Recommendation based on experience?

[Girodin]

Jrdolall nailed it. The question is so vague that any answer you get is basically worthless. This is kind of shown by the fact that it took exactly one post to get a ridiculous and nonsense response. I own or have owned 9x19 pistols from about a dozen different manufacturers. Saying major maker A is better than major maker B without qualification or explanation is absurd.

Reality is there are lots of guns out there that are really good. Many generally good manufactures put out the occasional problematic gun. Some models have had to under go design changes and thus when the gun was made can matter. Whether a particular difference is better or worse comes down to personal preference and what types of things one places the most value on. Guns suited for one task are garbage for another. My 6 shot tiny kahr serves a very differe t purpose than my 17 shot double stack 1911 with a may well adjustable rear and fiber optic front.

For a general purpose gun I really like my VP9 it's probably become my favorite 9x19. If I was making a blind recommendation without knowing the person or intended use I'd probably recommend a Glock 19. It just does so much right and can be adapted to so many uses. If one 9mm had to do it all for me that might be the one. It works for ccw, training classes, idpa, home defense w/ a light and a can, etc.

 

[bluzman]

Ok, I'll chime in. The question is too light on details (e.g., potential owner's intended use, level of pistol experience, etc.). Clearly that hasn't deterred the fans of striker fired pistols from assuming that that's the right (only?) solution. Just kidding .

My first pistol was a FS M&P9 which I've since sold. I bought it after renting one as well as a Glock 19 and shooting a friend's SA XD-9. It was a reliable pistol. It had an awful trigger which, after a couple of thousand rounds, smoothed out. Subsequently, I added an SA XD-40 Service which I still have.

Anyway, for the sake of having a broader base of information, let me offer a couple of other 9mm for consideration. I own both a Sig P938 (my EDC) and a Kimber Tactical Pro II (sometimes carry). I have also shot a friend's 9mm Kimber Pro Carry (his EDC) on several occasions. These are all single action, hammer-fired firearms which are meant to be carried "cocked and locked". Each has a steel slide and an aluminum frame. All are reliable and, as long as the shooter does his part, accurate. Just sayin'.

 

[Welding Rod]

Having been a shooting enthusiasts for over 30 years, my recommendations:

1. Buy a full or service sized gun even if you plan to conceal it.

2. Buy a gun that has exactly the same trigger pull on every shot.

3. Buy a gun that goes from intended carry condition to firing by only grabbing and pulling the trigger.

4. Buy a gun with a good magazine capacity (in 9mm so you can afford to shoot it a lot)

5. Buy a gun that is easy to strip and clean, and which requires little of this.

6. Put as much or more thought into the holster as the gun itself.

Since the thread is still active I guess I will be more specific. I would go with a gun such as a Glock, M&P, or the like. They have variants that meet all of the criteria above. Personally however after owning both of the former and dozens of other handguns, I have settled on the XDM line for my carry / bedside / competition guns.

In addition to meeting the criteria I listed above, I like their trigger, their ergonomics, and I like the grip safety since I ride a motorcycle and have some concern about the potential for a negligent discharge if the gun comes out of the holster in a crash and goes skittering through the brush with or without me on top of it.

 

[Bama Drifter]

OK, I'll play... +1 Glock 19

Glock 19. As it has been said already, I will reiterate: the G19 transitions smoothly from a nightstand gun, to CCW, to open carry, to range use... It may just be the perfect package (esp. if you have medium to smaller hands). I have it in OD green and original black. Both are gen 3; never have had a failure with these as they are boringly reliable.

Mostly I shoot Brown Bear & Tula for practice, whichever is cheapest, and keep Winchester PDX1 124gr +P loaded up for social use. If you have BIG hands then the above may not apply as you'd prefer a G17 or an M&P from Smith. Go striker fired though. It is much simpler. YMMV

 

[JDR]

Put a CZ 75B, a Sig P228, a Sig M11-A1, a Glock 17, and an HK P30 in front of your friend at your LGR, with a big pile of Wally-World range ammo, and let the tightest groups on the targets determine which gun(s) is (are) best. The correct answer is that there is more than one correct answer, if you could disassemble al five & take the best parts and build one Frankengun, that would be the perfect 9mm service pistol. I own all five of these guns and I'm still trying to figure this out for myself, but I'm having a lot of fun trying anyway!

 

[Zerodefect]

Glock thread.
19, 17, 34

Or go .40:
23, 22, 35

Can't ever go wrong with a Glock 23 or 19.

I'd also recommend a Dan Wesson 1911, as usual, but that's hardly a beginner gun.

 

[d'zaster]

HK P2000. Great trigger. Completely reliable and accurate. If a steel frame is preferred, SW 639 is also an excellent choice (mine has a super short trigger reset).

 

[SwampWolf]

In my personal experience, just about any Smith & Wesson "Third Generation" pistol will be as reliable, accurate and well-made as any semi-auto ever made. Though discontinued, they can still be found for relatively affordable prices-though I predict they will continue escalating in price as the supply diminishes. Get one while you can still buy one relatively cheaply is my advice.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

There's a lot of great 9mm's out there.

The only one I own right now is a Wilson Combat/Beretta 92 Brigadier Tactical. It's a fantastic shooter and with the Wilson trigger job it is a joy on the range.

Based on my HK45, I'd strongly recommend looking at an HK P30 as they are pretty close in design.

 

[Darkhorse]

Thanks for all the input, especially from everyone who understood that I'm working with minimal information. It's very helpful.