P99, H&K USP, SIG 226 or G17 etc.

[sonar]

It will be my first handgun.

1. In a photo I liked Walther P99!


2. As a technical details, I was conviced of high quality H&K USP.


3. In my hand fits best SIG 226.


4. I heard a lot of good things about G17.

Pls, advise me and feel free to suggest anything else in the same size in 9x19!!!

P.S. As I tend to SIG 226, is it truth .357Sig is interchangeable not only with .40 but with 9x19 too / not vice versa /. So if acquire .357 gun could I use 9x19 barrel safely???

Sorry, if the questions sound well inadequate and thanks for your time!!!

 

[Chupacabra]

You might as well just close your eyes and pick one at random! They are all excellent firearms.

Go to a range that rents the firearms you are interested in, try 'em all, pick the one that you like the best. Then rent a 1911 and forget about the all the sissy Sigs, Glocks, and H&Ks.

 

[OH25shooter]

Your selection of "first" auto loaders is impressive. I couldn't tell you which is best for you, but I will suggest you hold, point (check the sights) and if possible break each one down individually. I own a P99 and the breakdown is a little different. You pull down on the lever pin (in front of the trigger guard) compared to pulling and removing a pin. Some have extra backstrap grips like the P99 for adjusting to ones hand size. You'll probably know right away which fits you best. It's an expensive purchase, do your homework. You might want to check each manufactures website. Good luck

 

[Cawdor]

All of the guns that you are considering are excellent.

If the Sig 226 fits your hand the best, it is probably the best one for you.

According to its web site, 357 Sig can be converted to 40 S&W. Nothing is said about converting it to 9 mm.

Try to find a range where you can "test drive" the guns.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I've spent alot of money on pistols over the years and one thing I've learned is the one that fits your hand the best will usually shoot the best for YOU.
I bought HK's and Beretta's and others based on reputation and it turned out to be a waste of money because they didn't fit me.
One exeption for me has been the Glock 20/10mm which felt large at first but oh so accurate and powerfull that I had to keep it!
The P226 is my favorite full size pistol because it fits my hand the best as well. It is superbly accurate and completely reliable.
You can buy a P226 in .40 or 357Sig and convert to 357/.40 or 9mm. You cannot convert a 9mm Sig to .40/357.
Join the Sig forum and do a search for 'conversion'. You have to join to use the search, and it's more considerate to do a good search before asking the questions.
http://www.sigforum.com/

 

[boofus]

Just get the Sig. If it feels good in your hands then it will work better for you than the others. They are all accurate and dependable guns. My first handgun was a USP45 but I got rid of it and got Glock 26. Sold it and got a Glock 19, sold that and bought a Sig P245, and then sold that and got a FiveseveN. Got rid of that and my favorite handgun is the Mark 23 now (this one is a keeper).

Definitely try them out before buying if possible, so you don't buy and sell at a lower price later.

 

[cratz2]

Ergonomics go a long ways with me... I prefer CZs, BHPs and 1911s. I've owned three SIGs (none were the 226) and they always felt pretty block to me and the decocker is in an ackward position for my hands... Not sure how important that really is as you decock after the shooting so you could easily use your other hand. Glocks are OK in my book, but being a 1911 guy, they point a tad high compared to what I've spent time with. I own a G23 and have very few complaints with it.

I have less experience with the P99 and the USP but of all the guns on your list, the P99 feels the best to me. The USP doesn't feel quite so good, but I would feel confident relying on it as a duty weapon.

If ergonomics are important, I'd urge you to try other guns than the ones you've mentioned if at all possible. The CZs are great guns. The PCR and P-01 are a tad smaller and lighter than the all steel versions. They are currently only available in 9mm though... Not sure if that is an issue for you or not.

 

[JohnKSa]

Shoot each of them and see which one you like best then.

A .357 is convertible to .40.

You can almost certainly get a 9mm barrel made for the gun. It will probably be custom and will likely cost you around $200. 9mm conversion barrels for .357Sig/40S&W guns are not guaranteed to function 100% due to the different case head dimensions, but from what I've seen, they are surprisingly reliable. NOT good enough for self-defense, but most feedback I've seen says they work well at the range.

 

[10-Ring]

Go someplace that rents the guns you're looking for, shoot the guns you've mentioned & buy the pistol(s) that works best for you! I've shot al the guns you've mentioned & have found the HK's to work best for me...
YMMV

 

[45R]

Buy all the other guns first because if you get a Sig that is all your going to want to shoot! Getting bite by the Sig bug is not cheap!! Buy the one that fits in your hands and shoots the best for you!

45R

 

[SAG0282]

As others have said, you should probably fire all of them first.

That being said, it is my opinion that the SIG P226 is the finest combat/defensive handgun ever made. In that list, the HK USP would be my second choice, the Glock my third, and the Walther my last.

 

[TXBera]

Chupacabra beat me to it. I bought my SA 1911 Mil-Spec about a month ago and love it. The Glocks don't point natural, the 1911 does. The H&Ks are nice but you can get a nice NRM Colt, S&W1911, or SA Loaded for what it'll cost ya.

But hey it's your money and you look like you put plenty of research into it. I know I did, and part of my research was here at THR. My first post was pretty much what you are asking now. "Would this be god for me?" It's like my friend keeps on reminding me, no one can make that decision but you. I made my decision and it happened to be the SA Mil-Spec.

Here's to "holy" paper and safe shooters.

Bera

 

[Telwan]

Well to set the record straight Chupa carries his USP and always complains about the extractor on his Kimber. I say try them all, list them in order of preference, by them in that order and then get a 1911. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[Todesengel]

you won't go wrong with the P99.

 

[Chupacabra]

Well to set the record straight Chupa carries his USP and always complains about the extractor on his Kimber. I say try them all, list them in order of preference, by them in that order and then get a 1911. It's the only way to be sure.

Doh!

That's true. I carry my USP because it is stone cold reliable. But boy oh boy is that 1911 a joy to shoot.

 

[Jrob24]

I own a P99 9mm and like it. If I'd saved up more money I would've bought a P226 in 9mm because it was more comfortable and accurrate. The Glock 17 is ok, but is inferior to the p226 and the P99 has better ergonomics.

 

[phantomak47]

Sig or Glock

HK too expensive for what you get

p99 is ok

 

[Smurfslayer]

It's always fun ...

to watch everyone gyrate to show why their Uber-gun is better

My Uber gun right now is the USP 9 with LEM trigger. I think the USP and SIG are neck and neck for ease of us as far as the controls are concerned... As long as you're shooting right handed, which I should do more often (FWIW, I think the Beretta 92 controls work best for me). I like the LEM, no levers, no fumbling around; it's just ready to shoot.
dropping the slide is a breeze thanks to the hard to miss slide release lever - in the event that the slide doesn't go forward when I put the magazine in...

The gun fits my hands well, I practice with it a lot, and I think that I got my money's worth.

In selecting this gun, I checked out Glock, Walther p99, and Sig. I didn't factor $$ into the equation as such as I wanted a comparison that wasn't financially driven. I shot all of the candidates but the p99, which I was impressed enough with after dry-firing it.

2 things moved down the p99 for me - the slide release lever, and the (then) lack of availability of inexpensive standard caps.

The sig controls don't work well for me. Accurate enough though. One other gripe with the 226's I've shot - the hatefully heavy double action trigger pull. The controls were my real concern.

The Glock didn't feel better or worse in my hands, but again, I moved it down on the list due to the slide release. Trigger pull wasn't bad, but not as good as the p99, imo...

The USP had a very easy to manipulate slide lever, and I had the gun converted to the LEM trigger. - This is a somewhat neat feature of the USP. If you don't like the double action Single action w/ safety, like it comes stock, you can have HK change the operating configuration for you. It can be converted to DA / SA decocker only, DAO, SAO, or LEM trigger operation.

My evaluation simply moved the USP up on the 'to buy' list faster than the other pistols, eventually, I'll probably have at least 2 of those above.


When you're selecting from basically top line, name brand manufacturer pistols, it really comes down to brass tacks. You mentioned this will be your 1st handgun, so ...

<jumps up on soapbox>

Get a .22 ! Ruger, Browning, S&W, Beretta... I'm sure many more... all make good quality, easy to shoot .22 pistols which are incredibly accurate, easy and fun to shoot. Not to mention CHEAP! One of these fine pistols is probably one of the best investments you can make in pursuit of good shooting.

</hops down off soapbox>

All of the pistols you have listed have good reputations. It's been my experience among handgun buyers that most have at least an inclination where they want to go, and want someone to help them "justify" going there. It's got to really come down to how well the gun shoots for you. You should have at least one range session with each before making up your mind. You can always buy that .22 while you're still undecided

When you have that list narrowed down to 2 firearms, stop torturing yourself, and buy both. It makes the decision easier.

 

[clipse]

Don't rule out the CZ 75B or the compact versions (75B compact/PCR/P-01) All are great firearms.


clipse

 

[Black Majik]

Sig Sauer P226

Absolutely reliable, fits my hand the best also outta the bunch, and is a joy to shoot. Actually the main reason I picked the P226 of the bunch is the better trigger.

Its leagues ahead of the Glock 17 "safe action" doobeedooda trigger...

P99, similar to the Glock trigger in feel, short reset also.

USP, blah, not quite as bad trigger feel wise but not good either.

All the triggers IMO suck except the P226. And trigger feel for me is a BIG BIG factor.

Jus' do yourself a favor once you get the Sig to swap out the grips to Hogue fingerless grips. Similar to what the P220ST comes stock. It makes the feel of the gun EVEN BETTER!

Good luck and go buy that Sig.

www.sigforum.com

Enjoy.

 

[Black Majik]

Double Tap.

Sorry

 

[Black Majik]

Sig Sauer P226

Tripple tapped!

 

[Range Hound]

I have both the P99 and the P225 and like both of them. As was said above which is more comfortable for you. The P99 has the advantage of the different size backstraps to tailor the grip to your hand. My P99 has an easier double action pull. However, I love the P226 as it really fits my hand better than the P99. You can't go wrong with either.

 

[Berg01]

If I wanted another .40, I'd rather have the Sig P226 or P229, but for a first gun I'd recommend a 9mm Sig P228 like mine.

 

[Waitone]

Find a rental rack.

Ask to finger a number of firearms.

Pick a spot high up on a wall away from customers. Focus on the spot, close both eyes. Bring the handgun up to that spot. Open you eyes. Note how far you are off target. The one closest to you original target is the one that most likely feels better in your hand but not necessarily.

For me a Sig P232 is pretty much dead nuts on, yet a true 1911 feels better in my hand.

Then check the cost of ownership (price of ammo) and make a purchase.