Most RELIABLE 9mm handgun?

If you shoot any of them enough, sooner or later, youre going to have a stoppage. In fact, the more you shoot them, the more likely it will happen. If you dont maintain them and clean them regularly, count on it happening sooner.

For 9mm Glock 19. Afforadable, accurate and eats everything right out of the box...

Buzznrose said:

One more thing, this is a great thread on another gun forum that was started by the owner of a high round count, rental only gun range in Las Vegas.

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It was his AR thread that opened my eyes up on part failures with the AR platform. You never really think of a bolt as a consumable item, but I've already replaced one bolt (sheared lugs) in an AR, and now carry a spare in the range box.

It's funny how these threads sometimes go extreme... from a question of simple reliability, with durability second... to posts of full-auto Glocks being tested to destruction.

Trey Veston said:

As a 12B, I ran into some issues with my M9. Not impressed.

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I was the 60 gunner for my engineer squad. Command authorized me to have a sidearm and tried giving me a M9, I went and scrounged a 1911 instead. The other guys that did carry and use the M9 had issues. Of course no weapon is safe from those fabulous 3-4 day sand storms.

In the right hands, a G(+rhymes with flock) is after many years teaching students with them the most reliable I've seen or handled. Limpwristers have trouble making them work. I've owned a few just to settle in on my bias against my personally owning one ever again

Runner up is the Beretta 92's, they're much more forgiving of a weak grip than any other brand I own or have shot. Everything else isn't even a blip on my RADAR screen.

gifbohane said:

Would like your thoughts on the most reliable 9mm semi-auto hand gun. Please leave out accuracy, weight, concealed carry ability, beauty, and price. Do not include what is completely unavailable ie; not made for over 50 years.

I am searching for a semi-auto 9mm that will go boom when you pull the trigger with most any kind of ammo, including reloaded ammo. Number two in importance would be durability.

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The worst case situation would be a weapon frozen up in cold weather trying to fire some cheap gun show reloads.

No such weapon exists. In the beginning, 9mm loads were all over the ballistics map and one makers round may not function well in multiple guns. Magazines, ammo, and operator error are the first three things that render a weapon inoperable. Operator error in handling and selection control the first two. If there is any general consensus, it's that a 5" duty sized hammer fired gun will more often exhibit good behavior, but that's because they have the longest track record. Striker fired guns have only been on the market half as long. And if anyone recommends a particular make and model, the next poster could assert that the one he had was junk and was sold off (still unrepaired) because they couldn't trust it.

There is no easy answer and it's up to the gun purchaser to figure it out. Once that decision is made, it's been proven any owner can mess it up and make it misfire regardless. Abusing magazines (drop free has consequences) or poor ammo selection (a bag of gun show reloads) will compromise their choice in a heartbeat.

Perfect is the enemy of good. The Holy Grail was holy because of who used it, not because it was formed of unobtainium, crafted by angels, and given by the hand of God.

Tirod said:

Striker fired guns have only been on the market half as long.

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Striker fired handguns have been on the market since 1893.


Now-a-days its harder to find a gun thats unreliable than reliable IMO.

Sticking with major manufactures and quality magazines/ammo..

Just for fun, this is probably my "most durable" 9mm.

It's an Italian (Tanfoglio) copy of the CZ75.

It was used in some sort of military-associated shooting club in Israel, and eventually sold as surplus here in the USA. I misremember what year it was made... probably 1980-something.

This was shot a LOT before I bought it maybe eight years ago or so. I've certainly shot at least a thousand rounds through it since with nary a problem.



Here's my "most durable" revolver. It was made around 1916. I don't know if it was every used as a duty weapon or not. It was certainly shot a lot. It's my only handgun with obviously worn rifling. It locks up almost tight. As you can see, the original finish is mostly gone. It still goes bang every time. The trigger is kinda stiff and the sights are small, but it will give you six shots of 38 special about as accurate as any other fixed-sight revolver.

Actually in today's market it would be harder to look for a quality 9MM that's NOT reliable. NOT reliable: 1 Walther P-38 Reliable (through personal use) CZ's, any. S&W any, Glock any, Ruger any, Taurus PT 92 and 99, YES Taurus. Well you get my drift.

All my 9mm pistols are good to go .. only one I have stoppages with … is my favorite Glock Gen 2 .. but it was with cruddy reloads … and that was 15yrs ago ..so there u go…
The SD9VE & G2C are both very dependable… And everyone likes a Shield

I would like to see MAC do a gauntlet run with a 9mm hk usp or p2000 to see how those hold up compared to how well the hk usp 45 did.

Walther P-38. It was reliable for the Nazis and us since then (1938).

Zendude said:

Although I don’t own one, the CZ P-01 was tested and had a failure rate of only 7 per 15,000 rounds.

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Sig Sauer p226 will regularly go 20,000 rounds, zero failures.

After almost 12 years and about 70K rounds, my own Gen3 Glock 17 gets my vote for best reliability.

This one has been with me since new and I have shot every brand of steel, alloy, and brass cased factory ammo there is, and there have been a few ammo malfs that were no fault of the gun itself, with no gun malfs to speak of. Can’t wait until this latest ammo shortage is resolved so that I can continue the round count.

Patocazador said:

Walther P-38. It was reliable for the Nazis and us since then (1938).

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Mine will shoot FMJ all day long, not so with Hollow Points.

I hate to be part of the Glee club, but I also recommend Glock. I have owned 7. I now own 3. All 9mm pistols. I prefer the grip size of the G17. I had a G19 Gen 3 and didn’t care for the grip. The finger grooves didn’t match my fingers. I sold it to an acquaintance rather than modify it. I also had a G26 that I liked very much but the short grip and 9mm recoil just killed my arthritic wrist. I had a G34 that I still kick myself for selling I also had a 19X and I gave it to my son-in-law. He loves it.
I currently have a G45 and two Gen 3 G34’s.
I really like them and more importantly, I trust them.

Reliabilty comes with proper cleaning and proper maintenance. Regardless of what gun you buy one must clean and maintain it or even the most reliable design will fail.

Ruger SR9C. Overbuilt tank that is indestructible.

jct61765 said:

Sig Sauer p226 will regularly go 20,000 rounds, zero failures.

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I understand that the Sig actually beat the Beretta in the DoD’s reliability test.

Zendude said:

I understand that the Sig actually beat the Beretta in the DoD’s reliability test.

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This was just last year. I worked at sig for 6 years. I knew the guys that did the testing.

In my collection Walther P99 AS and Pardini GT9-1 are the only 100% reliable pistols I shot.
My P226 had two or three ammo related jams and the Grand Power Q100 a couple of break-in jams as well (both fantastic shooters BTW).
I've not tested enought my Taurus G3.

The CZ/Tanfoglio platform is very very reliable, so is the Beretta 92.

Third Gen S&W semiauto pistols. They used to advertise that the guns were so reliable they'd feed empty casings. I never had a failure to feed, fire or eject in any of mine, and I own close to a dozen.

From my experience, it boils down to a cpl Sigs (M11a1 [P229], and a P365) in a dead heat with a Glock 19. Though I must admit, all of my 9's have been nearly 100% reliable with readily available American made brass cased ammunition.
Here's a partial list:
Sig P290, P225, P226 Mk25, P229,
Colts 1911a1 Series 70 & Combat Commander,
Ruger 1911 CMD,
two WWll Lugers, a P-38,
a S&W model 39, &
two Browning Hi-Powers.

I've never had a problem with any of them past 50 rounds of break-in shooting. YMMv, but it's one caliber that's just about fool-proof with decent ammunition. Oh...and BTW, all of the above except the Lugers and P38 were fed a robust diet of lead conical and SWC hand loads too. Best Regards, Rod

Lots of excellent candidates but, in my experience, I have to agree with armedwalleye: most any TG Smith is the "most RELIABLE 9mm handgun".

Here’s an odd “angle” which I’ve not thought about for a few years.

You realize how reliable Russian-designed guns are known to be ?

Some area in Russia ordered the CZ-75 for its Police…..Wikipedia.
Think about —- a very popular, extremely reliable Czech gun , ordered by a Russian agency——

My CZ PCR (75D), DA/SA, is excellent, and has unique ergonomics.

I really like my CZ75 and my Sig P365 never a hiccup unless I roll the ammo incorrectly or have brass problems I didn't catch