What full size 9mm handgun would hold up best for extended +P and +P+ use?

I voted Glock 17 because I've owned two and they've held up to thousands of rounds, even though a small percentage of those rounds were +P.

I have experience with the Sig 226 and I don't question the durability of any of the firearms you mentioned.

IMO if you for some reason feel the need to shoot a large volume of +P ammo just changing the recoil spring slightly more often will be sufficient.

I don't see how anyone could afford or would want to shoot large amounts of +P or +P+ ammo from their handgun on a regular basis.

I carry 147gr +P HST's in my Glock 19's. I shoot them from time to time, but I'd be more worried about it wearing out my bank account than wearing out my Glock

Honestly, the HK USp would hold up awesome. But that isn't on your list. Very overbuilt gun

I think a CZ75, or 9mm 1911 would hold up pretty well being all steel pistols.

Frequent recoil spring changes, and maybe in a extra lbs or two weight would also extend the pistols life span I'd think.

An MP5 pistol would probably have the longest life span though, although if you have a full auto trigger pack and a number of stick mags you could hit that number sooner I'd guess!

Not on your list but an HK USP full size or a 9mm 1911. Both very overbuilt guns for the 9x19 cartridge.

Full size USP. But a G17 would hold up better than a metal framed pistol.

The M&P might be okay, but I don't consider them very good pistols in general, and +P just brings out the flaws in any gun.

If you do want to go with a Beretta, go with a Brigadier 92 (heavy slide), 92A1 or one of the rotating barrel guns.

Also consider that the Beretta M9/92 and the SIG P226 have been in military service for decades firing 9mm NATO ammo, which lies somewhere between standard pressure and +P.

Probably the Ruger American. Or HK USP.

Rubber_Duck said:

Also consider that the Beretta M9/92 and the SIG P226 have been in military service for decades firing 9mm NATO ammo, which lies somewhere between standard pressure and +P.

Click to expand...

And the problems the military M9s have are largely due to that hot ammo.

RX-79G said:

And the problems the military M9s have are largely due to that hot ammo.

Click to expand...

Um, what problems would those be? Asking only as someone who spent the bulk of twenty-plus years in the military dealing with the M-9 ...

Of the pistols actually named in the OP's poll (of which the Ruger American, CZ-75, 1911 in 9mm and H&K USP were not), I'd go with the SIG P-226. Also of of note should be the the fact that my department's issue load for our S&W M&Ps for the first few years we used the platform was Federal Hydra-Shok +P+ and we saw rare to zero issues due to ammo ...

RX-79G said:

And the problems the military M9s have are largely due to that hot ammo.

Click to expand...

No they are not. They are due to preventive maintenance being NON-EXISTANT in the military. The military doesn't replace things until they've already broken, and guess what? A Beretta M9 will run for a long time after the recoil spring has reached the end of its service life, and as long as it continues to return to battery nobody will replace it, then the armorers don't know why they have so many broken locking blocks and/or cracked slides.

What about the SIG P226 used by the SEALs? According to a SEAL team member that went by the name Frogman on another board, the P226 was one of the longest-lived weapons in SEAL armories and they usually got 60,000 rounds out of them, and they always replaced recoil springs and breech block pins at the proper intervals. And by breech block pins I mean they were using the "less-durable" 2-piece slide P226s, so when they started issuing milled slide P226s I imagine service life only improved.

Old Dog said:

Um, what problems would those be? Asking only as someone who spent the bulk of twenty-plus years in the military dealing with the M-9 ...

Of the pistols actually named in the OP's poll (of which the Ruger American, CZ-75, 1911 in 9mm and H&K USP were not), I'd go with the SIG P-226. Also of of note should be the the fact that my department's issue load for our S&W M&Ps for the first few years we used the platform was Federal Hydra-Shok +P+ and we saw rare to zero issues due to ammo ...

Click to expand...

Then you are welcome to have an extensive head butting expedition with FL-NC who is a Special Forces and has a different opinion.

http://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/92s-setup-to-keep-broken-slide-from-flying-off.809344/

Rubber_Duck said:

No they are not. They are due to preventive maintenance being NON-EXISTANT in the military.

Click to expand...

Actually, I believe it is both. The hot ammo with tired recoil springs tends to break things, then the new parts put in to replace them don't address the problems.

Typical civie 92s don't tend to break anything with the usual low powered practice ammo they are shot with, regardless of how they are treated.

I have examples of three of the four guns listed in the poll (no M&P) but if I were going to shoot a lot of hot rounds through a 9mm my HK USP would draw the assignment. Of the ones listed, I'd probably go with the Glock, simply because parts are cheap and easy to replace.

RX-79G said:

Then you are welcome to have an extensive head butting expedition with FL-NC who is a Special Forces and has a different opinion.

http://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/92s-setup-to-keep-broken-slide-from-flying-off.809344/

Click to expand...

Ooh, "Special Forces" (on the internet) .... he must know everything about pistols. Actually, I was in on the initial reception of M-9s in to active duty forces, and saw the platform through 'til about 2005 (only a few combat deployments).

The M-9 has served the military as well as can reasonably be expected of a semi-automatic pistol. And yeah, I still love the SIG P-226 ...

Rubber_Duck said:

No they are not. They are due to preventive maintenance being NON-EXISTANT in the military. The military doesn't replace things until they've already broken, and guess what?

Click to expand...

Uh, yeah ... another post by someone who clearly never served a day in the Navy or Marine Corps -- PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE is essentially all one does every single day.

Old Dog said:

Uh, yeah ... another post by someone who clearly never served a day in the Navy or Marine Corps -- PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE is essentially all one does every single day.

Click to expand...

I carried an M9 in OEF 09, 10, 11. I never had any problems with them but then my branch of service gave us brand-new weapons before every deployment. But in stateside training classes there were several broken M9s at every class because those M9s probably hadn't received any PM since Desert Storm. But what do I know, I wasn't Navy or USMC so nobody else has your experience.

Thanks for derailing the thread with your stupid comments.

Rubber Duck's experience sounds a bit like mine. At my last duty station a Senior Chief that worked for me also rotated in base security. She complained about the locking block failures during quals.

Old Dog said:

Uh, yeah ... another post by someone who clearly never served a day in the Navy or Marine Corps -- PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE is essentially all one does every single day.

Click to expand...

I think it is a poor policy to assume that other people you're chatting with aren't also vets who have seen some things. And I especially think you ought to read what FL-NC says before you deride him - the guy doesn't sound fake to me.

If only HK made a Mark 23 chambered in 9mm !!!

I'd think my Ruger P-95 would do pretty well; that thing's built like a tank.

But, if I had to take a bet from those on the list, I'd drop coin on the SiG.

From the list of guns I went with the SIG P226 though I would feel pretty much the same way with the Glock 17 as well. Have used them both though not all that much with +P ammo through them.

Not on the list I would say an HK USP, CZ 75, and a 1911 would get prime consideration for holding up over time with extended +P ammo use.

It might be +P, but it is still just 9mm.

If you are shooting your pistol a lot, eventually you will break some small parts. Probably springs.

Keep spare parts. When you break something, replace it. Keep shooting.
Trying to guess which gun will break which small part in what timeframe is mostly idle speculation, unelss you've personally had the opportunity to put 100k rounds through each of the guns in question.

Let us all remember this is The High Road. There is no need to deride other posters with snarky remarks.

Rubber_Duck said:

Also consider that the Beretta M9/92 and the SIG P226 have been in military service for decades firing 9mm NATO ammo, which lies somewhere between standard pressure and +P.

Click to expand...

No. +P means above standard pressure but at or below another designated number. Anything in that range is "+P." It may not be the highest-pressure +P in existence, but if it is anywhere above standard pressure max, then it's +P.

HK USP