Opinion on Pistol to buy.

Which are(is) the best 9mm to consider, fire, and pruchase?

  • Beretta PX4 Storm Compact (Type F)

    Votes: 24 8.4%

  • S&W M&P9c

    Votes: 74 26.0%

  • Glock 19

    Votes: 122 42.8%

  • Sig SP2022

    Votes: 32 11.2%

  • SCCY CPX-2 or CPX-1 Gen2

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • Walther P99AS or PPS

    Votes: 39 13.7%

  • Stoeger Cougar ST31700

    Votes: 10 3.5%

  • Bersa Thunder Pro UC9 or HC9

    Votes: 8 2.8%

  • Springfield XDM compact

    Votes: 57 20.0%

  • Ruger SR9C

    Votes: 43 15.1%
  • Total voters
    285
  • Poll closed .
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col_temp

col_temp

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Mar 14, 2012
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286
Location
Seattle Metro Area, WA
HI all, (use the poll if it works to vote on your choice of what I should most seriously consider based on the info in this post. if the poll doesn't work which ones in order should I consider.)

Lots of great info and I know this is a regular topic here but I could use some more directed advice. Based on reviews, research, comments on thehighrod, and elsewhere here is my current thinking, please give me your thoughts and insights as to what I might have missed.

Some details: I am a lefty so ambidextrous controls are a must. My wife is a righty so this limits the choices if I want to get something that will work for both of use in a pinch.

I am looking for a handgun that can do multiple duty as a CCW, practice, PD, etc.. with reasonable recoil. Hence looking in the compact range and not the sub-compact. I have fairly large hands so the subs seem to be a bit small.
Want to stay in the 9mm Luger caliber.

Based on a previous thread I started when first looking into options here are the choices I came up with: (In no particular order!)
1. Beretta PX4 Storm Compact (Type F)
2. S&W M&P9c
3. Glock 19
4. Sig SP2022
5. SCCY CPX-2 or CPX-1 Gen2
6. Walther P99AS or PPS
7. Stoeger Cougar ST31700
8. Bersa Thunder Pro UC9 or HC9
9. Springfield XDM compact
10. Ruger SR9C

Let me say I plan to try to shoot whatever I can find and see how they feel before making a final decision. I can rent from the local range #2, #3 (actually a 17), and #10. They have #9 in the shop so I can see how it grips, none for rent yet.

So far my choices have narrowed to #1 Beretta, #2 S&W, #8 Bersa, and #10 Ruger based on web browsing.
-- I have shot the S&W and like it, I plan to rent it again and really see.
-- I like the features of the Bersa and will be looking to see if there is a range somewhere not a million miles away that has one to rent.
-- The beretta and Ruger both seem to have safeties that are a bit far out of easy reach. Is this the general experience of those who have handled these guns?
-- The sig and Stoeger were dropped because the specs even for a compact seem like way to big to be a decent CCW. Is this true?
-- I have heard good things about the SCCY and they are American but hard to find and still rather new. Anyone shot them and have a reason why or why not for using them as the main CCW?

Any other general thoughts I should consider. Is there one of these (or one I missed) that tends to provide for both large and small grips better than others to see if my wife might like it too, she has much smaller hands!

Thanks for your input and thoughts. Look forward to reading the replies!
 
Of the guns on your list I have 2 Walther P99s and 3 Bersas (2 UC and 1 HC).
All of them have been excellent so far with 100% reliability. All the pistols have at least 1K through them, with one P99 and the Bersa HC having over 5K each.
If you want Polymer I would go for the P99. If you want an excellent value I would go for a Bersa. Hope this helps.
 
I have "trigger time" on the Glock and M&P and can definitely recommend those to you. I have read mostly good reviews, via various firearms boards, on the others, with the exception of the SCCY, which has gotten almost universally bad reviews.
 
^Nor do I see a CZ75B or any of it's variants. How distressing.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know meanmrmustard, How's the safety on those things? I remember something but not the specifics.

[Sorry, I couldn't vote, I didn't see a S&W 5906 or a Commander size 1911 on there.....lol.
Click to expand...

Need something a little smaller than the 1911 for a CCW. Maybe later...
As to the 5906, how is it different from the M&P9c. I hadn't looked to closely before, maybe worth a second look. what do you think?
 
col_temp said:
Yeah I know meanmrmustard, How's the safety on those things? I remember something but not the specifics.



Need something a little smaller than the 1911 for a CCW. Maybe later...
As to the 5906, how is it different from the M&P9c. I hadn't looked to closely before, maybe worth a second look. what do you think?
Click to expand...
The safety? It works fine. Deactivates the trigger rather than blocking it, and it has never failed. What have you heard? This interests me, as I've never heard boo about the CZ safety. It should have been listed!!! I'm mad now!!!

JKing col temp. But seriously, you're gonna need to add it, like now.
 
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I try to narrow it down to just a couple. I can't tell much about a gun unless I run a hundred or so rounds through it. Even if I buy it, the jury is still out until I run it hard and rack up 500 - 1000 rounds.
 
"The sig and Stoeger were dropped because the specs even for a compact seem like way to big to be a decent CCW. Is this true?"

I carry the Sig and have no problem concealing it with a normal attire. It's a good shooter and the price is hard too beat. Mine is a 9mm and has been 100% reliable so far. If given the choice I'd do it again. I like the size of a bit larger compacts though. I also like SA/DA guns more so that's another reason it got my vote.
 
Glocks aand XD's are not ambidextrous pistols in terms of the slide release.
Click to expand...

Thanks that tid bit allaround. Didn't catch that!

meanmrmustard
Click to expand...
Thanks for the comment. What safeties does it actually have? and how does it work or activate? Should have been more clear! :>
Is there a manual safety of the CZ75?

Thanks for all the comments. Always interesting to see what others think.
 
Glock Gen4's have a reversible magazine release. Right handed shooters can now use their index finger to press the button.
 
col_temp said:
Thanks that tid bit allaround. Didn't catch that!


Thanks for the comment. What safeties does it actually have? and how does it work or activate? Should have been more clear! :>
Is there a manual safety of the CZ75?

Thanks for all the comments. Always interesting to see what others think.
Click to expand...
The CZ 75 B has a left side manual safety. Up is safe, down is fire. It is frame mounted, tear drop shaped with a depression to activate it via pushing the thumb up, or pulling it down. It blocks the sear and hammer, essentially making the trigger useless. You can pull all day long, but it will not trip and fire. I find this to be very nice. Can be carry cocked and locked, or with hammer down for a DA trigger. It is a good safety, as I don't trust DAO, personally. There are decocker models, and even ambidextrous ones. I may cry that this beauty of a firearm was not added.
 
I can tell you what I would buy or what you should all day long, but this is a gun for you. That being said, given your criteria, the four guns you have narrowed it down to and the fact that you have already shot it and like it, my vote goes for the M&P9c. It is also worth noting that trying to shoot all the guns on your list that you can before choosing is a wise decision.
 
allaroundhunter said:
But the slide stop is not reversible. Col Temp requested a completely ambidextrous gun.
Click to expand...

To lock the slide back left handed:
Glock: Put in the Glock 35 extended lever, use the tip of your trigger finger to lift it. (not too easy)

1911: Use a wide Grieder slide stop lever. Simply raise your trigger finger up and hit the lever with the side of your finger. (really easy) A 1911 with an EB oversize mag release and ambi safety can be fairly lefty friendly.

To release you should be overhanding anyways so that's a non-issue. We ain't Antonio Bandaras in the movie Desperado. (sp?) You can pretty much ignore the slide stop lever when lefty shoping. Concentrate on mag releases and safetys.

Deos the M&P have an ambi mag release?

OP, Don't forget about the HK P7, P9, PSP squeeze cockers. If I shot pistols lefy, I'd get one immediately. The HK squeeze cockers have a cult following among leftys.

I know a couple leftys that love the XD.
 
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The Walther P99AS and PPS are two entirely different designs and should be listed separately on your list.

That said, they are at the top of the heap in their respective categories - full size, double-stack polymer pistol (P99AS) and compact single-stack (PPS).
 
The Walther P99AS and PPS are two entirely different designs and should be listed separately on your list.
Click to expand...
Thanks Fishbed, kind of lumped them together since they weren't initially very high on the list of possibles. Though I will be looking at as many as I can and shoot as many as I can to see how they fit and respond.

Thanks to everyone else. The poll answers so far are interesting! always plenty to consider.

Thanks Aiko492, That is kind of what i was hoping for and what to see when trying to narrow the choices out there down!
 
Zerodefect said:
1911: Use a wide Grieder slide stop lever. Simply raise your trigger finger up and hit the lever with the side of your finger. (really easy) A 1911 with an EB oversize mag release and ambi safety can be fairly lefty friendly.

To release you should be overhanding anyways so that's a non-issue. We ain't Antonio Bandaras in the movie Desperado. (sp?) You can pretty much ignore the slide stop lever when lefty shoping. Concentrate on mag releases and safetys.
Click to expand...
+1 here... I have the Glock 19 Gen 3, XDm and Sig Pro and everyone that shoots them lefty has already found a very quick way around those issues. I'd get the G19 Gen 4 and flip the mag release as needed
 
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