How come it seems that every .45 auto pistol, with the exception of the 1911 has a 4" Commander length barrel. Iknow I would like to see more barrel length choices in some of the following pistols.


Smith &  Wesson TSW pistols
Sig P220
Ruger P90 and P97

The H&K has the Expert line with 5" barrels and I know if I was going to purchase a USP it would be an Expert. Does anyone have nay thoughts or other pistols you would like to see with a longer barrel?


As a side note my XD40 is a Tactical with a five inch barrel.



96Ag

big heavy MODERN hollowpoint bullets rely far less on velocity than smaller stuff like 9/40.  golden sabres and hydrashoks (and i'm assuming rangers) will expand at a ridiculously low velocity.  velocity easily obtained from a 4" barrell.  even if they don't expand, you're still punching a .45 caliber hole in the bad guy.  how many 8" .44 specials have you seen?  same idea.

I 've owned a 1911 since the age of 9(im in my 40's) and have had 3.5" springfield armories, 4.25 " colt commanders and scads(7) of Gov't 5"   and you DO notice a difference in the ballastics even between the 4.25 and 5" if you shoot enough inanamate objects. there are things a commander will heavily dent and the Gov't will put a hole in.  The 3.5 inchers have the velocity of a adult BB gun and you can see the bullet fly under the lights of an indoor range and with some loads not penetrate far enough(they have hell getting though a heavy leather biker jacket,shirt, undershirt, and then though skin/fat/muscle/ribs to enter a vital organ area of the thorax), and forget expansion to any great degree at around 600fps......hell it takes 175fps just to get though your skin . the short barrel pistols may be more easily carried under lighter clothing....but when it hits the fan the 5" is king in this caliber.  
Big heavy bullets are wonderful but only above a certain threashold and to me thats 700fps min.
otherwise it might as well be a chunk of gravel from a passing truck....and have the penetration of the same

I agree about the five inch, that's why I would like to see a 5" service pistol in DA/SA or DAO for those who can't carry an SA.



96Ag

for 45 acp you loose about 50 fps for every inch you cut off.  The commander length barrel is a good mix between size and being able to carry under wraps.  With the 45 acp being a low pressure round, things seem to work better with a 4 inch tube or better.