CMMG .45 ACP Banshee Review
BY Herschel Smith5 years ago
I laughed when I watched this. He is having too much fun. I have to say that my CMMG .45 is the most fun gun I have ever shot. It’s not even close.
First of all, I prefer the 7.5″ barrel, not the Banshee. I also found that it ate everything I fed it. But I really like Browning BPT Performance Target FMJ (for the CMMG and pistols), which increases muzzle velocity to 920 FPS. I also recommend to the video author that he shoot .450 SMC, which will run 1120 FPS.
I found it easy to ring steel (8″ diameter) at 100 yards with an EOTech red dot, regardless of the ammo brand. It’s easy to shoot 300 or more rounds with this gun and feel like you’ve only just begun range time. It’s that much fun, that accurate for a pistol caliber carbine, and that light on recoil.
On November 7, 2019 at 2:23 am, Sarthurk said:
At 50 yards, any way you look at it, the target’s DEAD. This merely show that the firearm is functioning well, and somebody knows how to shoot well. . . meh, ?
On November 7, 2019 at 9:30 am, Herschel Smith said:
So other than the weapon is functioning well, what else are you saying?
On November 7, 2019 at 1:19 pm, Sanders said:
Thanks! I’m going to show this to my father-in-law. His shoulder and arm are weak from rotator cuff surgeries and a detached bicep. He has trouble racking the slide on his pistol, now and can’t really shoot any shoulder-mounted firearms that have any kind of heavy recoil.
This may be just right for him for home defense.
On November 8, 2019 at 6:16 pm, BCE56 said:
Anybody here tried Speer Lawman .45 ACP 200gr TMJ (+P) ammo yet?
On November 9, 2019 at 12:05 am, Ed said:
Bloomberg on guns with McFadden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=iV5E30ZY1kQ&feature=emb_logo
On November 9, 2019 at 12:12 am, Bill said:
Put a silencer on it and then test. Kill range should be at least 85 yards, but should see… Just offering another thought…. Good luck..
On November 9, 2019 at 12:27 am, Liberty4Ever said:
45 ACP? Make mine 10 mm!
On November 9, 2019 at 12:45 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Liberty,
Sure, if you want a bullet with less mass than 230 gr., and muzzle velocity about the same as 1120 FPS (like you get with 450 SMC).
Again, if you shoot 450 SMC, you get 230 gr at 1120 FPS. This absolutely buries 10 mm.
On November 9, 2019 at 8:17 am, Matt Bracken said:
Liberty4Ever and Herschel:
Not to mention that the most common .45ACP loads are almost always subsonic, compared to 9mm or 10mm.
If you are running a can, you don’t want sonic crack, which is about as loud (IMHO) as an unsuppressed .22LR. Sure, sonic crack doesn’t give away your location, but for sentry or watchdog elimination, the quieter the better. That’s the point, right?
During normal times, sure, you might be able to find subsonic 9mm or 10mm loads, but during SHTF, you’ll use what you can find, and it’s mostly going to be supersonic. For a truly quiet tactical pistol-caliber carbine, .45 ACP is the way to go. The sentries (2 or 4 legged) will go down, and the sleepers will keep on sleeping while you take care of business and then exifil.
On November 9, 2019 at 9:39 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Matt,
I’ve been told by folks who have cans that because of that fact, the use of one on most .45 ACP loads accomplishes more than it does with other calibers. Use of one with 5.56mm, for example, is nothing more than signature minimization.
I don’t have a can because I just can’t bring myself to register anything with the ATF.
On November 9, 2019 at 10:21 am, Matt Bracken said:
If you don’t need center-fire wallop to accomplish your mission, such as suburban pest control, subsonic 22LR out of a rifle barrel is pretty darn quiet. Just FYI. One day in the boonies we were messing around with a can on a 5.56 AR, also on a .22LR rifle, and a .22LR pistol. That’s where I learned a suppressed but supersonic 5.56 is about as loud as an unsuppressed subsonic 22LR. A different sound, but about as loud. The real surprise that day was the quietness of subsonic 22LR out of a rifle length barrel. Sure it’s almost perfectly quiet with a can added, but even without a can, subsonic 22LR is mighty quiet out of a rifle. Most standard 22LR is just above supersonic, so for years what we assumed was the regular noise level of a 22LR rifle was mostly sonic crack. Eliminate the sonic crack, and you just about don’t need a can. I pass this info along for others to build upon, as it might be useful to them.
On November 9, 2019 at 10:55 am, SWRichmond said:
So, FWIW, the 10 ring on the NRA B-6 50-yard slow fire pistol target is 3.36″ diameter. There are at least dozens or perhaps hundreds of pistolsmiths who can build you a 1911 that can hold that 10 ring with FGMM. Bill Wilson would be happy to sell you one off the shelf.
“Most accurate 45 pistol or carbine I’ve ever shot.” That shooter / weapon isn’t even holding the 5.5″ 9-ring, seated from shoulder, sandbags and with a red dot.
On November 9, 2019 at 11:05 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Richmond,
You may be getting a little puckered over this. I don’t take him to be a competition shooter, nor is this a test of accuracy from a vice. This is a dude making a YouTube video.
On November 9, 2019 at 12:49 pm, Lefty Mongtard said:
In the glorious people’s collective utopia guns will be obsolete. A disabled Mexican tranny policeperson will always be nearby to keep you safe because mommygov loves you comrade! Forward!
The .45ACP will be banned in the utopia because it is just too American.
On November 9, 2019 at 11:47 pm, B_Rad said:
I’m a manufacturer of Precision Billet receivers. Both sizes. Not a big a fan of AR Pistols. Built, shot, trained with every barrel length and here’s the deal. Your picture explains it all. You’re out in the middle of Gods woods and think you’re going to defeat me with that short barreled piece of crap VS my Carbina? You’re not. You have no chance. Here’s where they have real value and NOBODY focuses on this. Clearing a close quarter enclosure. Max firepower at extremely close range. The problem is, nobody tries to sell it for what it was intended. My local LE figured it out.
On November 9, 2019 at 11:52 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@B,
I’m not in the middle of anywhere. That isn’t me. That’s a video I embedded.
I’ve focused on pistol caliber carbine pistols before intended for their right purpose. I’m somebody.
On November 12, 2019 at 1:09 am, oughtsix said:
Seems like one would need a heavier buffer and/or buffer spring for the 450 SMC…
Any thoughts from the gallery?
Thanks for posting this, Herschel, and for all the comments. I have probably found my next mania!
On November 12, 2019 at 4:23 pm, Herschel Smith said:
I have a different recoil spring on a 1911 (22# instead of 18#) to shoot 450 SMC. CMMG has said no changes for their AR style guns.
On November 13, 2019 at 12:11 am, oughtsix said:
“CMMG has said no changes for their AR style guns.”
Thanks. Probably unnecessary due to the locking lug type bolt.
I want one, but would rather build it myself. Does CMMG make bolts and barrels available? Yeah, thought not. Any other options for a similar 450SMC capable carbine/pistol?
On November 14, 2019 at 7:04 pm, Pat A Hines said:
Here’s a video review of the Banshee in 10mm, looks good.
https://youtu.be/-3eX2y0kVpc