Going to try a striker fired again...help

[Mn Fats]

I don't understand why you don't just go to a hammer fired polymer gun

Really wanted the HK P30. But its about $250 over the strikers. Im in enough trouble convincing the her that I need another gun. Plus its becoming a striker fired world and Im being left behind with my 6 shooters. Which is perfectly fine with me. But Id like to own at least one striker polymer. And i guess...sigh...an AR.

 

[Mn Fats]

Well, I have shot all of them...although only a couple of mags through a couple of them.

The first I'd eliminate would be the FN, it is just a nightmare to take apart and tinker with.

The best out of the box triggers are pretty much a toss up between the H&K and the Walther...I liked the VP9 better. I really like the paddle mag releases as it is a very natural motion for either your thumb or index finger.

The SIG had the best feel in my hand...I spent years carrying and teaching with a 226 or 220. Out of the box the trigger felt heavy (over sprung) but Grayguns offers a nice drop-in package to address that...Bruce has done all my SIGs.

The SIG 320 upgraded triggers are basically what they are supplying for the M17/18 with the addition of a disconnector. Mine came back with a smoother/lighter trigger and a slightly longer reset. Checking the box for date of manufacture won't help you. Any reputable dealer would have pulled their stock and sent them in to be modified. There is no new production with the modification as they stopped current production to devote capacity to modifying current guns...some guys are getting their guns after only being at the factory about a week..

The two easiest ways to tell if your 320 is up to current spec is the lightened trigger or the disconnector cut under the slide

View attachment 772887

Wow. Exactly what I was looking for on that P320. Thanks man. Im edging towards the Sig.

 

[WestKentucky]

P320 is beautiful. Will probably be heavier than the rest but it gets my vote.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I don't mind the paddle. Never used one but I believe its something I can get used to.

I've got a VP9 and it's been a great gun. I prefer the paddle holster on HKs to button releases now. The trigger is nice and is an easy gun to shoot well. The version with 3 mags and night sights is worth the extra money.

 

[Fiv3r]

I've owned both the FN (fnx-9, fns-40, fns-40c) and the SIG P320 (full size 9mm).

I really liked the FNS, but the grip is VERY aggressive. I'm very curious about the 509, but I have heard a few negative reviews about them and after buying the 320, my 9mm striker fire needs are met unless I stumble into a good value piece (possibly the new Ruger Security 9).

The 320, especially with the new trigger, is the nicest shooting gun that I own. It's accurate, reliable, and comfortable in hand.

 

[pblanc]

I have shot them all. I own two P320s, a full-size in .45 ACP and a compact in 9mm Para. My advice would be to try whatever you plan to buy if at all possible. All of them have their fans, especially the Walther, HK, and SIG.

Both my P320s have now been modified. They both came back with trigger pull weights slightly less than before the upgrade. The PPQ, VP9, and SIG P320 are all generally considered to have good triggers for striker-fired pistols, but they are all different. Only you could decide which one is best for your needs. I have yet to shoot a striker-fired pistol with a stock trigger that did not have at least a bit of creep at the break.

Of your choices, the FN FNS would be at the bottom of my list. Not that I think it is a bad gun, but I would rate the quality of its trigger action below that of the others, and I agree that the grip texture is rather too aggressive. The flat sided grip did not fill my hand very well either.

Before I purchased my first P320 I tried the VP9. I agree it has a nice trigger and the interchangeable side panels and back straps allow a good deal of customization of the grip. But the pistol in my hands seemed to have a somewhat peculiar recoil that torqued a bit for me, and it did not come back on target as naturally as the SIG. But the real problem was the fact that it did a number on my trigger finger within the first two magazines, and this is an issue that others have experienced with this pistol as well. My hands are moderately large for an adult male and my fingers a bit thick. There is a trough at the bottom of the trigger guard of the VP9 and the room inside the guard is a bit restricted. Any contact of the trigger finger with the trough causes pain. Some VP9 owners have taken a Dremel to their pistols to address that problem.

The Walther would be my second choice on your list, although I would probably opt for the DA/SA striker-fired P99 AS over the PPQ. I am one who agrees that the PPQ trigger is a bit lighter than desirable for a SD pistol. The PPQ also seemed to have more muzzle rise in recoil than I would have expected for a pistol of this size and weight chambered in 9mm Para. The grip was comfortable and the interchangeable back straps allow for some adjustment, although not as well as the HK VP9 or SIG P320. I am also not a fan of finger grooves, although Walther's are rather subtle and much better designed and less egregious than those of a Gen 3 or Gen 4 Glock 19.

The SIG P320 with a medium sized grip module just seemed to fit my hand perfectly. There are three sizes of grip modules for each model of the P320, and they do a much better job of adapting the pistol for different sized hands than interchangeable back straps do, IMO. I do not agree that the P320 has almost no trigger pre-travel. On my P320s the center of the trigger has to move rearward just under 1/8" before the wall is reached, although there is not a lot of resistance during the pre-travel. Trigger reset is fairly positive and audible (a little more so after the upgrade) although not so much as that of a Glock trigger. In my hands, the P320 simply seemed to come back on target more naturally and quickly, so the SIG was an obvious winner for me.

 

[Doublehelix]

I voted VP9, and I love mine. It is the only striker-fired pistol that I own. I am a HUGE SIG fan overall (I own several), yet I chose the VP9 over the P320 when I compared them side-by-side.

Obviously YMMV, but I was surprised since I had really planned on adding to my SIG collection and getting the P320. Nothing against the P320, but for me, the trigger and how the VP9 felt in my hand were the final selling points.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

The trigger trough thing is a thing to pay attention to. I shot my HK45 the other day and after 150 rounds I had a spot on my finger that was raw.

My P30SK andVP9 on the other hand don't bother me at all. All three guns have the trigger trough.

The only conclusion I can come to is that the P30 and VP9's interchangeable side panels make the difference. I have large hands and as a result I need the largest blackstrap and side panel in mine to fill my hand. Those two guns just stay put in my hand better than the 45 does.

You should handle and dry fire a VP before buying, and consider your hand size. I wear XL gloves and the VP doesn't bother my trigger finger with the large panels installed.

 

[ray15]

NOTE: Please don't vote for what's not listed. Glock, Smith, Springfield, Ruger etc. I looked into them and have nothing against them, but these are the ones I've narrowed my list down to. NOTE 2: I can NOT handle/rent these. My lgs here in the boonies carries none and Im not driving 2+ hours in my pickup to cabelas. So Im ordering blind here.

Considering the title of the thread, this stance precludes anything more than blind luck delivering you. I'm assuming the striker fired guns you've tried before, and apparently rejected, were seemingly logical and recommended choices as well. This is all about preference.

Personally I can't stand the VP9's trigger. It feels spongy to me and the reset is quite vague. Others in this thread like it, some a lot. Where you fall in that spectrum is the end-all be-all of the advisability of you choosing a VP9.

I also don't really care for the P320. I like and respect SIGs and love the modular construction, but don't find the trigger pull and reset that great. You might.

When I felt and dry fired all the choices I could, I bought a PPQ M2. I decided the world had deemed it the best trigger (this is before the P10c), so I should just train with it until I adapted. In practice I found the trigger pull excessively long and a bit gritty, and didn't shoot the gun all that well even after thousands of rounds. The ergonomics just didn't work out and I couldn't hold the gun perfectly steady as I stroked the trigger.

I can't say I ever considered the FN FNS. Who knows, you might like it (or hate it).

One day a CZ P10c finally appeared at a LGS and I dry-fired it. End of story. The ergonomics work out so well for me that I could control its trigger better even if it wasn't (to me at least) the best of the lot. M&P ergonomics work really well for me too, but I bought the CZ and it's a keeper. What works for you is what you need to figure out - nearly every gun has its proponents.

 

[bannockburn]

I'm a bit biased as a SIG fan so my vote went to the P320. But I would be equally happy with the HK VP9. What I'm not a big fan of is the FN FNS.

 

[Mn Fats]

Well, I decided on ordering the Sig P320. Now I'll do some research on a good carry holster if I decide to take the class. Thanks for the input guys and have a good new year.

 

[bannockburn]

Mn Fats

Best of luck with the new gun in this new year! Let us know what you think about it after you've had a chance to get to the range with it.

 

[pblanc]

Well, I decided on ordering the Sig P320. Now I'll do some research on a good carry holster if I decide to take the class. Thanks for the input guys and have a good new year.

You are probably aware of this, but assuming you bought the P320 carry model, you do have the option of buying a compact grip module for it if you decide you want a pistol that is slightly easier to conceal. The grip modules are relatively modestly priced. Of course, to get the full benefit of the shorter grip, you would also need to get a couple of the shorter 15 round magazines to go along with it, but you could still use your 17 round magazines with the compact grip. They would just stick out a bit past the end of the magazine well.

With my hand size, I can just get all my fingers on the compact grip but I do have to be careful not to pinch my hand during a magazine change. The carry grip allows a very comfortable full-finger grip but makes the pistol just a bit harder to conceal.

Some have even used the subcompact grip modules and 12 round magazines with the compact/carry sized upper and that works as well.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I too debated as you are. I at 1st chose the PPQ without handling any except the FN based on all the internet euphoria over its trigger and bought the M2 4" and 5" 9mm and the 45acp. I then shot a Springfield mod 2 and realized I made a mistake. For me, the Springer for my medium sized mitts much better and I love the slimmer profile and grips. More 1911-esque too me and even like the grip safety. Trigger is great too. Yes a bit more travel, but cleaner break. Reset in my opinion way over analyzed when people are splitting millimeters. The Springer, again to me, points more naturally and my groupings were better with it over the PPQ. Hence, I've sold my PPQ'S and replaced with Mod 2's. Very happy with decision so far. As always, YMMV. The beauty of it all is all these are great choices.

 

[Mn Fats]

You are probably aware of this, but assuming you bought the P320 carry model, you do have the option of buying a compact grip module for it if you decide you want a pistol that is slightly easier to conceal. The grip modules are relatively modestly priced. Of course, to get the full benefit of the shorter grip, you would also need to get a couple of the shorter 15 round magazines to go along with it, but you could still use your 17 round magazines with the compact grip. They would just stick out a bit past the end of the magazine well.

With my hand size, I can just get all my fingers on the compact grip but I do have to be careful not to pinch my hand during a magazine change. The carry grip allows a very comfortable full-finger grip but makes the pistol just a bit harder to conceal.

Some have even used the subcompact grip modules and 12 round magazines with the compact/carry sized upper and that works as well.

Yep, I've heard of their modularity. I went back and forth on the carry and the compact. Which is very odd to me that the "carry" model actually has the longer grip vs the standard compact. A "carry gun" should be minimalistic in grip length with barrel length playing the smaller factor. I chose the "carry" model due to the larger grip length. Like I've said, I've never held or shot either but I have large hands. Better too big than too small.

 

[pblanc]

When the P320 was first introduced, what we now call the "compact" was in fact, called the "carry" model. Then some law enforcement agencies requested a pistol with the compact length slide and barrel, shorter than the full-size, but with the longer grip and larger magazine capacity of the full-size pistol. This made a lot of sense for a duty pistol that was carried openly where concealment was not an issue. The longer grip afforded a greater magazine capacity, while the shorter (than full-size) upper allowed for a quicker draw from holster, and more comfortable carry, especially when seated in a vehicle. Problem was, what to call the new model. "Compact" did not seem appropriate, since the new model had a longer grip and larger magazine. So the new model was called the "carry" model, and the original carry model was renamed the "compact". This caused a fair degree of confusion for the first year or so of the P320's existence. I remember seeing the exact same pistol labelled as P320 "carry" in one LGS and P320 "compact" in another.

 

[Mn Fats]

I too debated as you are. I at 1st chose the PPQ without handling any except the FN based on all the internet euphoria over its trigger and bought the M2 4" and 5" 9mm and the 45acp. I then shot a Springfield mod 2 and realized I made a mistake. For me, the Springer for my medium sized mitts much better and I love the slimmer profile and grips. More 1911-esque too me and even like the grip safety. Trigger is great too. Yes a bit more travel, but cleaner break. Reset in my opinion way over analyzed when people are splitting millimeters. The Springer, again to me, points more naturally and my groupings were better with it over the PPQ. Hence, I've sold my PPQ'S and replaced with Mod 2's. Very happy with decision so far. As always, YMMV. The beauty of it all is all these are great choices.

This reply is not completely directed at you cowbell. As completely stupid as it sounds, I wanted an exotic striker. Yes I know the Sig is now an American. But even if I left that aside, after the hours I spent reading and price matching and googling. The HK, the Walther, the Sig were most consistent in top 3 strikers. While your favorite modern striker that I didn't list may be an excellent gun, it didn't make my "want list" because of my stupid need for something Germanish. S&W, I'll stick to their revolvers. Ruger, Ill stick to their revolvers. Springfield, I'll stick to their old mil bolts.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Which is very odd to me that the "carry" model actually has the longer grip vs the standard compact. A "carry gun" should be minimalistic in grip length with barrel length playing the smaller factor.

It is just part of the SIG naming model. Their main models are the FS, Compact and Sub-Compact...for Duty, carry (note the small "C"), and concealment.

It was born of the P-220 where customers wanted a smaller gun to carry but were willing to give up the already limited capacity (7)...and the Carry (large "C") was born with the shorter barrel and standard length grip. That naming practice just carried over to the 320.

I've never personally understood pairing a longer grip with a shorter slide...my first encounter was the Walther PPK/S...but apparently there is a demand for it. the nice thing about the 320 is that grip modules are only about $20 to change

 

[Mn Fats]

When the P320 was first introduced, what we now call the "compact" was in fact, called the "carry" model. Then some law enforcement agencies requested a pistol with the compact length slide and barrel, shorter than the full-size, but with the longer grip and larger magazine capacity of the full-size pistol. This made a lot of sense for a duty pistol that was carried openly where concealment was not an issue. The longer grip afforded a greater magazine capacity, while the shorter (than full-size) upper allowed for a quicker draw from holster, and more comfortable carry, especially when seated in a vehicle. Problem was, what to call the new model. "Compact" did not seem appropriate, since the new model had a longer grip and larger magazine. So the new model was called the "carry" model, and the original carry model was renamed the "compact". This caused a fair degree of confusion for the first year or so of the P320's existence. I remember seeing the exact same pistol labelled as P320 "carry" in one LGS and P320 "compact" in another.

Ohhh. Thank you! Great info.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I wanted an exotic striker.

Croatian wasn't exotic enough for you?

 

[Mn Fats]

I've never personally understood pairing a longer grip with a shorter slide...

Thank you for your time and knowledge. I wanted the shorter slide (4" Barrel on the Sig carry) and the larger grip because as I've mentioned, I have large hands. Large. Im new to trying out for a cc license but I am not new to firearms by any means. My knowledge on carrying iwb is from reading.. I carry shoulder and off the hip here at my farm.

I've practiced drawing at 4 o'clock iwb with my bhp and the grip just finds my hand like a magnet. So I chose the larger grip P320 with the shorter slide for a ccw and range gun due to big mits and what I believe to be a good comprise between a full and sub compact.. Idk. Tell me if Im wrong.

Im about to pull the trigger on a Crossbreed iwb holster. Someone said n82 tactical is so much more comfortable. Crossbreed good enough?

 

[9mmepiphany]

what I believe to be a good comprise between a full and sub compact.. Idk. Tell me if Im wrong.

Makes complete sense to fit the grip to your hand. I personally don't think you give up much by going with the full size barrel...but then I prefer the Commander length slide on a 1911 also

Crossbreed good enough?

I don't carry IWB any longer as it doesn't agree with my L3/L4 displacement. I mostly carry OWB in something Kydex.

I'm sort of old school about IWB carry and used to use a Milt Sparks Summer Special or their VM2

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Thank you for your time and knowledge. I wanted the shorter slide (4" Barrel on the Sig carry) and the larger grip because as I've mentioned, I have large hands. Large. Im new to trying out for a cc license but I am not new to firearms by any means. My knowledge on carrying iwb is from reading.. I carry shoulder and off the hip here at my farm.

I've practiced drawing at 4 o'clock iwb with my bhp and the grip just finds my hand like a magnet. So I chose the larger grip P320 with the shorter slide for a ccw and range gun due to big mits and what I believe to be a good comprise between a full and sub compact.. Idk. Tell me if Im wrong.

Im about to pull the trigger on a Crossbreed iwb holster. Someone said n82 tactical is so much more comfortable. Crossbreed good enough?

Crossbreed makes a good holster and their customer service is outstanding. Get the horse hide, it's well worth the extra cost.
For around the farm or in the woods a $20 Fobus paddle holster works fine.

 

[Mn Fats]

Crossbreed makes a good holster and their customer service is outstanding. Get the horse hide, it's well worth the extra cost.
For around the farm or in the woods a $20 Fobus paddle holster works fine.

The horse hide is the tan one correct? I have the all black one in my cart. I don't mind spending the extra $20 at all. What makes it better? Stiffer?

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

The horse hide is the tan one correct? I have the all black one in my cart. I don't mind spending the extra $20 at all. What makes it better? Stiffer?

Sweat proof and much more comfortable, no break in time like with the cow hide.