First 9mm for me and my wife

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Don't be so quick to dismiss "sub-compacts", 'specially since it means different things to different makers AFA size.

My main CCW is the same as Maddy345's-I'm sure he'll verify how accurate the XDSC is.
I know you said it was for "range work", but I have just as much fun shooting sub-compacts as full size guns, and with 'bout the same accuracy. If by range work you mean practice, that's no reason to exclude sub-compacts.
Competition would be another ball o' wax...

FWIW-I think folks make too much of sight radius. Of course a longer sight radius is going to be more accurate (theoretically), but my accuracy is 'bout the same no matter which length I'm using.
 
Ruger SR9. Its has a stainless slide and glass filled nylon frame. Approximately 27 ounces, 4 inch barrel, thumb safety, low recoil and has a slim grip with 17 round mag, roughly $450 - $500. You might also consider the Stoeger Cougar (same pistol as Beretta Cougar). Approximately 30 ounces, all metal, very soft shooter, 15 round mag and good ergonomics. It has a safety/decocker and 3.6" barrel. Good accuracy. Goes for about $420.
 
I love my XD9 subcompact. You might want the service size for your purposes. I also have an HK USP in .45 that I love. The USPc or P2000sk might be a better size for the wife.
I would just try to hold/ shoot all the guns you can get a hold of and decide what feels best to you guys. Most modern guns from a reputable manufacturer will be fine in the reliability department.
 
post your location .. and find a THR member with
according tools. Give him 50 for ammo.
Then buy a gun.

If blind .. try a glock, one of u 2 will like it.
then buy a cz75. then switch.
 
While all of the guns listed are fine weapons...your wife is going to have to do some gun fondling is possible to see what is comfortable for her. Most guys IMO have a wider range of grip sizes they find comfortable. If a gun is "too big" for a woman it is too big, not much you can do about that. With that being said, CZ P01 and PX4 would be veeeeery high on my list. Both have a very reasonable grip for a woman and both a quite soft shooting (PX4 softest 9mm that could be considered a compact).
 
I just went through this same process over the past couple months, and I'm getting ready to pick up a 4" XD in 9mm in the near future, my GF and I both really like the way it feels in hand, and I think very highly of it as a highly optimized design providing excellent safety and ease of use and training.

(for further detail on my journey, you can read over the thread I had started http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=508942)
 
If someone is shooting themself with a Glock on a regular basis they are doing it wrong.
 
I gotta ask. Folks are expressing concern about safety and Glocks. A couple facts. Firstly, no firearm has even approached Glock in numbers issued to police forces. More cops carry Glocks than anything else. This has been the case since the revolver days. This is a fact. Secondly, no one cares about liability more than police departments. Along these same lines is the fact that police administrators care more about liability than any other people. Citys and countys and states and agencies, who issue these Glocks, care more about liability than anyone else. If these guns were not safe, if they weren't defensible in courtrooms, if training programs were not consistant with recruits of ALL KINDS OF FIREARMS BACKGROUNDS, they would not be issued in the numbers they are.

Please don't dwell on the safety issue as it applies to Glock pistols. It is a non issue.

If they don't fit or you don't like them, fine. But let's not make up stuff.
 
If you are anywhere in Utah, I would be happy to let you shoot the XD, Browning Hi Power, or HK P30. I like the Hi Power best by a very, very wide margin.

However, you mentioned that there was only one range near you, so I suspect you live nowhere near me... :neener:

Tell us where you live & I am quite sure that you will have several people offer to let you shoot their guns. Gun folks, bless their hearts, are the best.
 
There are a couple ranges across the border in PA you could try, but you might have to make a day trip out of it. Try out a bunch and see what you like. It's like a car, a 4 door Honda, a pickup and a minivan can all 90% of what most of us need a vehicle to do everyday, but we all make different choices based on what we think we may need to do from time to time, the price and a host of other factors, but they would all work.

That being said. Right now I primarily carry a glock 19. I like it because: (1) Everyone has them so there are tons of accessories and you can always find someone to tinker with it, if you want something done (2) It has no external safety. Some people think this is unsafe. However, they are just looking at the gun and not at the whole system. There are zillions of holsters for the glock 19 which cover the trigger, and have varrying levels of retention. Personally, I think that a stiff polymer belt holster that requires a hard yank to remove the gun is safer than a thumb safety, which may inadvertently be bumped one way or another. And it is one less step to screw up. (3) If you buy a glock and don't like it, you can flip it quickly and only loose $50 or so.

I don't like the glock because, it is just not that accurate. Some people can shoot them extremely well, I cannot. With me behind the trigger my tiny p64 will outshoot it up one side and down the other. While this is mildly embarrassing punching paper at the range, I still trust that a stock g19 still will be able to make the hits I need if needed at any distance which is legitimately self defense. As someone on this board so eloquently said, A custom 1911 is what you show your friends , a glock is what you show your attacker.

If I was getting something solely for the range, and not for emergencies, I would probably look at a CZ Sp-01, or maybee that Sig 2022 Basicblur suggested.

Basicblur, does the Sig 2022 have a fixed barrel?
 
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if the range thats near you doesnt rent, have you tried borrowing from the gunshop? one of the shops ive bought from allowed people to take out used guns for a 3 day stint and a 20% deposit. it wasnt a well publicized policy so not many people knew about it... so maybe your shop has something similar, and if not, doesnt hurt to ask, right? just a thought...
 
The accuracy issue with the Glock is the reset point of the trigger. One does not have to allow the trigger to travel all the way forward and back to cycle the weapon. There is a very small travel range in which the trigger reset. Learn that small range, and you can reset and fire multiple rounds without moving the trigger much at all. This allows for rapid, accurate fire. Most folks don't master this, then label the gun innaccurate. It is a unique trigger action that must be practiced.

The other qualities of the Glock involve very easy and complete cleaning and maintenence, they digest all ammo, impervious to rust, endless accessories and holsters, the best back up training, comparitively light, and they always go bang. But again, there is no substitute for not liking the feel of them. If you don't, so be it. But don't take someone's word for things. Try them for yourself. I've never seen a gun that so many hate who have never fired one.

Go to Glock armorers school an you can completely rebuild your Glock at any time. That's a fun thing to be able to do. They also give you access to very fair priced parts. Nothing you can't handle on your own.
 
I'm always amazed at some of the low-end guns that get recommended in threads like these.....

1) BUY QUALITY ! You won't regret it.

2) Buy one that you AND your wife can shoot. An all steel gun might be great for you, but it won't take long before your wife can't hold it out there anymore. You already noted this in your OP, but some didn't read it!

3) Buy a gun that's simple to operate. Again, that's in your OP. This would exclude the DA/SA guns, especially any that require a decocking action. (which is most of them)

Also avoid a Single Action only that requires engaging/disengaging a safety prior to and immediately following firiing. This would include the Browning HP and the 1911's.

I would humbly suggest the Smith and Wesson M&P in 9mm. Possibly the five inch "Pro" version, but it's not necessary. Still, you might find the balance better than the 4".

Another good bet is the Springfield XD 4" or again, the 5" version if your wife can handle it and likes the balance. Or, split the difference and get the XD-m with a 4.5" barrel. A new, shorter version, the 3.8 has just come out and has a great balance.

The M&P and the XD-m both have interchangeable backstraps, so you have the option of fitting it for your wife or to you, depending who's shooting it. The M&P allows you to do this at the range, the XD-m requires a pin-punch and hammer.

The Glock 17, Gen 4 is another option. I don't care for their interchangeable backstrap solution, but it's better than it used to be. It requires a punch to change them out, but you can do this at the range, since a hammer is not needed.

Another one is the Kahr 9mm in a "T" series. The "T" stands for "Target" and has a longer grip and holds one more round. Your wife might like it more than you, as the grip circumference is fairly small.

I'd look at them in the order I presented them.

Keep us posted !
 
Well, enough Glocks have discharged both when being holstered and unholstered to have a medical term given to the result 'Glock Leg'! The problem with Glocks is a light 5.5 lb trigger pull. Another problem with Glocks is field stripping them where you have to make sure to really pull the slide back and then pull the trigger. I don't like weapons that I have to pull the trigger on to disassemble.

For a new comer I would highly suggest a 9mm Sig of which there are a couple of models. They have a hammer--which is nice as if the trigger is moved the hammer moves and you will know it! I always put my thumb behind the hammer when I am holstering the weapon. There is no way that the weapon can fire without breaking my thumb first.

The Sig P6/225 that I carry is easily stripped and does NOT require pulling the trigger. The Sigs, unlike the CZ's, also have a decocker lever that safely drops the hammer, a feature I would absolutely look for in any weapon with a hammer.

The DA/SA Sigs have a 10 lb, but smooth first shot trigger pull with a short reset and light SA for followup shots. That heavy first pull is a good safety and so the Sigs don't have any other 'slide', 'grip' or 'thumb' safety.

I find my Sig to be utterly reliable, very accurate and safe to operate.
 
I realize "you" want a 9mm pistol, but if your wife is like mine, tiny, she may prefer to shoot a .22lr target pistol. My wife can cycle the slide of my Glock G34 but not the slide of my SIG P226, or the slide of my CZ 75D (fully supported slide has to little for her to grip). If you can find a good fullsize single stack it may fit her hands better, my wife is eyeing my STI Trojan, you can pick up an STI Spartan 9mm for about $650 (9mm single stack 1911).
 
Another good one many seemed to miss and is quite easy and cheap and the quality is spot on!! The S&W 5906..All stainless 15 rounds decocker and and fine shooter..And can be found for around the 350.00 range in VG shape..They will feed all ammo with no issues..You can get them with NS's or adjustable sights..The S&W firm backs these 3rd gen guns up very well!!

Ask your dealer to look at them in CDNN , most dealers will charge a small fee over cost ..

The CZ is a great firearm as well!
 

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loneviking said:
The Sigs, unlike the CZ's, also have a decocker lever that safely drops the hammer, a feature I would absolutely look for in any weapon with a hammer.
Click to expand...

I agree with most of your post but this part is not correct. Not all CZ's have a manual safety which requires lowering the hammer. The CZ P01 (which the OP listed as an option) has a decocker. That's the beauty of the CZ pistols, choosing the style of safety you want. :)
 
start with Glock 34 and move up in price point, ergonomics, ease of fieldstrip, accessories availability, safety features you like, etc. good luck, happy hunting and let us know what you decided on and what drove you to make said purchase. we love details, sir...!:D
 
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