safety sucks, so if you're a die hard in riding the safety with your thumb, you may take time to get used to this one. It only comes in 9mm.


Hi-Point!!!!!!!!!!! What are you smoking?

[Brown Bear]

Background on me. I used to be a wheel gun guy. S&W 686. Now, I want an autoloader. My main concern with the .45 is recoil vs. the 9mm. Cost is an issue as well...for all of us! I've used the Browning Hi-Power, and I think the CZ is close in design? Don't plan to get into IPSC...at least not in the short run. Looking for a quality, long term investment!


When you say the SP-01...the target model? Is .40 S&W a "major"??

[Canuck223]

The CZ grip is as good or in all likelyhood, better than the Browning for you.

You can get the SP-01 in .40 S&W, but most are in 9mm.

You say you are not getting into IPSC, but there is a relatively new division, Production. The guns must fire double action first shot, and all are scored minor. While some guys will shoot .40 in Production, most stick with 9mm.

My paper targets are rarely impressed by the sound and fury of the gun going off, so I stick with the 9mm. The .40 S&W is a fair bit snappier in most guns, as they are often designed for 9mm and reworked to make the larger fatter round work in the same platform. In the 1911's, the .40 S&W cartridge rules.

[Brown Bear]

223...thanks for the input. Probably going with the CZ. Pretty casual shooting...the CZ85 might just do the trick. Cheers.

[Guido]

Purely out of curiousity - how much does a handgun cost? Are we talking a couple of hundred dollars, or significantly more?
How much is the ammunition? I assume there are different grades of bullets? Can anyone give me a primer?
Is it possible to visit a shooting range off the street in Canada as a person who has never owned or fired a gun and "rent" one? It's one of those things I've always thought would be fun to try... not that I need yet another expensive hobby!

[Canuck223]

Purely out of curiousity - how much does a handgun cost? Are we talking a couple of hundred dollars, or significantly more?
How much is the ammunition? I assume there are different grades of bullets? Can anyone give me a primer?
Is it possible to visit a shooting range off the street in Canada as a person who has never owned or fired a gun and "rent" one? It's one of those things I've always thought would be fun to try... not that I need yet another expensive hobby!

If we skip the cost of the RPAL exam, and course if required, and the club membership...

The cost of the gun varies greatly. On the low end of the scale, Norinco clones of the 1911, CZ, or Sig cost around $350-400. A genuine CZ costs from $700-1000. A good 1911 from STI runs $1000-3000.

Factory 9mm ammo costs $300-400 per thousand. I can reload the same amount for $180 or so.

If you live in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, or Toronto, there are ranges with rental guns. That's actually a misnomer, as there is a disagreement over how this is dealt with in the Criminal Code. I believe the ranges get around the BS by including the use of the gun in the inflated cost of the ammo used. Anyone not under a prohibition order can fire a restricted firearm, so long as they are under the supervision of a licenced individual. Supervision is interpreted as being under observation and in arms reach.

[Odysseus]

On a related note, does anyone living in YYC know where to buy relatively cheap 9mm ammo? The rounds at the range are grossly overpriced, and I don't have the time and equipment to do my own reloads.

[looproll]

check bass pro and wholesale sports

[Canuck223]

Check out http://www.canadianbdx.com

The downside to dealing with Kurt is he can take forever to reply. However, his ammo is excellent.

There is also a new guy in BC

CUSTOM RELOADING SERVICE INC.
BRITISH COLUMBIA’S ONLY LICENCED COMMERCIAL RELOADER

RELOADED AMMUNITION
•9 mm 115 GR/ 124 GR/ 147GR : $ 130.00 Per 500 / $ 13.00 PER BOX
•40 S&W 180GR : $ 150.00 PER 500 / $ 15.00 PER BOX
•45 AUTO 230GR : $ 190.00 PER 500 / $ 19.00 PER BOX

[xsbank]

1911. No question. I reload my own and add a little for "good measure."

[Brown Bear]

1911. No question. I reload my own and add a little for "good measure."

Must admit...there is a certain "something" to a .45ACP...

[Brown Bear]

Talked to Guy at Wolverine in Verdon Manitoba. He tells me they have about 150 handguns on display and more in the storeroom. He said to come over and spend an hour or three, "playing" with the guns so I can pick one. He says the coffee is always on......always looking for an excuse for a bike ride.

[Canuck223]

Talked to Guy at Wolverine in Verdon Manitoba. He tells me they have about 150 handguns on display and more in the storeroom. He said to come over and spend an hour or three, "playing" with the guns so I can pick one. He says the coffee is always on......always looking for an excuse for a bike ride.

The owner is John, a seriously cool guy!

[rigpiggy]

I bought my last rifle from them, it was backordered for 18 months, but I got it.

for a 45 I'd look at the CZ97B
820$

[Brown Bear]

I think the .45 ACP might be a bit harsh on my girly wrists. I'm now thinking 9mm.

[Odysseus]

I think the .45 ACP might be a bit harsh on my girly wrists. I'm now thinking 9mm.

If you're looking at 9mm and want something practical and durable... the best bang for your buck is a glock 17... yes its made of plastic, its ugly and boxy, and the trigger pull is heavy out of the box, but it will not die and it's quite cheap. Having said that I own a SIG 226 and I love it, the trigger pull is so much sweeter and I prefer the DA/SA.

[Brown Bear]

I think the .45 ACP might be a bit harsh on my girly wrists. I'm now thinking 9mm.

If you're looking at 9mm and want something practical and durable... the best bang for your buck is a glock 17... yes its made of plastic, its ugly and boxy, and the trigger pull is heavy out of the box, but it will not die and it's quite cheap. Having said that I own a SIG 226 and I love it, the trigger pull is so much sweeter and I prefer the DA/SA.

Wouldn't touch a Glock with a stick. It feels like a 2x4. It doesn't "point" at all naturally. If you want a gun that will NEVER "die", buy a revolver.

[Canuck223]

I think the .45 ACP might be a bit harsh on my girly wrists. I'm now thinking 9mm.

If you're looking at 9mm and want something practical and durable... the best bang for your buck is a glock 17... yes its made of plastic, its ugly and boxy, and the trigger pull is heavy out of the box, but it will not die and it's quite cheap. Having said that I own a SIG 226 and I love it, the trigger pull is so much sweeter and I prefer the DA/SA.

Wouldn't touch a Glock with a stick. It feels like a 2x4. It doesn't "point" at all naturally. If you want a gun that will NEVER "die", buy a revolver.

Oh good, I'm not the only one who hasn't developed a taste for the kool-aide. I've tried to find the missing x factor that accounts for the guns cult like status. Every time I pick one up and point it at the target, I wind up looking over the rear sight at the slide, with the front sight pointed towards Mars.

[LostinRotation]

Just picked up my Sig arms P220 ST .45 ACP and I absolutely love it.
Having a stainless upper and lower adds to the weight, but it also helps with the recoil, which for a .45 is as gentle as a pussy cat. Especially for something that looks like it has a sewer pipe coming out of the business end.
Sig arms have had decades to develop and improve their firearms. Recoil is not an issue. In fact the 5'9" 105 lb girl I took shooting last week couldn't put it down, even after putting 50 rounds through it. My P220 is by far my favorite in the collection now.







-=0=LiR=0=-

[LostinRotation]

I think the .45 ACP might be a bit harsh on my girly wrists. I'm now thinking 9mm.

[LostinRotation]

If you want something that bites back ?

[. ._]

What are the laws in Canada with regards to buying, storing and using a handgun?

I'm just kind of curious. I don't hear of many people that own them. And no, I don't want one in my house. The way I drink and think up crazy ideas, that's a recipe for disaster. It's bad enough I go camping with a Leatherman and semi-healthy love of fire.