Captain33036
Member
Hello Everyone
I just joined and hope you will forgive such a newbie question. I am former military, but not in LE. I shoot about once a week for fun and to be proficient. I have a Beretta Cougar 9mm for home defense (boat defense actually) which I like a great deal, but am looking for a second gun specifically for target shooting. No competitions, just for my personal best. Generally 50ft.
With the Cougar, I can shoot 3 inch groups pretty reliably at 21 ft and get about 90% of the rounds in 6 inches at 50ft, standing, no support. I would like to do better.
I have looked and shot a number of guns, 38 special, .45, .40 and 9mm. 9mm is my cal of choice for its cost and effectiveness. I have looked at and tried a few guns and found that I am not interested in the CZ, EAA or Browning HP. I had a SIG 226 9mm...shot it really well, but in the end just did not want to keep it.
My short list is the Beretta 92FS or a 1911 frame 9mm, cost for each about $650 online or discount shop. Though the Springfield 1911 9mm seems great, I think the cost is out of my budget right now, so a 1911 framed 9mm would likely be the Taurus 1911 9mm.
I was wondering what other people's opinions might be as to which of the two would be the most fun and more accurate, out of the box. I do not wish to do much gunsmithing to it right now, that would blow the budget.
I think the Beretta is a very slick gun, well designed and well thought out. The grip seems very good in my hands. I like having a decocker. It seems to be a proven shooter and well understood with a good deal of after market things for it. Not too sure about how well the barrel mates to the front bushing of the slide and how this may or may not affect accuracy.
I shot a friends accurized .45 1911....and ....for whatever reason...was just amazing with it on the very first try. 2 inch group at 21ft (or maybe I dreamt this). I liked the grip and the trigger. Really do wish the 1911 frame had a decocker, but I understand how to clear this weapon, the safety on it and how to keep it safe. I do wonder if the 1911 is inherently an accurate design ...or ...if...perhaps more likely...it simply lends itself to a good deal of 'smithing that eventually makes it accurate.
I wonder if the 92 might be a more versitile weapon overall, then a 1911.
I wonder if perhaps an advantage of getting a Taurus 1911 9mm would be that I could later get a slide assembly for making the weapon a .45 and thus have two guns?
I realize this question has been asked before and beg forgiveness for asking again. I have tried to read the past threads and have learned a great deal. It would be helpful to hear from those who have owned and shot both. I would love to have both, but I cannot.
My best regards,
John
I just joined and hope you will forgive such a newbie question. I am former military, but not in LE. I shoot about once a week for fun and to be proficient. I have a Beretta Cougar 9mm for home defense (boat defense actually) which I like a great deal, but am looking for a second gun specifically for target shooting. No competitions, just for my personal best. Generally 50ft.
With the Cougar, I can shoot 3 inch groups pretty reliably at 21 ft and get about 90% of the rounds in 6 inches at 50ft, standing, no support. I would like to do better.
I have looked and shot a number of guns, 38 special, .45, .40 and 9mm. 9mm is my cal of choice for its cost and effectiveness. I have looked at and tried a few guns and found that I am not interested in the CZ, EAA or Browning HP. I had a SIG 226 9mm...shot it really well, but in the end just did not want to keep it.
My short list is the Beretta 92FS or a 1911 frame 9mm, cost for each about $650 online or discount shop. Though the Springfield 1911 9mm seems great, I think the cost is out of my budget right now, so a 1911 framed 9mm would likely be the Taurus 1911 9mm.
I was wondering what other people's opinions might be as to which of the two would be the most fun and more accurate, out of the box. I do not wish to do much gunsmithing to it right now, that would blow the budget.
I think the Beretta is a very slick gun, well designed and well thought out. The grip seems very good in my hands. I like having a decocker. It seems to be a proven shooter and well understood with a good deal of after market things for it. Not too sure about how well the barrel mates to the front bushing of the slide and how this may or may not affect accuracy.
I shot a friends accurized .45 1911....and ....for whatever reason...was just amazing with it on the very first try. 2 inch group at 21ft (or maybe I dreamt this). I liked the grip and the trigger. Really do wish the 1911 frame had a decocker, but I understand how to clear this weapon, the safety on it and how to keep it safe. I do wonder if the 1911 is inherently an accurate design ...or ...if...perhaps more likely...it simply lends itself to a good deal of 'smithing that eventually makes it accurate.
I wonder if the 92 might be a more versitile weapon overall, then a 1911.
I wonder if perhaps an advantage of getting a Taurus 1911 9mm would be that I could later get a slide assembly for making the weapon a .45 and thus have two guns?
I realize this question has been asked before and beg forgiveness for asking again. I have tried to read the past threads and have learned a great deal. It would be helpful to hear from those who have owned and shot both. I would love to have both, but I cannot.
My best regards,
John
