9mm . . . what are my choices

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I'd like to get a 9mm FS and a pocket pistol . . . recommendations requested. Both are intended to be general purpose duty type weapons as opposed to a target pistol/race gun.

FULL SIZE CRITERIA:
All metal gun preferred
15 round mag max and preferred

So far on the list I have:
- Beretta 92FS
- SIG P229
- Browning Hi-Power
- CZ75
- 1911 framed 9mm's? S&W?
- S&W 952
- HK P7 (not sure I can find these anymore)

POCKET PISTOL
Must function every time
- Rohrbaugh
- ?
 
I agree, up to a point with James Bond there...the Hi-Power is a remarkable firearm...I want one.

Please do consider that you have, in general terms, four types of full-size autos.

1. The bone-fide single actions. These are your 1911s (many of which come in 9mm), your Hi-Powers, Tokarevs I think. With these you must have a cocked hammer to fire the weapon...the trigger does not cock the hammer. Once you rack the slide or fire the weapon, the hammer stays cocked so you only have to cock it once. This present what is for some a quandry...the necessity to have the thing "cocked and locked" to be at the ready. Many don't like that, others have carried cocked and locked for years without issue.

2. Single Action/Double Actions. These are hammer guns where there is a long pull on the first shot if the hammer isn't already cocked, and then very short crisp single action pull on subsequent shots. You carry these with the hammer down and just pull the trigger and it will cock the gun and fire in one motion of the trigger. Again, subsequent shots are cocked. These are your Sigs, Berrettas, FNPs, H&Ks, Rugers, Third generation S&W autos, etc. These almost have manual safeties and/or decockers.

3. Double Action Only. These cannot be cocked ahead of time and each trigger pull cockes the hammer (or striker) fully and then releases it. These work just like a hammerless revolver. They almost never have safeties and don't need de-cockers because they are never cocked. These are very safe but they can be hard to shoot without practice. There are a bunch of these, again with and without hammers...Kahrs, Kel-tec (although they aren't full size), some S&W metal framed autos, some Walther P99 I think, probably a Sig or two.

4. The ubiquitous "plastic fantastic" striker fired pistol. This is probably the largest group (in terms of sales for sure and probably selection as well). These use a variety of different actions but most fire from either a half-cocked or nearly full-cocked striker position. Some have manual safeties, most do not. These are easy to use, and priced right. These are you Glocks, your S&W M&Ps, your Springfield XDs, your new Rugers and a boatload more.

You kind of need to think about what you want to do and what you are comfortable with. If you make a good, informed choice, any of the above will serve you well and each type above serves in numerous Law Enforcement Agencies and Military units around the world.
 
haha in all fairness you really don't have many choices with the current state of things... you are lucky to find any handgun period around here... I have been looking for 2 weeks with no luck.
 
I would go to the range and test fire some rental guns to see what your comfortable with. Grip size, safeties, recoil, concelabilty and accuratecy will all come in to play.
 
Full-size duty (metal) - tough to beat Beretta or SIG, though a DOA style trigger like on the newer DAK SIGS would be a real plus.

Pocket - pick the full-size, then get one that matches best in functionality (i.e. Beretta 92F with Walther PPK/s; Hi-power w/SIG P238)
 
All good choices, but the S&W 952 you listed is one of the most accurate handguns, with one of the BEST single action triggers that I've ever had a chance to shoot with! They go for well over two grand these days, which is actually reasonable considering the level of workmanship and craftsmanship that S&W puts into their Performance Center guns! S&W only offers it in stainless now, but the guy I knew that had one of the originals in a beautiful polished blue finish wouldn't part with it at any price! - skeeter_08
 
Glocks:
G17, 19, 26
CZ's
PO1, SPO1(very underrated handguns)
Ruger:
SR9
and of course the Browning Hi-power, but these are the ones I would own or do own.....although I got rid of the G26 and bought the CZ PO1 which was a better fitting handgun for me............
 
If you are looking to a truly full size framed pistol in 9mm why not the Sig 226? The 229 is more mid-size when compared to the 226.
 
Thanks for the replies. Heading after work today - hopefully there will be something left!

With respect to the plastic discussion - I have one of the first USPs made in 40 and one in 45acp as well as an XD. Nothing wrong with them.

Just enamored with the metal frame this time out.

RE Sig 226 - 20 rounds, illegal in PRNJ and not sure it comes in a 15 round config. (Beautiful gun though)

Hoosier - thanks for the concise description. Many folks don't understand how important the operation is to a carry decision. I have carried all four types - 1911, HKUSP, XD and a DAO revolver. Let's just say I'm not hung up about the action these days - early on it had to have a safety decocker - less important now, once you realize the safety has to be between your ears and anyhting between you and the gun going bang can be bad in an emergency.

Looks like we got it covered though thanks for the help . . . .
 
I have to say that you've got a fantastic list going on there. I'm biased by what I own, because I love what I own. I've come to that love because I got lucky with my first pistol (a hi-power gift from my father when going to college), and did a lot of research for my second 9mm: a w.german p228 I purchased by selling a gen2 g19 (and I hate selling guns, but that weapon was too good to pass up, and I've not regretted it.)

Therefore, I'd say get either the hi-power or the sig 229. I also have a 229 and love that weapon as well. I like the 229 over the 226 simply because I have smaller hands, so the 229 grip fits me perfect. Others with larger hands like the 226 which gives them extra grip as well.

As for pocket pistols, I will give another +1 vote for the Kahr MK9. I have one that I've owned since 2007's summer and have put a little over 1200 rounds through it without a single problem whatsoever. I love this little pistol, and am happy that it can shoot +p 9mm (which the Rohrbaugh cannot do).

I know I've posted this picture before (and one of these days I'll take new pictures), but here's one of the hi-power MkIII:

2gul7gg.gif
 
Highland Ranger, think about the S&W 908 - DA/SA 8 + 1
It's pedigree 39-2, 3913, and the Compact Chiefs Special or CS9
and LadySmith 9/lS9, the 908 is a economical finished CS9 Blued
or the 908S Stainless. 6 7/8" OAL 3.5" Bbl. Len. 24 oz.weight empty.

I'm not sure about the 75B - it's rated at 16 rd mag. - I have one and
the 15th rd is tough enough to get into the mag. ?? Sure is dead nuts
reliable, and stupid accurate. Superior trigger design to the BHP IMO.

Randall
 
* CZ-75
* Browning hi-power
* Ruger P-series
* Smith Autoloaders
* Beretta 92
* Sig 226 or 228

those are your main choices. They are all reliable, quality guns. My advice is to handle each of them, and buy the one that has the features you like, and fits your hand the best.
 
The one thing I'd note is that some have posted two different brands/types of weapons for your primary and backup weapons. Honestly, I think that's bad advice. If you ever find yourself in a firefight, having to switch from your primary to your backup, you want to be using a backup with EXACTLY the same controls as your primary. You don't want to be in the position where you consciously have to think about the switch.
 
MisterMike said:
The one thing I'd note is that some have posted two different brands/types of weapons for your primary and backup weapons. Honestly, I think that's bad advice. If you ever find yourself in a firefight, having to switch from your primary to your backup, you want to be using a backup with EXACTLY the same controls as your primary. You don't want to be in the position where you consciously have to think about the switch.

Something I've been considering lately is carrying my Kahr PM9 as my BUG, and getting a CW9, P9, K9, or TP9 (more full-sized) as my primary, point being that any spare mags I carry could fit both guns.

This idea works well with a host of other combos as well (although many aren't all-steel). Glocks & XDs come to mind most immediately.
 
Did manage to get another 92FS . . . . but wow - they had NOTHING left and there were three other people filling out paperwork. Highly unusual - and all three were purchasing their first handgun.

Counter guy I know said it has been like the week before Christmas for the last 6 months.

Surprised we're not hearing more about this on the news . . . .

Given the criteria above, choices were the Italian 92FS and a german Sig 226 (I think - 13 round 9mm). Sig was very nice and had I not already had a 92fs I probably would have gotten it.

About $675 for the 92fs and $900 for the SIG in case anyone is curious about NJ prices.

I will probabaly wind up getting another XD in 45acp with the second permit to match the existing one of those I have.

It's funny what a few years will do to your buying algorithm - I would have never bought the same gun twice before - now I'm worried about parts and magazines . . . . . not a change for the better.

Again, thanks for all the discussion - appreciate the response given what a tired topic this can be.
 
H Ranger

Hey man...I am glad you liked my post. I'll have to admit I am kind of embarrased as I see (now) that you probably knew all I wrote and most likely a whole lot more. I did not mean to state the obvious. For some reason, I wrote the thing like I was instructing a "newbie". Maybe a real for sure "newbie" will learn from this and other posts on THR...I sure have learned a lot.

QB
 
Get a Browning Hi Power when you still can. Classy, accurate, reliable. If you can't find one a CZ-75 variant or HK P7 will do nicely. Surplus German police P7's are currently available at bargain prices.
 
try one of these...

steyr M9-A1, shown with a modified 32 round browning high power mag... great ergonomics, accuracy, dependability, and one heck of a trigger for $439.00
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