Four way heads up! XD9 vs FNP-9 vs Stoeger Cougar vs AR-24!

[ericyp]

I'm looking for a new 9mm carry pistol. I'm only 5'10, so 4" barrel or below is a must. I like to shoot targets and nothing is as frustrating to me as an inaccurate gun. I'd prefer the gun to be capable of 2" at 25 yards. I actually prefer somewhat hefty guns, to reduce recoil. Reliability is a must of course. Prefer guns with capacity of around 15.

Which one and why?
The XD has a reputation for reliability, but not known for being a particularly accurate gun- Don't tell me service accurate or minute of torso is enough, I'd like to actually enjoy the gun too and guns that aren't accurate are no fun for
me to shoot.
FNP9, I've heard it's just of average accuracy as well
Cougar's manuals say they can't take +p, which I'd like to use for carry ammo.
AR-24, I'm unsure of how good a deal it is. It's just a rebadged CZ clone like the witness right? A CZ75 compact or P01 would be great, just a touch out of my price range for me..

 

[Texastbird]

Well, my daughter in law has an XD 40 and can shoot it pretty well. I just picked up a FNP40 and it seems very promising. I imagine that the statement about the +Ps for the Cougar is just a CYA. They look like a nice solid piece of work to me. The only one on your list that I would change would be the AR-24. If you decide on the CZ, go ahead and get a real one. They are made better than the clones and the price isn't much different if you shop around.

 

[ericyp]

Price difference seems to be about $50 between the real CZ compact and the armalite ar-24 compact, putting it a little over the budget for me.

 

[WC145]

The manual for my Beretta Cougar recommends against "extended use of +P, +P+, or submachine gun ammunition because the chamber pressure may meet or exceed proof load pressure decreasing the major components service life expectency". I carry mine with Federal 9BPLE 115gr +P+ ammo but practice with regular pressure stuff. Unless you're shooting nothing but the hot stuff and really putting a lot of rounds through the gun I can't imagine you'd ever have a problem.

 

[RPCVYemen]

AR-24, I'm unsure of how good a deal it is. It's just a rebadged CZ clone like the witness right?

Not exactly re-badged.

It's an all steel Turkish weapon based on CZ 75 pattern. It has some nuances as the pet project of the Armalite CEO - it's sort of a upgraded CZ 75.

I am not an expert by an stretch, but I own an AR-24, and at the range, once or twice I have shot a CZ 75 when someone at the range is shooting a CZ and wants to check out my Armalite. It's hard to make an apples to apples comparison, because I got the "tactical" AR-24, which has very nice checkering. But overall, I like the heft of the all AR-24, and the trigger was about the same a pretty well worn CZ 75.

Don't know if the extra money is worth it to anyone else, but I had just gotten a patent awarded, so I was not price sensitive.

Mike

 

[hankdatank1362]

just gotten a patent awarded

Cool. Whad'ya invent?

 

[RPCVYemen]

Cool. Whad'ya invent?

Some distributed systems software. Pretty boring, but the company gives me some cash when the patent is awarded, and that's toy money for me.

Mike

 

[possum]

The XD has a reputation for reliability, but not known for being a particularly accurate gun- Don't tell me service accurate or minute of torso is enough, I'd like to actually enjoy the gun too and guns that aren't accurate are no fun for
me to shoot.

i can shoot 4.5" groups with my xd and factory ammo at 50yds. it is plenty accurate. and i am sure that it would do better in the hands of someone that knew what they were doing!

when it comes to the guns that you listed i would take the xd. why? i have a service model with over 10,000rds through it, it is accurate, 100% reliable and easy to shoot. i am better with it than anything else, including my 1911. i am not a fan of da/sa guns so that takes the other choices out of the picture for me.