AK47 of pistols?

Hummm, probably a mini Draco

Sorry couldn't help it.

S&W 3rd gens. They are the pistol world equivalent of a billy goat.

Semis, maybe Sig 226/228?

A Makarov from any of the four countries where they were produced.

Oddly enough, the 1911 is the most reliable AND the least reliable, all steel pistol IMO.

A modernized 1911 would be like dividing by zero.

I'd vote 3rd gen smith.

I wanna say Makarov for extracurricular reasons.

Fewest parts. Free floating firing pin. Simple blowback design. And it IS very reliable by all accounts.

For me, my Star 30M.... All steel, accurate, sweet shooting, and can be fully taken down using the takedown pin as a tool. Only plastic parts are the grips.

Also on my list:
-Ruger P-series (P89 and P90 in my exerience are phenomenal... alloy frame not steel tho, but I guess "all metal" is close enough).
-S&W 3rd gen (Heard great things, but haven't owned one YET)
-CZ75
-Beretta 92/M9

Being neglected, taken out, range run, stored, then repeating steps over a couple times. My top two picks would be 1st: Beretta 92FS parked or SS and 2nd: S&W 3rd Gen all SS.

what is the most reliable STEEL handgun?

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Do you mean "metal" instead of steel? Limiting the discussion to guns made out of ONLY steel makes the list pretty short. If you simply mean metal framed handguns (including aluminum), the list gets pretty big. My vote for the "eats every conceivable type of ammo you can put through it" metal handgun is the Beretta 92/M9. Sig Sauer's classic P line would be my next choice.

If you limit to steel only, the 3rd gen S&W semi autos have a great reputation for reliability.

Any of the old Ruger P-series. Absolutely indestructible, and completely reliable.

I see no mention of a requirement for centerfire...So ruger mk series. I'm picking the pre-mk 9 shot that became the mk1. I bought my dad one a few years ago and it is wonderful. Eats everything that goes up the mag, even cycles about 80% with high velocity shorts.

I'll disagree with that, WestKentucky. I had to refurbish my father's pre-Mk I. It had reliability problems through most of its life. I fixed most of its issues (including the magazine rivet dragging on the inside of the grip), and after replacing every spring in the damn gun it's finally working again. Definitely not AK reliability.

pis·tol
ˈpistl/Submit
noun
1.
a small firearm designed to be held in one hand.
synonyms: revolver, gun, handgun,

Ruger Blackhawk

Revolver Ocelot said:

... what is the most reliable STEEL handgun?
... what steel handgun is the most forgiving of neglect without reliability suffering, the true ak47 of pistols?
...

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While just echoing comments from above, my two cents ...

STEEL handgun - Ruger single action revolver, Blackhawk or Single Six.

(Semi-auto) pistol - Makarov, followed by S&W 3rd generation.

P series Sig's come to mind. Solid platform in any caliber.

Cz 75

If you're excluding polymer guns, the Makarov is the obvious choice. Reliable, simple, durable, cheap. And the country of origin and its age are just icing on the cake

No such thing.

"AK 47 of..." came about because AK-47's characteristics is so distinct from the other most popular AR-15.

Among pistols, there isn't anything that is so distinct and popular.

Nearly all of them are Browning type short recoil system, and ones that are so distictively different from them are not so popular.

TestPilot said:

No such thing.

"AK 47 of..." came about because AK-47's characteristics is so distinct from the other most popular AR-15.

Among pistols, there isn't anything that is so distinct and popular.

Nearly all of them are Browning type short recoil system, and ones that are so distictively different from them are not so popular.

Click to expand...

I think the Browning-type short recoil system versus the blowback system of the Makarov is a similar mechanical distinction to the AR-versus-AK mechanical differences. In the US market, the blowback design is often restricted to pocket pistols, back-up guns, and subcompacts; in the former Communist states, blowback actions are common on duty guns such as the Makarov and its clones. And the Makarov may not be so common in the US, but it might be the single most common handgun in former Communist countries (kinda like the AK is for rifles).

The open slide and falling locking block action of the Beretta is also pretty distinct these days compared to the vast array of Browning tilting barrel actions.

CZ75 ? Makarov PM?