What's a good plinker 9mm?

TTv2

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That's not a Charter Arms because I'm not interested in playing hot potato with shipping it back to them and isn't a S&W because I can't afford a S&W.

Off the bat the options for 9mm revolvers are the Alfa Proj/Rock Island, Taurus snub and large frame .357/9mm convertible, Ruger has the LCR, SP101, and Blackhawk convertible.

Not too many options for something affordable and decent quality.
 
That's not a Charter Arms because I'm not interested in playing hot potato with shipping it back to them ...
OK, so this is a sample of only one, but I have a Charter Arms Pathfinder in .22 LR that has been problem-free. I changed out the plastic grip frame for a metal one, which was easy except for one stubborn pin. I may have voided my warranty in doing so, but I had the gun long enough before making the change that I was confident that it wouldn't have to go back.
 
I have the Alfa Proj and the Taurus snub. The Alfa Proj has a decent SA trigger but the DA is pretty stout. When I first got it, it spit lead and ended up having to go back to the factory for the barrel cylinder alignment. I have tried several powder/bullet combinations and it still "patterns" rather than "groups". Others here have had good luck with theirs so I may have just been unlucky. Speedbeez makes moonclips that are reasonably priced so there is that. The Taurus is pretty snappy with 115 gr factory loads, so much so I find it borderline unpleasant to shoot. For me, the narrow grip seems to focus the recoil into a fairly small area. Changing them would help, I just haven't around to it. I also need to whip up some bunny fart loads and see how they do.
 
This still may be too expensive for you but how about a Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag/9mm Convertible?

I also have a Ruger SP101 in 9mm which shoots great but over the years, Ruger made a couple slightly different versions over different production runs separated by several years where some moon clips will not work with the other.
 
This still may be too expensive for you but how about a Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag/9mm Convertible?

I also have a Ruger SP101 in 9mm which shoots great but over the years, Ruger made a couple slightly different versions over different production runs separated by several years where some moon clips will not work with the other.
Admittedly, the Taurus 692 is at the top of my list and it's double action and holds 7 instead of 6 and can use moon clips with the 9mm. The Ruger is a high quality revolver, but it's a lot of gun for not much caliber. If I found a used one for a decent price, I would consider it, but with how Ruger prices have exploded since Covid I expect they all run for over $650 now.
 
I have various 9mm revolvers. I like to shoot revolvers and I don't reload, so I use them often. In no particular order...

Ruger SP101 - They don't fit my hands well, but with the right grips I can manage. The moon clips are very easy to use.

Ruger Blackhawk 357 with convertible cylinder - Works fine. Mine is kinda large, with the 6.5" barrel. I picked up a 9mm cylinder on ebay that happened to fit and work just fine.

Cimarron "Pistolero" by Pietta - Better size to carry around than the Blackhawk. Smaller frame and 4.75" barrel. The much smaller sights make accuracy a bit more challenging than the Blackhawk.

Alfa Proj - It's a medium-frame DA/SA and thus pretty good for practice for my HD revolver. The sights are oddly tall and the DA trigger is way too stiff. As soon as I find a mainspring I will rectify that. It's okay. It goes bang. It's about as accurate was any other medium-frame 3" revolver.

Taurus 905 - It's a j-frame snub in 9mm. The moonclips are like the SP101 kind and are easy to use. The DA trigger was stiff, but I replaced the mainspring and it's fine now. It shoots like any other snub revolver.

They all work fine. The Rugers are kinda pricey. I felt that the Alfa Proj was worth the $399 or whatever I paid for it, but I wouldn't pay more (it's really not as "nice" as a Taurus). The Italian SAA replicas are affordable and a very good option if you like SAA. The Taurus 905 is a good choice for anyone who likes to shoot snubs. It shoots like any other j-frame and is affordable. As far as I can tell, it's just a Model 85 in 9mm. They've been making that model since the mid 1980's. I wish I had bought a Taurus 692 some years back when they were easy to find and relatively cheap.

9mm is a good caliber for revolvers. A little spicier than 38 special, but not obnoxious. The SA revolvers don't need moonclips, of course.

My average range trip is just 22lr and 9mm these days. Very affordable. Practice with the 9mm revolvers transfers just fine to their 38/357 equivalents.





 
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