Because of this thread...
...I took my Sig P232 blue, Beretta 84 and Sphinx AT380 to the range to do a "Which do I like best" test. I hadn't shot any of these guns in over a year. My intent was to bring home the target and post it, but I left it at the range.:banghead: No great loss to anyone, as they all shoot about the same, at least in my hands they do.
The Sig has the best grip, points well, has good sights. I have a Hogue grip that makes it very easy on the recoil. No doubt a classic.
The Beretta has the best trigger, has never faltered, never failed, boringly dependable. I like that. It shot high a few inches, or I did. Hmmmm.
The sights could be better. Mine has Pachmayr grips, a great grip, but it adds girth, and girth isn't needed on the Beretta.
The Sphinx isn't as popular or well known, but I really like this gun. It is very accurate, which is puzzling because the sights are not very good, definitely the weakest link in this otherwise superb gun. I like the trigger because it is smooth as butter.
I shot it the Shinx the best, followed by the Sig and close behind was the Beretta. Surprising because I usually shoot the Beretta very well as I carried it for years.
Classics are classic because they offer some intangible quality as well as good performance. When they hang around as long as some mentioned in the thread have, it is because they are special..and it's hard to wrong with any of them.
Wish I had the target...DOOH!