Best Pistol Combination?

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

k0r3andud3

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2012
Messages
16
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Hey everyone, first post!

Anyway, I was looking to get into handguns soon, and I wanted to get two pistols, one in 9mm and the other in .45 ACP. I've narrowed the choices to some specific pistols in each caliber. Please suggest better candidates, or help me narrow my choices down. I prefer full sized pistols in each caliber.

Just a note: I've now decided to get the Colt Series 70 and the Glock 19 with .22LR conversion.

9mm:
SIG Sauer P226 MK25
Glock 17 Gen4
Beretta M92 INOX
Walther P99QA

.45 ACP:
Colt Series 70

For the .45, I really want a 1911-pattern gun - and a "classic" one at that. Can someone tell me how the Series 70 is, how it stacks up against other "classic" 1911's, and how it compares in performance and quality to "custom" 1911's?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Series 70 is a revision designation to some it was the last good revision, Series 80 1911 models have a firing pin safety.
I own a Springfield 1911 which are Series 70 designs
I would consider a Browning Hi-Power as your 9mm but that's just me.
 
All of the 9 mm's that you list are good serviceable pistols. I would add the CZ 75 and the Browning Hi Power to the list, but that is just my personal preference. Nothing wrong with your selections.

The series 70 Colts are among my favorites. I have several of various flavors. How does the 70 series stack up against a custom 1911? That depends on what you expect out of your pistol. The Colt won't shoot two inch groups at 50 yards. You will do well if it will consistently shoot three inch groups at 25 yards. However, the Colt's performance is entirely satisfactory for most applications. A decent custom pistol should give at a minimum three inch groups at fifty yards without sacrificing any reliability.

There are some features the Colt won't have. It won't have a beaver tail tang. Originally the beaver tail's purpose was to protect people with meaty hands from hammer bite. But over the years the "tail" has been refined so that it also permits a more comfortable grip and is less punishing when firing full house loads. You won't get a thinned magazine well opening. This helps some when loading a fresh mag in a hurry. You won't get an extended thumb safety. This isn't needed in my opinion, but many find it easier to use. You won't get premium sights, but the Colt sights are adequate for me. The ramp won't be polished, but this is a job you can perform. It won't be ported, but I've never found this to be a problem other than dented ejected brass sometimes . The front of the grip frame will not be checkered or stippled. This is a feature that I like. The stickier the grip, the better, in my book. The standard Series 70 will come with an arched mainspring housing. I've replaced mine with flat checkered housings. The trigger will be short. I've replaced my triggers with long triggers. This is purely a personal thing. The arched housing was intended to improve the "pointability" of the gun. If you shoot much without using the sights, it's probably a good thing. Some people don't like the flanged barrel bushing. I've never found it to be a problem. And finally, unless you get real lucky, you won't get a four pound trigger that breaks as crisply as the proverbial glass rod. But all of the triggers on my five series 70 pistols are entirely acceptable for anything short of bulls eye competition.

The Series 70 is reliable. However, you may have a problem with some bullet designs. Test your ammo before carrying. This pistol is just fine as it comes out of the box. But it is easy to customize at home if there are extra features you want.
 
Another urging to look at the CZ line,as for 1911 Rock Island and ATI 45's do journeyman duty for me and save my good stuff.
 
Thanks everyone for the prompt replies.

I was wondering - which caliber do you recommend for concealed carry? The .45 obviously has significantly more power than the 9mm, but the weapons designed for the 9mm usually have a higher magazine capacity than those in .45 ACP.

As for the CZ line of pistols, which model do you guys recommend? The older CZ75's, or the CZ P06?

Finally, how do the Hi-Powers stack up against the CZ's?

Thanks.
 
A better candidate would be to make one of them a .22 like a Browning Buckmark or Ruger MKIII.

You might be able to afford enough practice ammo to learn to shoot a pistol real well before you learn to flinch and jerk the trigger real well starting with two centerfires.

rc
 
Make sure there is something special about that Sig 226 MK25, above and beyond the regular P226, that you have to have, since it has a different rail and finding a holster for it will be difficult at least in the near term.

I would pair like designs together such as a Sig P226 and P220, a G17 and G21, or Walther P99 or S&W 990.

A good match for the 1911 would be a Browning Hi-Power.
 
Top 3 in each in this order for me.

9mm
HK USP
Browning High Power
Sig 226

45acp
Ruger SR1911
HK USP
Sig 220
 
k0r3andud3 said:
I was wondering - which caliber do you recommend for concealed carry? The .45 obviously has significantly more power than the 9mm, but the weapons designed for the 9mm usually have a higher magazine capacity than those in .45 ACP.
Click to expand...

Actually the 9mm and 45 ACP are pretty evenly matched energy wise. Both generate around 400 ft-lbs. of energy with standard pressure loads. There is a lot of debate as to which is actually more effective, but I don't think there is enough difference to worry about one way or the other.

That being said, I would recommend 9mm as a carry gun because you have the choice of higher magazine capacity or a smaller gun than is possible with a 45.
 
Last edited:
I probably should have mentioned before that I've fired several pistols in both .45 ACP and 9x19mm before.

In any case, it appears as though a 9mm would be best for concealed carry.

What 9mm's would you guys recommend for concealed carry? P228? CZ75 Compact? Obviously, large pistols like the Beretta are out of the question.
 
I own a Springfield 1911 and am very happy with it.
Another option for a 9mm is the S&W M&P. But a CZ75 fits my hand well, and having an external hammer makes it more like a 1911.
And as rc said, a Ruger / Buckmark 22 is cheap practice.
 
I know it's not in the options you're already considering and I don't want to muddle the waters further, because it may not be the info you're looking for, but here's something I learned about 3.5k dollares later:

If I had gotten myself a very serviceable weapon with a .22 adapter kit as my first gun I would have saved a lot of money.

A G19 or midsize 1911 or any proven handgun with a .22 kit is a beautiful thing for any shooter, but especially new shooters.

In my opinion THAT is the ideal pistol combination.
 
I guess that a Sig is about the only handgun which I've never tried. My overall preference has been the 1911, these last forty-some-odd years. I lost interest after the Series 70, though, and even with those I replaced the "front fingers" bushing.

One fun-gun is a 1911 in 9mm. It's so easy to shoot tight groups that it's almost boring.

My carry gun is a LW Commander, mucho modified. Works well from a Coronado leather vest. :)

I've found that the 1911 is so darned easy to work on and the internal parts are cheap. I'm an old hot-rodder, and take it for granted that anything from a factory can be tweaked to make it suit me better. :)
 
yep I was going to say that G19 would be better if ur carrying, but ya beat me :D

I have a 23 w/ a 19 setup, and love my RIA 1911, I don't like putting all my eggs in one omelet hehehe :)
 
9 mm:

CZ 75 (B if you like a manual safety, BD if you don't). I vote steel over polymer for the full sized CZ. (+ Kadet .22 LR kit if you want cheap practice & fun!)

.45 ACP:

Rock Island Armory (if you don't want to spend a lot on a reliable 1911) - Tactical if you want the bells and whistles.
 
Just a question: Do the Gen4 G19's have FTF or FTE problems? I've heard about those and I wanted to make sure Glock ironed out these little kinks.
 
Originally Posted by k0r3andud3
I was wondering - which caliber do you recommend for concealed carry? The .45 obviously has significantly more power than the 9mm, but the weapons designed for the 9mm usually have a higher magazine capacity than those in .45 ACP.
Click to expand...
Actually the 9mm and 45 ACP are pretty evenly matched energy wise. Both generate around 400 ft-lbs. of energy with standard pressure loads. There is a lot of debate as to which is actually more effective, but I don't think there is enough difference to worry about one way or the other.

That being said, I would recommend 9mm as a carry gun because you have the choice of higher magazine capacity or a smaller gun than is possible with a 45.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Also consider that when either hits the spinal cord, which is what you should be aiming for anyways, the effect is the same either way. One shot stops from a handgun are a myth. Shoot at the spine and stop the nervous system.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Best Combat/Defense Pistol
2 3 4 5
Replies
117
Views
8K
otasan56
O
D
  • Locked
  • Poll
Which pistol to carry?
2
Replies
45
Views
2K
fastbolt
fastbolt
L
  • Locked
please help me choose second handgun.
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
Redneck with a 40
R
H
  • Locked
Chamber comparison: G 37 vs Colt Mark IV Series 1
Replies
16
Views
628
Old Fuff
O
L
  • Locked
Best "universal" .45acp cartridge for me.
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
MistWolf
M
Back
Top