[Josh Smith]

Hi All,

I might have posted this when the board was young; if so I don't remember doing it. Anyway, this is one of my onerier posts so don't take it too seriously. But... I do hear the "I carry a .45 because they don't make a .50" line a lot... hmmm...

Here's the old post from another board, and the same poll I had with it:
____________

If this round becomes widespread and chambered in more affordable pistols, will you of the "big and slow" school switch from your .45acp to the .50 G.I.? I know I've received the answer, "Because they don't make a .50" when I've asked "Why a .45?"

So I guess, with the 9mm vs .40 vs. .45 worn out... it's now time for .45acp vs. .50 G.I.!

Which one guys'n'gals?

Josh <><

http://www.guncrafterindustries.com/model1_50gi.shtml
http://www.guncrafterindustries.com/50gi_cartridge.shtml

 

[erich]

I've seen too many killings to get too excited about the hype of a bigger diameter - it's about where you put them.

A 9mm works fine with a sufficiently penetrative bullet and proper placement. W/o proper placement (which requires practice that gets prohibitively expensive with some of these silly rounds), even a .75 GI won't work.

Red lever.

 

[jimhigginbotham]

Everything is a compromise and nothing will work every time. My dad had a friend who once took a hit (not a center hit) from a H.V. 88mm in WW II (yes the cannon not a misprint) and I worked with a gent who took 9 hits in the torso from the 8.92mm from an MG-42. That gent killed the machinegunner before he passed out and I met him some 30 years after he was shot.

Lethality is not the issue - if so then we need to al purchase a .22. Effectiveness at rapidly incapacitation people with good hits (pysically, nothing works at all with bad hits) bigger has always been somewhat more effective given similar circumstances.

Of course a fair assessment would mean comparing apples to apples, lumping all torso hits together along with people of different sizes and mental states results in a confusing set of data. At the same time, segregating the data into a useable format may be impossible.

Needless to say, a well placed .22 is more effective than a poorly placed 30-06.

Getting down to whether the .50 in reasonably compact auto is more effective...sure it is. But can it be used more effectively (i.e. can you shoot it as well or will you practice the thousands of rounds needed to master a handgun?)...well that is a "your mileage may vary" situtation. The .45 Colt is slightly more effective than the .45 ACP (and the .44 mag) but I normally don't give up the ability to fire rapidly and accurately to carry one (but it is a close thing, if you do carry one great!).

Onward.
Jim H

 

[slapshot]

There's a better reason to answer in favor of the .45 ACP: It's the most powerful round I can control effectively (i.e. shoot accurately with speed).

Having said that, the statement needs to be qualified by admitting that I've never fired a .50 GI, so I don't know how controllable it would be in my hands. If it's as controllable as a .45, then the old Pontiac commercial may bear repeating: "Wider is Better."

 

[Guest]

I woman asked me in a 7-11 one late night why I carried a .45 auto. I gave my standard answer. "Because They Don't Make a .50!"That was 15 years ago. I was just woofin' her and my vote was for .45ACP.

 

[Guest]

I still carry my 38 Super mostly, I have now carried it with the 45 upper I fitted to it a few times. As to anything bigger, why? Bigger will not improve your shooting skills if you don't already have them.

 

[earlybird]

[quote author=jimhigginbotham board=Discussion thread=1144413022 post=1144420847]

"Lethality is not the issue - if so then we need to al purchase a .22. Effectiveness at rapidly incapacitation people with good hits ...

Needless to say, a well placed .22 is more effective than a poorly placed 30-06..."

Jim speaks words of wisdom. It's why, as much as I love to shoot my 9mm and new .40 HP, I still carry a Ruger SP101, with .38+P hollow points, and have the same rounds in a Ruger Speed Six revolver for home defense. I know that if, God forbid I ever really need to defend myself, I can simply grab, point and shoot. I don't want to have to remember to take off safetys, chamber rounds, worry if my rounds will feed, etc., under that kind of stress. I also use the lighter, but perfectly adequate .38 +P rather than the .357 magnum rounds, because I'm more likely to be able to get more accurate, quick rounds off with the lighter loads, and less muzzle flash in the dark.

 

[randomman]

I think it's all about where you hit. That said, if they made an affordable .50 GI and had affordable ammunition, you bet I'd carry it.

But, I wouldn't feel unarmed with a .22 if it was all I had.

-Rob

 

[Guest]

I am of the "because I can" mentality.

Once .50 G.I. gets around, I'll probably pick one up, and give it a try. Of course, If I can't control it, and I very well may not be able to, since .45 ACP is at the top end of my controllable range, then I'll just stick with the old workhorse.

 

[Guest]

You will do what you have trained yourself to do when the poop hits the fan. The 1911 is not an easy gun to master and people who have not trained themselves to fight with it are better served with revolvers as they are a very simple means of getting off a few shots. I have a revolver on the nightstand for just that reason, although I can go on auto-pilot with a 1911 just as well. It would be better for me in court , also.

You should always carry what you have trained with and if you haven't trained yourself, don't pack a gun. You won't be able to invent anything when push comes to shove and you will probably die.

When I was on the Job, I sometimes had to use a revolver and I never felt hadicapped with my S&W .41 Magnum in my duty holster. I also carried Model 19's, Model 625's, and Model 66's. My favorite was my 1911, though. I used to do El Presidentes' with my eyes closed just for fun. I won! Practice makes perfect, as Grandma used to say!

 

[Guest]

I shoot both pistol and revolver, but it is probably 99% pistol/1% revolver, so I will always use a pistol, if possible. The.45 is more than adequate, and often I resort to my S&W 6906 (13 rounds of 147gr at 1175 fps ain't too shabby), but I would never consider an ultra-expensive wildcat. I want to practice with the gun that I carry, and .50 ammo is just too expensive!