Guns and Ammo reports Colt wins contract

[O'Dell]

Since we're still giving opinions on what's "better":
HK
Cheaper, maybe
More reliable, opinion
As accurate, opinion
Suppressor ready, yes (if you need that)
Lighter, yes
Higher capacity, yes (2 more)
1911
Better trigger, opinion
Better ergonomics/handling (quicker on target and back on target), opinion
Better ballistics, maybe
IMHO, the 1911 is the better choice for getting rounds on target when the chips are down and that's what counts (again, in my opinion)
Regards,
Greg

As the owner and user of both I'll offer my opinion.

Cheaper: toss up - Three of my five 1911's were cheaper. Don't know about Colt.

Reliability: Equally reliable. They both work 100% for me, but two 1911's
required work. Neither was a 5 inch or Colt

Accuracy: Equal with a 5 inch 1911

Weight HK45

Capacity: HK45

Trigger: Hard to quantify. both have a good SA

Ergonomics: Different but about equal

Ballistics: Don't know

Wild card: The Colt is American made which means a lot to me.

I would hate to have to choose. Both are favorites of mine. I'll call a draw.

[Barth]

As the owner and user of both I'll offer my opinion.

Cheaper: toss up - Three of my five 1911's were cheaper. Don't know about Colt.

Reliability: Equally reliable. They both work 100% for me, but two 1911's
required work. Neither was a 5 inch or Colt

Accuracy: Equal with a 5 inch 1911

Weight HK45

Capacity: HK45

Trigger: Hard to quantify. both have a good SA

Ergonomics: Different but about equal

Ballistics: Don't know

Wild card: The Colt is American made which means a lot to me.

I would hate to have to choose. Both are favorites of mine. I'll call a draw.

With my ever popular and well documented cheating;
tuned SRT trigger,
ported extended match barrel,
10 round extended mag and
Hogue rubber grips -
my P220 may well nearly match the stock HK45 in weight, capacity, accuracy bla bla bla

[O'Dell]

With my ever popular and well documented cheating;
tuned SRT trigger,
ported extended match barrel,
10 round extended mag and
Hogue rubber grips -
my P220 may well nearly match the stock HK45 in weight, capacity, accuracy bla bla bla

I think your P220 has a folded carbon steel slide like mine. If so the HK is just a bit lighter going by company specs in stock trim. If it's SS that adds several ozs. I have no idea how much your mods have added. It would certainly be a lot lighter than a FS 1911. Not knowing about your barrel, I still think the 1911 or HK could hold it's own.

[Barth]

I think your P220 has a folded carbon steel slide like mine. If so the HK is just a bit lighter going by company specs in stock trim. If it's SS that adds several ozs. I have no idea how much your mods have added. It would certainly be a lot lighter than a FS 1911. Not knowing about your barrel, I still think the 1911 or HK could hold it's own.

I said nearly match.
They are all great guns.

If I'm really competing the heavy contour target type German P220 Sport 5.47" barrel is in order.
Plus I've got a BedAir stainless guide rod too and I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

In factory form:
HK45 31.0 oz HK web site
P220 31.1 oz (My gun on a digital scale last year)

But as you have astutely realized, I plumped the pup up with my mods.
P220 34.4 oz (digital scale today In Barth Combat Form)
BTW HK Mark 23 39.36 oz

[ripley16]

My Sig P220 weighs more than any of my HKs. My Sig is a run of the mill, older carbon steel model that I've never been fond of. I've fired some newer, customized stainless P220 that were like butter, (very, very nice), but they were very expensive and not tuned for combat use.

Even with the extra thick polymer frame, 6" heavy duty barrel and the slide to go with it all, the behemoth HK MK23 still weighs less than a standard 1911.

It's tough to beat a polymer gun in the race to make a combat load lighter. Ounces count.

I believe the HK45 and HK45c are made in the U.S.

Because the Marines recently adopted the HK M27 infantry automatic rifle as a replacement for the SAW, and the Navy already adopted several HKs, (among them the MP7, HK416 and MK24), it seemed to make sense to continue the trend.

Sometimes I think the FBI has too much influence on Quantico. Maybe this was a nod to HRT.

I admit I'm a HK fanboy, I own one 1911 and six HKs. Different strokes for different folks.

[les strat]

I noticed on the comments there was the one guy talking how inferior .45 was on the battlefield. That's news to me.

[mr surveyor]

do the math.................. 45 is 5 times bigger than 9...... DUH!

[O'Dell]

I said nearly match.
They are all great guns.

If I'm really competing the heavy contour target type German P220 Sport 5.47" barrel is in order.
Plus I've got a BedAir stainless guide rod too and I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

In factory form:
HK45 31.0 oz HK web site
P220 31.1 oz (My gun on a digital scale last year)

But as you have astutely realized, I plumped the pup up with my mods.
P220 34.4 oz (digital scale today In Barth Combat Form)
BTW HK Mark 23 39.36 oz

HK site list my HK45c at 25.28 ozs and my compact USP 45 at 24.96 ozs, both w/o 2 oz mag. An old SIG article from the 90's quotes the P220 at 26.5 ozs plus a 2.6 oz mag. I know the newer P220's with the SS slide are over 30 ozs. I actually prefer the older USP because it fits my hand better.

I don't have a digital scale.

[O'Dell]

do the math.................. 45 is 5 times bigger than 9...... DUH!

I hope Jocko doesn't see this.

[O'Dell]

I believe the HK45 and HK45c are made in the U.S.

:

Some are assembled in the US, Columbus, GA, I think, but my HK45c, USP 45, and USP 40 are all German.

[chrish]

I noticed on the comments there was the one guy talking how inferior .45 was on the battlefield. That's news to me.

I'm not sure I want any handgun on the battlefield but as a last resort and then I think I'd take capacity over caliber. After that, I think I'd prefer .22tcm or 5.7 'on the battlefield'.

But I recently ran across a video by Yeager where he just tore 1911s up one side and down the other. That guy really has some issues w/ them. I don't have a particular opinion either way, I shoot and carry 9mm exclusively because of price, capacity, and the 'good enough' argument. I don't own any other calibers in handguns. Might some day, but for now I don't have the time or money to maintain ammo stock and shoot with mulitple regularly.

But I'm curious what 1911 owners have to say. Seems there is a significant portion of the gun-owning population out there that don't trust them for anything. Obviously the military holds a different opinion for at least some of the troops it arms.

[jocko]

but the military shoots hard ball ammo in their 45's where as we in our 1911 go with the hp ammo and I think more than anything that is where most issues lie. Just sayin. I neitherown a 45 1911 or want one, and I could be totally wrong here to.

Mr brother in law has a 1911 full military 45 and it willnot function worth a damn with any hp rounds but shoots great with ball ammo.. guys here like Bawanna who is a 1911 fan can add or subtract alot from my above comments.Just sayin

[Longitude Zero]

but the military shoots hard ball ammo in their 45's

Only the regular troops do. Specialized units can use whatever specialized ammo they choose. They have been given blanket exemptions.

[jocko]

would u then assume that they are not ur run of the mill government issues 1911's either...

[Longitude Zero]

Probably not. I would bet they will be "prepped".