May I Glean Some of your Experience? (Handgun Purchase Help)

[Wrage]

Well I did my shoot with my friends and I think I am pretty well set on a Beretta in 9mm. Even though I like the snappy .40 I just thought price, plus wear and tear on the gun, follow up shots etc...to go with the 9mm. I shot the .40 fine - good groups even with quick follow up shots, but I just think for my purposes a 9mm would be the best choice in the long run.

The price of the Beretta should also allow me to get a nice holster, a couple accessories and a good amount of starting ammo as well as some 9mm reloading supplies (not as much for saving money as much as finding a load that makes my gun happy and consistent )

I am debating between a 92FS M9A1 or the 92A1. Not a lot of difference between them - what I see is basically:

M92A1 is the newer model - has captive recoil spring, 3 mags, and 17 rounds mags.

M9A1 - has the flat trigger guard, sand resistant mags

I lean toward the 92A1 - have any of you had experience with one or the other and have any preference or comments?

Again thank you so much - so funny when I started this thread I thought I had my mind made up! But I feel really good about the direction I am going and much more confident in making a good decision.

I would really like to make an order this coming week once I settle my mind on which model. I will keep you posted! Thanks again!

 

[jbkebert]

Not a heck of alot of diffrence on paper between the 3 guns. Weight, barrel, sight radius, yada yada is all pretty similar. The picatinny rail on the 92A1 is something I have never cared for. Just more tacticool junk I would never use myself. For others however hey if it floats your boat go for it. Any of those three will provide you with a lifetime of service. Beretta has great customer service. I lost a spring out of mine changing the mag release from RH to LH. I called Beretta to order another one. Told them what happened and figured I would spend $6-7 for the spring and another $5-6 for shipping. Nope they said awh don't worry about it and expressed shipped me another one free of charge.

Heck it was my fault but they want your business. The make sure to take care of their customers so whe your looking for another firearm to add to your collection you think very highly of Beretta.

The 17 round mags are nice but I found myself buying a couple of 10 round mags just to slow me down at the range. I recently did the same thing with my AR. Seems this old dog gets a little trigger happy with high capacity magazines. Don't go shooting with your buddies with (9) 30 round ar mags and (5) 15 round pistol mags loaded and ready to go. Its amazing when you say uh we shot up all of those yikes.


Lastly I am happy that you are putting your family and thier needs before your wants. It takes alot more man than is normally seen on these forums to realize he is not the most important thing in the world. It says alot about the OP and how responsible he will be with the gun.

 

[kayak-man]

I haven't owned either, but I've shot both. If I could only have one handgun, ever, I'd either choose the smallest gun that I could shoot well, or the biggest gun I can conceal. For me, that puts a S&W J-frame, a GLOCK 26 and a 1911 (once I've figgured out how to conceal it) on the table. For some people, those may be the last guns they would ever want, but I like them.

As far 1911's, I'd probably dlook at a Kimber or a Colt.

You shouldn't buy this gun expecting to sell or trade it later, but you should keep in mind that, if worst comes to worse, you can always trade or sell and get a different one.

If you like the SIGS, I'd say get one. They are pretty good guns, small enough for most people to conceal, and I can't remember anything bad about them.

Hope this helps,
Chris "the Kayak-Man" Johnson

 

[WinThePennant]

If you are looking for an affordable gun for self defense around the house, then you should also consider the Smith & Wesson SD (9mm or .40). They have a sweet package deal that includes a gun light for around $400. I've never shot or held one, but those S&W SD's have a lot of fans.

 

[F-Body Demon]

Dont mess with a polymer, I owned a XD 357 SIG and a XDM in 45 ACP and I can tell you this. Yes, they are both very sweet little guns. BUT! Having seen how thin the polymer is on some spots (and watching some poor guy snap off a trigger housing on his Glock) I can tell you that it will NEVER be as strong as steel. I invite anyone who doesn't believe me to come to my local range, I will smash the mag well of your Glock/XD/SIG with my hammer, then you can smash my 1911 and then we will load a mag and fire and see who wins this debate.

Go for a 1911! Have you ever wondered why you keep hearing about them? Its because they are one of the absolute best pistols ever made! Ruger has their new 1911 which is very much in your price range. And Springfield has the Range Officer 1911 which is also in your range. Both are PHENOMENAL 1911s and will shoot as well as the $1300 models for about $800 or so each (that doesn't mean you cant get one for $750)

I choose to pick up my Kimber Stainless Gold Match II because it was a steal at a local store for $950. And I would say it was worth every penny!

 

[WinThePennant]

I've been shooting pistols for more than 20 years.

Odd. I've never felt the need to wreck my gun with a hammer and see how well it shoots afterwards.

99% of us will keep our guns in near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition. I could care less how a gun shoots after taking a hammer to it. I'm more concerned about its sights, how it clears my holster, concealability, etc.

Let me at ANY gun with a hammer, and I'll see to it that it doesn't work ever again. What's that prove?!?!

 

[Thompsoncustom]

Not total true there are some guns you can beat to death with a hammer and they will still work fine.

 

[WinThePennant]

Not total true there are some guns you can beat to death with a hammer and they will still work fine.

Only because you aren't trying hard enough with that hammer.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

Touche

 

[F-Body Demon]

Quoted from Winthepennant "I've been shooting pistols for more than 20 years.

Odd. I've never felt the need to wreck my gun with a hammer and see how well it shoots afterwards.

99% of us will keep our guns in near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition. I could care less how a gun shoots after taking a hammer to it. I'm more concerned about its sights, how it clears my holster, concealability, etc.

Let me at ANY gun with a hammer, and I'll see to it that it doesn't work ever again. What's that prove?!?!"

1-Just because im only in my mid 20s doesnt mean you shooting for 20 years gives you more experience than I have with pistols. I have been shooting pistols for 10 years, 5 of them in the Marines

2-Its called a torture test

3- 10% of us actually use firearms for what they were meant to do and sometimes we cant keep it in "near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition" all the time. So how well it will operate when its all jacked up may be important when you consider it in terms of being a LIFE SAVING TOOL.

4-Again its called a torture test. And I dont think you can hit my 1911 hard enough to make it not work.

 

[WinThePennant]

Quoted from Winthepennant "I've been shooting pistols for more than 20 years.

Odd. I've never felt the need to wreck my gun with a hammer and see how well it shoots afterwards.

99% of us will keep our guns in near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition. I could care less how a gun shoots after taking a hammer to it. I'm more concerned about its sights, how it clears my holster, concealability, etc.

Let me at ANY gun with a hammer, and I'll see to it that it doesn't work ever again. What's that prove?!?!"

1-Just because im only in my mid 20s doesnt mean you shooting for 20 years gives you more experience than I have with pistols. I have been shooting pistols for 10 years, 5 of them in the Marines

2-Its called a torture test

3- 10% of us actually use firearms for what they were meant to do and sometimes we cant keep it in "near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition" all the time. So how well it will operate when its all jacked up may be important when you consider it in terms of being a LIFE SAVING TOOL.

4-Again its called a torture test. And I dont think you can hit my 1911 hard enough to make it not work.

I can't think for the life of me when I'll use my gun after it's been hit with a hammer, or something very much like it. But, hey, go ahead and pound away on your guns with hammers.

And, I very much much believe I could damage any handgun with a hammer so that it won't work.

 

[goon]

1-Just because im only in my mid 20s doesnt mean you shooting for 20 years gives you more experience than I have with pistols. I have been shooting pistols for 10 years, 5 of them in the Marines

2-Its called a torture test

3- 10% of us actually use firearms for what they were meant to do and sometimes we cant keep it in "near-pristine, well-lubed, clean condition" all the time. So how well it will operate when its all jacked up may be important when you consider it in terms of being a LIFE SAVING TOOL.

4-Again its called a torture test. And I dont think you can hit my 1911 hard enough to make it not work.

If polymer framed guns really didn't stand up to use and abuse well enough Glock would have been out of business long ago. Other companies that are offering polymer framed guns, such as Kahr, Ruger, S&W to name a few wouldn't have bothered because it would have been a waste of money. However, as we all know, that's not the case.
Not to slight the 1911 or anything else that's made out of steel, but this whole argument is kind of silly. And it doesn't help the OP with his decision at all.

 

[F-Body Demon]

My point about polymer vs steel to the OP was that he can rebuild a 1911 until the day he dies. And that I have personally seen glocks and XDs give it up by snapping or fatiguing. Thats all I was getting at with the "Hammer" comment.

 

[Wrage]

Well I made my decision - and I am very happy with it!

I am very happy with my choice - and I want to thank everyone here for helping with the wealth of info you passed on to me!

Side note - while I was waiting in the gun shop for 2 hours for my pistol to arrive he had a Sig P226 on display and it was right in front of the chair I was sitting in - so the whole time I was holding it, looking at it, wondering if I made the right decision, but when I pulled out the Beretta and held it I knew I made a good choice (not sure if the light shining down and the choir music had anything to do with it or not... )

I really feel I made a great and well informed decision. I put 50 rounds through yesterday and I am very pleased with how it shot and handled. Even though it doesn't have the kick of the .40 I still really enjoyed shooting it! But like jbkebert said, I'd better look at investing in some 10 round magazines...those 17's just seem to go through ammo so fast!

Thank you again - I really feel like you all had a huge part in helping to make this probable "once in a life-time" decision!!! Thanks again - I love this site!!!

Wrage

 

[Prosser]

Congratulations and good shooting.

 

[jbkebert]

Congrats on one very nice little pistol. Enjoy it.