Top plastic pistols and why?

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Ill rank them in terms of popularity as I see it.

Glock
S&W M&P
Springfield XD

Why aren't the Ruger SR pistols talked about in the same sentences as those above? Aside from the magazine disconnect safety, I think the Rugers are great guns. Who else out there makes an underrated plastic pistol?
 
Why aren't the Ruger SR pistols talked about in the same sentences as those above?
They are more recent than the above 3. They have a thumb safety that those above for the most part have skipped, and people like simple. The SR had trigger issues and barrel peening issues when first introduced which may have left a bad taste in some buyers mouths.
Who else out there makes an underrated plastic pistol?
Bunches of them that are not as popular as the Glock, M&P, and XD. The SIG SP2022, Beretta PX4, CZ P07/P09, FN(whatever letter they are putting on their current guns), Walther P(whatever number or letter combo they are using), HK USP/P2000/P30, etc.
 
My view is backwards...who makes a plastic pistol that isn't overrated. Call me old fashioned but the plastics are abhorable compared to metal frames. It takes a thick piece of plastic to hold up like a piece of steel, and in my experience it makes the grips too bulky...to which only a very select few makers have addressed by the use of a single stack mag. Those are...
Keltec
Ruger (LC)
Kahr
 
My view is backwards...who makes a plastic pistol that isn't overrated. Call me old fashioned but the plastics are abhorable compared to metal frames. It takes a thick piece of plastic to hold up like a piece of steel, and in my experience it makes the grips too bulky...to which only a very select few makers have addressed by the use of a single stack mag. Those are...
Keltec
Ruger (LC)
Kahr

To be honest, nothing beats steel for long-term durability.
But I still carry my Single-Stack .45 XDs. It doesn't pull my pants down like a 1911. Easier to conceal, too.
 
It takes a thick piece of plastic to hold up like a piece of steel, and in my experience it makes the grips too bulky

The plastic guns are a lot thinner for the same strength than aluminum alloy and pretty close to steel. The lack of an added grip means the grip is thinner. That is a poor excuse.

Some guns are a lot more popular on the internet than in the real world, CZ's for example.

Other guns are a lot more popular in the real world than on the internet, Ruger SR pistols for example.

I think that if you look at actual sales the Rugers are doing quite well. You just have to remember that only a tiny fraction of gun owners participate on gun related forums like this. And we are usually not representative of the true cross section of gun owners.
 
Regarding the "in the real world" comment. Nearly all of my friends have Glock/M&P/XD not Ruger.

At IDPA meets it's nearly all 1911's, Glock/M&P/XDs.
 
Well, if you are at an IDPA event, I suspect any gun with a mag disconnect is unpopular.
 
Walther P99 would be my most underrated even though they've been around a while.
 
Other guns are a lot more popular in the real world than on the internet, Ruger SR pistols for example.

Not sure about the SR specifically but Ruger does outsell every manufacture regarding pistol sales.
 
+1 on the Steyrs. I consider my m40 to be at the same level of quality as my USP45.
They can be had for less than $300, if you look
 
Walther P99 would be my most underrated even though they've been around a while.

THIS.^

The P99AS is one of the most reliable and durable polymer pistol designs out there. Although it has been around for over 15 years now, the the design handily beats many more recent pistols.

It also has what is easily the best trigger of any striker-fired pistol on the market today (including the PPQ and VP9).
 
Some guns are a lot more popular on the internet than in the real world, CZ's for example.
lol

Well that makes sense to as why they are always sold out everywhere online and the few you can find in person are sold so quick.
All those internet people buying them from us real world people. Or am I an internet people? How does this work?
 
How does this work?
Lots of CZ love on the forum. I think they are excellent guns, but you'd think they are extremely popular and found everywhere.

However, I suspect the OP's "real world" observations match most…

Nearly all of my friends have Glock/M&P/XD not Ruger.

At IDPA meets it's nearly all 1911's, Glock/M&P/XDs.
 
Some people in the real world find something not popular with themselves and try to convince everyone on the Internet it's not going to popular with them either.....
 
If we're talking top in terms of sales it's probably pretty cut and dried. If we're talking good guns that don't get a lot of ink/pixels and aren't widely known in the US there are quite a few:

Beretta- The PX4 and the Nano are both very good guns that somehow aren't much talked about. The PX4 is pretty interesting and innovative mechanically. My own specimen of the Nano has been superb, rock steady and utterly reliable.

Bersa- Their BP9CC is a great CCW gun. It's slim, light and has one of the better striker triggers I have ever felt. Vastly better than a Glock or S&W in their stock forms. Mine was reliable and easy to shoot. It's a gun that would be popular if more of them sold.;) The issue is there aren't a ton of holsters for it and apparently no source of mags except Bersa (best price I have seen was $48 each!). Makes you not feel so bad about the prices of HK mags.

Steyr- Their poly guns are really neat. Same deal, not a lot of holsters or aftermarket accessories. But the trigger is good and the sights are really interesting.

Walther- The PPS and PPQ are both awesome guns, real Glock-killers. The PPQ has about as good a striker-fired trigger as you could want. The PPS is an awesome CCW sized gun. The CCP looks interesting but I don't know much about it beyond the fact that it takes a special take down tool.

HK- I'm a big HK fan as many of you know. I think they make the best polymer guns in the world. They're popular with military clients (the US Navy SEALs use quite a few of their guns) and with European military but not really huge here, so I think it's fair to call them underrated. The USP line is as bombproof and reliable as it gets. The Mk23 is awe inspiring. The P30 series boasts some of the best ergos ever in a sidearm. The P2000sk offers superb reliability in a pretty small package. And the VP9 has about as good a trigger as you will find on a striker gun, about a dead heat with the PPQ.
 
The only one on your list we don't have several of is the S&W M&P and that's purely happenstance. We have a goodly number of the others.

As to Ruger guns, we have four SR guns and three LCx types. My wife got us started on Ruger's poly guns and I soon followed suit. On her list they'd be #1 by a wide margin and I can't find any fault in her assessment. On my list they're a very strong #2 and #1 is looking worried.
 
Who else out there makes an underrated plastic pistol?

Can't believe no one has mentioned the Sig SP2022 yet. It's their polymer pistol and is DA/SA with a decocking lever. The trigger is the best by far of any plastic gun I've ever shot.

Mine is in .40 and when I get around to getting a full sized 9mm, it will likely be another 2022.
 
Can't believe no one has mentioned the Sig SP2022 yet. It's their polymer pistol and is DA/SA with a decocking lever.


They have a few other plastic fantastics. i.e. 250, 290, 320
 
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