Recommend a 9mm handgun

[Tod]

I've never fired a glock but held them... the ones I've held were too thick, didn't feel right in my hands. Not sure what model I was holding though...

My hands are fairly small and I found that the .45 glocks felt too large for my hands. The 19/23 and 26/27 felt very good though.

 

[Confederate]

S&W/Walther P99 - Just a dang great gun, period.

I have one. Great gun, looks very nice, shoots great, very light, good size.

 

[pcosmar]

Calico M950 9mm "pistol" with 50 rounds magazine.

That is a 9mm pistol.


http://world.guns.ru/smg/usa/calico-e.html

 

[Aeroneous]

1. Weed out pistols that you do not shoot accurately
2. Next criteria is either conceal ability or capacity, depending on your needs

I second this. The best gun is the one you are most comfortable with. There are some exceptions to this... obviously you wouldn't want to buy a garbage pistol even if you shoot accurately with it.

I'm not a Glock hater, but I have yet to fire one that I actually like. There is no doubt, though, that Glock makes outstanding firearms. For me it's just a personal preference thing. Do you have a shop/range near you that lets you rent pistols? You REALLY need to get out there and shoot a pistol before you buy it, unless you're just buying for collection purposes. I fired about 15 different pistols before I settled on mine (Ruger SR9c). Don't get into the "this brand or bust" mentality. There are plenty of good manufacturers out there, so at least give the obvious choices a shot (and don't forget to shoot the different size variants of each model):

Beretta 92FS
Springfield XD
S&W M&P
Glock (17, 26, etc.)
Ruger (SR9, LC9, etc.)
Kahr K9/MK9
Sig Sauer (P226, P250, etc.)
Walther P99

There are plenty to choose from. Figure out if you like a wider or narrower grip. If the former, look at the double stack options, and if the latter look for single stack options. Beyond that there are some minor things to consider. Do you prefer an external safety? Do you care if the pistol has a slide release vs. a slide lock? Does the pistol need to have ambidextrous features? Just make sure you fire it before you buy it... that's one tip that usually won't lead you in the wrong direction.

 

[Cleaner44]

Glock 19. Compact 9mm.

Glock 17 is a bit bigger than I would want to carry and and the 26 is a subcompact which feels too small for me.

 

[roho76]

I just bought a Glock 27 earlier for my wife to carry. It's the .40 version of the model 26. It's a very nice gun and concealable.

 

[osan]

What do you all like? I prefer a subcompact with hi-cap... is there a good mix between the 2?

I am open to a smaller full size one too.

Go with a .40 Smith. Hits a LOT harder than 9mm and can be loaded all kinds of hot.

If you're not of the 1911 mind, which is a different one than that of, say, a Glock then I would go with the XD-40 subcompact. Bought one for my wife and have been carrying it ever since. Point. Shoot. My 1911 mind is rotting away and I regret it but at the moment I no longer have a 1911, though I hope to remedy that sooner than later.

The XD is 10+1 with the short mags and something like 16+1 with the full length mag.

 

[osan]

Thanks all

What about a Sig P250?

SIGs are very good pistols. I have a 25 year old 220 and it is perhaps the most accurate out-of-the-box .45 combat pistol on the planet and super reliable.

The down-side is cost. SIGs are $$ compared with so many other pistols such as the XDs. If you have the cash burning a hole in your pocket a .45 ACP 220 compact is a REALLY nice carry gun, but it is single stack IIRC.

 

[Danke]

I would love to recommend a 9mm, only it would be a .40S&W

Ya, I carry a H&K using .40 HP.

 

[osan]

shoot a pistol before you buy it, unless you're just buying for collection purposes. I fired about 15 different pistols before I settled on mine (Ruger SR9c). Don't get into the "this brand or bust" mentality. There are plenty of good manufacturers out there, so at least give the obvious choices a shot (and don't forget to shoot the different size variants of each model):

Beretta 92FS

This is a truly wretched piece of junk. They are not that well made - the Taurus clones are actually notably superior and that really says something.

The 92 is a re-gussied Walther P38. It has the same trigger, safety, and locking system. The worst aspect, though, is the very high bore line resulting in unacceptable muzzle climb. And Beretta has the nerve to charge lots of $$ for them as well. I have heard their feed-reliability is questionable as well, but have no first hand experience as I find the pistols revoltingly unpleasant to shoot. YMMV. The armed forces seem to really hate them and I have heard there is at least a partial move back to the .45 ACP.

 

[muzzled dogg]

ruger lc9 is straight if you can get passed the trigger pull

 

[youngbuck]

I've never fired a glock but held them... the ones I've held were too thick, didn't feel right in my hands. Not sure what model I was holding though...

My sister didn't like Glocks because the grip was too large/thick for her. She settled on a Springfield XD subcompact in 9mm. I shot it yesterday and liked it more than I thought. I've been a Glock owner for 12 years, so I wouldn't switch to an XD. But if Glocks didn't exist, I'd probably look at XDs and Smith & Wesson M&Ps.

 

[AFPVet]

With hot loads, the 9mm is fine. The .40 is basically a short 10mm that uses a 9mm frame which means that they don't last as long as the other calibers. Personally, I prefer the 10mm over the .40 for many reasons; however, the .45 is my go to gun for most applications. If it can't be done with a .45, you need a rifle or a shotgun.

 

[Danke]

The .40 is basically a short 10mm that uses a 9mm frame which means that they don't last as long as the other calibers.

Don't last as long? What is long?

 

[AFPVet]

Don't last as long? What is long?

Well, some of the other Glocks like the G20/G21 can go over 50,000 rounds versus probably around 20,000 for the .40. Granted, that's still a lot though.

 

[brushfire]

Don't last as long? What is long?

Maybe he's thinking of the older Browning HP's. The alloy frames had fatigue issues, as did their early slides. I suppose when the 40 first came out, manufacturers discovered their 9mm platform was not always perfect, as is, for .40SW.

That said, I'm fond of many handgun calibers, but the 40SW in particular. I've got thousands of rounds through 45's, 40's, and 9's - I've had to perform preventative maintenance on a few pistols, but they're all rock'n and rolling. I wouldn't hesitate to get any modern pistol chambered in 40SW.

All that said, .40sw +P and +P+ ammo may be a different story though, depending on what kind of pistol you have.
I would expect shorter service life, and possible safety issues, again, depending on what the firearm is rated for.

 

[Danke]

Well, some of the other Glocks like the G20/G21 can go over 50,000 rounds versus probably around 20,000 for the .40. Granted, that's still a lot though.

wow, I probably only shot 3000 rounds so far from my frequently used pistol. Will be a long time until I get to 20,000.

 

[Aeroneous]

This is a truly wretched piece of junk. They are not that well made - the Taurus clones are actually notably superior and that really says something.

The 92 is a re-gussied Walther P38. It has the same trigger, safety, and locking system. The worst aspect, though, is the very high bore line resulting in unacceptable muzzle climb. And Beretta has the nerve to charge lots of $$ for them as well. I have heard their feed-reliability is questionable as well, but have no first hand experience as I find the pistols revoltingly unpleasant to shoot. YMMV. The armed forces seem to really hate them and I have heard there is at least a partial move back to the .45 ACP.

I was just listing some of the more popular 9mm options. I am not a fan of the 92FS because I'm just not as accurate with it as I am with other pistols. I do, however, like the feel of the pistol when it shoots. Everything just feels very smooth and the recoil just feels nice. Still, accuracy and precision are what count in my book.

When I was enlisted ('06-'12) the DOD was contemplating switching to a .45 platform for the increased stopping power. The discussion kind of dissolved and they decided to stick with the 9mm. I know dozens, if not hundreds of military members who have qualified as expert marksmen with the M9 and have heard relatively few complaints. On the civilian side of things I have yet to find someone who actually likes it. To each his own, I guess. The OP should at least fire the 92FS and do their own research to see if it's a potential winner.

 

[oyarde]

I would not get a 9 , unless you are doing it for ammo reasons. I would go something else.

 

[Aeroneous]

I would not get a 9 , unless you are doing it for ammo reasons. I would go something else.

Why not?