H&K or Sig

Ex- You're the only person who can decide how to run your gun but I don't recommend cocking on the draw stroke with a hammer fired DA/SA. Cocking is a fine motor skill and those are the first to go in a fight or flight response.

I prefer to draw, come on target as I am pressing the gun out and if I am going to fire, let my finger start pressing the trigger as I finish my press out with the gun going bang just as my forward press stops. I hold the trigger back and listen/feel the reset and hold there as I decide on my second shot. At that point any subsequent shots are fired from reset.

In a "typical" defensive encounter, which most of us will never encounter (hopefully), I doubt you will ever even see your sights. Most shooters I've talked to after force-on-force classes admit to basically point shooting, especially at close distances or "typical" contact distances. In such cases minute of pie plate accuracy will usually be sufficient. That's my two cents, other's will disagree and claim to be able to put three shots inside a quarter at 25 yards in 2.5 seconds including draw stroke but I don't see that as a probable scenario. Others will disagree.

If you get an opportunity, watch a video on the HK LEM on Youtube or better yet, handle one if you can. It's almost like a single-action but with a long, really light take-up. Almost like a two-stage trigger on a rifle. Trigger reset is still pretty short. And it's consistent pull-to-pull.

Personally I would not advocate trying to cock-and-draw. If you want first round SA, I would get a manual safety variant of the HK or SIG.

I currently have/had several sigs and a few H&K's (USP and p7's only). I don't like the HK triggers. If you weren't going to CCW I'd say P229 all day long. It points really naturally for me and shoots very well. If carrying a thicker pistol isn't a problem that's what I'd go with (as long as you shoot it well).

That being said...even though I don't have a G19 at the moment (I carry an XDM). If I could only have one pistol it'd be a G19. I've owned many and they always do the job well. My XDM shoots lights out all day, but the finish doesn't hold up as well as a Glock.

Not everyone likes the grip of a Glock though so it might not be your thing. The G19 (third gen) is my favorite. Very sturdy, no safeties or decockers to fiddle with and has a very consistent trigger. If I had to carry one thing through all kinds of crud for the rest of my life I'd trust it to hold up the best.

Jerry

I sold a 229 about 6 months ago to get some parts for my bike thinking I would just replace it in a couple months. I love Sigs, great pistols. I have had several.

When it came time to replace it I was shopping around and couldn't help but notice how prices have dropped dramatically on some of the HK models. I figured what the hell, try a P2000. I immediately took to the way the P2000 aims and shoot it better than the sigs. The grip feels better, I like the position of the decocker too.

I don't think I will buy another Sig and will buy another HK for sure, next one will be a USP Compact I think.

everything everyone is saying is accurate and true imho. I have owned a sig p229 in 40/357 and it was a great shooter. To this day that gun was the softest shooting 40 I've owned and the 357 sig cartridge was a blast (pun intended). I bought the gun with the intent on carrying it and it was just too thick and heavy to carry comfortably on a daily basis. I purchased a glock 23 shortly after I got the sig and while it isn't a better gun it fit the carry role a lot better as it weighs less, is thinner, and has higher capacity. Just so happen my range buddy who shot with me once or twice a week had picked up a p2000 in 40 so I got more than fair amount of trigger time with it also. The p2000 was nice but I remember thinking I would really like this gun in 9mm instead of 40. It was fairly snappy and the da trigger was just not as good as the sig. I also picked up a usp 45c around that time and while it is thick its also lighter than the sig and I could carry cocked and locked if wanted. The Hk is the softest shooting compact 45 I've shot as well. In the end my buddy sold the p2000 for a glock 19, I sold the p229 for a 1911 and kept the usp and glock 23. Both of which are still in my carry rotation today. The glock 19/23 size, weight, capacity and simple operation make it a very good contender for any role you need it in. Glock does everything well but nothing great or simply put is a jack of all trades and king of nothing.

I have Sigs, HKs and Glocks mostly. You did not mention what trigger options those guns had. DAO or DA/SA. They do come in both. I have Sigs in DAO, SA, DA/SA. Same with HKs.

A Sig DA/SA P229 sits in my night table. A HK P30 with a light LEM trigger is my desk gun and a Glock 19 is my living room gun. Each has a laser and light.

Sigs are heavy guns and will absorb recoil better than a lighter gun. All three brands are reliable. The HK P2000 is selling for much less than what I paid for it when it first came out. That is probably due to HK replacing that model with its P30 line which has a selection of backstrap and side panels which are required by many agencies and civilians these days.

For my night table gun I usually like a DA/SA or revolver. I wake up groggy and I do not want to be fumbling for a gun with a 5.5 lb. trigger in the dark. I am not about to turn on my bedroom lights and give away my position. Plus the Sigs have night sights and they are great in the dark or dim light. If you like Sigs, may I suggest you get the P226. Longer sight radius and capacity. Makes a great HD and range gun. I own the P229 and P226. The P226 is what I take to the range while the P229 does HD and is carried with the Sig .357 barrel installed instead of the .40 cal. one.

Hks are great. I must have had 8 of them pass through my hands in the last 5 years. They are very accurate and soft shooters. Never had one jam on me. However, they are polymer which it good for carry but not needed for HD and the range. Personally I have no problem with a regular gun grip but some love the customizable grips on the HK P30 or HK VP9. I had a VP9 and to tell the truth, I did not think it was up to HK standards in workmanship. It is a nice shooting gun though. I just cannot find a comfortable combination of grips panels that are better than a Glock or Sig grip. Maybe that is due to 45 years of shooting guns with non customizable grips.

If I was told that I can only keep one gun, despite finding Glocks soulless and lacking pride of ownership, I would select a Glock 19. I always seem to have one while my other guns come and go. However, that is because it is well suited to HD, CCW and the Range. Some even compete with it at local matches. If I did not carry, I would go with a Sig P229 or P226 with a short reset trigger. Those triggers are fantastic for shooting fast and accurate. However, you would need to get used to the transition from DA to SA. I do not think that is as hard as some say since I competed with a DA/SA against Glocks and I occasionally won some prized money.

So, aside from your gun choices, which contain no bad choices, the type of trigger is also very important. A DA/SA is safer in my opinion, for a HD gun but a Glock is easier to shoot, sometimes before you are ready.

I'm with the guy that recommended the PPQ if that is legal in the "Gun Hate State". Second choice would be the Glock 19. IMO Sig=Way over priced, H&K = over priced. Walther = good value for price. Glock = good value for price. The Sig would be the last on my list (heavy = not much fun to carry, will shoot no better than other choices, but cost almost twice as much). I'd find a range that rents your choices and try them out before you decide.

I'd go with the P2000SK out of those two choices. Especially since you are CA limited to 10 rounds anyway.

I have a 229 in 40/357 sig. Also have a P30 which I have heard is fairly close to the 2000 and I love them both. The P30 however is 9mm and is lighter than the 229 but, I have both in my CC rotation.

H&K or Sig

You might want to look at 9mm options. Bullet technology in premium defense ammo has almost completely eliminated any advantage of the 40 over 9. This is the primary reason many police agencies at all levels have abandoned the 40 and 357 Sig in favor of the 9. The main advantage of the 40 over 9 is intermediate barrier penetration. If shooting through auto glass or car bodies isn't a requirement, stay with 9.

With respect to the pistol platform, I recommend a Sig p239 over all others.

The Glock 10 round low capacity mags are notoriously unreliable, something I've witnessed personally. Besides, why carry a gun with air in the magazine? A gun designed around an 8 or 10 round magazine will be slimmer and sized correctly for the task.

The p239 is more compact than the p229, and removes the "air magazine" issue.

HKs are great, but consider an HK45 over the others. This is a big pistol, though. Maybe the compact?