Purchasing Dilema

[KiowaScout]

Hey everyone,
As I sit here & do my customary internet research while considering a purchase, I figured a lot of added .02c may really help my decision along so please chime in with your honest opinions.

I have decided that I should own a 9mm as it's relatively cheap to shoot and easy to find. (Don't worry; I've already got .40/.45/10mm/.357/.44, even .380, handled!)

I used a Beretta in Afghanistan and was not too impressed.

So, I have three options: the CZ-75 surplus knock arounds that are abundant for like $325, a new CZ Phantom, -or- a Browning Hi Power for about $535 brand new, out the door? The kicker; the Browning is in ACU pattern camo, & I really have an issue with our camo, but figured if it got to me that much I could just refinish it. I realize that the Browning is SA & the CZ is SA/DA which I prefer more, but for some reason the Hi Power has always called to me and wished that it were in my safe.

In my position, what would you fellow gun nuts do?

(Ps- I have two Glocks, a 23 & 20 and love em, but want a different more ergonomic pattern for this one...)

 

[Alberforth]

Sounds like you have your 'practical' uses covered, so get the gun that calls to you.

But it also sounds like what that really means is holding out, waiting longer, and getting the Browning in the finish you'll really be pleased with. Get the classic in the classic form, if that's what you really want and no other standards apply.

 

[Twiki357]

If you go with the Browning High Power, make sure of what your getting. I would question the "NIB" status. Browning only lists two HP models and nothing about a "camo" option. And all of the MSRP's are $1,000+. 50% of MSRP sounds to good to be true.

http://www.browning.com/products/ca...lag_=007B&catalog_=B&content=Hi-Power-Pistols

 

[fallout mike]

The hipower goes for $700-$750ish range. That one may be used.

 

[KiowaScout]

Well, I went ahead & purchased the CZ-75 Cold War Commemorative Edition, looks pretty sweet and not many made.

The Browning was actually NIB for sure, I have no doubt on that. Now that I've pretty much impulse bought the NIB CZ-75 Comm.Ed. off of gunbroker, I'm left wondering if I should still get that Browning. I really do not like the camo, but am intrigued by the pistol. There is a great gunsmith here who could refinish it with a trusted endorsement purported to be 'above average' blue job...

I'll try to be that guy that actually returns with pictures and feedback. Sorry for my lame title in this post; I've been on lots of forums for years, but am impressed with how ACTIVE this one really is!

 

[exavid]

One often overlooked 9mm is the Ruger SR9. It's light and slim with a 17rd. magazine. Mine's run through around 1200 rounds of various factory ammo and a variety of my handloads without a failure of any kind. I especially like the ergonomics of this pistol. It looks somewhat like a 1911 and feels as good in the hand but has more than twice the ammo capacity. Pretty much all stainless steel and composite, simple take down without a tool and easy to clean. I let mine go for over 500 rounds to see how it would deal with dirty operation but finally got ashamed of myself treating this gun so badly and cleaned it. There was never a problem running dirty though. The sights are adjustable three dot style and effective and the pistol is accurate. The barrel bore is low above the hand so there's little barrel flip when firing. The only downside is that it didn't have a good trigger until I put in a Ghost Rocket kit. Darned hard to beat for twice the price.

 

[Smaug]

I've shot CZ-75s, Beretta 92fs, and I have a HiPower

I prefer the Hi Power out of all of them.

Beretta: Not much not to like, in my opinion. Did yours jam on you or something? I think it can happen to the best of them, in that environment, being handled by all those people in that area.

CZ: Slightly more comfy grip to me, but also harder to get a good grip on the tiny slide. It is a nitpick. Did you know they make a single action version of the CZ? Maybe you should look into that.

Hi-Power: This is the classic 9mm from 1935, still going strong. Same level of comfort as the CZ, but no long gritty DA trigger to pull through on that first shot. They're not as sleek-looking as a CZ-75 though; they do look like an older design. But man do they ever shoot!

If you get a camo Hi-Power, factor a professional refinish into the price of the gun, or buy a used Hi Power without the fruitcake finish.

 

[Smaug]

Someone mentioned not to overlook a Ruger SR9. It is basically their Glock. Good call.

Ditto for the P95, which is a traditional hammer fired design. Used Ruger P-Series are always a great buy.

 

[stanmo]

By the time you pay a Gunsmith to refinish the camo, you could just buy the one you want.

 

[KiowaScout]

Exavid: I haven't even considered the Ruger; thanks, I'll check them out as I own & love some of their revolvers & my 10/22

Smaug: haha, it is a fruitcake finish in the ACU, I agree!
That is why I'm going to have a local smith who is rumored to beat factory blue jobs take a crack at glorifying it if indeed I do still pick this Browning up. I guess at this point I'm wondering if I'm just wasting money; I could arm a lot of buddies. I do know that $530-540 out the door for a brand new Browning though is a hell of a deal & one that I should really consider, even if the blue process is $150-200, It may end up looking like the gun should be a grand or more (a shop here is charging that for one). Decisions, decisions!

 

[crm7290]

Is the CZ 75 the standard 9mm Parabellum?

 

[KiowaScout]

Yep, it is a 9mm. It should be here tuesday, I'm pumped.
If I found a DA Browning HP, It would be at my house right now...especially if it was stainless!

 

[KiowaScout]

As promised, here are the pictures of my new pistol that I picked up today.

I would've had it sooner, but the seller was a little irresponsible in their notice to myself and my dealer that they had not received (or may have lost) our faxed FFL, choosing to await for more than a week my worried call about the status of this weapon before informing me to resend an FFL. Sounds like grounds for at least a 'neutral' feedback on gunbroker to me.

At least I am happy with the weapon and it really is sharp looking. I don't know the next time that I will have a free time to go shoot, and will post in a separate thread whatever amateur range report that I can gen up. Just thought I'd share since I so often see on boards the OP stating that they'll be back but never do!

 

[Remo223]

If he's not impressed with a beretta, why the H would he be impressed with a ruger sr9??

 

[dcarch]

In Soviet Russia, pistol shoot you! Nice buy! I'm really liking the Cyrillic text on the slide. I'm now gonna find a towel to wipe the drool off my keyboard...