38 Super, 45 ACP, 9mm
 

So my grandfather has a Rock Island .45 and .38 Super. He is in great health but he is 90. He has a large collection that will be split between myself and my uncle. So these will probably get split up between us. So talk to me just about caliber here. What are the pros and cons of each besides the obvious availability of .45 in stores as opposed to .38 Super. I reload and have a large enough collection myself that this would not be taken to every range trip. Also I don't have a 1911 in any caliber yet.

Well, if I had a choice I would take one of each. ;)

.38 Super is a fine shooting caliber, by all reports. However, God intended man's first 1911 to be .45 acp

So sayeth the pig

If you don't own one now, I vote .45acp. nanner

.45.....the way it was intended....

Yep...

Agreed, so seconded by the...(oh, I don't have a milk bottle, or milkman pic dammit)

Ok I get the message. Now add a Star PD in .45 ACP to the mix. What would you all go with the Star or the Rock island 38 Super?

The gun didn't matter to me, was the caliber, still .45

I have 1911s in all 3 calibers. You can't go wrong with 45acp. But after many years of shooting 45acp, many folks have hand/wrist problems. 9mm is a readily available round that should be cheaper to acquire and or reload. Some say it's not potent enough for personal protection. 38 super is a nice shooting round, more potent than a 9mm and less recoil than the 45acp. You really can't go wrong and I couldn't make up my mind, hence the multiple 1911s in the house.

It's cool you have 'em all.....they all can do the job if we do ours....My kids and I do shoot alot of 9mm, and they are busting me for a 9mm 1911...I don't know if I can pull that trigger just yet, but I am arthritic.

I vote 38 Super and 9 mm particularly if in an older desirable pistol. These are not as common as the 45acp. You can trip over all the 45acps later that are available.

I am a great fan of the 45acp and in 1911 and have a few. Also have a few in 10mm and a DW PM9. Also am not of the school of the 45acp is the almighty caliber for a 1911. Bet most pushing the 45 have other caliber handguns.

I also trust the 9mm as a SD in a Govt size 1911. One of my loads is the 147 gr XTP @ 1200+ fps.

I would take the 38 Super. I carry a 45 or 10mm but I ama big fan of the 38 super. The Super was developed in the thirties as a round better suted to penetrate car doors than the 45. Cheaper to reload than a 45 and tremendous performance. Next best thing to a 10mm with less recoil.