Which Handgun Should I Get?

First turn off the BOLD type.

Second.
The SIG 226 is a classic in my mind.
The Glock 17 isn't, and never will be a classic.

The 1911 is designed for .45 ACP length cartridges. (.38 Super is .45 ACP lenght.)
The 9mm is much shorter, and adjustments need to be made to make a 1911 work with the shorter cartridge.

As for a CCW carry weapon?
All of those you named are going to be bigger then you are after half a hot day.

Think smaller & lighter for CCW.

Larger & heavier for fun range shooting.

IMO: Few people can comfortably carry a 35-40 oz full size duty gun CCW all day.
Or realistically conceil it all day unless you wear over-size trench coats, or flowered Hawaiian shirts hanging out.

rc

Third, write in shorter sentences. Your first is six lines long! It's like biblical Greek.

Of those guns I like the Sig 226 or the Glock 17. But, as RC said, they are all rather big and heavy for concealed carry all day.

Better options might be the Glock 19 or S&W M&P 9c.

I would go with the SIG P226 as my first choice for an all-around 9mm. but as already pointed out there are other more compact guns you may want to consider for concealed carry. Something like a SIG P229, CZ Compact, P01, or PCR comes to mind, as does a Glock 19, M&P 9c, or a Ruger SR9c. All designed and built for concealed carry but also quite suitable for any recreational shooting you might want to do at the range.

TuneChi said:

Getting my concealed carry permit soon... do not like compact handguns... before hand I have shot as well as tested concealment of all of the these firearms... The firearm I decide on will not only be my carry weapon but also to shoot recreationally, I am a very big recreational shooter

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Testing versus actually carrying for a few weeks will likely alter preferences regarding size, shape, weight, concealment. Don't be inflexible.

Recreational plinking or recreational competitive shooting? Competition helped me greatly (IDPA, Steel Challenge, bowling pins). If you know the games you want to play, then select a pistol that allows participation.

I am a fan of the M&P platform and have several -- a few full size, a compact, and a bodyguard. I carry either OWB or pocket -- not IWB.

Lastly, the 1911, Sig, Glock are not exactly similar in grip configuration. Do any feel more natural to you? Do any feel awkward? Have you had any instruction on how to properly grip a semi-auto such that you can discern what fits you best?

Shoot many; buy one. Find a range that rents and start trying them out; it'll be money well spent. If you can, ask friends to let you shoot some of theirs.

And don't expect your final choice to be the perfect gun for you. They're all compromises to one degree or another and sooner or later you'll feel there is a better gun for you. As you'll soon find out, gun ownership is a journey, not a destination.

Match grade, hand fit, blah, blah. Don't drink the Kimber kool-aid without researching beyond ad copy.

I wouldn't choose a 1911 for a carry gun, but that's just me. Of the choices listed I would take one of the Sigs, probably the 226.

I wouldn't even consider the FN 5.7 round, but if you like that gun can you get it in other calibers as well?

I wouldn't conceal carry any of those personally, but of the ones listed I'd go with the 226 and the 2022 as a second. The 2022 is a lot of gun for the money.

I don't like Glocks and I would never spend my money on a Kinber. They are too hit or miss for reliability from what I hear, and I've personally picked up a brand new one in a store and found rust on it. They're meant to look pretty IMO, not for performance.

Fit and finish is the last thing I worry about on a carry gun.

Five-seven....... No!!!!!! Expensive gun, expensive ammo, and uncommon ammo. Never would I buy one for concealed carry. I want common easy to find cartridges in my carry guns. Not a novelty I'm going to have a hard time finding.

I cannot say what YOU should be carrying. I know what I prefer. I like a light, easy to carry, powerful revolver. I like the polymer .357s like the LCR, though mine's a Taurus 605 Poly. I have a medium frame 3" 6 shooter, but it's over 30 ounces on the belt and square butt. For some, it's worth the weight in recoil control, but I can handle 20 ounces just fine with a full house .357 magnum 140 JHP load. I like the ultralite/airweight/polymer .38 snubbies. BUT, these guns are not for everyone, needless to say. Shoot a variety of carry pistols and decide.

The P226 is a stunning 9MM pistol and IMHO one of the best of the best and to me well worth the investment. I own two of them. They are a bit heavy for CCW though easier OWB and possible IWB with right belt and holster. The SP2022 is an excellent pistol also, at a crazy good price, and I have one of those also and it is a bit lighter and smaller than the P226. On occasion I carry mine in an Aliengear 2.0 IWB holster. Both are crazy accurate/reliable/durable.

Again a really good holster and gun belt will make a huge difference in comfort and conceal of a pistol. My main CCW is a Walther PPQ in a Raven Concelment Phantom kydex holster and a Beltman gun belt.

Good luck on your choice.

Carry guns, choices ....

The "hey, what kind or brand of 9mm pistol should I get" posts are common on gun forums.
If you want a decent 9mm or 9x19mm pistol(I often use the label 9x19mm because there are a few variations of 9mm in the shooting sports/defense industry), you have many choices.
In the $400-$600.00 price range, I'd check into these models:
S&W SD9VE, M&P full or compact, Ruger SR9 full or compact, Ruger 9E, SIG Sauer P320 full or carry size, Glock 19 gen 04 or 23(.40 with after market conversion barrel in 9x19mm), Beretta PX4 Storm C(constant action), Bersa Concealed Carry 9mm, FN America FNS full size or compact, CZ85 Combat.

If you want a simple, safe, well made 9mm pistol that can quickly convert to fire other well known calibers(.22LR, .40S&W, .357sig) with after market parts/kits.

The SIG P320 and Glock 23 lend themselves to conversion barrels, multiple calibers.
3 dot night sights or the new TruGlo TFX sights are worth buying for a carry/defense 9x19mm firearm. Many lethal force events occur in dim or low light. Adding night sights or using a rail mounted white-light like Surefire or Streamlight is a good idea.
Id add that if you plan to carry or use the pistol for home security, use only factory 9mm rounds. No reloaded or hand loaded ammunition.
In 2015, the 9mm has many great choices for carry or protection. Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P, Critical Duty +P, PDX1 124gr +P, DPX, Federal HST 124gr +P, Ranger T/T series 124gr +P or 127gr +P+.
If you are new to shooting or firearms, take a few training or safety classes & learn-know the lethal force laws/use of force laws in your area.

The 1911 is designed for .45 ACP length cartridges. (.38 Super is .45 ACP lenght.) The 9mm is much shorter, and adjustments need to be made to make a 1911 work with the shorter cartridge.

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Lots of firearms were designed for one caliber but work fine in another caliber. Pick most any full-size 9mm with a .40 S&W equivalent as examples.

A full-size 1911 chambered in 9mm is IMHO one of the best range guns you could have. I had a Springfield Loaded 9mm, I have an STI Trojan 9mm now. That Kimber Custom Target II in 9mm is a great choice. Just use good quality ammo, if you stick to 124 & 147 grain FMJ's, such as Fed AE's, you should be OK. I have found that Winchester 147 gr. "Train" or "T" (FMJ) ammo is also very good in a 9mm 1911. Use good quality aftermarket mags, I have Wilson ETM's, these are really good. Then keep it cleaned & oiled, then if something goes wrong it probably ain't the fault of the gun!

I would add the CZ-75B or CZ-85 to the list of nines, these are IMHO significantly better than most of the other guns you could compare to the CZ.

TuneChi said:

@ RCModel, Kimber, Makes a very high quality 9mm in a smaller version, not like the full size 45's each handfit with match grade barrels and I do like it. One thing none of you all hit on, which I appreciate all the feedback already, is the sig 2022, I have heard it to be a high quality gun, i mean its a Sig, and besides the polymer lower to me it shoots and functions as well as the p229. And yes I know that carrying a full size gun can get annoying but I have shot many compact guns and just can never seem to find a compact that I like, I don't have huge hands, but they all just feel awkward. And does anyone have any advice on the FN Five-Seven as a carry / plinking piece? I know the round is like a 22 on steroids but I really enjoy that firearm.

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My Sig SP2022 is one of my favorite guns in my carry rotation, and is one of my favorite guns all around. All the virtues of the P226 and P229, only lighter, somewhat smaller, and considerably less expensive, and it's a SIG! The key to CCW a gun this size is a high-quality holster and dedicated gun belt. I carry mine in a High Noon pancake holster on a Better Belt 2-layer gun belt with kydex reinforcement sandwiched between the layers of leather:

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The other 2 main guns in my carry rotation are a Shield 9mm and a Kahr CW45. I carry both of these in Lobo pancake holsters. Frankly, even though they are both considerably smaller than the SP2022, The Sig conceals almost as well. Again, the key is a high-quality holster/belt rig that causes the gun to ride high and tight to the body:

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JDR said:

M

Lots of firearms were designed for one caliber but work fine in another caliber. Pick most any full-size 9mm with a .40 S&W equivalent as examples.

A full-size 1911 chambered in 9mm is IMHO one of the best range guns you could have. I had a Springfield Loaded 9mm, I have an STI Trojan 9mm now. That Kimber Custom Target II in 9mm is a great choice. Just use good quality ammo, if you stick to 124 & 147 grain FMJ's, such as Fed AE's, you should be OK. I have found that Winchester 147 gr. "Train" or "T" (FMJ) ammo is also very good in a 9mm 1911. Use good quality aftermarket mags, I have Wilson ETM's, these are really good. Then keep it cleaned & oiled, then if something goes wrong it probably ain't the fault of the gun!

I would add the CZ-75B or CZ-85 to the list of nines, these are IMHO significantly better than most of the other guns you could compare to the CZ.

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Don't forget the S&W 1911 Pro Series in 9mm

I have only ever fired borrowed Glocks. No opinion there. My last purchase was a SIG P250C -lovely. From that I could vote YES for the 226.

Researching is half the fun!

Don't forget the S&W 1911 Pro Series in 9mm

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Good gun, but @$1,600.00 for a S&W 9mm 1911 Pro Series, I think I'd rather have a Dan Wesson Pointman 9. Both these cost quite a bit more than a Kimber. Another good choice is the Springfield Range Officer 1911 in 9mm, which goes for @$700.00.

The 2022 is a great gun, but it is still pretty much full size. You can CCW a full size gun fine, even in the hot summer. Lord knows I've CCW'd Glock 21 during several summers (and it don't get a whole lot bigger than a Glock 21).

If I were looking at a carry/target gun, for my personal preference, I'd be looking at something about Glock 19 sized. Unless you have huge hands, its a solid compromise between a solid grip/sight radius and relatively easy concealment.

Another to think on your list is the CZ P-07. Fantastic polymer DA/SA (or SAO) gun, great trigger, accurate as all get out and you can get them for < $500, even less if you get the older "Duty" model.

If you are still casting about for guns to look at, Walther P99 and PPQ are also well worth taking a look at. In addition I second the recommendation at taking a look at the Sig P320.

EDIT: Oops, I didn't answer the OP. If you are married to your list, I would personally go with the Glock 17. I don't care for 9mm 1911's (I love them in .45 though, and my Kimbers are flawless) and though Sigs are great, something about their balance and triggers just don't quite fit me (same with XD).

Love my 226, but agree is too big (fat) for concealed carry- why not a 225, 239, or P6? All are esentially single stack 226's- With a little searching you should still be able to find a surplus P6 for under $500- plus being German police trade-ins they all have some mild finish wear so you wont feel bad about holster carry causing depreciation....

If I were a knew shooter, and wanted an all around 9MM, I'd probably get a HK VP9, or a CZ-75D PCR or P-01.

I am a huge fan of SIG! That being said, you should shoot as much as you can because everyone has different preferences. The gun you choose just needs to be right for you!

I personally have a P229 and a P239. The 229 is a bit heavy for concealed and the P239 really fits the bill. You may also want to look a the glock 19. I have always enjoyed shooting that gun and have been extremely accurate for a compact model.

Good luck and happy shooting!

consider the CZ p-07 and p-09.