best hi-cap 9mm? your opinions and thoughts

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Steel SW

An interesting and reliable alternative to those mentioned is the S&W 3rd generation pistol......5906 fullsize and 6906 compact. I believe the 5906 is all SS and the 6906 is SS with an aluminum(alloy) frame. 15 and 12 rounds respectively.
 
I don't own one, but because I like the ergo's, I'd check out the Para P18.

Of the guns I've got, the sig 226 is nice. X-Five.
 
As mentioned before, I would definitely consider the XD or XDM. But really, go down to your local gun store and hold some of the many choices suggested here. Point them, dry fire them, and see what feels most natural for you.
 
Chris - If you really are going to buy only one gun this year and it's going to be a 9mm, I would suggest you go to the gun show and pick up several to see how they feel in your hands. Find 2-4 that you really like and them go to a local range that rents guns and try them out.

It may cost you $100 or so to evaluate these guns at the range, but I think it is a great investment if you really plan on holding onto a gun. There are so many great 9mms out there and they can feel so very different when handling an shooting them.

Try not to get caught up in the emotion of buying the gun - there are many slick sales guys who will come up with all sorts of crap on why their gun is the best gun for you. If you can - take a few days to sleep on your decision and evaluate some other guns for comparison.

People have already mantioned several good guns here. Some basics you might want to think about:

Is this gun for primarily for concealed carry, glove box or range/plinking?
This question helps determine the size of the gun.

Do you want Polymer or metal?
If metal - aluminum or steel?
If Steel - stainless?
(they get heavy for long carry)

Do you want a gun with a safety?

Traditional Double Action, some type of Glock/safe/whatever they call it action, or Single Action?

Where do you like your mag release, safety and slide release to be?

I don't really expect you to have answers for all these questions, but as you look over the different guns at the show, they are something to think about.

I've been on a 3rd Gen S&W kick, but I do have a Browning Hi-Power, Glock 19 & 17, Walther P88 & P99, CZ85, H&K USP, Kahr, Sig 220 (.45), and some othwers.

Why the S&W 3rd Generation guns? - no concealed carry in my state so it's mostly range time for me, and at the range I like all stainless steel, traditional double action guns with a safety that I can put 100,000 rounds through and still pas on to my grandchildren. A S&W 5906TSW is all that, have been on the used market for reasonable prices, and I shoot them well.


Or you can just do like many of us - buy a gun, shoot it, handle it, figure out if you really like it or not. Sell or trade it in for something else. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Go back to one of the guns you previously owned. Etc. Etc.

You may wind up doing this anyway...
 
good post clang. i wish there was a sticky in this section that read, "what to get for my first gun?"

i don't remember if i posted it in this thread or another... i knew a guy DEAD SET ON GLOCK. after arguing with him for weeks... i brought him to a gun show. he narrowed it to glock, XD, M&P. rented all three, he walked away with an XD. now he thinks XD is the best ever made, lol.

rule #1 to buying your first gun: shop around. :)
 
BikerRN,

A Glock is a single action in function... sure they call it a "safe action" and that may be true, but in actual practice it operates like a single action. Cock the weapon (rack the slide) pull trigger, if it goes bang you're good (99.9% of the time), if it doesn't go bang you must "tap, rack, bang".

CZ's are mostly SA/DA (the Phantom listed in the OP is), and offer "second stike" capability.

Okay... I'd take the SP-01 Phantom because I have quite a bit of experience with the CZ-75 platform - all good. Of the others I think I'd try the Springfield XD-M.
 
Thanks guys, great advice so far. To answer some of clangs and others questions, this gun will most likely not be carried. I will be using it mostly at the range and in PA for "fun". But as for any handgun I buy, I would like it to be excellent quality, dependable and accurate in the case that I ever need to use it as a carry or for simple hd. I also have this obscure notion to get my wife to try shooting and I believe a 9mm would be a good round for that. That may or may not happen. And although a childish thought i just want a hi-cap 9. I always have. I bought a DE 44 for no other reason except I wanted it and it has become my favorite gun to shoot so its not all that bad of reasoning. I am not partial to steel or polymer, US or foreign. I am not into fancy grips or finishes, I actually prefer all black. I have been told by all my friends I should own at least 1 sa like a 1911 or hi-power but cocked and locked just looks unsafe to me. I know its more an unfounded perception but I've never owned one so I wouldn't really know. Maybe I should find out for myself. Since it probably will not become a regular carry I don't really care where the mag release and slide lever are, I can get used to it. And yes I believe every gun I own should have a safety.

I will be ck'n into the 3rd gen s&w tommorrow.

I never expected to get so much great advice and info here and I am very grateful. I know everyones time is valuable so thanks again. Maybe I can return the favor one day.
Chris
 
I have three favorites Beretta PX4 Storm (17 rounds),

XD9sc (10/16 rounds), and XDm (19 rounds in 9mm or 16 rounds in 40). You will not go wrong with any of these. All are great.
 
Having been through the USP, the XD, the P99 and having extensively shot my wife's two M&Ps, my favorite is my Beretta PX-4 in 9mm.

I have five 17 round mags and three 20 round magazines for it, and I love the pistol. I love my 1911s more still, but if I answer the door at night to an unexpected knock, it's with that Beretta, a streamlight on its rail, and 21 147 grain JHPs on tap.
 
There are lots of good choices out there in high capacity 9s. For a decent range gun I would suggest looking at 9mm with 5" or longer barrel. The longer sight radius is a plus for target shooting. You may want to take a good look at one of my favorite 9mm range guns the Glock 34.

Springfield XD also has a 5" 9mm version. As does S&W in the M&P.
 
Definitely try first - at least fit if not actual shooting. In my life I have gone with cash in hand to gun shops at least twice, maybe three times dead-set on buying a Glock. Everytime I chose not to after handling them at the counter. Just not a good "feel" for me, but for others...just like a glove.

You can get an idea of dependability, ease of operation, accuracy, etc. from reading here. Use that info and pics available to narrow down to a few you like. (Yes, looks count!) If you'd rather not try to rent/borrow/shoot them all, that'd be ok, I think. Pretty much all the brands mentioned will be accepatbly reliable and accurate, so go ahead and buy the one that feels best in your hand, even if you don't get to shoot an example of it first.
 
I agree with Clang. Find one that feels good in your hand, ie fits right. Then go shoot it. I was all set to buy a xd until I shot it. Felt like I had a stick of butter in my hand. Same with the glock for me. Now my Browning and my Sig with houges are just right. But I carry my Smith. TRY, Try, Try then buy.
 
I am going to the gun shop I got my hk from monday. Its right down the street and he has a big selection. He has alot of different pistols, although not many 9mm, there are some in the same frames/models I am looking at just different calibers. It should give me a good head start for the gun show in 2 weeks.
Oh and Marlin I have small hands I am a pretty small guy in general 5'8 150 lbs.
 
I, being an engineer, tried the technical evaluation method of handgun choice. I read every article available. Then after taking the "experts" advice I went through buying and selling a half dozen before I accidentaly ended up with a customized Colt Lightweight Commander and an East German Makarov.
Both are reliable and I can shoot them accurately, unlike the others I tried. The Mak is small eough for concealed carry and one of the very few DA autoloaders I can shoot accurately.
Neither would make a list of "best" or most advanced but they are MY personal best.
 
Another vote for the FNP-9

FNM0047mb.png


Model
FNP-9, DA/SA,
Caliber / Ga.
9mm
Magazine Capacity
16
Barrel Length
4"
Overall Length
7 3/8"
Weight
24.8 oz.
Operating Principle
DA/SA
Stock / Grip
Interchangeable arched and flat backstrap insert

Price: around $500
 
Last edited:
+1 On Glock 17, 19

BurningSquirrels said:
you can get a police trade in on a glock 17 or 19 pretty cheap, and it'll work just fine.
Absolutely. LOTS of those are available on a budget - so many law enforcement agencies have traded them in on "bigger better" that it's easy to find one around $350, and Glocks are utterly dependable and sturdy. It takes an incredible amount of shooting to wear anything out on one. "Trick parts" like the Ghost connector for lighter trigger, oversized safety and takedown tabs, night sights, blah blah, are so common because the Glock is so common. Lightweight firepower. Nothing against the others listed here,
but the way I see it, if value without sacrificing function is a priority, it's very hard to beat the Glock.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Ruger SR9 yet. My wife has one, it is very comfortable, 17+1 capacity, polymer frame, Stainless slide, and you can "flip" the back of the handgrip for bigger/smaller hands.

My wife's is very accurate, recoil isn't bad, and it has a very good "Feel" to it.

I'd add one to your list to fondle, it's a very good gun :)
 
whatever feels best to you!! fondle every wonder nine at that show!
For my money it's Steyr M9A1 (or original M9 if you can find) and XD(M).
Walther P99, sig 226/229, S&W M&P, Ruger P89/94, CZ75, and FNP are also contenders, but budget won't let me have all of them. I do not like the grip of glocks and think the px4 family is unbalanced and top heavy, but that is ME, this is YOUR gun.

ANY gun mentioned in this thread is a valid choice. As long as you are in the top tier makers (no Hi-Point) there is not a "bad" choice.
 
I shoot a CZ75B and have had occassion to shoot the SP01 'Custom Shop' version as well as a Phantom worked by the custom shop.
The CZ Custom shop SP01 & Phantom are really impressive to shoot. They definitely move to a higher level. If you shoot one you'll want it.
One other benefit is that all 75B up mags work in either gun. The 75B 16rd mags can be had for $18. The 19rd's are considerably more and harder to find.

These guns with the firing pin interrupt removed have super triggers. I only recommend them for range or action shooting uses.
 
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