D/A Semiauto to bet your life on

[garrettwc]

There were lots of interesting posts to the "Your favorite 9MM" thread. Check here http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1053 if you haven't seen it.

I would like to expand on that a little. A friend of mine recently got a job that requires you to carry. The employer had some strict guidelines on what was allowed, and my friend had to pay for it out of pocket.

So the question is, given a set of guidelines, which semiauto would you pick and why?

Here are the guidelines:

1. Must be SA/DA or Double Action Only
2. Must be 9MM or .40 cal
3. No polymer frames

There are a couple of other guidelines, but they are not necessarily relevant, and are even more restrictive than the three I list above.

Have at it folks. What's your pick? Give reasons to support it.

 

[Nick96]

Any Sig or Beretta within the parameters stated - just because they tend to have a pretty consistent positive track record among all their various models.

 

[Dr. J]

Whichever Sig fits your hand the best.

The reasons? Quality, reliability, trigger.

 

[10-Ring]

No poly frames?

Well, then I'd go w/ the Beretta 92fs (or variations there of)

 

[Flashpoint]

Ruger P89

I would pull out my Ruger P89, it fits the bill and it goes bang every time I pull the triger. I don't understand the poly gun thing.

 

[Handy]

I can't see any of Beretta's huge products for carry.

Sig is great, maybe a 239 to keep cost down. Light, great trigger, accurate.

Kahr. DAO, all steel, nicely made.

FN HP DA (or whatever they're calling it) All steel hicap descendant of the BHP.

Longshot: HK P7. Hey, couldn't hurt to ask (it's kinda DA).

 

[Marko Kloos]

Based on your criteria, I'd pick a SIG, Beretta, CZ, or 3rd generation S&W auto.

 

[PCRCCW]

CZ 75 and all model varients....great guns at any price
3rd Gen Smiths........had 39/69/59 series...all 100%
Sigs....great but ergonomics vary...try them for feel.....
Kahr.....again....top notch all of the way......
Taurus PT9**....best safety on the planet, all around great gun.
Lots of other choices..these are my fav's in d/a 9mm's.......
shoot well

 

[New_comer]

and my friend had to pay for it out of pocket

Then I'd pick:

1. CZ75B first...

2. then any of the Taurus PT9XX series, pref PT915/911,

3. Maybe a FEG PJK9HP, but its only SA...

The others are comparatively more expensive

 

[NEtracker]

If you can conceal it & it fits the hand, the SIG P226 9mm.
Excellent shooter. Easy to hit your mark out to 50 ft.
No felt recoil. Quality piece.

 

[bikerp97]

Ruger P89 and P94....I would rather say P97 but cant under the restrictions you posted above..

Kevin

 

[cslinger]

SIG 229 in .40 caliber would be my first choice, although a bit pricy.

Second Choice would probably be a CZ75 PCR/P01 with a backup full capacity full size CZ75 magazine or two.

Beretta Cougar seems really nice, but I have no first hand experience with it.

Ruger P94 would make an excellent inexpensive .40 cal that I would most likely have not problems trusting my life to.

I hear really good things about the current generation of Smith and Wesson autochuckers. Everybody seems to like the TSW pistols and some have even compared them to SIG, they most certainly must be wrong but hey what do I know. Anyway they make a model for every size and caliber and pre-ban 9mm mags should be cheap and easy to find.

What about a Browning High Power. Everybody but me likes those. My personal misgivings aside, they are an excellent world class pistol.

Based on the above you are looking at prices from about $450-$750 depending on what you choose. All should be first rate extremely reliable pistols so it really comes down to what fits the best, what caliber you want and how much money you want to spend.

Chris

 

[foghornl]

Hmmmm

metal frame only, 9mm/.40 & SA/DA or DAO, buy it myself

Based on how my KP-90 Ruger performs, [eats ANY ammo, goes BANG! evey time I mash the trigger] I would pick the P89 Ruger..MSRP of $475. Probably can be out the door well under $400. My 2 closest local shops do not carry CZ's.

 

[garrettwc]

Good so far.

For those of you that questioned the poly gun thing - it's a little complicated to explain. I'm going to let the thread run for a littel bit before I give more details.

Suffice to say in the meantime, that the spec for the sidearm was written by attorneys, not those who would be "in the field".

I'll give more details, including what I recommended, and what my friend eventually got after this runs for a little bit.

 

[355sigfan]

I would take any sig in 9mm and up. My faviorate is the 239. The Beretta 92 is also a good gun. But I would miss my Kimber and my GLocks.
PAT

 

[Berg01]

Sig P239, P228, P229
S&W 3913
CZ 75B PCR

 

[Spackler]

Just about any 3rd Generation S&W would fit the bill for me. I'd also consider something from Sig. I personally don't care for Beretta pistols, but if they're your cup of tea, that works, too.

I really like the CZ pistols, and a bunch of them fit the criteria.

 

[DeltaElite]

Sig 226 or 229, since I can get full capacity magazines, inexpensively.
Sig 239 if you want something compact.
I would up the ammo choice and go with 357Sig, if not that than the 40sw.

 

[Sean Smith]

CZ or SigSauer.

 

[Ala Dan]

My Choice?

9m/m SIG-Sauer M11 or P228

Reason? Compact, or "mid size" 9m/m; with these same
basic quality's that are found in all SIG "Classic" P-series
self-loader's:

a) RELIABILITY - second to none!

b) ACCURACY - with practice the P228 can be found
to be darn near as accurate as its big brother, the SIG P226!

CRAFTSMANSHIP - by design, it along with the SIG
P220 make it one of the companys "BEST SELLERS"!

*FootNote- the only negative comment you will find about
any standard SIG "Classic" P-series product will be
about its factory blued finish. But, you know if any of these
weapons are taken care of properly (TLC); that problem is
not an issue. Example- My current .45 caliber SIG P220A
was purchased NIB on 31 January of 95; and after count-
less rounds fired, as well as carried "Mexican style" it still
looks brand new. No scratches or ding's are present on
the surface; and I have always protected this gun
(and all other's) with BREAK FREE CLP!

So to sum up, yes the SIG-Sauer P228 would be MY one
and only choice; based on your criteria.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Logistar]

There are many good suggestions here. I can say that a full size Beretta would work for me - particularly if it did not have to be concealed.

When you said it was for carry... did you mean CONCEALED carry? I wasn't clear on that. Depending on the job, I might even prefer a revolver (I know you said semi-auto).

 

[cratz2]

I would absolutely trust my DA/SA Taurus PT99AF implicitly and completely. Never a failure. EVER! Safety is in the 'correct' location and you could even carry it cocked and locked if allowed.

If I had that job and had a choice, it is what I would carry. Along with 124 +P Gold Dots.

 

[M1911]

The guns in my safe that would qualify include: Sig P239, Kahr K9, Kahr K40, CZ-75B.

M1911

 

[critter]

Para Ordnance P-16 (that's 16+1 rounds of .40 S&W on tap!) stainless LDA.

 

[Ian11]

DA/SA?

SIG Sauer P226 9mm and P228

Or I would never have bought them in the first place. Nothing finer.


But if I was on a budget I'd probably go with a CZ 75BD and CZ P-01, although I've never owned a CZ.