What is the BEST polymer-framed handgun line (in your opinion)?

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What is the Best Polymer-Framed

Two answers. Kel-Tec 380 because it's always there...could almost hide it in a nudist colony...almost!!
Springfield Armory XD-45c with 4" barrel and both 10 and 13-round magazines because I can shoot it better than any other gun I've been able to try and it's truly reliable. The angle of the grip, the shape of it, the way it fits my average-sized hands. It points so naturally as to make up for some of my marksmanship deficiencies. I love my XD because it just fits me right and always goes bang, no click.
Rent guns and try. Put the gun down, close your eyes, pic it up and try to point it towards the target. Try this several times with different guns. Some seem to point up or down or both but the ones that seem to point naturally are the ones for you.
In my hands that's the XD above all. I also like bersas and Kel-Tecs and others but the XD is the one I call My Gun.:)
 
That is a tough question...

You'll get a lot of different answers:

HKs are probably the best in terms of overall quality, but I don't think that HKs are that functionally better than Glocks, XDs, or S&Ws. I would *never* buy an HK unless I got a smoking deal on a NIB USP.

Glocks probably have the best reputation and the track record. I think that they are a little overated, but I think that they are still among the best pistols that you can buy these days. The reason that I say that they are overrated is because some of the fans of this brand can be pretty silly sometimes. I really don't care to hear about torture tests that are conducted by people that I don't know. How do you know that the testing was unbiased? These stories could be totally fabricated for all anyone knows. I also don't care about the guy on some other board that has 300,000 rounds through their G17 without a single malfunction. I could say the same thing about any of my guns, and nobody could disprove me. I think that Glocks are generally extremely durable and reliable. They are *great* guns, but Glocks don't fit my hands, so I probably won't buy one. If Glocks fit my hand, I would probably own a g19 or a g17.

I prefer XDs over all of the different polymer guns. New XDs use melonite, which is *at least* equivalent to tenifer. Melonite is actually harder than tenifer (melonite's 68 on the rockwell scale vs. tenifer's 64). Glock is close to being diamond hard, melonite is diamond hard, according to the scale. XDs also have completed similiar torture tests, they have better grips, and more safety features.

I don't think that there is such a thing as the best handgun. What works for me, might not work for you. When I am in the market for a polymer gun, I will buy an XDm. Those guns are top of the polymer autoloader heap, in my book.
 
With enough searching I was able to find a place that sells NIB V1 USPf 9mm with night sights for $525, that's a Glock price for one of the most refined poly guns on the market.

Sure, a G17 will probably be a little more reliable and durable, but the USP is a much nicer pistol IMO. For me the USP is more comfortable and I'm a more accurate shot with it, that's the main selling point right there to me. I don't necessarily need a gun that would survive a nucler holocaust, although I feel the USP is more durable than I'll ever need.
 
Glock more durable? I seriously doubt that, the USP is built to last.


But $525? that sounds great!
 
Glock more durable? I seriously doubt that, the USP is built to last.
Click to expand...
Maybe not, but the Glock finish sure is more durable (and uglier). That said, I'll take a USP into hostile situations any day of the week.

But $525? that sounds great!
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It really is a steal, now he's advertising them at $515! If you want, I can PM you his info. His name is Gordon Miller, he's on the Hkpro forums as well and he's a great guy to deal with, very fast shipping.
 
...this is the sickest torture test that has ever been devised. Sig is a close second, and so is HK...
Click to expand...

There is a similar torture test where they throw a Glock and HK and another gun...can't recall which, into a bag of sand. The Glock failed that one. The sand got in the trigger area and blocked it.

After reading widely different results I'm a bit skeptical of "torture" tests.

Both the Glock and HK USP have seen extensive testing by LEO's and Military organizations and both have passed.

It comes down to which action you like more...the DAO Glock "safe" action, or the USP with SA and safety.
 
Those torture tests are great if you are in the military. If not, you might need to re-examin your lifestyle. I fully believe my M&P would pass any torture test I dare put it through, but that isn't why I carry it.

I clean my gun after every hundred or so rounds. The torture tests seem rediculous when selecting a personal carry gun.
 
best vs. personal preference

I prefer H.K.'s ergonomics and their T.D.A. trigger over a striker action, but overall it's hard to deny GLOCK durability, simplicity, size & weight to capacity ratio, fast trigger, accuracy, unmatched factory finish etc (N.T.M. price). So while my personal choice is H.K. and Sig, I can't say GLOCK isn't the best. Makes me wish I was comfortable enough with the GLOCK trigger to carry mine (I.E. I'm not professional enough L.O.L.)!
 
the FNP line is awesome, especially for the money! Stainless forged barrels and stainless slides, true DA/SA, quality that FN is widely known for; what more could you want?
 
HK!!

I won't deny the Glocks are tough!

But I'm an HK man!! I own 4 and I haven't been the least bit disappointed with any of them.

HK USPf .45
HK USPc .45
HK USPf .40
HK P30 9mm
 
I own an XD45 tactical and now an M&P 9mm and I love them both. I would be hard pressed to pick one over the other. Maybe I'd slide towards the M&P just because it has the interchangeable grips. Can't wait for the XDM to come out in 9mm though as I will be buying one of those in bi-tone. It will likely become my favorite of all my polymer guns.
 
I look at Glocks the way I look at the Pittsburgh Steelers. I can't stand the fans but you can't help but like the team. I'm not a fan of the ergos or some features of the Glocks but its hard to argue that they aren't the best. I prefer my M&P but the Glocks are really great weapons also.
 
Best bang for the buck? Probably Glock

But if I was, say, on a Police force that would pay for my handgun and I got to choose, money aside, I'd pick the HK USP.

I feel it has a slight edge in quality as well as reliability, and not that it matters really, but I think it looks better too!
 
If this were a poll, the winner would clearly be Glock.

Above all else, a gun's gotta to boom when you pull the trigger. In this, the Glock has an unparallelled track record. It sets the standard. No one says "as reliable as a Beretta" or "as reliable as an M&P," even though they may in fact be utterly reliable pistols. Glocks, however, are invariably comapred to AK's for straight-up reliability.

It's like when people argue who the best player in the NBA is: "Kobe or T-Mac." "Kobe or Lebron." "Kobe or Garnett." Hmm, maybe it's Kobe. :p

Glocks set the standard. (And I like my XD 45 Tactical, too! :D)

ETA: One last thing--do a search and find any one of the plethora of "If you could only have one handgun" threads. You'll be surprised how many people pick Glocks, even when this question is asked on a board like SigForum. Why Glocks? It ain't cuz they're prettiest, that's for sure. ;)
 
MUCH of Glock's reputation is also hype. They do have a proven track record and they are highly customizeable.

People do also say, "reliable as a Beretta". They have a long proven track record also. My agency carries Berettas and I used Berettas in the Marine Corps. They only malfunction I've ever seen was one that went full auto because the knucklehead shooting it was the armorer and he thought he could do a trigger job on it.

People also say, "reliable as a SIG" But neither of them are polymer framed. Maybe the new P250 will fit the bill. But as it stands I would say the Glock IN 9MM has the best reputation for a polymer gun. The 40/45 not so much so. I would give HK the nod for overall reliability in all calibers. The only thing stopping them form having the popularity of GLock is price.
 
I own the XD45, SIG Pro, and GLOCK 20. I've owned the P250, USP, G17, G19, G23, G26, and PX4. My favorite is the SIG Pro, closely followed by my XD and my brother's P2000.
 
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