Posted on 06/10/2011 7:29:23 PM PDT by gop4lyf
I am going to a gun show on Sunday and I have narrowed it down to 4 choices. I am not looking for a concealed/carry model since it will be for range shooting and home defense only. I also am not looking for a higher caliber, 9mm only. Does anyone have and experience/opinions on any of these? any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Ruger SR9 Springfield XD9 Taurus PT809 Sig Sauer P250
The XD9 is the only one that i have actually fired. I have held the Ruger and it felt fine in my hand.
Friends don’t let friends buy 9mm .45ACP ONLY!
Glock sub com. Great gun.
My current 9mm handguns are: Glock 19 and Beretta M9. Different as night and day, but both have been superb.
You can't miss me, I'll be the guy wear a Ranger's Cap and a Mav's T-shirt :-)
THe Ruger SR9 would be a good one.
If you were going for the Springfield, get the XDM model (newest). Nicer grip, more capacity.
I have a Taurus 709 Slim. It has been flawless through over a thousand rounds of numerous types of ammo. I love the way it fits my hand and it can be carried in a holster or pocket in most types of pants. I love it! It is a single stack and you must clean it right out of the box before shooting it, but, for my money, it is a sweet little 9mm.
Without regard to your choices, beware the gun-show fares. Yours may differ, but most I’ve been to have far more overpriced guns than bargains.
You and everyone else!
May as well buy a .38 Spcl. Go for a S&W .40 or .45 ACP Terminal ballistics are better. I presume your going light for a reason but for the life of me I can’t understand why if it is self defense your concerned about.
So the question is - if it’s NOT for concealed, then why 9mm?
I have a hard time recommending anything 9mm for home defense.
That being said, I *did* purchase a Baretta PX4 Storm *Subcompact* recently for concealed carry purposes. (They have non-subcompact models, too.) It’s a very well thought out pistol with surprising accuracy for a subcompact, so I imagine the non-subcompact is an even better shooter.
Biggest complaint? No chamber window.
I have a S&W .38 and a 12 gauge that I am currently using for home defense, so maybe this is just going to be a new toy.
:)
Do not overlook CZ handguns
I'm kind of a traditionalist so if I was forced to go with a 9mm I'd probably opt for a Browning Hi-Power, CZ75BD or a Beretta M92/M9 or Or a Taurus PT92.
Having said that, unless you have a compelling reason for a 9mm, I'd really reconsider looking at upgrading to .38 Super, .357 Sig, .40 S&W, 10mm, or of course .45ACP if this is to be used for personal defense.
Avoid the Taurus!!
Get the venerable Glock 17, a reliable classic.
Get any 9mm you like, as long as it is in .45.
Beretta 92FS, Italian
Sig Sauer P226 is truly an excellent handgun
the P228 is a bit more compact. I don’t like it for my hand and prefer the P226.
I also love the Browning HiPower.
While these are not on your list, they still are excellent handguns.
I think all your choices are OK. I know you are limiting your discussion to these particular guns but there are better ones out there.
There is one oddball which I absolutely love. It is the Helwan 9mm. It is made in Egypt and is a quality gun. It is a copy of the Beretta 1951 Brigadier. I have owned enough of them that I actually like them better than the Beretta model 92. They are single action and have an 8 shot mag.
Another great one which seems to fit everyone’s hand and which beginners seem to shoot better than most is the Browning Hi-power. It is single action but very high capacity mags are available. If you want to save money, get an Argentine made one. They are of equal or even better quality yet with a plain finish. I had one which just would not jam no matter what I fed it and that included some reloads I had made many years ago in high school using a Lee loader and a pipe crimping tool so the bullets would stay in the case. It fed it all including some sub-machine gun ammo.
Probably the best is the Sig P-226. The current Beretta model 92 is the best one yet and is a great gun. They have recently made some subtle changes to improve already great reliability.
If you can find a post war Walther P-4 at a good price it is a Walther P-38 lookalike but with greatly improved mechanics. It also is accurate and reliable.
I do not like the various Ruger P series as they mostly don’t feel good in my hand. If they do feel good in yours they are a terrific bargain.
Another odd but great one is the Argentine Bersa. They have changed the models slightly but they are all good.
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