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Not All .45s Are 1911s: Here Are 25 That Pack a Punch

Since its inception, the .45 ACP caliber has always been mainly associated with the pistol that it was originally designed for: the 1911.

But the 1911 is also not the only pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge…far from it.

If you already have a 1911 pistol and want to add another .45 handgun to your collection, or if you’re not a fan of the 1911 to begin with but like the .45 ACP, you’ll be glad to hear that you have a plethora of other pistols to pick and choose from.

Some of these pistols are still in production, while others are out of production but are still widely available on the used market.

Here are the top twenty-five .45 ACP pistols (and revolvers) that are not a 1911, presented in alphabetical order:

1 – Beretta Px4 Storm

Beretta Px4
Image Credit: Academy Sports

Released in 2004, the Beretta Px4 is known for its rotating barrel design that helps to reduce recoil. It was released as an upgrade over the original Beretta Cougar series of pistols, which also used the rotating design. It holds 9+1 or 10+1 rounds of .45 ACP depending on the magazine used; the example in the above image has the extended 10-round magazine. The Px4 is also available in 9mm Parabellum and .40 S&W.

2 – Colt M1917

Colt M1917
Image Credit: National Museum of American History

During World War I, there were not enough M1911 .45 ACP pistols being produced to meet demand. As a result, the U.S. military contracted Colt and Smith & Wesson to produce revolvers that would also be chambered in .45 ACP. Colt basically took their New Service revolver, chambered it for .45 Auto, and designated it as the M1917 revolver. This gun saw wide use as a sidearm in both World Wars, and to a lesser extent in Korea and Vietnam. Since .45 ACP is not designed for use in a revolver, the spent casings can only be ejected if the gun is loaded with moon clips or if the shells are poked out with a pencil or stick from the front.

3 – FN FNX 45

FN FNX
Image Credit: Cabela’s

The FN FNX was released in 2009 as the successor to FN’s earlier FNP pistol. The .45 ACP version of the FNX holds an impressive 15+1 rounds of .45 ACP, which makes it one of the highest capacity .45 pistols on the market today. The example in the above photo is the Tactical model, which comes with raised sights and a threaded barrel to facilitate the easy addition and use of a suppressor.

4 – Glock 21

Glock 21
Image Credit: Frontier Justice

The Glock 21 was introduced in 1990. Glock basically took the 9mm Glock 17 and made it larger to create the 21. Glock originally marketed the 21 to 1911 owners who wanted a more modern gun with a higher magazine capacity, as well as to fans of the G17 who desired a more powerful pistol. With a 13+1 total capacity, it remains one of the highest capacity .45 pistols on the market to this day. The gun in the above image is a 5th Generation Glock 21.

5 – Glock 41

Glock 41
Image Credit: All4Shooters

The Glock 41 was released in 2014 and is basically a Glock 21 with a longer barrel and slide. It takes the same 13-round magazines as the G21 and is a good choice for competition use. The longer barrel and slide help to reduce muzzle flip compared to the G21, and the longer sight radius at least theoretically aids in better accuracy. The gun in the above photo is an example of a Generation 4 Glock 41.

6 – Heckler & Koch HK45

Heckler Koch HK45
Image Credit: HK USA

The Heckler & Koch HK45 was developed in response to the U.S. Military Joint Combat Pistol Program, which sought a modernized .45 ACP pistol to replace the Beretta M9, in 2005. While the program ultimately fell through, HK still made the HK45 available to other military and law enforcement groups, as well as to the commercial market. The HK45 is a 10+1 capacity .45 pistol with a thinner grip than the USP45, and borrows its design cues from the P30. The HK45 is also available in a Tactical variant with a threaded barrel and raised sights to facilitate the use of a suppressor.

7 – Heckler & Koch HK45C

Heckler Koch HK45C
Image Credit: HK USA

Heckler & Koch also released a smaller version of the HK45, called (appropriately) the HK45 Compact (or HK45C). The HK45C uses the same 8-shot magazines as the HK USP45 Compact, and borrows its ergonomic design cues primarily from the HK P2000 pistol (which itself was basically a refined USP Compact). Like its full-size brother, the HK45C is also available in a Tactical variant with raised sights and a threaded barrel.

8 – Heckler & Koch MK 23

HK MK 23
Image Credit: HK USA

The Heckler & Koch MK 23 was designed in the early 1990s as a close quarters combat unit for the United States SOCOM (Special Operations Command). One of the largest semi-automatic .45 ACP pistols ever produced, the MK 23 successfully endured some of the toughest reliability testing that any service pistol has ever gone though. Among other trials, it excelled at a 30,000 round endurance test and functioned reliably in temperatures ranging from -25 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit while exposed to mud and sand. It uses the same 12 round magazines as the HK USP45.

9 – Heckler & Koch USP45

Untitled design 21
Image Credit: HK USA

The Heckler & Koch USP45 is the .45 ACP variant of HK’s ‘Universal Self-Loading Pistol’. It was released in 1995 following the 9mm and .40 S&W variants in the two prior years, and is slightly larger than both to accommodate the .45 cartridge. Like the MK 23, HK subjected the USP to extreme torture testing in hostile environments before its release. The USP45 has a total capacity of 12+1 rounds, and the Tactical model comes with raised sights and a threaded barrel. USP pistols are still being made today despite the release of the updated HK45. The USP45 also comes in a compact configuration with an 8+1 capacity.

10 – Ruger American

Ruger American
Image Credit: Guns.com

The Ruger American Pistol, not to be confused with Ruger’s American rifle, was released in 2015 as the successor to the Ruger SR-series. With 10+1 capacity in .45 Auto, the gun is built on a steel chassis that fits into a glass-filled nylon frame. The Ruger American is fully ambidextrous with the manual safety, slide lock, and mag release the same on both sides of the weapon. It’s also available in a Compact configuration, and is also offered in 9mm Parabellum.

11 – Ruger Blackhawk

Ruger Blackhawk
Image Credit: RifleGear

The Ruger Blackhawk is a single action revolver that was designed in the mid-1950s as a modernized update to the Colt Single Action Army. The Blackhawk is built on a beefier frame than the SAA to handle larger cartridges and utilizes coil springs that offer more durability than the SAA’s flat leaf springs. One of the Blackhawk models sold today is a .45 Long Colt/.45 ACP convertible model that comes with two cylinders, one for each caliber, and allows the user to switch between calibers. The spent .45 ACP shell casings can be easily ejected with the ejector rod.

12 – Ruger P345

Ruger P345
Image Credit: USA Carry

Produced from 2004 to 2013, the P345 was the last pistol in Ruger’s P-series of handguns. The P345 was lighter and slimmer than the other P-series pistols that had come before it, and was built on a polymer frame with an array of safety features including a loaded chamber indicator, internal lock, and a magazine disconnect safety. These features were designed to make the pistol compatible for states that had stricter gun laws. It has a capacity of 8+1 rounds.

13 – Ruger Redhawk

Ruger Redhawk 2
Image Credit: Ruger

Introduced in 1979, Redhawk is a double action revolver produced by Ruger on a large frame to handle bigger calibers. Like its single action cousin, the Blackhawk, the Redhawk is available in a .45 Long Colt/.45 ACP combination gun that was released in 2015. Unlike the Blackhawk, however, this Redhawk uses the same cylinder for both cartridges. The .45 ACP rounds need to be loaded and then ejected with the aid of a moon clip. If you load the .45 ACP rounds without a moon clip, they will drop far down into the chamber and can’t be fired.

14 – Ruger SR45

Ruger SR45 2
Image Credit: Guns.com

The Ruger SR series was released in 2007 as the successor to Ruger’s P-series. It was the first striker fired pistol made by Ruger. The .45 ACP version came out in 2013. With a 10+1 capacity, the SR45 incorporated the same loaded chamber indicator design as its predecessor, the P345. The SR-series was discontinued in 2019 in favor of the Ruger American pistol, but they can still be found floating around on the used market for good prices.

15 – SIG Sauer P220

SIG Sauer P220
Image Credit: The National Interest

The SIG Sauer P220 was released in 1975 as a replacement for SIG’s earlier P210 pistol. Initial models of the P220 had a heel magazine release and were sold as the ‘Browning BDA’ in the United States until 1980, but the pistol was then upgraded to a push-button magazine release. For a time, the P220 was virtually the only competitor for a .45 ACP pistol to the 1911. Newer production models of the P220 are designed as the P220R for the rail that they have under the frame for adding lights and accessories. The P220 has a capacity of 8+1 rounds and spawned the 220 pistol line from SIG.

16 – SIG Sauer P227

SIG Sauer P227
Image Credit: Police Magazine

The SIG Sauer P227 is a double-stacked version of the P220 that was produced from 2013 to 2019. The pistol has a 10+1 standard capacity, but extended magazines increase the round count to 14+1 rounds. The P227 was released with SIG’s E2 grip to accommodate showers with smaller hand sizes. Despite being adopted as the sidearm of some law enforcement departments in the U.S, the P227 was never as successful as the P220, which is why it was discontinued relatively early.

17 – SIG Sauer P320

SIG Sauer P320
Image Credit: Academy Sports

The P320 was designed by SIG Sauer as a truly modular pistol where the fire control unit can be swapped between different frames. However, SIG Sauer advises against exchanging calibers between the .45 ACP P320 and the smaller calibers like 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, and .357 SIG Sauer. The .45 version of the P320 comes with a shorter barrel and slide like you’ll see in the above photo, along with a model that has a longer barrel and slide. It also comes standard with a 10+1 capacity.

18 – Smith & Wesson 4506

Smith Wesson 4506
Image Credit: Xenopedia

The 4506 was released in 1988 as an improvement to Smith & Wesson’s earlier 645 pistol. In the mid-1990s, Smith & Wesson updated the pistol to the 4506-1 that has a slightly heavier frame as well as a curved trigger guard rather than a hooked trigger guard like you see in the above photo. The 4506 is somewhat famous in the gun world for its ability to reliably cycle through empty shell casings while racking the slide. A popular police pistol in the 1990s, the 4506 was produced until 1999, but very limited runs continued to be made for law enforcement into the early 2000s.

19 – Smith & Wesson M&P45/M&P45 2.0

Smith Wesson MP45
Image Credit: Smith & Wesson

Released in 2005, the Smith & Wesson M&P succeeded the company’s earlier metal framed guns and effectively served as their answer to the Glock pistol. The .45 ACP variant of the M&P has 10+1 capacity. In 2017 S&W released the M&P 2.0 line, which featured improvements such as a steel chassis, aggressive texturing over the grip, and a lighter trigger. The .45 ACP version of the M&P 2.0, however, was discontinued by 2021. Nonetheless, used M&P45s are still a common presence on the used market.

20 – Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 45

Smith Wesson MP Shield 45
Image Credit: Eagle Gun Range

The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in .45 ACP is a good choice for those looking for an easily concealable .45 pistol. The Shield is a smaller and slimmer version of the M&P pistol designed for concealed carry. The M&P Shield in .45 was larger than the Shield in 9mm and .40 S&W, but was still one of the most compact offerings for a .45 pistol for a time. It was discontinued along with the full-size M&P45 by early 2021, but is still available on the used market.

21 – Smith & Wesson M1917

Smith Wesson M1917
Image Credit: Rock Island Auction

Along with the Colt M1917, the Smith & Wesson M1917 was issued to American infantrymen in World War I to help supplement the Colt M1911 pistol. The S&W M1917 continued to be used in limited numbers in World War II and into Korea and even Vietnam. It can be loaded without the use of moon clips, but you’ll need to use a pencil or stick to push the empty shell casings out from the front of the cylinder. S&W M1917 revolvers are widely regarded as being more refined and better finished than their Colt counterparts.

22 – Smith & Wesson Model 22

Smith Wesson Model 22
Image Credit: Rock Island Auction

Introduced in 1950, the Smith & Wesson Model 22 was an improved version of the M1917 released for the commercial market. As with the M1917, the Model 22 can chamber and fire .45 ACP rounds without a moon clip, but they will need to be pushed out from the front with a stick or rod, or otherwise pried out with your fingernails. The Model 22 should not be confused with the Smith & Wesson Model 22A, which is a semi-automatic .22 LR pistol.

23 – Smith & Wesson Model 625

Smith Wesson 625
Image Credit: Rock Island Auction

Introduced in 1988, the Smith & Wesson Model 625 was the successor to the Model 22. The Model 625 is a stainless steel revolver and also has a full underdog that runs all the way under the barrel for added weight. It’s available in multiple configurations from Smith & Wesson, and is famous as the revolver that Jerry Miculek used to set the world record for the fastest six shots fired (2.99 seconds) in 1999. As with the M1917 and Model 22, the Model 625 requires you to manually push out the spent shell casings if a moon clip is not used.

24 – Springfield XD

Springfield XD45
Image Credit: American Rifleman

The Springfield Armory XD is the American-marketed version of the Croatian-made HS2000 pistol. The full-size, .45 ACP version of the XD has a total capacity of 13+1 rounds. Like the 1911 pistol, it has a safety on the back of the grip that must be depressed for the gun to fire. The compact model holds 10+1 rounds, but will still accept the full-size magazines.

25 – Walther PPQ 45

Walther PPQ 45
Image Credit: Shooting Illustrated

The PPQ 45 was released in 2016 as the largest entry in their Police Pistol Quick Quick Defense lineup. The PPQ 45 is an imposing pistol with a 12+1 capacity. Like the rest of the PPQ line, it’s known for its lightweight trigger. The PPQ line, however, was phased out in 2023 in favor of the PDP. So far, there haven’t been any plans announced by Walther to release the PDP in the .45 ACP, but PPQ 45s can still be found floating around on the used market.

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