While clearing bunkers in Iraq back in 91, we found crate after crate of brand new FEG Hi-Power pistols. Unfortunately, we were made to destroy them on the spot.
I think they were tarred with the Sigma brush. Reportedly the Sigma has a terrible trigger...they fixed it with the SDs but the damage was done. When Apex did the drop-in you had a pretty good gun. I had one but traded it for something. Then discovered the S&W P99 which was even better....and that led me to the original Walther P99 AS which is absolutely bloody outstanding and I had to get the 99 compact in the AS (anti-stress) trigger. Next time in LGS or show...give one a try. I'd be amazed you don't buy it on the spot. It's striker fired with the striker visible (so you know if it's "cocked" in AS); shoots conventional double action; shoots AS which is as close to single action as you'll ever get without a hammer; and decocks with one up the spout so you carry conventional DA. But s very, very slight movement of the slide, say a quarter inch, puts it in SA/AS mode. Great ergos....great gun.I'm suprised the SD S&W's get so little love. They really seem to be a decent pistol for the price.
J&G has 59s right now for $279. Thinking about grabbing one myself.In 1971 I went into my LGS to buy a Model 19 S&W. He was just placing a Model 59 in the display case when I walked in. $225 poorer and 10 minutes later I was out the door. At the time, other than the the Hi-Power, I believe it was the only other double stack nine available. I was in the Army then and it sure got a lot of attention at the range. Got a ridiculous trade (good for me) for it not long after I bought it thinking I could get another when I went back home. I was wrong on that as they tended to be pretty scarce and the two or three I did find were north of $300. Found a 39-2 stainless but it wasn't the same. The 59 is on my short list now. Hope to find a decent one in the next year or so.
Picked up a 50+ year old Argentine Hi-Power a few weeks ago. It has some issues but thanks to some folks on here I think I can get it running properly.
I hate you.
After I read your post last night I did a little research and then went out to see if I could find a MAB P15 for sale on line and came across this: http://www.simpsonltd.com/index.php?cPath=156_157&sort=2a&page=12 (scroll about 1/4 of the way down) and thought about it for a few minutes. It's C&R eligible but I thought the price was a little high. Decided I would call today and at least talk to someone about it. As you can see I waited to long.Alte Schule
Only drawbacks to the MAB P15 was it's weight (I think just about every part on the gun was made of steel), and that magazines and spare parts were hard to come by. Other than that the gun was accurate, reliable, and handled just about anything you could load in the magazine, from light target loads to some pretty warm reloads.
Any of the '80s-'90 Tangfoglio CZ clones.
Of course, the Taurus PT-92 (and the PT-99).
Can't speak to the recent PT-92, mine were both made in the early '90s and have been terrific. I'm glad I picked up a stainless model before the company started with the ugly rail, but as far as I've heard, the current PT-92s are still going strong. I don't think Taurus went downhill either, the company seems to sell more handguns than any other.The current Tangfoglio CZ clones are not as good?
Recent Taurus PT-92 are good? I thought Taurus went downhill.