Which target style 9mm would you choose?

Which target 9mm would you choose?

  • Sig X-5 Allround

    Votes: 22 10.0%

  • Used Sig p210

    Votes: 41 18.7%

  • Browning Highpower

    Votes: 35 16.0%

  • CZ SP01 Shadow Target

    Votes: 50 22.8%

  • STI Trojan

    Votes: 17 7.8%

  • Les Baer Premier II

    Votes: 21 9.6%

  • other?

    Votes: 33 15.1%
  • Total voters
    219
  • Poll closed .
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J

Johnny Lightning

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East Greenville PA
I'm in the market for a new target style 9mm that will be used as a range gun and am having a hard time choosing. Which would you choose or do you have any other suggestions? My budget is up to 2g and accuracy is top priority.
 
SIG. Allround is a great pistol, with an exceptional trigger. Awfully heavy to carry, but a great range gun. Parts, smithing available for additional work.
 
Johnny Lightning said:
I knew I forgot to add a pistol...the M92! I sort of like the DA-SA pistols vs the SA only pistols but I am fairly sure the SA pistols will have better triggers.
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I gather you haven't felt a properly tuned X-5 Allaround's trigger.

allaroundhunter said:
For consistent accuracy from shot to shot, I will take a SAO pistol....The Baer is a great gun. A close second would be the X-Five.
Click to expand...
Here's a picture I've posted before of a 1.10" group that Bruce Gray shot at 50 yards off a range bag, while preparing to shoot the Bianchi Cup a couple of years ago

X5groupjpg.jpg
 
How about something that will save you some money and still shoot as good as a person is most likely capable of? The SA XDm 5.25 Comp. model and a trigger kit from Powder River precision that you can install or have them install. The barrel in the XDm is "Match Grade" and the trigger kit will allow you to take full advantage of it. ;)
 
I have a Trojan from STI's Custom shop, it is my best shooting 1911, including a S&W 1911 PC. The STI will save you a lot over most of your choices, another reason to get the Trojan. I usually use my Trojan in USPSA Single Stack division, it has well over 7000 rounds in the last 2 years. Not one failure of any kind, great trigger, best shooting pistol straight from the box I have ever shot. STI does make better 1911s with forged frames (Spartan and Trojan are cast frames) Sentry model is a step up but still cheaper than most pistols in the survey.
 
I like the 9x19 1911s, and my most accurate one is a David Sams full-house build starting from a Caspian frame and slide that I use for PPC.

Sams_CR1_9x19_4.jpg

However, the used SIG P210 also has to be considered, especially as the price is less than half of the custom 1911 and precision is on par. The 1911 wins on ergonomics, but the SIG P210 is an impressive shooter.
 
Dave Sevigny, using a G34, whipped Rob Leatham, who was using a tricked-out 1911.
 
While they can be outstanding guns, 5" 9mm 1911s just seem wrong to me. My choice would either be the p210 or a Smith 952. Although $4$ my CZ 85 is one of the best shooting guns I own, I imagine a Shadow wouldn't disappoint you.
 
Last edited:
I havent shot the majority of the list but the P210 Legend gets my vote.

P210-TGT-Detail-hero.jpg
 
I had to go with the all steel, tuned CZ SP-01, especially for the money. Great balance, great tuned trigger, superb ergonomics with the new beavertail, great reliability, and accuracy.
 
Dave Sevigny, using a G34, whipped Rob Leatham, who was using a tricked-out 1911.
Click to expand...

Except they were shooting action pistol, which means the best choice of handgun will be a mix between accuracy and speed. The Glock 34 will never be able to compare to the accuracy of a Sig X-Five, Les Baer, or Sig P210 (just to name a few)

Here's a picture I've posted before of a 1.10" group that Bruce Gray shot at 50 yards off a range bag, while preparing to shoot the Bianchi Cup a couple of years ago
Click to expand...

But I am guessing those are all fired SA, correct? The Sig X-Five has a wonderful SA pull, and its DA pull is nice as well. My meaning was just that it will be harder to be as accurate with a first DA shot from an X-Five than it would be a first SA shot from the Baer.
 
I believe the shot in on the lower right was the first DA first shot...but, I could be wrong

In practice, both Bruce and Mickey Fowler can hold about 3" standing shooting 2-handed at 50 yards when practicing for the Bianchi Cup. They were competing in Production, so the first shot is fired DA.

My meaning was just that it will be harder to be as accurate with a first DA shot from an X-Five than it would be a first SA shot from the Baer.
Click to expand...
Hard to say, Bruce has built some really nice 1911s and shot them in USPSA/IPSC. When he competed for the SIG Shooting team with the 226, he said there wasn't a difference in speed or accuracy for the first shot out to 25 yards. He said he slowed down a bit to refine his sight picture at 50 yards...bear in mind, this is slowing down a bit from a 1 sec first shot reacting to a buzzer.

I'll add that when the game is weighted more toward accuracy, when I competed in PPC (early 80s), everyone shot the 50 yard COF DAO for the whole 24 rounds
 
The P210 may be more accurate than the custom CZ's, but I would say the CZ's are going to be more versatile. A lot of the custom shop CZ's can transition pretty easily into the various shooting games, and are really just all-around great range pistols. While my collection has grown considerably since I purchased it, my Shadow custom is still my favorite gun to bring to the range. Now, if all you're interested in is the tightest group at 50 yards, there are probably better choices. But, for me personally, accuracy is only fun up to a point, and a pistol needs to do more than that to really motivate me out to the pistol pit every weekend. :)

That said, all of the guns mentioned above are fantastic guns and would make great choices. When spending this much money, you really just need to go with the one you want the most.
 
I've matched the best ever group I've ever gotten the first time I shot a mag through an STI Rangemaster. And then I shot the second mag and it was even smaller.

Tight tolerances with a great trigger, a long sight baseline courtesy of the 6 inch barrel, low recoil courtesy of the full length dust cover and available in 9x19. Play around with bullets to find what it likes the best and I think you'd have a winner.

The same place where I shot the Rangemaster has a couple of Trojans. I thought those were great guns until I shot that Rangemaster. Total convert right there.
 
While I would pick a SIG. or CZ as a first or second choice, I voted for the Browning high power because that is the only one on the list that I currently own.
I have CZ,"s, SIG"s, Steyr"s, & 1911's not listed that will out shoot my HP.
 
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