advice on buying "one and only" gun

CZ hands down. A shadow 2 is near the top of the heap in terms of CZ pistols, you shoot one with a smoothed up trigger everything else becomes second rate. CZ and CZ based pistols dominate competitions.

FL-NC said:

I would pick the Glock 17. I would also shorten the frame to make it a bit more compact, and use Glock 19 magazines in it.

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^^ This.
I'm a revolver and 1911 lover, but if it's going to be more of a shooting club/competition gun i'd have to say go with the Glock. It's probably the most affordable and definitely has one of, if not THE strongest aftermarket parts and accessories segments behind it.

WestKentucky said:

The shadow is an impressive gun Out of the box and you pay for that. Glock is a very simple and easy to work on design that you can build up yourself easily. 1911 is a proven game gun platform that is not easy to tune properly without a lot of experience and/or a lot of money to send to a gunsmith. The beretta 92 is a great gun but it’s a compromise in every respect, and not a gun known to be overly accurate, and it is not at all easy to build into anything else for other classes.

I despise the things because of how ugly they are, and how poorly they fit my hand, but the obvious answer is Glock. They just keep working, are easy to improve, and if you want to use it in other classes you can easily just swap a different slide (Or barrel, or trigger, or attachments, or mag well funnel) onto the frame. It’s just about the perfect gun for starting off. The only downside I see to it is that it doesn’t have 2nd strike capability so any light strike means a jam clear drill which eats time but that’s a trade off worth making for all the other good you get. I wouldn’t buy one, but it IS the obvious answer.

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^^Sad truth here.

Glock. Period.

Out of your choices I would only look at Glock.
Darn near guaranteed perfect reliability.
Low cost parts.
Ease of acquiring parts.
Ease of disassembly, reassembly and repair.
Lots of available accessories and aftermarket parts.
If using Glock magazines you can count on them not causing malfunctions like other aftermarket mags - use a heavier base plate so mags don’t land upside down if dropping mags on the ground during a match.

As hard as it is for you folks to get guns, parts, accessories and gunsmithing services I would go with Glock.

In Glock it is a Model 34 for me.

Bob

Adadrian said:

so i've recently joined a pistol club that mainly does ipsc but also a little of all the other stuff.
anyway im in australia and the rules are very strict and its very hard to get a just one gun.
so at least for a very long time i only want to get ONE gun and use it for most things. so i need it to be a bit of a all rounder. and price isnt much of a deal. i've decided i want it 9mm so i can shoot in most of the comps. i've tried quite a few guns and have really enjoyed using them so far i've ruled it to these guns that i've enjoyed

glock 17 a, baretta 92x, colt 1911 9mm and c7 shadow 2 9mm.

opinions of the above guns and what you guys think should be the gun i choose to last me a very very long time. and what else you would recommend as a one and only gun if u had to choose

so my conditions are i want 9mm, has to be a all rounder that does a lot of ipsc, price doesnt matter and its a one and only gun for a long time.

any advice from you experianced people would really help.

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G17..reliable, TONS of after market stuff, not expensive.

Look at availability of replacement parts and a gunsmith if you need one. What are the other shooters using? Have you looked at the various SIG 9MM offerings?
What fits your hand and fingers?

Adadrian said:

so my conditions are i want 9mm, has to be a all rounder that does a lot of ipsc, price doesnt matter and its a one and only gun for a long time.

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That just screams CZ Shadow 2.

My suggestion is 'none of them.' Rather, I would see if any of your ranges have rental guns... pick 2 or 3 that strike your fancy and give them a test drive. THEN you can make a better, informed decision.

I own two 1911’s and have had a third I sold. I’ve shot a Glock, and handled many. I don’t own any though because they don’t suit me. In a striker fired gun I like the HK VP9. I own a CZ Shadow 2 also.

Of those guns, if choosing one 9mm to cover home defense, competition, and fun on the range, the Shadow 2 wins hands down for me. In fact mine actually is used for home defense. It’s a fast shooting fun gun with an excellent trigger. Parts are also very available if you want to make some modifications. It can also be had in a single action only version now, and with an optics cut if competition really is something you’re interested in. The weight of the gun makes it easy to bring back on target after each shot, and recoil fatigue is a complete non issue.

If you are going to open carry it, a good holster would certainly make it possible. If you want to conceal, then it’s rather big and heavy for that.

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G17 MOS is you can get one in Oz.
There's an argument for the G19--it's the choice of the US 3 gun crowd--but the 30 round mags might be hard to get in Oz (or illegal).
As noted above, the availability of getting "bits and bobs" is going to be different in Oz over the US. Which is why I'd not recommend the others.
Now, if the Club will loan you the examples and you can compare, then your preference will better guide the decision than random voices from the 'net.

If you only want one gun a Ruger in 45 is the best all around do anything hand gun.or consider a 357/9 convertible.but if it has to be a auto the Glock 17 works fine.but why limit yourself to 9mil only?

earplug said:

Look at availability of replacement parts and a gunsmith if you need one. What are the other shooters using? Have you looked at the various SIG 9MM offerings?
What fits your hand and fingers?

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yikes...

i've tried quite a few guns and have really enjoyed using them so far i've ruled it to these guns that i've enjoyed

glock 17 a, baretta 92x, colt 1911 9mm and c7 shadow 2 9mm.

opinions of the above guns

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MTNSTRYDER said:

but why limit yourself to 9mil only?

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Please remember OP is in Australia.
And, due to restrictions on ownership in Oz, he has to own something used in competition, and IPSC is pretty much a 9mm only sort of venue.
I'm more than passing sure OP would be keen on several calibers, were that option open to him.

Adadrian,

My advice would be to try these guns before you buy and get stuck with something you may not like over the long term. I live in Florida, in the U.S., where many gun ranges can rent you a gun to try out. This saved me money as I quickly discovered that I did not want to own one of the sub-compact 9m.m. pistols. They were to uncomfortable for me to shoot 100 rounds at a time for me. However, you will see some owners calling them the greatest invention since the microwave on this and other websites. They are not wrong, just giving you THEIR OPINIONS.
Also, if you ever get to the United States, they have a HUGE rental operation going own in LAS VEGAS, NEVEDA. Time at a rental range is much more productive to me than gambling in a casino.

If you cannot rent one, ask a friend or a gun club if you can try some of the members guns (if this is legal in AUSTRALIA). When my wife decided she wanted a carry gun, I let her handle my guns, and then we went and shot the ones that passed the "feel" test. She had been told by my step son and a retired FBI agent to get a J-frame (a 5 shot .38 Special made by Smith & Wesson). Just handling it and trying to pull the trigger killed that idea.

Do you have rules regarding the size of your handgun in AUSTRALIA?
When I lived in CANADA, I could own a BERETTA 92 Compact because it had a 4.3 inch barrel, but not a GLOCK 19, which had a 4 inch inch barrel, but the GLOCK 17 was legal. A 4.25 inch barreled COLT Commander was ok, but a 4 inch barreled 1911 was not. Same for revolvers, which is why RUGER and SMITH & WESSON now make 4.2 inch revolvers.

Failing all that, all of these are probably good guns. I no longer shoot 1911's as I prefer double action or safe action guns (GLOCK or SPRINGFIELD ARMORY) in 9m.m. I am at work now and carrying a GLOCK 19 issued by my agency and like it a lot. I carried GLOCK 17 and 19 pistols for many years and they are about the same, except for barrel/ slide and grip length. They do not rust (important in FLORIDA), are relatively light, incredibly reliable as long as you do not limp wrist them and accurate enough for defense or competition. For competition, you will probably need new sights and a light trigger.

I prefer the BERETTA M9A3 for my home defense gun and the range. This is a fancier version of the BERETTA 92X pistols. The BERETTA'S can rust, but if kept clean and occasionally oiled, I have not had a problem. They have smooth, but long double actions. My M9A3 comes with the lighter 8 pound trigger spring, it is worth getting. It has a well shaped grip, similar to the 1911 straight grip, a light rail which is great for a house gun, is more accurate than most GLOCK'S, a 17 round magazine and excellent sights. It is also a very reliable gun I am willing to depend on.

The BERETTA 92 comes in both Compact and full size versions. I just handled a 92X Compact with a rail at a gun show yesterday and will buy one before the year is out.

I used to shoot 1911's. In the 1970's, they were the best that you could get and you immediately took them to a gun smith to modify the feed ramp and replace the sights. I found them less reliable than the BERETTA or GLOCK, My agency ran long, harsh tests on both of the guns. Unless you either get the gun tuned or bought a top tier model, you may not find them as reliable as the others.
If you do either, you will have a very reliable gun that you will have to learn to operate. The 1911 has to be used with the safety on and then flicked off with the thumb to fire in either competition or self defense. It is a step I prefer not to deal with. Also, you are getting a gun as big as the full size BERETTA 92X, but holds less ammo, can rust unless you buy stainless or get the gun coated and is heavier. It will also have heavier recoil.

I had a CZ-75 when I lived outside the U.S. and found it reliable and accurate, but did not like the safety system which is modeled after the 1911 (unless you buy a model that de-cocks when the safety is applied).
I have had no experience with the C-7, so I can say nothing on it.

Good luck,

Jim

Glock. It may not be the “best” but it is ubiquitous.

1911 - Advantages: potentially awesome trigger (may have to be smithed to achieve this, which may or may not be practical in your country) and awesome level of low recoil in 9mm. Disadvantages: reliability in 9mm can be less than perfect without spending a lot of money. And even then, it would make me nervous if it’s my only gun. The red-tape hassle if you got a lemon might be very frustrating.

CZ - awesome gun. Advantages: ready to go right out of the box at a high level. Disadvantages: you need to try it first and make sure the ergos work for you. It’s a big gun.

Glock -another great choice. Advantages: reliable as a hammer and endlessly customizable. Disadvantages: you can do endless customization but at the end of the day it’s still a Glock, which means a blocky plastic grip. I’d only buy it as an only-gun if I was 100% sure the ergos and striker fired trigger were to my taste.

Beretta. Advantages: beautiful. Disadvantages: Known also for having ergos suited to a larger hand, so best try before buying.

I’d probably go with the CZ.

Only one, for gun games? It would be an SVI built with calibers and slides for the divisions I wanted to play in.

No contest... CZ shadow 2.

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I'm intrigued by the "only one" challenge, and the strict rules. I prefer revolvers for most things, but given your choices, I would opt for the Glock.

So here's a question: can you purchase additional barrels to change cartridges, or is that a hassle? If you can, think about a Glock 23 with a 9mm conversion barrel. You could also get one in .357 Sig just for kicks. I have a 23 and bought a KKM conversion barrel and some G19 magazines for it. It now sees far more 9mm ammo than .40, although I still shoot .40 on occasion. I prefer the smaller form factor of the 23/19 over the 22/17, but you could do the same with the 22. Is that an option for you?

CapnMac said:

Please remember OP is in Australia.
And, due to restrictions on ownership in Oz, he has to own something used in competition, and IPSC is pretty much a 9mm only sort of venue.
I'm more than passing sure OP would be keen on several calibers, were that option open to him.

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I should have known that .Never let this happen in the USA .VOTE

I'd go with what I have -- an M1911 (but in .45 ACP) and a .22 caliber conversion kit. That gives you two guns for not that more than the price of one.

Glocks are good defensive guns. While the G34 is pretty popular, I would choose the Beretta or the CZ, that Shadow is a sexy gun

MarshallDodge said:

Glocks are good defensive guns. While the G34 is pretty popular, I would choose the Beretta or the CZ, that Shadow is a sexy gun

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The 92x Performance is a sexy beast also. If I could only own one and money was no object, it would be a choice between the 92x Pro and the Shadow. Noe that would be a difficult decision.


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