I am new to handguns, but really am enjoying my new hobby. I got to attend a Gun Show today with my brother-in-law, who is a LEO (Drug Detective). Here are my thoughts on some semi-auto pistols and Brands that I have seen on the web but never held in person. I will comment on only the NIB unless otherwise noted.(granted I cannot comment on how the shoot, only in look, finish, and feel)
Walther P22-- absolutely a great feeling gun and great finish, very uniquely shaped, and very ergonomic. When I find the right one pre-owned.. I will likely add this gun to my collection.
Bersa- I liked the little .380's although they were slightly bigger than I thought they would be... much bigger than the Kel-Tech.. It really made me think that the Makarov might be a better choice for less money.. with a little more power and basically the same size. The Thunder 45's and 40.. felt good, but the satin nickel finish was very poor, and definitely changed my perception of them.. at least about how they look.
Llama-- Not meaning to step on any toes, but I did not like these at all.
SpringField-- XD's Absolutely feel great in my hand... I am definitely going to add a sub-compact 40 to my collection soon. 1911 Champion will be in my future as well... and Custom Loaded FULL-SIZE 1911-A1 WOW!! I do love the look of the black stainless.. simply beautiful. I did not care for the basic GI models, but then again I think folks buy those and modify them to their own custom liking.. so that is unfair to judge the gun in it base form. I am fastly becoming a Springfield man.
Glock-- A glock is a glock, I just don't like how they feel compared to XD
Taurus MP's-- really a good looking gun, light, very compact, great capacity for a small gun, great price, feel and hold very well in the hand.. Very very tempting especially in PT145.. 10 round mag in a compact lightweight gun.. but I am weary of "Taurus" simply b/c of past reputation. No night sights available either which is a negative for me... but all in all at the low price, I will probably grab one down the road.
Kel-tech-- Well it is small, very small, but the .32 is a very tempting pocket pistol due to its size.. my brother-in-law wants one with a pocket clip attached to it.. but we did not see one with it.
Para-Ordance-- This was a brand that I was intrigued about based on looks from pictures and website... After seeing them in person I now view them a little differently.. The Hawg, NiteHawg, and WartHawg finish was not nearly as nice in person as in pics. But the LDA's and 1911 in stainless finish were extremely good looking and feeling pieces... Prices were very high on their entire line though... and at those prices a Springfield 1911 will be my choice.
Ruger-- the P345 and P90.. man they are pretty darn good feeling guns. They are not the best looking pieces but are finished nicely, but new grips and hard chrome would do wonders in the looks aspect. They are pretty solid choices at a low pricepoint. I may infact get one in the future.
S&W-- I like Smith's, they had a lot of good looking Smith's at the show. Being the owner of a Smith, I was already familiar with their look and feel. I think they are just simply great guns.
Kahr-- Now they impressed me in look and feel.. they are very easy to hold and feel great, point well, and are light and compact... of course mag capacity is what you give up to get these great features... but wow the prices were up there! Man if these were b/n XD/Glock price range they would be very tempting...
HighPoint--- My brother in law cringes when he sees those as he sees those in the wrong hands on a daily basis in his line of work.. I have to say that they are not the pleasing to eye...
Kimber-- Nice looking and fine finishes but when I hold the Springfield 1911 line side by side I gravitate toward the Springfield.. and it appeared that Kimber was a bit higher priced in comparable models.. (Although if money was not an issue, I would own a Kimber as well.)
Charles Daly, Rock Island, Amscor-- Saw some 1911's and they were all the basic "GI" style... they all held and looked very basic but nice.. I guess they folks customize those as well... they were all very basic 1911 GI style, but prices were very very good and if you want to build it to your liking, they seem like good values.
H&K-- My brother in law loves them, they felt really good. They are well above my price point for a polymer pistol though.
Star or Firestar?-- They actually were pretty nice little guns. Felt good, finish seemed to be better than other in the lower price rang (Llama, Bersa, FireStorm).. We both actually like the ones we saw both they way the felt and looked... Wonder what the shooting and quality is like with these?
STI-- Only 1 there, the Trojan... but WOW!!!! Wish I was wealthy b/c that baby would have come home with me.
That is about it for the semi's... Any comments or additional info on some of the brands would be fun discussion. I learned a lot today, and got to see and hold a lot of brands that I have only seen in pictures.. I probably saved myself a lot of money in the future by attending the show, as now I have definitely crossed a few off my list, and I learned that I will NEVER buy a gun without having seen and held they exact model in my hand before purchase.
Guns I was really impressed with (appearance and feel only):
Springfield XD
Springfield Champion
Springfield Custom Loaded FULL-SIZE 1911-A1 (see a pattern emerging here)
Kahr (price was a negative though)
Para LDA series
Walther P22 (if I ever get a 22, this is my first choice at least for now)
Taurus PT145 (very tempting, but worried about quality of the brand)
Star or FireStar-- look and feel pretty good.. but know nothing about them
Guns I wasn't impressed with (appearance and feel and/or price):
Para-- compact series
Kahr-- price
Llama-- feel and finish was a negative
Bersa-- finish on satin/nickel
Walther P22-- absolutely a great feeling gun and great finish, very uniquely shaped, and very ergonomic. When I find the right one pre-owned.. I will likely add this gun to my collection.
Bersa- I liked the little .380's although they were slightly bigger than I thought they would be... much bigger than the Kel-Tech.. It really made me think that the Makarov might be a better choice for less money.. with a little more power and basically the same size. The Thunder 45's and 40.. felt good, but the satin nickel finish was very poor, and definitely changed my perception of them.. at least about how they look.
Llama-- Not meaning to step on any toes, but I did not like these at all.
SpringField-- XD's Absolutely feel great in my hand... I am definitely going to add a sub-compact 40 to my collection soon. 1911 Champion will be in my future as well... and Custom Loaded FULL-SIZE 1911-A1 WOW!! I do love the look of the black stainless.. simply beautiful. I did not care for the basic GI models, but then again I think folks buy those and modify them to their own custom liking.. so that is unfair to judge the gun in it base form. I am fastly becoming a Springfield man.
Glock-- A glock is a glock, I just don't like how they feel compared to XD
Taurus MP's-- really a good looking gun, light, very compact, great capacity for a small gun, great price, feel and hold very well in the hand.. Very very tempting especially in PT145.. 10 round mag in a compact lightweight gun.. but I am weary of "Taurus" simply b/c of past reputation. No night sights available either which is a negative for me... but all in all at the low price, I will probably grab one down the road.
Kel-tech-- Well it is small, very small, but the .32 is a very tempting pocket pistol due to its size.. my brother-in-law wants one with a pocket clip attached to it.. but we did not see one with it.
Para-Ordance-- This was a brand that I was intrigued about based on looks from pictures and website... After seeing them in person I now view them a little differently.. The Hawg, NiteHawg, and WartHawg finish was not nearly as nice in person as in pics. But the LDA's and 1911 in stainless finish were extremely good looking and feeling pieces... Prices were very high on their entire line though... and at those prices a Springfield 1911 will be my choice.
Ruger-- the P345 and P90.. man they are pretty darn good feeling guns. They are not the best looking pieces but are finished nicely, but new grips and hard chrome would do wonders in the looks aspect. They are pretty solid choices at a low pricepoint. I may infact get one in the future.
S&W-- I like Smith's, they had a lot of good looking Smith's at the show. Being the owner of a Smith, I was already familiar with their look and feel. I think they are just simply great guns.
Kahr-- Now they impressed me in look and feel.. they are very easy to hold and feel great, point well, and are light and compact... of course mag capacity is what you give up to get these great features... but wow the prices were up there! Man if these were b/n XD/Glock price range they would be very tempting...
HighPoint--- My brother in law cringes when he sees those as he sees those in the wrong hands on a daily basis in his line of work.. I have to say that they are not the pleasing to eye...
Kimber-- Nice looking and fine finishes but when I hold the Springfield 1911 line side by side I gravitate toward the Springfield.. and it appeared that Kimber was a bit higher priced in comparable models.. (Although if money was not an issue, I would own a Kimber as well.)
Charles Daly, Rock Island, Amscor-- Saw some 1911's and they were all the basic "GI" style... they all held and looked very basic but nice.. I guess they folks customize those as well... they were all very basic 1911 GI style, but prices were very very good and if you want to build it to your liking, they seem like good values.
H&K-- My brother in law loves them, they felt really good. They are well above my price point for a polymer pistol though.
Star or Firestar?-- They actually were pretty nice little guns. Felt good, finish seemed to be better than other in the lower price rang (Llama, Bersa, FireStorm).. We both actually like the ones we saw both they way the felt and looked... Wonder what the shooting and quality is like with these?
STI-- Only 1 there, the Trojan... but WOW!!!! Wish I was wealthy b/c that baby would have come home with me.
That is about it for the semi's... Any comments or additional info on some of the brands would be fun discussion. I learned a lot today, and got to see and hold a lot of brands that I have only seen in pictures.. I probably saved myself a lot of money in the future by attending the show, as now I have definitely crossed a few off my list, and I learned that I will NEVER buy a gun without having seen and held they exact model in my hand before purchase.
Guns I was really impressed with (appearance and feel only):
Springfield XD
Springfield Champion
Springfield Custom Loaded FULL-SIZE 1911-A1 (see a pattern emerging here)
Kahr (price was a negative though)
Para LDA series
Walther P22 (if I ever get a 22, this is my first choice at least for now)
Taurus PT145 (very tempting, but worried about quality of the brand)
Star or FireStar-- look and feel pretty good.. but know nothing about them
Guns I wasn't impressed with (appearance and feel and/or price):
Para-- compact series
Kahr-- price
Llama-- feel and finish was a negative
Bersa-- finish on satin/nickel
