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Need advice on a good 9mm

redraider

redraider

Whoa Thats Cold
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
524
My father in law recently passed away and left me a few of his guns. Both are .45s. I went to the range today and shot them for the first time, and I am HOOKED!! I had a blast.. I have not shot a hand gun in years, and I can definitely see my self falling down the slippery slope.

I installed a Crimson Trace laser grip on my Kimber, and decided that any other gun that I own going forward will have to have one. The sight made all the difference in the world! I ripped out the center of the target from about 15 yards.

That being said, I didnt realize how pricey .45 ammo is. That is why I thought buying a 9mm for a range gun, would be a good idea. My only criteria is that I dont want a compact, I would prefer to have something with atleast a 4" barrel. I have been scouring the web and have not come up with a good answer.

Any ideas?
 
A Kimber is a solid, wonderful gun. Asking what a "good" pistol is will get you a variety of answers and justifications.....bordering on a religious argument..... :p In my safe, you'll find three Glocks, a Beretta 92SF, and a Springfield Operator (and several other "wheel guns".....).

The very best advice I can give you is to focus only on good quality weapons, and to find a range where you can rent and shoot as many different pistols as you can.

I'm one of the guys that really like Glocks. I have a full size Glock in .45, a mid sized one in .40, and a sub compact in 9mm. They are reliable, accurate, and safe weapons. But, my likes don't mean squat if they don't fit your hand and shoot well for you. Glock, Kimber, Beretta, S&W, Springfield...these come to mind but are far from a definitive list. There is a sort of "zen" that has to happen with a handgun that transcends what opinions can express. Shoot several, and you tell us what fits your hands well.

...did I mention I really, really like my Glocks...??... ;)

Have fun, get some training, and be safe out there...B.B.S.

....forgot to mention, I'm sure you can get a conversion kit for your Kimber that will allow you to shoot 9mm. Might be a reasonably priced option that would do you well.
 
I would agree and disagree with BBS on some of this. Only way you can determine what you like is to handle and shoot them. Range guns typically suck from my experience but give you a basic idea of how the gun will feel and function. I love 1911 and sigs personally. Shooting a 1911 in 9mm has basically no preceived recoil. However you will need a new gun, its not really possible to buy a conversion kit for a 1911 in other calibers unless it a 40 to 10mm or 9mm to 38 super. The ramped barrels and frames make it really difficult. You can go to a .22lr conversion however.

Now unlike BBS I hate glocks. :0 Cheap polymer POS :love: Everyone i have shot has been no where near as accurate or enjoyable for me to shoot. I've owned pretty much every caliber and size glock and they just aren't my thing. They are great guns for the money if they work for you though.

Stick to higher end manufactures such as Colt, Springfield, Sig, Glock, Beretta, EAA, or a semi custom/custom gun if you want to spend a lot of money :p

Then again you could always spend the money on reloading equipment and reload .45 and it will save you a lot of money in the long run and allow you to shoot what you enjoy shooting.
 
I have a Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm that I like. I trained with the Beretta M-9 and and enjoyed that as well. Not a Glock fan, it doesn't work for my hands.

I definitely agree with the above advice, you have to go shoot different handguns.
 
There's a lot of great 9mm pistols out there, but if you want a pistol for cheaper practice, I'd stay in the same platform. There's several good 9mm 1911's out there and even a few 22 LR 1911's if you really want to shoot cheap. Most of my pistols are 9mm and even it's pricy any more.
 
I lile what Josh said. I also like the idea of finding a .22 in about the same saize and weight as your larger full business weapon, and practicing on the cheap.
 
Thanks for the tips guys, I am leaning towards a CZ-75b, Beretta 92 or a Taurus 1911 9mm.

There seems to be a love hate relationships with the Taurus. Is their quality that much worse?
 
redraider said:
Thanks for the tips guys, I am leaning towards a CZ-75b, Beretta 92 or a Taurus 1911 9mm.

There seems to be a love hate relationships with the Taurus. Is their quality that much worse?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy a Taurus. Their quality is hit and miss (Google PT1911 and you'll get an idea of what to expect) and their customer service is pretty rough. However their 1911 and their Beretta 92 clone (PT92, I think) are two of their more reliable autoloaders.

CZ's are great firearms (my CZ P01 is my absolute favorite pistol), and so are the Berettas. I know CZ has a 22LR conversion called the Kadet Kit so you can fire both 9mm and 22LR.
 
For the price of a conversion kit, you can just outright buy a really good Ruger .22LR of just about any variety. If you have not shot a .22, you are missing out. Don't let the larger caliber thing get your wallet. You can have a month of range time with a .22 for what it would cost for one trip with your .9mm or .45 ACP. I definitely see validity in owning several different chambered firearms, but if you want a range gun, I'd have to go with a .22 of some sort. Many great options between "cowboy" guns, wheel guns, semi-auto's, etc. Then you can get into the .22 LR long-guns, and it's Christmas all over again!

To answer your original query, though, I really like the G19 for .9mm. I've carried and fired the Beretta 92 (M9) in the military, and I just never really felt comfortable with it, myself. Very chunky weapon. I have a Smith & Wesson M&P 45C that I love to death, though I've never fired its little brother. I can't imagine it being a turd, though. The SA EMP is phenomenal, in my opinion, but pricey. Can't beat the 1911 platform, though. My SA TRP is by far my favorite firearm I've ever owned.
 
Everyone has made very good points and touched most of the important questions (Hand feel, caliber, brand, size, etc). But another important question to ask is the price point, with an unlimited budget, you have nothing, but time and money to find what's right for you. If you have a couple hundred for the weapon, it will obviously limit the selection. Buying a gun is like buying cigars, what is good for you, could be bad for someone else and vice versa. Personally, Glocks don't do it for me, they just feel funny in my hand, I've always be more comfortable with chunkier weapons, something a little bulkier, because I have bigger hands. So something like the Beretta PX4 Storms are my go to weapon, but for $525-625, it may not be for you. I personally have a Ruger P95, because when I needed a weapon, I needed reliability and functionality for not much, and honestly for the price I paid (Under $300 with background check and taxes and fees) was well worth it. It's not shiny and flashy, but I could take it out at any point of the day, any day and it would fire accurately without a misfire. And I love that it's on the top 25 best hand guns, up with S & W, Beretta and Glock for half the price.

But as always, it's up to you to decide, getting opinions is always a good start, but go out and find what's right for you, only you will know.

WKOTI
 
I have a Ruger 22/45 MKIII .22 Cal Long Rifle Target Model that is fun to shoot. You can't beat the price of .22 ammo. If you like to reload, I would stick with the .45. I reload for my stuff, its economical once you get set up and quality reloads are much better than most factory ammo. Good luck with your search...
 
Josh said:
redraider said:
Thanks for the tips guys, I am leaning towards a CZ-75b, Beretta 92 or a Taurus 1911 9mm.

There seems to be a love hate relationships with the Taurus. Is their quality that much worse?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't buy a Taurus. Their quality is hit and miss (Google PT1911 and you'll get an idea of what to expect) and their customer service is pretty rough. However their 1911 and their Beretta 92 clone (PT92, I think) are two of their more reliable autoloaders.

CZ's are great firearms (my CZ P01 is my absolute favorite pistol), and so are the Berettas. I know CZ has a 22LR conversion called the Kadet Kit so you can fire both 9mm and 22LR.
Click to expand...

I agree with skipping the Taurus 1911, shot a handful of them with a number of issues. I am a fan of the CZ and the Beretta though I've only shot one of each in the 9mm format. Both shot without issue when I used a decent round on multiple occasions. How soon are you looking to purchase? I've been meaning to head out to the range (ASC off of Westheimer) as they have been sitting for a number of months now. I could probably round up both if you'd like to join.
 
Sig Sauer has always been a personal favorite. They are extremely well made, reliable and accurate. I have owned a P228 for 12 years and I have never been disappointed.

As with all things at CP....any request for opinions will get the "kitchen sink" treatment. Good luck wading through them.
 
Kimber also makes a 22lr Conversion kit for a 1911.

Right now you can find used Sig 228's that where German police guns for around $500 with night sights and 2 mags which is a pretty good deal Glocks new run around the $500-$600 point without night sights can get the night sights for 50-100 more. I would stay away from the Taurus and go for the CZ if those are your top choices.

But as others have stated 9mm isn't that much cheaper than 45 cal. Esp if you are buying by the case. You can get 45 for $300-400 a case for 230 gr ball and 9mm runs 200-300 for 115 gr fmj loads.
 
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/08/27/review-of-the-gsg-1911-22-pistol/

.22 is the only "cheap" round left out there.
 
Napa_Smokes said:
Kimber also makes a 22lr Conversion kit for a 1911.

Right now you can find used Sig 228's that where German police guns for around $500 with night sights and 2 mags which is a pretty good deal Glocks new run around the $500-$600 point without night sights can get the night sights for 50-100 more. I would stay away from the Taurus and go for the CZ if those are your top choices.

But as others have stated 9mm isn't that much cheaper than 45 cal. Esp if you are buying by the case. You can get 45 for $300-400 a case for 230 gr ball and 9mm runs 200-300 for 115 gr fmj loads.
Click to expand...


Here in Houston, I can get 9mm ammunition by the case for $175 cheaper than I can the cheapest .45..
 
There is a way to have your cake and eat it too....
Buy some reloading gear and a good manual and start reloading. Then you have:
1. something to do in the evenings to keep you outt of the bars.
2. cheap centerfire ammo for your favorite pistols or rifles
3. Extremely consistant rounds that are more accurate than factory.
4. Much more range time shooting the guns you really want to shoot instead of looking for a substitute.

I currently reload for the following:
.38/.357
.44spl/.44mag
.45long colt
.45Acp
.30-30
.30-06
and soon .40 smith

My 1911 is a Thompson Auto Ordnance that has been extensively reworked, is smoother than a baby's butt, has in excess of 25,000 rounds thru it, all my handloads, and has been a constant friend for over 25 years... My youngest son has already put in a claim on it when i have no further need of it...
 
I have a Smith And Wesson Military and Police (M&P) 9mm, I'd recommend looking into it, its an excellent choice.
 
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