Which gun to buy? Special EURO guy requests.

You may want to look at one of the Tanfoglios. At least with the large frame, you can get new/different slide/barrel/uppers in various calibers all while using the same frame. Since the frame is the part with the serial number, it's my understanding that in many European nations you don't need a new permit/license/whatever to just get a new slide/barrel/upper.

Since Tanfoglio uppers can be had in 9mm, .38 super, .40, 10mm, and .45 ACP, you can have quite a bit of fun with just one frame.

With the Glock and the CZ you have suggested two excellent handguns. It is likely you would be happy with either one. However, they have very different actions. The Glock is a striker fired auto that has the same trigger pull on every shot. The CZ is a double action auto which means that it has both a double action and single action capability. The manual of arms for these guns is quite different, especially if you will be doing any practice from a holster.

If you tell us more about your previous experience with handguns and the type of range practice you intend to do, then we could provide more specific guidance.

What country and what are the laws? That will help immensely with offering choices.

Hi Gargamel, it would really help if you tell us where are you from and what guns are offered in your country. Do you have an option to order the desired gun thru your dealer? With your somewhat limited budget I would not consider an US made pistol, because VAT, customs taxes and etc. add too much compared to the US prices.

Best,
Boris

Perhaps the Sig 320. The "gun" by serial number, is the fire control group. You can mix and match barrels, slides, grip frames as you wish. 3-4 guns in one if your laws allow that.

I remember the HK-4 was popular in Europe for that fact. You bought the whole set, .22 .32 and .380 uppers all changeable on one frame, hence "one" gun.

I like HK handguns, and have not yet fired an unreliable one.

Sigs are nice. CZ's are nice too.

Welcome to the forum. With more information I'm sure the people here will be able to give you good suggestions.

I'm not a big semi-auto guy but I have shot both Glocks and CZ pistols and both are well made. As already said, both are very different. I think for range use and target shooting the Glock G34 will serve you better than the CZ but that's just my opinion.

I am in agreement with the idea of caliber interchangeability. I would not start off with a 9mm though, I would start with a 45acp or 10mm glock. The reason I say this is that they are super reliable and easy to keep running. From the large frame you can come down to almost any caliber in the glock lineup with a barrel, magazine, and recoil spring.

WestKentucky said:

The reason I say this is that they are super reliable and easy to keep running. From the large frame you can come down to almost any caliber in the glock lineup with a barrel, magazine, and recoil spring.

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How does a 45 ACP breach face and extractor run 9mm?

I'm not a semi-auto guy, I do mostly revolvers but one if the very few semi-auto pistols I have is a Sig. I'm afraid most of them will be above your stated budget but for a few, the Sig SP2022 and Sig P320.

Gargamel said:

Ok, let's stretch the budget to 1100 dollars.

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Lol, that happens to all if us no matter how hard we try not to!

The Sig P226 Nitron is a very nice pistol and extremely strong. I don't know if it falls within your budget where you live but it does here.

For what you describe, I'd be inclined to go with a metal framed pistol with a reputation for excellent accuracy. Beretta 92, maybe Sig 226, CZ.

You may want to look at the new Arex pistol, which came from the excellent CZ99 design. Another gun that may be more reasonable in Europe is the Pardini GT9 or the like.

CZ SP01 is not a bad pistol at all - I much prefer it over a Glock 34 for a range gun. Good balance, good trigger and very ergonomic handle. One disadvantage thou - it's prone to breakage of the trigger spring. All of the CZ 75 line of pistols suffer from this, but it does not mean that you have to change it every 100 - 200 rounds. More like 2000 and up.

Couple of personal opinions, with a :
Tanfoglio - except for their excellent competition pistols, has nothing to offer over a CZ.
Beretta 92 - very good choice if you find grip and controls to be comfortable - it's big for a 9x19 pistol.
Walther - if they made sneakers they will be at the top, but they try to make pistols with that design...
Hammerli - the ones you can afford are cheap, pot metal abominations.
Ruger - O.K. pistols, nothing to write home about. That includes the 1911 line.
HS - same as above.
S&W - not really impressed. Good, reliable pistols, but I just can't force myself to like them.
Glock - same as above, but at least cheaper than S&W M&P's.
Sig Sauer - if it's Sig it must be a P226. Plastic models are fine, but they are... Well, they aren't a real Sig.

One advise - get the most comfortable and easy to shoot pistol, not the one with the biggest cult following on Youtube...

Best,
Boris

...they are from the land of great beer...

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Blasphemy! The Holy Beer Land (HBL) is called England and it's home of the All Mighty Ale, you ignorant, lager drinking lammer. Belgium is a close second with it's wonderful Trappist beer (it's an Ale actually).

CZs are hard to fully disassemble, that is correct, but for a field strip they are actually quite easy. Until someone more knowledgeable than me comes here: SP01 vs. Tactical vs. Shadow - basically the same gun, but with different controls (safety vs. decocker), different sights and grips. SP01 is the base gun with firing pin block & manual safety, Tactical has the decocking feature, no FPB and Shadow is designed for IPSC Production division, again no FPB.

CZ 75 is the predecessor of CZ 75B - B models have firing pin blocks (but not all as you can see).

Best,
Boris

Gargamel, after you buy a 9mm semiauto pistol and learn your new skills with it, then get something like this for real fun at the shooting range:

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/2084_21_49_1814/products_id/719004425

It shoots .357 Magnum, .38 Special, and with the extra cylinder, 9mm. Single action revolvers are quite an American tradition and more enjoyable than the semiauto (I have both). Plus you won't shoot up your ammunition as fast.


All the above suggestions for 9mm semiautos are good ones. Personally, I have bought the Ruger SR9, Ruger SR45, Springfield Armory 1911 .45ACP, Remington 1911 .45ACP, Kahr PM9, Kahr CW45, and Colt 1911 .45ACP, not to mention several brands of .380ACP (9mm Kurtz) pistols.

I liked them all.

As for beer, I have some Belgian Leffe "Blonde" in my refrigerator. One of my sons discovered it two years ago while spending the summer in France. Good stuff.

If, at least to start, you are going to stand in one place and shoot at a single target, I recommend a pistol with a short, crisp single action trigger. The CZ has, or can be given a good trigger pull. A Sig P226 or a Beretta 92 would also be good.

I would not care to have to do conventional (bullseye, NRA, ISU/ISSF) shooting with a double action or striker fired tricky trigger.

If this was not your only gun I would suggest a .22 pistol. Semi auto pistol or revolver, whichever platform you prefer. A revolver would allow you to practice two types of shooting with one gun. Single action and double action. If you are limited to a single gun in a single caliber you have already mentioned two very good choices. I would ppersonally opt for a CZ model simply because Glocks do not fit my hands well and 9mm would also be my caliber of choice. It's my caliber of choice in America even when other options are plentiful.

Are you able to handle these firearms before purchase? Glocks and CZs feel very different in the hand. Some CZ models feel different from each other but generally they are all comfortable in my medium sized hands. The classic CZ 75 is one of the best feeling guns ever made in my opinion. The CZ is not hard to disassemble for cleaning at all. The video you watched was probably a much more detailed breakdown for gunsmithing or repair purposes and much more complicated than anything you would be doing for standard ownership and maintenance. Glocks are even more simple.

ATLDave said:

How does a 45 ACP breach face and extractor run 9mm?

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Your right. I guess I should have simply said "upper" and magazine. The frame remains the frame, and the other bits remain bits and pieces that (as far as I know) are not regulated anywhere other than locations which restrict civilian gun ownership by caliber...so don't buy an illegal caliber if this shoe fits.

Gargamel, CZ makes good guns, and you will likely be happy with one. But I would like to ask some questions that may help us give better recommendations.

Do you have any opportunity to shoot some of these guns before you choose one? I understand this may not be possible. But it is always helpful to try different guns before choosing one if possible.

The CZ75 series guns are traditional double action semi-autos. A Glock is a striker fired semi-auto. Are you familiar with the differences between these actions, or would more information about these action types be helpful?

What type of shooting takes place at your range? Will you be shooting paper bullseye targets? If so, at what distance? Will it be more combat style shooting with larger silhouette targets and rapid fire? Do you intend to participate in any competions? If so, what type?

Answers to these questions may help determine the handguns you will be most satisfied with.

Gargamel said:

I have no real experience with guns yet (except airsoft). So this will be my first real gun.
I can get many gun brands in my country (Glock, Sig Sauer, Walther, Ruger, Hammerli, CZ, S&W, HS Product, Tanfoglio,...).

And 9mm is the right choice, because of the price and accessability in my country.

So i will use it for target shooting on a range and for selfprotection at home (last resort). I don't want to buy the "wrong" gun, because it would be really hard do sell it. Semi auto or revolver, but i'm more into semi auto first. I also don't want a really small gun. It should be comfortable to use, great to shoot, and quite easy to maintain and reliable.

I don't like how Glocks look, but they are a good middle gun i think. They tick many boxes. I heard CZ 75 SP-01 is good on a range. Sigs are expensive. Other guns i just don't know.

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Country and laws....?

The CZ SP-01 is a great gun, and I'm sure you'd be happy with it. You just need to decide if you want it with a decocker or a safety. I'd personally prefer the safety model. But that's personal preference. I've spent a fair bit of time shooting a SP-01 and it is very soft shooting, comfortable, and accurate. Another thought is a nice stainless CZ 75b. To my eye, that is a sweet looking gun. If mostly for range use, consider a 9mm 1911. Not sure what they cost in your country, but they are some of the nicest shooting pistols around. Springfield has a very nice one, but many companies make a good 9mm 1911.