Help me spend $600

[.357 magnum]

Sw-mp

Sig's are very good guns. But if you want to stay at 600 or less and you want an awesome 9mm, then I would get the Smith-MP. I have one in a .40 caliber. Absolutely perfect for smaller hands with the interchangeable grips. The MP is a great shooter. Easy to clean and mine has been completely reliable. I have put about 700 rounds through it so far. It shoots everything. No trouble with hollow points of any kind. The MP recoil is straight back and even in a .40 cal it is comfortable and easy to shoot. The MP is awesome!

http://www.gunblast.com/SW_MP9.htm

The best to you and Yours!

Frank

 

[Lonestar49]

No Sig 9mm for 600 bucks, unless

Quote: I like a gun with a decocker, safety, double then single action, 10-15 round magazine, and grips small enough for smaller hands. So far, I have leaned heavily towards the 9mm. I don't know whether to prefer stainless or not.
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...

Good choice, a Sig P226 9mm, but not NIB for 600 bucks, unless you find a nice used one, that may work.

In regards to Stainless or not, if not, take a look at the Beretta Px4 9mm, NIB for around 600 bucks. Can tell you they are accurate, dependable, reliable, and ONE of the EASIEST guns to field strip, disassemble, inspect, clean, and reassemble out there, bar none.

I can also tell you that the grips are made for small hands, along with 2 additional backstraps, in case you want to make the grip a tad smaller, or bigger.

Look for a new one that comes with real Night Sights, that would be a bonus, as opposed to the older supernova glow sights.. not that good IMO.

Mags hold whatever your State allows, 10, 14, 17, rounds

If not a Beretta, then I'd say for 600 bucks, and possibly a choice of stainless or black, CZ 9mm. Heavier gun, a bit harder to rack the slide, thumb cock the trigger into SA mode, (which is why I went with Beretta, smooth action, easy, and the trigger pulls are fantastic, out of the box.

Only other thing, IF you want a "safety" then Beretta offers that, along with a decocker, all in one, where as, IIRC, CZ's only offer decocker only, no safety.


Good luck,


LS


PS.. I have 4900 rounds out my Px4 40cal with no jams, no failures to fire, just 100%, as well as many other Px4 owners with 9mm, one friend I know, who uses his for competitions has over 8000 rounds out his without any failures.. ever.

 

[bigred82]

Since you say that it will not be for concealed carry - I would suggest you go with your first instinct - get a CPO P226. If you prefer a W. German - you should be able to find one of those in your price range as well. When guys online talk about SIGs being really expensive - that is because their research has only entails going to SIG's website. A 5 minute search will prove many available locations for under $600 SIGs that are in good condition. Here is one of many dealers that have CPOs: http://mactec-militaryarms.com/sigsauer.html (btw, I have no connection with them and also haven't done any business with them - so i can't tell you about their service.)

If you want a P226 - go to sigforum.com and look at their classifieds section - you might find a good deal there - and also you will find some of the best online dealers on the market. I have done business with 2 different companies that have more than impressed me with their service and here is my shameless plug for them: Steve at SCP firearms - http://www.scpfirearms.com/products.php?cat=firearms and Keith at CDNN - http://cdnninvestments.com/ -- a quick call to either will render alot of information. Last time I called CDNN - they had a very good to excellent used P226 for under $450. I would suggest buying a used - in good condition P226 - and spend the rest of your money + some and send it to Bruce Gray for a trigger & action job. - this would be a much better route than a NIB SIG.

The P226 fits your criteria to a T - as does the HK P2000V3 and the CZ P-01, which is what I will be buying next as I already have the P2000, G19, and P226. (It is my opinion that the P226/228, P2000, and P-01 are the best DA/SA autos on the market.)

Glocks, XDs, M&Ps, etc do not fit your criteria as they do not have decockers nor are they DA/SA - I don't think everyone fully reads an OP before replying.

Now if you said that you were shopping for something to carry - I wouldn't suggest the P226 - it is large. But since that is not the goal, the P226 will be great as a range/HD gun. It has a good sight radius. For carry I would suggest the P2000 or the P-01. Honestly, I go back and forth between which I like more between my G19 and the P2000 when it comes to compacts. My P226 is my baby - I wouldn't think of carrying it.

The truth is that unless you have amazingly more willpower than the rest of us - this will not be the last handgun you buy, so with that in mind - the question should be "which one do you want to buy first?"

P.S. - ok, so apparently I don't read the OP that well either! The P226 does not have an external safety. Now, I would argue that you don't need an external safety, but if this is one of your criteria - then the P226 does not fit it.

In fact, as far as I know (and I am sure I am forgetting several) - right now I can only think of 4 handguns that would fit your criteria for a DA/SA w/ a decocker AND an external safety - Beretta Px4, IMI Baby Eagle, HK USP and HK USP compact. For carry - the USP compact is great (same size as the P2000) - for range, the fullsize USP would be very controllable. Now here's the kicker, NIB USPs are just above your price range. I think CDNN has them for $659. You may be able to find a used one below $600 - but I wouldn't know where to find one. The Baby Eagle and the Px4 are both within your price range, and both fit all of your criteria - but the safety is on the slide. They fits the rules the best, but I personally despise slide safeties.

My suggestion (and only because I don't like slide safties) - forget the external safety - learn to control your primary safety (trigger finger) and buy the P226. Good luck!

 

[.357 magnum]

+1 too Lonestar.

I know I recommended the MP-but Lonestar has suggested another Excellent gun. My next gun purchase is going to be a 9mm [I have a bus load of .45's] Along side the MP, I have noticed the Beretta Storm also gets some great reviews. The MP and he Beretta Storm are a couple of excellent choices both have really nice grips and are accurate shooters. If you need an external safety then the Beretta is the way to go. Very tough choice between these two, but you can narrow it down according to your needs.

The Best to All!

Frank

 

[defjon]

I just picked up a Sig P226. Same criteria as you...the safety issue will end up being a non issue, almost certainly. YOU WILL NOT BE LET DOWN!


My fiancee has stolen my 226 for all intensive purposes .

I think I'll get a RIA .45, simply out of spite!

BTW...shop around, some West German sigs are in great condition. Mine ran me, LNIB practically, 449 OTD. Great, great, great deal...with two factory mags and 3 after market hicaps that work fine.

Good luck! Bersas own, btw!

 

[Tom Fury]

S&W 3913, 6906, 457 or 4516

 

[milo z]

Sig or CZ, you're in good shape either way.

Had a CPO P226R for a few months, but I never fell in love with - don't like decockers and the DA/SA transition. It was accurate, good SA trigger and as 3-dot night sights go they were good.