please help me decide on a handgun (sig,p99,92fs or xd9)

[spankaveli]

i'm between the following:

Sig (haven't done much research on them yet, probably the 229)
Walther P99
Beretta 92FS
Springfield Armory XD-9

i have 4 months til i can buy so im doing research now, and don't have a range that rents near here (that i know of) so i'm asking for some opinions of owners.

please help me

 

[10-Ring]

Kind of a tough question to ask. Every person is diff't so every gun will be diff't in their hands. You picked some nice guns & each would be a good choice for their owner. Not having a place for you to try them makes things tough.
Of he choices you've given, the XD is the best value, so if money is an issue, the XD 9 is the one to get. Of the remaining 3, I have the most experience w/ the 92fs and really like it and routinely recommend it to those who ask. The remaining 2, I have been wanting to tryout the P99. I've recently been able to handle a few and really like them.
Bottom line, get the one that fits you best and hopefully the one that you works best in your hands...try askin around at the local shops where you can try thse guns out.

 

[spankaveli]

To be honest, I really like the 229 & the 92fs because they have all of the features that I'm looking for in a gun (decocker, manual safety, external hammer). Walther is a nice gun and I love how it feels, and the 92FS because it was in my favorite movie of all times, The Boondock Saints.

I LOVE the XD, I'd buy it in a heartbeat, but it doesn't have the two things I want most. Manual safety and a decocker, manual safety being more important. I look at the XD as something that you'd want to carry in a car, something that would only be touched in emergencies.

I do know that I'll be purchasing a 9mm Makarov from a friend as a carry weapon, but am looking for something else for the house/car/range to mess around with.

So torn . I'd buy the XD in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the lack of a manual safety.

 

[10-Ring]

On XD's I've used, the grip safety on them work well and potentially faster than a conventional external safety since all you have to do is grip the gun to deactivate it.
The XD's I'd shot have been reliable & very accurate...you could do worse! Like I said, the XD's are a really good value

 

[Leibster]

Go with the XD

Assuming if fits your hand well, go with the XD.

It's right up there performance-wise with the other guns you mentioned (better than a P99, IMO), and is a much better value.

Plus, if you get it in 9, you can use XD40 mags as hi-caps (they hold 15 9mm with no modification).

--Leibster

 

[Longbow]

XD!

 

[sanchezero]

Ditto for the XD. I may trade my Glock 19 in on one...

The one's I've shot point well and have a slightly better trigger than most other 'hybrid action' plastic pistols. Also the ability to use the .40 mags as hicaps in the 9mm is a huge plus.

 

[Zander]

I'll be the first to recommend the SIG...IMO, the P229 is the finest out-of-the-box combat pistol made today. Mine gets fed .357SIG these days, but it will also eat .40Auto [how it came from the factory] or 9mm [using an aftermarket Bar-Sto bbl.] without a hiccup.

I've had mine for nine years and it has never, ever failed me in any way. Fit and finish are superb.

On the down side, they didn't make many of those factory 12-rounders and they aren't gettin' any cheaper.

 

[Handy]

The 229 actually doesn't have a manual safety, just a decocker. If safe carrying is part of your concern, the SIG DA trigger is still more fumble proof than the XD's trigger. The Sig and P99 work about the same way (DA/SA with decock only).

The Sig is probably the most accurate, but al arel quite decent. You may be able to find the very similar Sig 228 for a better price. A dealer here has one new for $599.

The Beretta is the biggest and most complicated pistol of the bunch. Also the heaviest. It's kind of the odd one out.

 

[emann]

The XD, nuff said.

 

[blades67]

Get the one that fits your hand the best. That means get the SIG Sauer. All of them.

 

[jimbo]

No bad choices here. I would go "SIG" before the others, but how can you go wrong with any of them?

 

[modifiedbrowning]

If you can rent a Walther P99. The P99 has adjustable grips, so the ergonomics are excellent. It is also light and accurate. Standard capacity mags can be found but are not cheap ($70+). It also is available in DA/SA, DAO and QA(quick action) a Glock style trigger.

 

[care-less]

Sig.... Walther is an over complicated instrument, may be good, but simple is best. Beretta is way too big, fat, and a long reach to trigger. XD's seem to have a curious frame/slide relationship. They allow the metal slide to ride on the polymer frame at the rear. Sorry, but I have a problem with metal riding on plastic

 

[charlesb_la]

Try Precision in Baton Rouge. I'm pretty sure that they rent the XD or at least it's earlier version the HS2000. To put it simply the XD is a great pistol.

 

[mr. e]

As always, the choice will boil down to personal preference, but I can give you my evaluation of 3 of your choices: SIG P229, Walther P99, and the Beretta 92.

I have the SIG and Walther in .40 Auto. Of the two, the SIG fits my hand better, is more accurate, and has a much nicer trigger. The Walther, on the other hand, is easier to carry due to its lighter weight and frame geometry. It just seems easier to carry concealed compared to the SIG.

I think the Beretta is reliable and accurate enough for a production pistol, but it's way too big for a 9mm. I can't conceal it although I'm over 6' tall and 200 lbs. It also isn't any more reliable or accurate than the CZ75 while costing $100 to $150 more. Although I have one, I don't really shoot it that often.

If I could have only one of the three, it would be the SIG. I wouldn't really miss the Beretta

 

[Handy]

Care less,

If the Sig is a modified Browning DA/SA with a decocker, slide release and mag release, and the P99 is a modified Browning DA/SA with a decocker, slide release and mag release, how is the P99 more complicated?

Same modes of fire, same number of external controls, same operating system. What am I missing? The P99 likely has fewer total parts than the Sig.

 

[Mike990]

I have a Sig 229 in .40 and its performance is as good as any .40 I have ever tried. Just a really fine pistol. Very accurate, tight grouping and easy to shoot well. I would think the 9mm version would be just as good. I have heard lots of positive things about the Walther P-99. I would forget the Beretta in 9mm. Its a big heavy gun, oversize for its mission and while it might have been fine with 17 round mags, unless you have a stockpile of those, I would forget it. It really cant be concealed either. Other good ones would be the USP compact or smaller sig 239 Guess the XD is ok, from what I am hearing but I have no experience with it. For me, the only use I have for 9mm is in a micro sized gun, so its .40 all the way in the frame sizes we are talking about. But everyone has their own feelings in this area.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

I have all 4 of the models you mention.

I've just recently started shooting my Sig 229 9mm. I really like this. Accurate, reliable, and just plain old fashioned feels good. My factory mags acted up , but I had some pre-ban 228 mags that worked just fine. If you prefer the .40, pre-bans are not easy to find, are expensive, and only give you 2 extra rounds. With the 9mm, you can get 228 mags (factory) for about $70 each and that only gives you 3 extra rounds.

Likewise, my P99. Hasn't had any problems and probably SLIGHTLY more accurate than my 229 (though not enough to really make a difference). Standard capacity mags (16 rounds) can be found, but with much difficulty and are expensive.

My Beretta has been completely reliable. It's accurate and has never jammed. Bad news is that it's just a little too thick for my taste through the grip area. Aftermarket and even factory standard capacity magazines (meaning 15 round) are still available at reasonable prices. If you get this one though, get the Brigadier model or one of the other that has the front sight dovetailed into the slide rather than integral with it.

Springfield XD-9. Got this on the recommendation of a local range officer. Not as accurate as any of the other 3, but accuracy is still within acceptable range. For some reason, I just don't like this gun. It just doesn't fit me well. Not as nicely done in the fit and finish areas as the other three contenders, but still nothing big to complain about. It could use a tougher finish on the slide. Pre-bans are not available for this gun. If you can find some the right size, you can simply make a new cut for the XDs mag release and you are ready to go. Most of my mags stick out of the gun and I don't want that.

My preference is this (most desirable to least): Sig 229, Walther P99, Beretta 92FS (this is a very close race with the Walther here), and finally XD-9. All seem to be equally reliable and, with quality mags, will serve you well. Shoot an example of each before making a final decision.

BTW, I don't carry any of these My carry gun is either a Glock 26 or 19

 

[George Hill]

Some good options there. Looks like your in the 400 to 600 price spectrum. In there you could also put in the CZ-75 PCR. But in your selection, I'd go with the Beretta 92FS. Reason being is that this gun is perhaps the best engineered gun I have ever had. It has taken me many many years to come to that conclusion... But I'm finally there.
Second choice is the XD. Reason for that is 3 fold. 1, the gun is rapidly gaining recognition for good reason. 2, the gun can use Beretta magazines with a little alteration. And Beretta mags can be had in 15 round flavor for cheap. 3, LIFETIME coverage from Springfield. You have any problem with it and Springfield will do right for you. Might take them a month, but a month passes quickly and your gun will be better than new when you get it back.

 

[Kharn]

Pre-bans are not available for this gun {the XD9}.

The ATF has made the opinion that if a 10-round postban magazine made for one caliber (.40 or .357sig, for example) is capable of fitting more rounds of a different caliber of ammo (for example, 9mm), its ok for civilians to own and use. 10 round XD40 mags just happen to fit XD9s and feed ~15 rounds of 9mm ammo perfectly, for something like $23 each new. Or, you can buy Beretta mags and add a hole in the front for the magazine catch. For the exact wording of the ATF's opinion, see www.hs2000talk.com

Kharn