Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 9 mm

My needs are pretty easy.
Since I only use my guns on the firing range (IE I dont carry them around in evey day life) It doesnt have to be small. It doesnt have to be big either. In fact, I want it to be reliable and shoot straight. That's about it. IF I then can get one that fills these simple requirements AND looks nice. Then I'm home.

Well, what's your price range, then?

Price? oh dear.
I'd rather not pay more than say 800$
I am also perfectly fine with a used gun.

I have owned several 9mm and by far the best one is my sig P226 You may pay a little more for the sig over the beretta or glock but you will end up with much better gun than the beretta and much preetier gun(and IMHO a better gun) than the glock. I can shoot as well with my sig as I do with most of my revolvers.

$800 as the ceiling?

Well, that counts in everything, just about.

Sigs, H&Ks, Walthers, S&Ws, CZs, Glocks, Taurus, Berettas, Hi-Powers, and just about everything else can be had NIB for that price. And likely with a good chunk leftover for ammo.

Go to the gunshops in the area, pick up/try out any and all that you can, and pick the one that fits you best. If you stick with the bigger, more well-known and respected names, you won't go far wrong.

The best 9mm handguns I've ever had were a Heckler & Koch P7-M8, the Sig P228, and the Browning HP.

The H&K is simply a wonderful, unique, durable, practical, and extremely well-made, safe, and compact pistol that doesn't get the notoriety it once did, but it's still a real winner. The only downside of the H&K, really, is the price, which has gone through the roof in recent years.

The Sig P228 is a high-quality, superbly rugged, accurate gun that's very safe and easy to operate and get into action quickly. Although it's compact, it's a little thick in cross-section and a bit heavy. In fact, if you like the P228, you may as well step up to the P229 in 40 S&W. You'll being carrying the same size pistol, but the 40 is a lot more cartridge. If you have Sig install their "short trigger" to the P228 or P229, you mostly likely be glad you did.

I've had a lot of Browning HPs over the years, and they are a marvel of simplicity, functionality, superb design, ruggedness, and reliability. The slim, trim Browning feels so very right in your hand, and it balances very well and seemingly points itself. My current and only 9mm is an old, all-Beligan Browning HP that I had Wayne Novak totally rework, including a custom barrel, sights, better safety and hammer -- the works. It turned out to be the best 9mm I've ever owned, and wherever that front sight is is exactly where the bullet goes, everytime, and without fail. I love it..........

AD

Seems I have a few guns to look closer at.
CZ. Sig p228 to name a few.
Thanks for the imspiration.

If you are looking more for a shooter than a CC gun then it really opends your options... I have two of the S&W 6906 compact 9mms that shoot as accurately as any full size gun...and it's funny that several Glock shooters who have tried the 6906 shot better with it than they did with their own gun... I also have several full-size and Commander size 1911s in 9mm. Good triggers and very little recoil.

But for a brand new full-size shooter my pick would be the CZ75 or 85. With addition of one of CZ's .22 Conversion Units you have an accurate 9mm and a fun cheap to shoot plinker.

Bob

I have two CZ's: a 40P which was a limited edition after-thought, combining a 40B slide with a PO1 frame (dubbed a Frankin-Pistol; and also a CZ 85 Combat, in 9mm. I couldn't say enough about both of these handguns.

I also own a couple of Berettas: A 92 FS Brigadier Inox, and a Billenium model (1 of 2000). A couple of prized Walthers: A P-5, and a P-88C. (All expensive.) But I swear that a CZ 75 or 85 will stand up to, and likely surpass any other 9mm pistol out there.

I am very surpised that the previous poster, RJM, gave CZ the endorsement that he did. I knew that he was a smart fellow-
but I didn't know that he was THAT smart.

--C Zeed

....from a person who has never owned a S&W, I will take that with as a compliment....I think.

Bob

... well, I own one now. And it's a MAGNUM, too.

--P Weed (P is for Proud)

A .41, by chance?

Uh, no. It's the "Mighty Mouse Magnum".
The 32 H&R Mag.

And it is the (almost yours) S&W 432 Airweight.
(& Thank you.)

And I only "almost" own it- as it will be languishing in lay-by for about 90 days.

--Weed

Aaahhh, yes. You're gonna love it. FWIW, I won't, for any reason, part with the .32H&R (S&W 16-4, 6" blued) that I have now. It's that good.

...I am at a loss for words....no, it is probably just best to not say what I am thinking. Enjoy your mouse, I mean Magnum, but I thought you were broke and didn't even have the money for a lawaway...or did you take my advise and sell one of the kids...?

Bob

There's broke, and then there's broke...

VA is right. "There is broke, and then there is broke."

I should have known better than to "cry poor-mouth" in this "Millionaire Club", and expect any sympathy. (to, RJM)

The truth is, I was IN-BETWEEN paychecks when I last lamented my state of poverty. As a matter of fact: I just got paid today - and by tomorrow, I will AGAIN be "broke".

My checkbook, and some subtle intimidation by (cough) VA; prompted me to prematurely write that check to secure the S&W 432 PD Mouser on lay-by.

I then had to immediately inform my loving wife and disclose to her, my recent financial activity. Also I had to sell her on the idea of the merits of my purchase, and of it's benifits to her. I explained to her that this simple, efficient revolver is an excellent defense weapon that she would also be fully competent, confident, and comfortable in using for her own self protection.

I sold her on the "idea", so well, that she not only bought the idea, ... but the gun as well.

I stand corrected, ... my WIFE is the "proud" owner of our first S&W.

--Weed

RMJ, (quote) "... take my advice and sell one of your kids?"

Me: Can you do that?

Sig P239 if you need something compact & concealable.
Sig P226 if you want something larger w/more rounds.
Question: If you're willing to carry something the size of a Beretta M92 or Glock17, why not move up to .40 S&W firepower? That Beretta especially. Huge for a 9 mm.

I'm not a big fan of the heinie nine,... but if your heart's set on one, a CZ 75 will do all that a heinie nine is capable of.

In the past I've owned a passel of 'em,... Walther P-38's,.... Browning High Powers,....but in the end I concluded that most were as accurate as a fart in a tornado.

Here's my advice. Get a good, economical, government model,... like a Springfield Armory Milspec .45.

If bottom feeders are your game you're going to end up with one anyway.

Save some dollars and do it right the first time,.

Very interesting question.
The reason is that I'm swedish.
As in most european countries our gun laws are a hell of a lot more restrictive than what you all are used to.
To be allowed to own a handgun (or 2 or 5) in sweden you must prove that you need it. Self defence is NOT a valid reason. In sweden you are not allowed to defend yourself.
I'f I, or my familly gets attacked, I am expected to hand my wife and kids over, lie down on the ground and take it, Obviously that will not happen so I will go to jail if attacked, but I'm willing to take that.
Anyway, one valid reason to own firearms is competitive target shooting. In order to maximise the number of weapons a person can own swedish shooting associations have created a jungle of classes and rules in wich to compete. One gun can NOT compete in that class and another is needed for this class.
In order to maximise your "weapon stash" you even have to buy then in a certain order (loopholes in the laws) As an example I recently made a big mistake by buying a .357 before I bought a .38. Now I wont be allowed to buy a .38 revolver, Had I bought the .38 revolver first I would have been allowed to buy the .357 later on to compete in the magnum class.
Anyway. This is why a 9 mm and nothing else is what I must get now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />