PDWs...and other small arms.

[JASmith]

....Once you start to carry .45 ACP in large quantities, you realize quickly that it fails horribly in this regard.

It's amazing how much our perspective changes with time. During most of the 3/4 century the cartridge was our standard sidearm, the 30-06 was the rifleman's cartridge. That fat pill was light compared to the good ole '06.

...45 ACP is nowhere near a 200m cartridge...try 50m.

I think you are over-optimistic when you consider the standard trigger pull, sights, and training. The folks who carried it were for the most part inadequately trained in how to use the pistol. Hence they were frequently as afraid of the pistol as they were the adversary they were shooting at!

Try 15 meters for the average soldier and, as much as 125 meters for a tuned pistol in the hands of a skilled marksman.

Point is, you are right on target regarding the bottom line. As much as I love the .45, there are better choices -- I will admit that the 6.5X25 gets my attention, but don't know if we're there yet!

Cheers!