Budget 9 comparison

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Blkhrt13

Blkhrt13

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of all the torture tests, reviews and comparisons why isn't there a single person who has compared the PT111 g2, sccy cpx2 and the P-11. I would like to add another nine when I can and I can't make up my mind. I recently shot a ruger lc9 and while the trigger was a bit of a bear I feel like it's not a total lost cause. I can't say how many times I have seen the old saw that shooting a double action and developing the control will improve your overall skill I'm leaning towards one of the latter two. I have half a notion to buy them both. But I may go for the P11 because I should be able to find one used cheaper. I know the KT will likely need tweaking but as a machinist I feel confident I can work it up proper. Talk me out of or into this? The good people of the high road share your wisdom and experience please?!
 
Have you looked at the Ruger American Pistol? They can be had pretty cheaply if you look for a sale, and Ruger has an excellent service record.

None of the guns you have listed would be on my list. But I'm not you. Budget limit?
 
The thing is I was looking for something smaller. The rebate will be gone with smith and wesson before I have the cash up again. I just scored a 92s so I'm good on full size a while. But I was looking at smaller for cc purposes also as a range toy.
 
I like it inexpensive guns (I like expensive ones too), but I've only owned Kel Tecs, Rugers & Taurus's. My P11 needed the fluff & buff, & it cycles fast enough to need mags with springs stiff enough to keep up. With that said, its reliable enough to trust my life on.

I had the Taurus PT709 & my brother in law has the PT111. Both ran reliably, and I'd trust them too. I've also owned a Ruger LC9, & it was a fine gun, too. I replaced both those with a Kahr CM9 - easier to pocket carry.

Sorry but I've never shot the Sccy's, but I expect they are very much like the P11 (since it is a modified copy of that design).

If you don't like a long DA trigger but prefer striker fired triggers, go with the Taurus. But - as you say - the long DAO trigger of the P11 will teach you trigger control if that's your goal. If you master that one, pretty much everything else is a piece of cake. (I dry fire practice with a P64 trainer; its DA trigger pull is about 22#'s and it stacks. Everything is easy compared to that!)
 
Of the ones you mentioned, the PT111-G2 is a good gun, the P11 is more often than not a jam-o-matic.

What is your definition of "budget", PSA recently sold the RAP9 for $250, the Remington RP9 for $250 with a $50 MiR. S&W had the Shield 9 with a $75 MiR. There are deals on new name brand guns if you look around. People should not have to buy one of those "ring of fire" pot metal junker guns when for ~$150 more, they can get a reliable, well built gun.
 
I think its rare to find people with more than 1 or 2 cheap guns. I have SAR B6P for a "Truck" gun and a Taurus Millenium G2 PT111 that sits in a GHB. But each of those is a use-case where I wouldn't want an expensive gun. IMO, most people who buy a budget gun can't afford to buy multiple cheap pistols.

I'm tempted when I see one of these go on sale for under $200.00 - like the Taurus 709 going for $169.00 - shipped - right now:

https://gun.deals/product/taurus-1709031fs-709-slim-9mm-3-no-cc-fees-22999

But I don't really need that gun and if its anything like the Taurus Millenium G2 PT111, its not going to be all that fun to shoot. Any budget gun I purchase puts me that much further away from getting a 9mm carbine that I really want.
 
My house and woods gun is a 92s and I don't cc as much as I used to because it's a bitch to get done here. I will. But I wanted to practice hence why I bought the Beretta for 3 bills and have been to the range more as I can afford to shoot 9mm. 169 is a hell of a deal on those Tauri. I was thinking with big mits I'd rather have a double stack. Mostly like I said the urge is as much a curiosity. I have shot and owned several Glocks. I had a 22. 40 is much more expensive now.
 
vba said:
Don't look at the LC9 without first comparing to the LC9s. The latter is striker fired with a much improved trigger. I've got an LC9s and like it.
Click to expand...
The LC9s is a really fun gun to shoot, which surprised me, since almost none of its competitors in that class of subcompacts is. To be honest, if you're buying a new gun, the LC9 (non-S) is obsolete, now that the LC9s is available. It can be found for very competitive prices online- several retailers offer it for $299, including shipping:
https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/736676032488
(This link is for the Pro model, which I prefer)

UPDATE: Here's the standard model, with more safeties:
https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/736676032358
 
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Blkhrt13 said:
The thing is I was looking for something smaller. The rebate will be gone with smith and wesson before I have the cash up again. I just scored a 92s so I'm good on full size a while. But I was looking at smaller for cc purposes also as a range toy.
Click to expand...
Ah, right. Sorry for the erroneous suggestion.

everydefense said:
The LC9s is a really fun gun to shoot,
Click to expand...
Yes it is. I'm really impressed by the trigger.
 
With the current prices on shields and other S&W's like the SD, various Rugers, etc. it seems that "budget 9mm pistol" has recently been redefined. The savings (if any) against some of the guns you mentioned would be irrelevant at best, unless someone REALLY liked those other models, or had a budget so tight that there was no wiggle room at all to obtain what I consider better quality. Just register with Palmetto State Armory and look at the daily deals they offer.
 
FL-NC said:
With the current prices on shields and other S&W's like the SD, various Rugers, etc. it seems that "budget 9mm pistol" has recently been redefined. The savings (if any) against some of the guns you mentioned would be irrelevant at best, unless someone REALLY liked those other models, or had a budget so tight that there was no wiggle room at all to obtain what I consider better quality. Just register with Palmetto State Armory and look at the daily deals they offer.
Click to expand...
May be a very valid point
 
I have the PT-709, PT-111, and Ruger LC9S. All have been completely reliable. Of the three, I will probably only keep the PT-111 when I slim down. Reasons:
-The LC9S has the smoothest trigger, but none are bad.
-The LC9S holds 7 Rounds
-The PT-709 holds 7 Rounds
-The PT-111 holds 12 rounds, the backup mag holds 18. (it's a Sig P226 mag, same dimensions on the upper part...use a rubber grip extender. 100% reliable.)

My .45 Shield and XD-S also hold 7 rounds. If I am limited to 7 rounds, I prefer that they be .45. The increased capacity of the PT-111 makes it the only 9mm carry pistol I still carry. The increased thickness is rarely an issue. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the abrasive grips. They rubbed uncomfortably on my side. After putting on Talon Grips, the problem is solved perfectly.

Decide if you want a single stack or double stack. If you want a single, I would look at the Shield (my .45 shield is ridiculously accurate in my hands, I expect no different from the 9) or the Ruger if you like it better. If you are on a budget, the PT709 is pretty good as well.

Double stack, I would look at the M&P 9C (same options of extended mags as the Taurus), the XD Mod.2, or the PT-111.
 
I started out loading 9mm light - too light as it turned out - to reliably function my PT-111. Once I got the loads into the midrange everything was fine. Zero failures of any kind. I bought the Taurus purely on price to fire off 991 rounds I had loaded from brass I had been given. The Taurus has proven satisfying enough that I may load more than 991 rounds.
 
FWIW, my BiL has a PT111 g2 and likes it a lot. He has quite a few handguns, and it is his preferred CC pistol.

I had a PT709. It worked fine, but my hands were a poor fit for it.

I had an LC9 and liked it okay. It was dependable and the trigger didn't really bother me.

Somehow I lucked into a great deal on a Glock 43. It is easily my favorite small 9mm that I have ever shot.
 
Had a Taurus PT111 and a KelTec PF9; no experience with the SCCY CPX2. The Taurus was a Third Gen. version and was very well made. No problems with it but I didn't care for the grip angle (too straight, up and down for me). Always felt I had to reacquire the sights once I brought it up on target.

Bought the PF9 as a possible pocket pistol but found it to be quite a handful to shoot and a little too big for pocket carry. Traded it for a KelTec P3AT.
 
maxxhavoc said:
I have the PT-709, PT-111, and Ruger LC9S. All have been completely reliable. Of the three, I will probably only keep the PT-111 when I slim down. Reasons:
-The LC9S has the smoothest trigger, but none are bad.
-The LC9S holds 7 Rounds
-The PT-709 holds 7 Rounds
-The PT-111 holds 12 rounds, the backup mag holds 18. (it's a Sig P226 mag, same dimensions on the upper part...use a rubber grip extender. 100% reliable.)

My .45 Shield and XD-S also hold 7 rounds. If I am limited to 7 rounds, I prefer that they be .45. The increased capacity of the PT-111 makes it the only 9mm carry pistol I still carry. The increased thickness is rarely an issue. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the abrasive grips. They rubbed uncomfortably on my side. After putting on Talon Grips, the problem is solved perfectly.

Decide if you want a single stack or double stack. If you want a single, I would look at the Shield (my .45 shield is ridiculously accurate in my hands, I expect no different from the 9) or the Ruger if you like it better. If you are on a budget, the PT709 is pretty good as well.

Double stack, I would look at the M&P 9C (same options of extended mags as the Taurus), the XD Mod.2, or the PT-111.
Click to expand...
You may have nailed down a good point. Single stack should be 45. I'm feeling this.
 
I owned a PT111 G2 and ended up selling it to my FiL. He loves the thing, I thought it was nice but just couldn't get used to the trigger. I ended up using the money I got from selling it to buy a S&W Shield 9mm, couldn't be happier with it as an EDC gun.

I've heard good things about the SCCY as well but never shot one myself, same for the KelTec. One thing to consider is that the PT111 is in a different size/capacity class than the other two, being a doublestack and just a bit bigger in virtually all dimensions than the others. That's not inherently a bad thing, just something to be aware of.

Lately, I've seen the S&W Shield and LC9s at $299 or under pretty consistently. Unless someone absolutely could not spend the additional $50-$75, I'd recommend bumping up to that tier of the market.
 
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