9mm handgun

Springfield XD or XDM is my pick. Striker fired, DAO. Fairly light and consistent trigger pull compared to any DA/SA pistol.
 
Ken,

I use a 9mm Smith and Wesson for target practice and concealed carry.
Wife shoots it well also.
It took some getting used to a long trigger pull but once I had a few lessons we are very pleased with it.

Terry
 
I use the Glock 17 for 3-gun competitions.

They will shoot any ammo, dirt simple, easy to clean, very well made, worth a look also.
 
My 9mm is a Browning HiPower. I love it.
 
denverpilot said:
You've just hit on something dad taught me, and we both do... if you pick up a handgun and bring it to a firing position and it doesn't immediately line up sights and feel like you're under control of it, right from the start... hand it back and find another handgun to purchase.

You can tell in about two minutes if you want to mess around with any particular gun, or if it's going to be one of those guns that eats up a pile of time at the range "getting used to it".

...
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Does that presume the buyer is already familar/comfortable with shooting handguns?
 
MSPAviator said:
Springfield XD or XDM is my pick. Striker fired, DAO. Fairly light and consistent trigger pull compared to any DA/SA pistol.
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Add that one to my two on the first post. I have minimal experience with the XD series, but I've shot the XDm full sized and it was a great shooting pistol.
 
Ken,

I didn't comment on the Sigma or Taurus. Both are serviceable guns but will not really enable great accuracy due somewhat to their triggers, and some other factors. There are better choices, a few extra bucks gets you a lot more in a handgun. If you can find some to try, that will really help. Don't be afraid to buy a used gun also as often people buy them and trade them in often without shooting them much.
 
I would say that it depends on what kind of shooting you really want to do. If you just want to plink at 15 to 20 yards, then any of the polymer guns (ie Glock, Springfield XD, Smith & Wesson M&P) will perform well. If you're interested more in accuracy, then I would definitely go with either a Browning Hi-Power or a 1911 in 9mm. 1911's are somewhat finicky in 9mm. We spent a whole lot of time getting ours to work and a good part of it is magazine related. Use quality mags and quality ammo and the gun will go bang every time. I just shot a major match (the Smith & Wesson IDPA Indoor National Championship) with an M&P Pro (yep, for those of you that know, you read that right :yesnod:) and with some tuning, it functioned flawlessly.

Just my 2 cents :D
 
jlwilson said:
I would say that it depends on what kind of shooting you really want to do. If you just want to plink at 15 to 20 yards, then any of the polymer guns (ie Glock, Springfield XD, Smith & Wesson M&P) will perform well. If you're interested more in accuracy, then I would definitely go with either a Browning Hi-Power or a 1911 in 9mm. 1911's are somewhat finicky in 9mm. We spent a whole lot of time getting ours to work and a good part of it is magazine related. Use quality mags and quality ammo and the gun will go bang every time. I just shot a major match (the Smith & Wesson IDPA Indoor National Championship) with an M&P Pro (yep, for those of you that know, you read that right :yesnod:) and with some tuning, it functioned flawlessly.

Just my 2 cents :D
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And how'd you do?
 
If you want cheap, get a good Makarov (German or Russian -- not Bulgarian or whatever).

If you want expensive, there's really no end to the choice.
 
I don't follow IDPA, so I don't know if she's the current reigning champion or not. I know she's forgotten more about handguns and shooting than I'll know.

I just want to know how her competition went.
 
I had lots of fun - hahaha! The last major match I had shot was in 2006. I didn't have time to practice nor did I get any other training time in, but the good thing is I didn't finish last :) For those of you that may watch the Outdoor Channel, I had the good fortune of shooting with the Shooting USA crew - Jim and John Scoutten and Mike Irvine. I guess we were somewhat of the celebrity squad so every time I turned around, there was a camera in my face. It will probably air sometime in March or April.
 
zaitcev said:
If you want cheap, get a good Makarov (German or Russian -- not Bulgarian or whatever).
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I've got a one (CZ82) made in Czechoslovakia (well before the breakup). Very good pistol and low cost. Goes bang every time and reasonably accurate for a military weapon. No problems with abnormal wear even though it came out of the national police system (as I understand it's origin). Oh, all the serial numbers match (maybe it was issued to the Czech equivalent of Barney Fife?)
 
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zaitcev said:
If you want cheap, get a good Makarov (German or Russian -- not Bulgarian or whatever).

If you want expensive, there's really no end to the choice.
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There are no bad Makarovs. The Bulgarians are actually the best value. The East Germans are the best though, but that is just fit and finish. They ALL function and are way more accurate than they should be. The Bulgie Maks are better than the Russian commercial, and equal to the Russian military Maks.

The CZ-82 is also a fantastic firearm in 9MM Makarov (9x18).
 
What targets you need a 9mm for? For target shooting a 9mm I'll still take an old Browning HiPower or S&W model 59 or 659. I recently got to shoot a bunch of new H&K, Glocks, S&W Glock knock offs... For target shooting I like an old Browning better.
 
Anthony said:
There are no bad Makarovs. The Bulgarians are actually the best value. The East Germans are the best though, but that is just fit and finish. They ALL function and are way more accurate than they should be. The Bulgie Maks are better than the Russian commercial, and equal to the Russian military Maks.

The CZ-82 is also a fantastic firearm in 9MM Makarov (9x18).
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The -82 is just a double stack Makarov, they field strip the same. The Makarov is just a copy of the PPK. I own copies of both.
 
Clark1961 said:
The -82 is just a double stack Makarov, they field strip the same. The Makarov is just a copy of the PPK. I own copies of both.
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I own both also. The Makarov is not a copy of the PP or PPK which I also own. It has a lot fewer parts, is more reliable, and an all around better pistol than the Walther.

The CZ-82 is also a completely different pistol from the Makarov, although chambered for the 9MM Makarov round (9x18).
 
Anthony said:
I own both also. The Makarov is not a copy of the PP or PPK which I also own. It has a lot fewer parts, is more reliable, and an all around better pistol than the Walther.

The CZ-82 is also a completely different pistol from the Makarov, although chambered for the 9MM Makarov round (9x18).
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You on some sort of "not a copy" jihad? The basic design of all three pistols is the same. Identical? no, same? yes. All three pistols field strip the same way.
 
Add another vote for 9x18mm Makarov (which is NOT the same as the 9x19mm Luger/Parabellum/Nato that our domestic cops and military use). The CZ-82 is the perfect gun for a lefty since all of the controls are completely ambidextrous.
 
I've got a Sphinx in .40 which is a knock off of the CZ-75, I like it just fine for target shooting as it has a very fine action.
 
FWIW, I've only fired a Glock 9mm pistol, and found I did OK with it, after never pulling the trigger on anything other than BB guns and .22 nail guns. Easy to sight down the barrel, not much kick, and I even did well doing two quick shots, one low and one high, starting with the pistol on the table. Probably a lot of pistols that will do the same, but that's the one I know. The owner has no complaints about cost or reliabilty.
 
Clark1961 said:
You on some sort of "not a copy" jihad? The basic design of all three pistols is the same. Identical? no, same? yes. All three pistols field strip the same way.
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Ha! :D No, just trying to get correct info out there. The Makarov (Pistolet Makarov or PM), the Walther PP/PPK, and the CZ-82 while all blowback operated semi-autos are very different internally with much different parts counts, safety systems, barrel types, etc.

Lots of pistols field strip the same way, that doesn't mean they share lineage, parts, or actual designs. Saying the Mak, Walther, and CZ share the same design is like saying the C-172, Warrior and Bonanza also share the same design.
 
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Anthony said:
Ha! :D No, just trying to get correct info out there. The Makarov (Pistolet Makarov or PM), the Walther PP/PPK, and the CZ-82 while all blowback operated semi-autos are very different internally with much different parts counts, safety systems, barrel types, etc.

Lots of pistols field strip the same way, that doesn't mean they share lineage, parts, or actual designs. Saying the Mak, Walther, and CZ share the same design is like saying the C-172, Warrior and Bonanza also share the same design.
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I agree completely. The PA-64 is the only thing that is close to the PPK and you can NOT swap parts between the two guns.
Here is some good info on the 9X18 Mak
http://makarov.com/
The Mak pistols are great cheap throw it under the seat of your truck knock around guns. They don't shoot like a tricked out $500 Glock but are great little bangers.
Here are a few places that sell them
J@G also has a good deal on refurb Glock 22 in 40 cal for $399.00
http://www.jgsales.com/c-r-guns-c-290.html

http://www.aimsurplus.com/catalog.aspx?groupid=254&name=Curio+&+Relic+Firearms

I you want a first gun go buy a Ruger MkIII 22 and shoot the heck out of it.
 
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nddons said:
Agreed. And that was my carry gun in the winter in another state.
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We were outfitted with P226's (vice the govt Barettas) when I was on the Patrol Craft....damn fine weapons. I figured that if they could stand up to the abuse that SPECWAR puts on 'em, they could handle anything I'd put it through.
 
I have an XD .45 that's a lot of fun to shoot. I shot it better than the Glock and prefer the way it feels in my hand. Test fire as many models as you can and find something you like.

I'd like to get a P226 sometime but it wasn't in my "beginner handgun" budget.
 
jlwilson said:
I would say that it depends on what kind of shooting you really want to do. If you just want to plink at 15 to 20 yards, then any of the polymer guns (ie Glock, Springfield XD, Smith & Wesson M&P) will perform well. If you're interested more in accuracy, then I would definitely go with either a Browning Hi-Power or a 1911 in 9mm. 1911's are somewhat finicky in 9mm. We spent a whole lot of time getting ours to work and a good part of it is magazine related. Use quality mags and quality ammo and the gun will go bang every time. I just shot a major match (the Smith & Wesson IDPA Indoor National Championship) with an M&P Pro (yep, for those of you that know, you read that right :yesnod:) and with some tuning, it functioned flawlessly.

Just my 2 cents :D
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I found that to be the case with my 1911 in .45 ACP, as well. Some outfit called "Wilson Combat" makes some really nice ones that work great for me. Ever heard of them? :devil:

My son competes with a Glock 34. 9 mm, longer barrel and material removed from the top of the slide to reduce weight. Neither of us would carry it (don't like the trigger safety), but for target shooting in controlled conditions on a range it works well for him.
 
Bob Noel said:
Does that presume the buyer is already familar/comfortable with shooting handguns?
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Even though the thread has moved on... to answer the question, I would say "a little". But not much.

You need to have fired *something* yes, just so you know how to hold it in whatever comfortable stance you naturally assume, and sight with the sights, but it's kinda like asking if a brand new student likes a Tomahawk or a Cessna 150 better, which one they should fly. They don't know.

We know the answer is, the one they like, of course. ;)

Only the gun you like, will keep you going back to the range to put the practice time in.

The only gotcha here would be a firearms dealer who was trying to dump off something on an unsuspecting noob. Rare.

The counter action for that is that there's no need to purchase on the spot... just aim a few and get a feel for how they handle in your firing hand, that are in your price range, and then check with someone trusted to make sure the shop didn't try to sell you some junk.

Most gun shops won't. They have a reputation to uphold and arent typically a large chain store that doesn't care.

Ken's right to ask other enthusiasts about it, but just like the Cessna vs Piper debates, enthusiasts can and will get caught up in debating the minor pros and cons of every possible weapon out there.

I'm a Browning fan myself, but I grew up in the non-plastic gun era.

The Glock stuff is just as good in the hands of someone who practices with theirs.

I also like fat frames 'cause I have big hands. I don't like fat grips added to small frames. So I've been tempted lately to get used to the Glocks.

The Hi-Power always feels "about right" for me. Some 1911s work well for me too, but not all.

If you're just plunking at stuff and not trying to up your accuracy, just about anything will work. Hell, get a cheap .22 and learn to shoot it first.

If you need it to fire every time you draw it... Then you're going to want to listen closely to what law enforcement shooters and instructors say, for example.

I hate weapons that misfire and jam. Drives me absolutely batty.

So I avoid stuff rumored to do that.

I'll also settle for a little less accuracy at 20+ yards over reliability.

You can do a lot of cheap shooting with the "not so perfect gun that you like" before investing in a higher quality one. You can also find buddies to go to the range with who'll let you try out their "babies" to see how they work for you.
 
denverpilot said:
The only gotcha here would be a firearms dealer who was trying to dump off something on an unsuspecting noob. Rare.
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Yeah, you don't really want you customers going postal about returning merchandise. ;)


denverpilot said:
I'm a Browning fan myself, but I grew up in the non-plastic gun era.
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Me too, sorry, but a finely machined metal weapon is beautiful, this is what I have now except in .40S&W, Always had a HiPower prior and a 1911 or 2 along the way, few others, but now I'm down to this:
714dbecefe84c9b7940386390a4a2583.jpg
 
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That Sphinx is a really nice pistol. They are a VERY well made clone of the CZ-75.
 
My favorite (and yes, I'm a fan of DA/SA now):

E29R-9-BSS-SRT-05.jpg


Load, then use the decocking lever to drop the hammer - now you're ready to carry.

I had a Glock Model 23 for about 15 year but recently sold it:
glock_23.jpg


This is another carry gun. Actually the easiest, best shooter of any I've ever fired:

109004_01_md.jpg
 
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Anthony said:
That Sphinx is a really nice pistol. They are a VERY well made clone of the CZ-75.
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It really is a work of art when you disassemble the trigger, the precision of the machine work and the quality of the tooling they used. However all that precision has a price. It took a bit of tuning the feed to get it to quit jamming a round every few clips.
 
If you're really going for accuracy, I've found a .45 ACP 1911 (I have both a Colt Series 70 and Series 80) to be more of a tack driver than any of my 9 mm's.
 
dmccormack said:
Load, then use the decocking lever to drop the hammer - now you're ready to carry.
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I just prefer it to be single action with the hammer back for carry. Seems simpler to me.
 
jesse said:
I just prefer it to be single action with the hammer back for carry. Seems simpler to me.
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Yes, but many of these other pistols are like my Bersa Thunder .380 CC. DA/SA in operation. Drop the hammer with the decocker and you now have a safer mode to carry. The one thing that worries me about carrying a 1911 cocked and locked is the ease with which the safety can be released if the gun can move around in the holster. Maybe I'm operating from lack of practical experience, but that thought is running around in the back of my mind. Never mind the fun of trying to conceal a 1911 if you aren't wearing a coat. :D

Back to the hammer down on a DA/SA pistol. With the hammer down, the gun will still fire with the pull of the trigger, the first round will have a heavier trigger pull than the subsequent rounds. For a carry gun I don't see this as an issue as if I ever need it (and I hope I never do, like insurance) I suspect that I'll have so much adrenelin in the system that I won't even notice the extra weight of the pull on the first round.
 
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Ghery said:
Back to the hammer down on a DA/SA pistol. With the hammer down, the gun will still fire with the pull of the trigger, the first round will have a heavier trigger pull than the subsequent rounds. For a carry gun I don't see this as an issue as if I ever need it (and I hope I never do, like insurance) I suspect that I'll have so much adrenelin in the system that I won't even notice the extra weight of the pull on the first round.
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Dirty Harry Dreamers will think they'll put round one center of mass.

Whatever -- first round is covering fire which may or may not hit while scrambling for cover.

DA round one is fine.
 
Sac Arrow said:
If you're really going for accuracy, I've found a .45 ACP 1911 (I have both a Colt Series 70 and Series 80) to be more of a tack driver than any of my 9 mm's.
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I think that is more because of the excellent, single action only trigger of the 1911 than the caliber. Colts typically have very nice out of the box triggers.

My Browning Hi Power, CZ-75's, and HK P7 rival my Colt 1911's for accuracy. They're all good.
 
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