Iconic 9mm

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

I'd add a Beretta 1951 or 951- these and locally produced variants were widely used throughout the middle east. Plus Mack Bolan used one to waste enough mafiosos to populate a small city...

Plus it's the immediate ancestor of the Model 92 series.

 

[ilbob]

So, I was thinking about the 9mm. Without getting into differences within the models, it seems to me a good 'historical collection' of the caliber would include:
1. Luger P 08
2. Walther P38
3. Browning High Power
4. Beretta M92
5. Glock 17
6. Glock 26
7. One of the mini 1911s in 9mm
8. Sig P320

Bonus: pick a Semiautonomous carbine just because...

Pondering,
Greg

I don't think any of the Glock's are "iconic", or the M92. Just too many of them around and too soon to reach iconic state. Same thing for the mini 1911 or Sig. None of them have any real special character or appearance.

 

[Old Dog]

Or a P-38 or Browning Hi Power, for that matter.

But gun owners and collectors are familiar with all three.

‘Iconic’ to whom?

Iconic to whom? Is the best question ... "Iconic" to me means something that would be recognizable to anyone -- not just the cognoscenti. I could come up with at least ten pistols I consider "iconic," but as I noted, an icon seems to imply that it's immediately recognized by the masses.

Therefore, in the realm of the 9mm pistol ... for the average joe on the street who is not a gun person ... I'd say the sample size would be limited to a mere handful, e.g., the original Luger and the P-38, perhaps the M92 (thanks to the Lethal Weapon and Die Hard franchises), possibly the G-17 (as it's the silhouette typically used on the evening news behind the anchor whenever "gun-crime" is being discussed) ...

My personal list, upon reflection, is short and limited to the P-08/P-38, the M92/M9, Star Model B, Browning HP, S&W Model 39/59 and the 5906, the classic SIG P-228/P-226 series, original CZ-75 and (sadly) the G-17.

 

[RA40]

I'm not as well versed with the many 9mm's, my list:
Luger P 08
Walther P38
Browning High Power
HK P7
CZ 75
Sig 220

 

[lysanderxiii]

5906 smith and wesson

I would say the Model 39-2 instead. . .

 

[entropy]

Radom Vis-35.
Lahti L-35
FN Grand Puissance P-35
There's a theme here......

 

[FL-NC]

I agree with 1-3 as they are the "classics:" and of good quality. The rest are modern and serve for utility.

 

[Zerodefect]

Ruger P95dc. As an example of the historically bad times of 10 round mag limits, super heavy triggers so cops don't shoot themselves, gun companies selling out to libbys, and worse.

I'd remove the Glock 26 and replace it with the 19 or 34.

 

[tark]

Radom P35
SIG P210
Walther P5
Steyr GB

Absolutely , especially on the P-210, the highest quality, most accurate 9X19 ever made. I was never really impressed much with these guns, until I actually examined three of them at Simpson's in Galesburg. I was very impressed by their bank vault lock-up and that incredible trigger.

 

[JohnBiltz]

Sorry, I would not even recognize two of those pistols if I saw them in the steel because I have not ever seen them. Being great is not the same thing as being iconic. Tom Cruise is an Iconic actor. I could not tell you the name of 4 of the last 5 actors to win an Oscar and I could not spell his name and there is the difference.

 

[Prijador]

Another vote for the Sig P226, and the S&W 5906 (wasn't that the "other" gun in Miami Vice, besides the Bren Ten?)
Edit: according to the IMFDB, the 4506 and the 6906 were in Miami Vice)

 

[Blkhrt13]

Another vote for the Sig P226, and the S&W 5906 (wasn't that the "other" gun in Miami Vice, besides the Bren Ten?)
Edit: according to the IMFDB, the 4506 and the 6906 were in Miami Vice)

It was an it tv gun before the glock took over

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, the S&W Model 39 has some [deliberate] external resemblance to the P.38 but, far from being "based on it", is a wholly different gun.
And we really should include the Astra Model 600 as one of the few successful blowback pistols in 9mm Para. Another one not mentioned is the Hi-Point, an innovative, reliable, and successful pistol.

Jim

 

[Old Dog]

Astra made some interesting 9mm pistols ... as did Star (I nominated the Model B as an iconic 9mm -- a finely-crafted 1911-style pistol in 9mm that, in its time, was as good as it got). An Astra Constable was one of my first autopistols, great gun.

 

[Winkman822]

So, I was thinking about the 9mm. Without getting into differences within the models, it seems to me a good 'historical collection' of the caliber would include:
1. Luger P 08
2. Walther P38
3. Browning High Power
4. Beretta M92
5. Glock 17
6. Glock 26
7. One of the mini 1911s in 9mm
8. Sig P320

Bonus: pick a Semiautonomous carbine just because...

Pondering,
Greg

1 - Luger P 08
2 - Browning High Power
3 - Glock 17
4 - Beretta 92 FS
5 - Sig Sauer P210
6 - Sig Sauer P226
7 - HK VP9
8 - HK P7
9 - S&W Model 39
10 - Walther P38

Carbine - HK 94. Nothing else is a 9mm carbine.

 

[stchman]

I'd drop the mini-1911s and Glock. And I honestly think the P320 has to wait for the test of time before it gets added.

But, I'd take the others on your list. Add the SIG P-226, Broomhandle Mauser, S&W 39, Walther P-99, CZ-75, HK P-7 and a Colt LW Commander in 9mm (as originally designed after all). Then branch out from there.

The G26, absolutely, the Glock 17 is as iconic as it gets as it pretty much started the polymer handgun revolution. IIRC H&K made a polymer gun before Glock, but Glock's gun took over the world.

As far as other iconic 9mm guns I agree with the OP on:

9mm P08 Luger
Walther P38
Beretta 92
Browning Hi Power
Glock 17
USP9

I would also like to add the Ruger P Series (P85, P89, P95, etc.) and the Broomhandle 9(Mauser).

Since 9mm pistols really didn't take off in this country until the 80s, it is relatively young compared to the .45ACP.

While the P320, M&P, VP9 are all great guns, they've not been around long enough to be "iconic".

 

[John_R]

Ruger P85/89/95, maybe

Kel Tec Sub2000
Hi Point 9mm carbine

 

[TimboKhan]

I carry a 26, but I think the 19 is the more iconic Glock.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Not sure anyone besides died in the wool Glock haters can say the 17 isn't iconic by any measure.
The Baby Glock I still think is as well, the 19 may be more used, but a revolution was (re) born with the 26 that had stalled. Now we've got even more pocket rockets than before, but the 26 is still widely carried.

Thanks for the comments my friends. I've learned about some guns I didn't know about.

Greg

 

[Balrog]

I would keep the list short and sweet:
P08 Luger
Walter P32
Beretta 92
Glock 17

Nearly every other 9mm service auto is just some variation of one of the above.