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9x19 Pistols

T

TheVitaleMob

Full Trucker Effect
Joined
Oct 24, 2005
Messages
686
I am looking to buy one in the future (a year or so down the road) and would like to learn as much as possible about them before purchasing one and shouldering the responsibility of owning a firearm.

Therefore, discuss:
-Favorite model, why?
-Least favorite model, why?
-Good or bad makes/models (ie. extra cleaning, repair costs, jamming, technical flaws, etc.)
-Good internet info sources (handling as well as spec or comparison info)
-Opinions on other bullet calibers if you think something else is better


Thanks in advance for your input.

In advance, please refrain from political/moral input as per Rod's request.

Edit: typo
 
It might not hurt if you let us know your purpose of said gun. If you want to carry, you'll obviously want a smaller weapon. If you want good home defense, a larger gun with a larger caliber may better suit your purpose. If you want a good range gun, you'll want something full size that is relatively affordable to shoot.

That being said...

1. I'm a Glock fan. Can't beat the reliability and mine is more accurate than I am. I'd also look at Browning Hi-Power if you're set on 9mm. Frankly, there's a lot of quality firearms available.

2. I'd personally avoid Taurus. I've not heard many good things about them.

3. A lot of people could write books on this subject. My recommendation is to find a gun forum and spend some time reading. Also many ranges rent firearms, and you can try a lot of things. Ultimately shoot what feels the best to you and don't be afraid to go to a gun shop and handle anything they'll let you touch.

4. Try searching for forums. I use Glock Talk, they have a wide variety of firearm information there, not just Glocks.

5. It depends on why you want a gun. 9mm is cheaper than larger calibers and will cost you less to take to the range. Bigger bullets mean more stopping power. However their gun have less capacity for ammo, cost more to shoot, tend to be larger and heavier, and have more recoil. I trust my life to 9mm, and that's all that matters to me. But if I wanted a gun to keep on my night stand, I'd go with .45 ACP.
 
I own several firearms but only one 9mm. The Springfield XD, found here is an outstanding sidearm. It's reliable, easy to service, and inexpensive. I have owned/shot Sig Sauer, Glock, Ruger, and S&W. My Springfield is up there with them all, at as much as half the price.
 
Wildcard said:
It might not hurt if you let us know your purpose of said gun. If you want to carry, you'll obviously want a smaller weapon. If you want good home defense, a larger gun with a larger caliber may better suit your purpose. If you want a good range gun, you'll want something full size that is relatively affordable to shoot.

That being said...
Click to expand...


Home protection (hopefully I won't have to use it for that, but will if needed) and going to the range. Probably going to the range for the most part. No carrying as far as I can imagine.
 
TheVitaleMob said:
Home protection (hopefully I won't have to use it for that, but will if needed) and going to the range. Probably going to the range for the most part. No carrying as far as I can imagine.
Click to expand...

The Glock 17 is a full sized 9mm. 17 round magazine, and possibly the most reliable semi-auto on the market. If I were in your situation, that's the first thing I'd look at.

Turk should be around soon to sell you on 10mm. :laugh:
 
Have you had any time at a local range firing different guns? I carry a SiG P226 chambered in .40 S&W and my G/F carries a Beretta 85FS "Cheetah" chambered in 9mm short (.380Auto). I have a collection comprising several dozen handguns and the most important thing, in my humble opinion, is the way the gun fits your hand and your personal sensitivity to recoil. We enjoy going to the range with ten or twelve different guns and putting rounds downrange, but it's imperative that you spend quality time practicing with your carry.

We're both NRA Handgun Distinguished Experts and did our qualifications with a P226 and with a Beretta 96 (which is chambered in .40, too). As we proceeded through the levels it became clear that the P226 fits me best. And while she can certainly hold her own with the larger framed guns, she's partial to her Cheetah. When it comes down to it, shot placement is most important. Some will go on and on about the stopping power of 10mm, or how you can't beat .45ACP, or how 9mm is the best round for carry pieces, etc. But if you can't hit your target, it doesn't matter what you're shooting. From a ballistic point of view, a .380 round placed between the eyes is far more effective than any round placed in the wall.

So my favorite is the P226 in .40S&W and hers is the Cheetah in .380Auto and it's all about fit.

As regards good models, you by and large get what you pay for. A cheap Lorcin isn't in the same quality ballpark as a SiG or Beretta. I'm not a big fan of plastic guns (Glocks, for example) but, still, you pretty much get what you pay for. Spending time at the range with friends trying their guns is, again, a good thing to do. Or visit a range and rent a few different guns. You'll find out fairly quickly what you like and what you don't like. The issues will be all over the place -- too light, too much recoil, grips too wide or thin, no where to put your pinky finger, grip panel texture too rough or slippery, etc. -- but you'll start figuring out what you like and what works for you by eliminating guns that you don't like. Face time with experienced locals wouldn't hurt, either. (And, of course, if you're in a gun shop, remember that they have an agenda that's centered around profit, so keep the grains of salt handy.)

I find that Sig Forum is a good resource 'cause I carry a SiG and there are good discussions about virtually every aspect of firearms.
 
And another thing....

One of the most important things you can do is take a gun safety class. You'll meet other people in your area that you can talk to and your instructor(s) will likely have a fair amount of experience, so they'll be great resources.
 
if you truly want home protection by a pump shot gun. nothing better point and shoot ladies can brace the stock against a wall if they have to and pull the trigger. As for hand gun's Learn to shoot first go to a local range and just try different things. Sig Saur,berreta,israli arms, kimber are just a few of the thousands of manufactures out there.

Me personally sig .40 great gun adjustable sights and a caliber with a little punch to it. Everyone seems focused on 9mm say it is a friendly caliber it is not to powerful can be made into a compact that don't hurt to shoot I say bullshit. find out how well you shoot then find something you can shoot with a little power to it. and as for ladies it is a fact that woman generally shoot better than men due to the way they breath. I know petite woman who shoot .357 at the range without any trouble at all.

just my.02
 
Actually it was found that the .40 doesn't penetrate any better than the 9mm with the right load.

Here is a great site to read through before deciding on a caliber.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/

Dale was spot on however about first being instructed how to shoot and then trying A LOT of hand guns before buying one. Most range/shops will let you shoot before you buy, take advantage of it!
 
Finally a gun topic for me to write on!!! I have been waiting for another one of these.

Since you narrowed down to home defense that helps a lot. I like to start off with caliber. I personally have two defensive guns. I carry a .40 and keep my .45 at the house. You didn't say if you are married, but if so you need to take the lady into consideration. A 9mm or a .40 S&W are great options for a couple to have around. I personally don't like the 9mm, and would suggest the .40. IMO it has more knock down with not much more recoil. If you are single then I would suggest the .45ACP. It has great knock-down with a decent amount of recoil, but is VERY manageable. Just be ready if you put some Cor-Bon + P's in it. Obviously I am a little biased though since I personally keep my .45 at the house.

Next you need to decide what make and model? My .40 is a Sig 2022. It gets the job done, but isn't my favorite. My .45 is a Kimber 1911, which is my favorite style of handgun. I can't find a gun that fits me better than a 1911. Notice I said that fits ME. You need to go to a local range and talk to some more people, and see what they prefer. At our local range we will generally let people test them out if they are trying to figure out what to get. YOU HAVE TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR AND FITS YOU!!!!! You can have the best custom gun in the world, but if it doesn't feel good to you then you might as well throw rocks at your target. Remember also that if this is for a couple that you will need to find the best medium for the two of you.

Now to talk PLASTIC or METAL
If you want something that you can always pick up and it go BANG, then a Glock is a good choice. I can't stand a Glock, but that is because they just don't FIT MY HAND. When it comes down to it, you can kill someone just as easy with a plastic gun as a metal one. If it fits you then it is a good choice.

On to reliability.
Between my Sig and my Kimber I have had a total if 1 malfunction. Now note that the Sig only has about 1000 rounds through it right now. My .45 has almost 10,000 rounds through it right now. The 1 malfunction was in my .45 fairly soon after buying it. I am almost positive that the 1 malfunction was caused by me loose wristing the gun. If you are going to keep it around for defense you have to know that it is always going to work without fail. A malfunction could cost you or a loved one their life. Several VERY dependable guns are the Glock, Sig, Kimber, and Wilson Combat.

On to maintaining reliability
After every shooting occasion the gun should be PROPERLY cleaned. This is no place to get lazy if you are using the gun for defense. A malfunction in a good gun is generably explained by poor cleaning, or user error. Then sometimes great guns just screw up

Familiarity with the gun.
Get used to the gun VERY WELL before you are going to use it for defense. Get out to the range and put plenty of rounds throught it to ensure reliability, be sure you like the gun, and to be sure you can hit with it. Also familiarize yourself with procedures like how to clear a jam if one was to occur.

Just remember if the gun fits, is what you want, works reliably, and fulfills the purpose that you have for it, then it is probably a great candidate for you to buy. If it doesn't meet your qualifications then look at something else.

And don't forget to have fun!
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...and then there are revolvers. For home defense use, for something that's not going to fail -- or when it does fail, doesn't do so in a way that takes you out of action -- revolvers can't really be beat. If you pull the trigger and it doesn't go Bang!, pull the trigger again. Now, I know that with many bottom feeders (semi-automatics) you can pull the trigger again if you've a bad primer and that sometimes that'll work, but for failures to feed, stovepipe jams, and similar mechanical failures, a person that isn't getting lots of range time isn't likely to be practicing (or able to recall under stress) tap-rack-Bang! When a revolver fails, you just pull the trigger again.

I have three Smith & Wesson wheel guns. When I used to take my late mother shooting she really liked the wheel guns because they didn't "spit the casings" at her.
 
A salty old Marine once told me, "Never get into a gun fight with anything that doesn't say .45"

Doc.
 
Your title says 9x19, so if you're looking for 9mm, I think Berretta is the absolute best way to go. The Px4 Storm has a 17rd magazine which is interchangeable with their Cx4 Storm (9mm Carbine). Someone once told me it will be the next military service pistol, but I'm not sure about that. Also, the Standard Berretta 9 which is the Military Service Pistol is also a very good pistol.

I made the mistake of buying a Taurus 45ACP 24/7 model and I am very pissed off with it. I bought it because everyone said how great it was and how low the price was. Maybe smaller calibers are cool, but my 45 sucks. I have failure to load 1/5 shots, I stovepipe the live round 1/10 shots. I stovepipe the live round backwards 1/10 shots. It's ridiculous.

My next gun if it's not a Cx4 Storm is going to be the Kimber 1911 45ACP. If this gun was a woman.... I'd do disgustingly horrible things to it. Hell if it was anything but steel I'd do sex stuff with it. It's an awesome 45 in my humble opinion.
 
I have a Springfield XD40 and have shot the 9mm version of same. I also have a HK USP compact 9mm. I would just suggest trying as many different ones as possible, as something that works for me might not fit you the same. Grip angle, etc etc might just be plain wrong or strange in your hand. most ranges have range guns you can rent for small fees. I wuold go and try em all. Include other calibers as well, just so you know the difference between em. I love my HK compact 9mm, but some people have issues with the mags, or even just it being polymer framed. (mostly die hard .45 guys :) ) Take a look around, most major manufacturers put out pretty darn good quality these days, especially with the competition for market share. Just my .02 however!!!
 
Double D said:
if you truly want home protection by a pump shot gun. nothing better point and shoot
Click to expand...

This is absolute truth. Set a 12 ga. under your bed with some 00 buck. If you hit an invader square in the chest with one shot, it's like shooting him 12 times with a 9mm. And you have five shells. More if you install a magazine extender. And I was once told by a home-defense instructor that the sound of a pump shotgun being racked may be the best deterrent - it's unmistakable, and if an intruder keeps coming after hearing that slide he's made the choice to die.

I can't say much about handguns, as I don't have much variety of experience, but I can tell you that fit is the most important factor. I can shoot my own full-size pistol quite well, but I can't shoot my sister's compact worth a damn. Now, I'm sure I could improve with practice, but you get the idea.
 
I'm not a big fan of 9mm, much preferring my Colt Government Model in .45acp.

Closest I come to what you're looking at is a Springfield XD in .45acp. It's a good platform, whether in 45, 40 or 9mm.

As has been mentioned, Box of Truth is a good site. The boards at thehighroad.org have alot of good info. I don't post much there these days, but Augustwest is my handle there.

I concur that a quality pump shotgun is the best tool for home defense.

I'm also of the tired old school that says that a .357 revolver, with lots of 38spl through it for practice, is as close to an ideal first handgun as there is.
 
I found myself in your shoes several months ago. At the time I only had a Colt Government Model Series 70 in .45. Too big and heavy to conceal carry. After about 2 months of research, reading reviews comments and renting different guns at the range I went with the Springfield XD 45 Compact! IMO best gun for the $$$$$!
I also picked up a Walther P22 for shits and giggles at the range.
 
Guys come on we already knows he wants a nine. Theres nothing wrong with that at all so lets just go from there. First things is first you need too know if you` want a full or compact size gun. Thats a key starting point. From there we will discuss fit and make of the gun. The key thing is NOT the manufacture its how it fits you. You want to pick up a firearm between you thumb and fourfingers than sowly curl into a fist. The weapon should fit squarely into your hand not jacked too the right or left. Grab it a few times make sure it fits well. There are many very good nines and fit is all important. Beretta, sig, H&k, s&w,Ruger,and glock. There are so many that as long as you go quality and good fit you will be much more happy than with trying to pick the "best" manufacture. There you go personally i dislike glock for more than one reason and if buying a nine i would have an H&K compact, or full size beretta or a sig either full or compact in size. One thing i do know is you get what you pay for. The higher the dollar the better its true with guns(in most cases more later). So dont listen to all the hype about how this manufactures gun can sit in the jungle for a year be rinsed off and fire well. or this one is the best because its carried by so and so. Its all opinion. What works is what fits.
Dont let someone sway you because of popularity or hype in calibre. Your useing this for home defense not to take down an armoured person some of the BEST shooters use lower calibres quite often. Anyways just my 2 cents for what its worth. Enjoy its a big responsibility owning a gun and also a big reward.
 
I agree with a lot that has been said here especially by those who use a Sig :thumbs:. This being said there are only a handful of pistol manufacturers that I would use to protect the lives of me and my family. These are the Glock, Sig, and HK. I know that there are others out there that may be just as reliable but this is just my personal preference. When considering a pistol from one of these manufacturers I think you should first look at the ergonomics/feel of the pistol and then move into aesthetics. Reliability shouldn't be much of a worry as these are some of the most reliable weapons on the market. I think the best advice I can give you is to go to a range and get your hands on some of the pistols you are considering purchasing as you will be able to get an idea of overall comfort, how you feel firing it, general sight alignment, and a host of other things that you just cant tell when looking a gun. After getting hands on there will most likely be one that stands out from the rest or at least you will have narrowed down the field. One last thing that you may want to consider are some accessories for you hand gun. Being a home defense weapon you may want to consider a mountable tac light/laser combo (streamlight makes a really nice product) or in some applications crimson trace laser grips. Again this will come down to preference as to whether or not you want or need something like this, but just be sure that if you think you might that your gun of choice has a picatinny (sp) rail. As other members have already mentioned just be sure that you become very comfortable and knowledgeable about your particular handgun, and perhaps even take some beginners pistol classes. This being said, I am by no means an expert and these are just some of my opinions and or suggestions, have fun and be safe.

My Favorites in order:
Sig P226 .40
Glock 19 9mm
Sig P228 9mm
 
Devil Doc said:
A salty old Marine once told me, "Never get into a gun fight with anything that doesn't say .45"

Doc.
Click to expand...


Amen Doc!!! I love my .45, but it has been in and out of a holster so many times that there isn't much finish left on it. Therefore the climate and humidity of my car are not too friendly to it. So I usually end up carrying my Sig .40.
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