Need help: Best 9mm platform

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arthury

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I am trying to determine what is the best 9mm platform out there that can meet these requirements:
  • Accuracy: should be close to an average 1911 Govn't model. Groupings should be highly predictable. May use it for IDPA competition, if good enough.
  • Trigger: I know nothing can come close to a 1911 but what's the closest for the 9mm? Looking for crisp breaks, short pre and over-travel,, if available.
  • Stable manufacturer: a manufacturer who is going to be around for many years to come, not a company that is having financial troubles.
  • Customer Service: good customer service and warranty coverage.
  • Reliable: should be able to shoot most commonly available ammo (fmj or hollow-points). A few hundred rds for break-in is OK but no more than that. I want something that can be used right out of the box, not something I have to spend a lot of time tinkering.
  • 3rd party vendors: mags, holsters etc. should be supported by off-market vendors

So far, my short list is this:
  • Browning HiPower
  • CZ 75 SP01 series (the steel ones)
  • Armalite AR-24
  • 9mm 1911

Feel free to add to the list and tell me why you (dis)like each. Your experiences and knowledge about it (them) would be appreciated.
 
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It really depends on what you're already familiar with. If that's a 1911 then it may be the obvious choice. The HP will require trigger work by someone who knows how to tune one, the CZ would be fine based on your requirements, a 92FS can be optimized for incredible accuracy and there's the Sig P226.
 
There is no "best". There is only what works best for you within your parameters.

I would add for SURE as strong contendors.

SIG P226, P228, or P229 (my first choice bar none) - good to go out of the box and with a Gray Guns action job - OH MY! And then there is the Custom Shop X5 P226 series and yes they can do as well or better than a 1911 in accuracy and trigger.

Walther P99 AS or PPQ poly pistols - though third party vendor support is limited other wise good to go out of the box.

HK USP or P30. Many trigger variations available. May be the manufacturer of most reliable pistols.

Glock 19/17 - you can easily get a trigger job or change connectors/springs.

S&W M&P with Apex trigger/sear kit installed.
 
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Any more I shoot my Sig and Glock but I have had a Beretta for 16 years. I don't get it out much anymore but when I do I am still impressed with its solid and smooth action and trigger. For a 9mm Beretta is hard to beat. That said, my Sig 226 is a sweet gun. Either one of these would serve you well and they will be around for a long time.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I already own 2 S&W M&P, one with Apex Competition Kit and I still think the pre-travel is quite long.

How are the Sig and Walther triggers? What's the over-travel like?
 
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A SIG with the SRT trigger from the factory is pretty good. Gray Guns can do wonders on any SIG. Walthers have really nice triggers with very short reset. Try one if you can. Apex also has a competition kit that I have heard some rave about.
 
BHP trigger stinks until you remove the mag disconnect and have a real trigger job done. Then it can be as good as a decent 1911 trigger.
 
CZ SP-01 is sublime. Just make sure you get the version with the safety, not the Tactical with the decocker. The trigger is better on the non decocker models. That said, I am fine with my SP-01 Tactical's trigger and use it for Action Pistol shooting.
 
Accuracy and a trigger equivalent to a 1911? How about just getting a 9mm 1911.

S&W, Springfield, CZ/Dan Wesson, Kimber, STI, and RIA all make 9mm 1911s. You can pick from a variety of features and prices from $400 to $1,400.
 
It sounds like you should just buy a 9mm 1911 and be done with it. Honestly, your requirements are seem somewhat ridiculous as you don't address the application for said 9mm handgun. a wide variety of guns are accurate, most can be made more accurate with good and prudent gun smithing, and most any can also have good triggers for the various actions in which 9mm can be found in. Are you going to be punching holes in paper and then keeping it around the house for self defense? Carry? Stable manufacturer, customer service, reliable...as I'm sure you know, there are lots of good manufacturers that meet your requirements. Also, don't forget that most of the plastic guns...eh...polymer...have a wide variety of aftermarket parts to improve trigger pull and such. I've just done that by adding spring percision parts to an XDm9.

Just to show you I mean what I say, here are the 9mm's I have:

XDm 9 4.5 - My fun gun for the local USPSA pistol league.
Kahr PM9 - for everyday carry when I don't what a bigger gun
HK P7M8 - got to love that German over-engineering
Browning Hi-Power - Another John Browning classic

Here's what's on my want list:
9mm 1911 - Springfield?, STI?
either a XDm 3.8 compact, Glock 26, or S&W M&P compact
 
Why the Springfield XD series? What is in the trigger that makes it stand out among the polymer guns?

Any disadvantages for the 9mm 1911 besides:
  1. weight
  2. lower mag capacity
 
The SP01 Steel or the Phantom in the Polymer frame. "Best" is subjective, but to me it means reliability, fit, and accuracy.

BTW The SP01's are built with 100% Voodoo....spooky accuracy at any price, especially sub $500.
 
With your 1911-type criteria the CZ 75's with the SA trigger option will come pretty close. Weight, Steel, grip angle, accuracy and reliability fall into place. The only thing that leaves room for improvement is the safety. It's not as convenient/ergonomic as the 1911-type.

Another point I feel important is the availablity and cost of optional equipment:
Sights
Mags
Replacement, optional or upgraded parts like springs, triggers (with adj. O.T and or reset), hammers, firing pins, etc.

CZ 75's - SA have many readily options and parts upgrades at very reasonable prices. Cz USA, CZ Custom Shop and many others (Mec-Gar, Wolff Springs, CGW.com, and many more) give you choices of "where" or "what" to buy at the lowest prices.

YMMV
 
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Short of a 9mm 1911, your best bet is the Hi-Power. Great gun that can be made better with a little work from a good smith. Claudio Salasa at Briley Mfg. worked one over for my FIL and it turned out great.
 
I would look at something in the P226 series. I personally think the P228 is the best of the group because of balance and size. After a few hundred rounds, the trigger slicks up very nicely, but you can also have some gun smith work on it and come out with a REALLY nice trigger. I find that over travel is minimal, but the DA first shot takes a bit of work to get used to when coming off of a SAO trigger. Of course the P226 will have about a half inch more barrel and sight radius to help with accuracy if you aren't planning on carrying it.

I would also recommend a Glock 17 or 19. The only thing missing is a clean trigger, but I hear that it can be worked up nicely by a good gun smith. Of course, it is hard to beat as a SD gun, but after being a anti-glock guy for years, I finally broke down and bought a G17 for a pretty good price and was really surprised at the lack of muzzle flip. I was back on target much faster with my G17 than I was with my Sig 228. Might be something to think about if you're looking at using the gun for IDPA/IPSC shooting.
 
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