What's the most accurate service-grade 9mm semi-auto?

[Min]

I ask this because I heard on this board that the Walther P99 is the most accurate out-of-the-box.

I'm not talking about your $2000 Sig P210's. Just regular service pistols.

Beretta 92FS

Walther P99 9mm

CZ 75/85

Springfield Armory XD9

Sig Sauer P226

HK USP 9mm

Glock 17

etc.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Of those you've listed, I've found the SIG-Sauer P226 and CZ75 to both be very accurate.

Best.

 

[chevrofreak]

I second what Mr. Camp said

 

[HadEmAll]

My CZ75BD is a bit more accurate than my 92FS Compact or former sigpro. In fact, it is extremely accurate. I have a P99, but it's in .40, so can't compare.

 

[Handy]

Depends, does the gun have to still be in production?

I have three that shoot similarly to the Sig 210. The HK P9S, HK P7 and the Steyr GB. All were designed as combat guns and saw use as such. All will shoot 1" groups, which is less than half the group size of any you mention. They all have fixed barrels, are reliable and tough.


Of the usual stuff on the shelves, I'd also say CZ and Sig, but add USP. All of these are pretty close. None are going to be in the class of the guns I've mentioned.

 

[dude]

the P7 with its fixed-barrel

 

[PCRCCW]

Duh! Can I add my Les Baer?????????????????????

Sorry, couldnt resist.....by far and ....ya whatever.

CZ 75 B in sticking to the list...of real service guns....
Shoot well

 

[SapperLeader]

Ive only shot a few of the guns on the list, and only own the xd9, but I love it so much, and am so impressed with its accuracy and reliability im picking up the subcompact this weekend to go along with my service model. Hope that helps.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I've owned good examples of all, but the most accurate have been the CZ-75 and the SIG P226.

 

[Sean Smith]

A $1,200 P7M8 (the going rate) probably doesn't cut it as a "regular service pistol," especially when you consider how prone to fouling its gas system is. And that only holds 8 shots... P7M13s cost as much as a Sig P210...

Of those choices, the SigSauer P226 or HK USP9 most likely. My CZ was surprisingly accurate too.

 

[dude]

prone to fouling??


I've been shooting them for 18 years without any such trouble! The were designed as service pistols btw (the 'P' in P7 is for police) and if 8+1 is not enough what good will another 6 or 8 do you? Yes, they are expensive but you get what you pay for...........it's a spending money -vs- money well spent thing. Try one for a while.

 

[Ala Dan]

SIG-Sauer P226 in 9 m/m

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Jim Watson]

The single most accurate - slow fire, well lighted bullseye target - "modern" service pistol that I have shot was a Beretta 92. But I would not pick it for actual duty, self defense, or IDPA/IPSC competition; it's too big in the butt for my hand size. I have read that they are kind of unpredictable on accuracy due to variation in fit of the separate locking block, but this one was excellent.

Depends on your application. Do you need or want a highly accurate pistol, regardless of other factors like ergonomics, trigger pull, sights, concealability, etc.?

My CZ 75 "pre B" is not as accurate as folks are reporting for theirs, but I can get good hits on IDPA targets faster than any other SSP division gun I have tried. My P220 is not bad and is so reliable I pick it for actual protection. For those uses M92, P7, P9, USP, G17, P99 (and P210) are way down my list. Your preference might be different.

 

[Handy]

Yeah, all those agencies that use P7s have just kept complaining for the last 20 years about the lack of reliability and fouled gas systems.

Sure.


Of the conventional list, I forgot the excellent Walther P88.



Also, could we have an "official" ruling on what the cost cut off is for a "service pistol". Does a $750 Sig make it? How about a $900 Walther? Why don't we call anything pricer than a CZ or Ruger "not a service pistol"?


If you want to be cheap, the Steyr GB went for $550 MSRP in 1988. The less accurate Sig had an MSRP of $700 at that time.

 

[Min]

When I say service pistol I'm not talking about price. I meant whatever is used throughout the world by military and police forces TODAY, that can be bought in the US readily. Sig P210's used to be service pistols, but they have since moved to premium "status" guns.

So, a $700 HK or Sig would still qualify as a service pistol.

 

[Handy]

Then your answer is a $1200 P7. It's available and in use, and quite a bit more accurate than anything else listed.

 

[Min]

I can buy four CZ 75's for one P7.

 

[Handy]

But even if you stack the four CZ's on top of each other, they won't fire a smaller group than the P7.

That was the question, right?

 

[Min]

I was going off on a tangent. Yes, my question was on accuracy alone.

 

[Mikul]

While I love my CZ-75, my USP will put bullets exactly where I want them. You can tell by looking at the fit and finish of the INTERIOR of the USP how much care went into makeing those guns.

 

[Sean Smith]

Try one for a while.

Been there, done that, not real impressed. Nice gun and all, but overrated... especially for the $1,200 I've seen them going for.

Try shooting lead through a P7 and see what happens. Then imagine what actual DIRT would do!

 

[firestar]

I love 9mms and have shot a bunch of them. Of the ones I have shot, some of the most accurate were, in no particular order:
Beretta 92fs
FM Browning Hi Power Detective
Star Firestar (really sursprised me!)
Walther P-1

Some of the less accurate ones:
S&W 59
S&W 5906
Ruger P89
Ruger P95
Kahr E-9
Tec-9

I have not shot a 9mm that was what I consider really accurate. A good revolver will outshoot just about any 9mm at any price. I have a S&W 19 .357 that cost me $285 OTD and it is just as accurate as some of the high dollar 1911s .45s I have had and is way more accurate than any 9mm I have ever shot or seen shot. I have heard there are accurate 9mms out there, but I have yet to see one. If you can get 2-3" groups at 75' offhand with a 9mm auto, you should be very happy, most won't shoot that good IMHO.

 

[dude]

you will note that most all P7-bashers have no idea what they are talking about and their knowledge of the weapon is limited to being able to pick one out of a police suspect line-up!


for example: "Yeah, all those agencies that use P7s have just kept complaining for the last 20 years about the lack of reliability and fouled gas systems"

For this I would like to see a shred of proof........(!) Lack of reliability!! HA!
If you find your P7 to be not reliable and everything is in good shape, go buy a loto ticket 'cause you are already one-in-a-million!
I admit that while such a situation is possible, it would be purely operator error and knowing how to maintain such a fine weapon is easily mastered making any realiability issues quickly a 'non issue'

FWIW- you can get a nice P7M8 for around $800-850
http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=003510;p=1#000002

http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=003508

 

[dude]

"Try shooting lead through a P7 and see what happens. Then imagine what actual DIRT would do! "


HA!! 2X........nice try

One would not 'try' shooting lead through a P7 because is is a big no-no and HK says so in the paperwork that comes with the pistol (going back to my point of operator error again here) If you have 'been there and done that' already you were contrary to what the manufacture recommended; as lead bits will shear-off and clog the gas port. The P7 will still fire though!!........ but there will be no gas-dampening.

If you are a lead 9mm bullet fan than the P7 is NOT for you!! btw- dude has yet to meet one.



HA!!! 3X

Dirt OTOH is no problem as the wise Germans provided the P7 with a fluted chamber just for this potential situation. Just as in their fine line of G3/91/91 Battle Rifles the fluted chamber allows the weapon to chamber dirty/muddy ammo.

 

[Handy]

Dude,

I hope you realize that my quote was sarcasm.



Sean,
Why would you fire lead bullets in any gas operated gun? You fire lead in an AK47 and the gas system will bind up, too.

So that means an AK won't fire dirty, right?



Raising the BS flag. The P7 is well known to be very reliable. It even did well in the US XM9 tests until they got to the corrosive enviro tests (salt+bluing=bad). NJ kept their P7s about 5 to 10 years longer than any department keeps duty weapons. People like Sean and BHP9 can claim all the unreliability they want, but most owners (including Ayoob) have had exactly the opposite experience. I don't own a more reliable gun.

And no, I don't shoot lead.