Classic "fighting" 9mm's

[XLMiguel]

I have about a dozen handguns, no particular rhyme or reason to my 'collection'. If I were to actually get organized around a 'theme', I was thinking about doing the classic fighting/full sized 9mm's, those that are battle/street proven. I'm interestedin guns arriving within my lifetime (>1948) , so I figure I would need the following (in no particular order):

Sig 226
Beretta 92
CZ 75
H&K USP
Ruger 95(?)
S&W ??
Walther P38/P1
.
.

and among the compacts:

Sig 228/225
H&K USP/C
CZ 75 compact/PCR
Beretta Cougar(?)
S&W 3913?
Walther P5
.
.

I'm not interested in the highend/esoterica (e.g. Sig 210) or low end stuff (Hi-Point, Bryco), or little wierd niche guns.

So, my esteemed brethern and sistern in arms, what else should I be considering?

 

[joegerardi]

Glock 17
SIG P225
S&W6906 (or 5906)
Kahr K9 (or P9)

..Joe

 

[liliysdad]

Got to have a Browning/FN Hi-Power. Absolute must.

 

[grey15]

add a Browning Hi Power to that list.
It has seen more fighting than most!

 

[modifiedbrowning]

HK P7.

 

[P95Carry]

Indeed .... Browning High Power ... this pic is the ''Practical'' version. But this weapon was an issue sidearm for many years and has probably seen more than enough service to be worthy of ''fighting 9mm''.

Still a superb S/A 9mm semi auto. A classic in fact.

 

[PCRCCW]

All great and worthy of the list..........especially the CZ and HP........

S&W 5906 for the fullsize 9mm S/Auto and other variations of it.

Shoot well.

 

[Ala Dan]

Smith & Wesson 39-2, and 459
Glock 17, 19
Browning P-35
MAB

Revolvers:
Smith & Wesson 547, and 940

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Cortland]

Don't forget the Glock-killer-- the Steyr M9.

 

[JANDARMA]

how can you forget the famous Luger P 08?
it really selects ammo, prefers submachine gun rounds, very high muzzle jump , but it is a classical gun, and one of a kind.. An engineering masterpiece..and a very beautiful handgun indeed.

 

[Mr. Mysterious]

Well...if you want street proven 9mm...better look at Hi-Points. I bet a lot of people have found themselves at the wrong end of those the last couple years.

 

[jame]

The P38 might want to be considered, as well as the Sig 220.

The Glock 17 blazed a few trails as well..............

 

[ACP230]

I think a Colt Combat Commander in 9mm would fit in well.
I have one and shoot it a lot.

 

[Josey]

I have a Polish Radom VIS 35. It was a good fighter.

 

[arinvolvo]

i dont see how the hi power got looked over in that first list.

 

[russlate]

The S&W 39 or 39-2 was the first 9mm auto issued to any state's police ( ISP? ).

I'd run screaming from a model 59, but my 39-2 has never failed to feed, extract, etc., and for some reason I can't miss with it.

 

[XLMiguel]

Thanks for your thoughts. I must apologize for the oversight of the Browning P-35/HP and Glocks - they're rather obvious, and of course, the Luger, which sorta started it all. (In my defense, this converestion started when a buddy showed up with a bottle of duty-free 8 y.o Bacardi - no guns were present after teh bottle was opened ). The MAB, Mauser and Steyr are a bit esoteric (to me anyway), I've only heard of 9mm Sig 220's, and I have had no experience with S&W 9's. The Kahr is sort of a niche gun (BUG). I've got a start with the Sig's and CZ . . .

So now I have a pretty good start on the list, now all I've got to do is find the budget

 

[sgtmaj13]

S&W 5946.

 

[arinvolvo]

Don't forget the Glock-killer-- the Steyr M9.

While i am a huge fan of the Steyr, and i think it is one of the finest polymer 9's on the market, i would not consider it to be "battle proven". It was debuted on 1998, and i do not know of any law enforcement or government agency that it is issued to. All in all, i would say that the Steyr is the FINEST overlooked pistol on the market today.

 

[Cortland]

While i am a huge fan of the Steyr, and i think it is one of the finest polymer 9's on the market, i would not consider it to be "battle proven". It was debuted on 1998, and i do not know of any law enforcement or government agency that it is issued to.

Well, it's proven itself in my many battles against hordes of bowling pins and sheets of paper (if that counts ).

The Steyr M-series was adopted and purchased in quantities by the Royal Malaysia Police in 2002.

 

[Sean Smith]

The SIG P210 was a military-issue sidearm for several countries in Europe over several decades.

 

[arinvolvo]

The Steyr M-series was adopted and purchased in quantities by the Royal Malaysia Police in 2002.

ooh, good find.. i was unaware of that...tres cool.

 

[George Hill]

Mike, you don't have a CZ-75 and that is a glaring oversight. Jeff Cooper said it was the best of the fighting 9mm's.
The Hi Power came out before 1948... so according to the requirements of the collection, technically it's out of the spectrum. But it should be allowed considering it's still in production.
Along with that Browning, a Browning BDA would fit in nicely. The BDA is one of the slickest "full sized" 9MM guns out there. With it was still in production with continuing improvements.

 

[XLMiguel]

Actually, the pistol locker currently holds Sig 225/226/228/239, CZ 75 PCR, Kahr P-9, Kimber Custom Royale and Ultra Carry, H&K USP45C, Beretta Tomcat, and a Walther P22. The 239 and UC are primary carry guns, supplimented/backed-up by the P-9 or Tomcat as appropriate. The big Kimber is a range queen, the USP is a car/travel gun. The others go shooting a couple times a year for fun, mostly.

To date, I've kind of centered on 9mm and .45, as I figure they're ubiquitous calibers and should almost always be available somewhere. My overall strategy is to go for the more 'mainstream' guns first, and then look for nice, previously owned examples of the more esoteric and niche guys.

Regarding the Browning, I just can't pass on one of them just because it's a little older than me - it's kind of like if you consider yourself a driver, you should spend some time in a Porsche, so, too , if you're a pistol afficionado, one should know the HP (and 1911 - I need some more 1911's, too, something form SA and Colt).

Ach, so many guns, and I have this Scots/Irish/German upbringing thing that makes it hard for me to just have 'stuff' for the sake of having it (I think I lack the true collector gene). I guess with enough range time/therapy, I can maybe get over it.

Thanks again, for helping with my 'continuing education'.

 

[Ala Dan]

Hey-Hey-Hey Mike in VA

Really, the French Made MAB-15 is a delight to shoot. It
has a very smooth single-action trigger pull; and differs
from the Browning type lock-up, as it utilizes a rotating
barrel feature. This weapon is a steel frame model, and
is available in 9m/m; and surprisingly .45 auto*, with a
blue or nickel finish**. I fired a 9m/m version years ago
and it was quite accurate.

FootNote: * Rare ** Even more Rare!
Source- "The 100 Greatest Combat Pistols Of The World"
by Timothy J. Mullin (a Palladin Press Production)

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member