[Dirty Hatch]

SO, I am finally in the market to purchase a new 9mm handgun, and I am torn between a few brands. I use to own a CV SP01 9mm. I loved the way that gun shot, but it was a little big and bulky, making it a little awkward to carry when hiking and camping. Other guns I am looking at are:
- Glock 19. I have a coworker and a friend who own this gun and they have nothing but good things to say about this gun.
- A couple of Springfield XD
http://sgcusa.com/handguns/springfield-armory/9mm/springfield-xd-mod-2-9mm-bt.html
http://shop.gunsetc.com/product.springfield-armory-xd-essentials-9mm-2-tone-4-barrel-10-rounds
- S&W M&P fullsize or compact
http://sgcusa.com/handguns/s-w-semi-automatics/9mm/s-w-m-p-9-4-fullsize.html
- CZ P01
http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-p-01-9mm-black-alloy-14-rd-mags/

I plan on trying out my buddies Glock next weekend and I can rent the others from SGC to see which one I prefer. I don't think I can really go wrong with any of these guns, but any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[Aonarch]

G19 is my #1

Springfield is junk.

M&P is nice.

CZs are nice.

Don't forget Sig and Walther.

Check out the G26 too.

 

[YF19EX]

I have quite the bit of 9mm over the years. Many moded, many sold and some stock.

1. M&P 9mm first gen:
I am not ashamed to admit, I buy guns because of movies, shows, famous people or instructors run them. In this case it was used extensively in Magpul's Dynamic Handgun vids and was my first 9mm handgun. I must of been one of the lucky ones and got a good one, because there were a ton of complaints before the incremental improvements came along. It was supposed to be the Glock killer in the domestic LEO market and for a time they were eating up sales from Glock. But soon malfunctions, recalls and changes cause some department removals and kinda killed its momentum. That being said, I love this gun. I don't shoot it as much as my Glocks or my HKs these days, but it is a good gun. The action is smooth, and grip has that nice 1911 angle with interchangeable back straps, that can make it fit to most hands. Mags are steel and reliable. Yes the trigger is mush from the factory. It had noticeable grit and distinct LACK of reset making it hard use constantly. Apex specialties is synonyms with the M&P line with their triggers and modules. It is sad, but they were almost mandatory upgrade among M&P owners. Mine was no different. If this is a carry or duty gun that needs to remain stock, there are better options. I don't have experience with the 2.0 so I can't comment on those improvements.

2. Glocks:
3rd gen 17 (Service)
3rd gen 34 (sold)
4th gen 19 (sold)
4th gen 17 (modded)
G43 stock.

I have had quite the collection of Glocks over the years. And what can I say, they run, and are reliable. Some modded, others stock. The grip is love or hate design. Capacity is good, price is reasonable and aftermarket and support unlimited. They are good solid service handguns that can do it all. They wont out run my Atlas Titan Custom or my Dan Wesson Commander Bobtail in terms of fit finish or accuracy, but for TEOTWAWKI scenarios, I would pack my Glocks in a heart beat. I need to buy a 19 MOS to replace the 19 I sold...

3. H&K VP9SK:
This one is my current favorite 9mm. The VP9 series already has a great trigger out of the box and this one I think is even better than the full size. It has a short grip so you are only going to get two fingers on it, but it feels more natural than say a G26 which is like balancing a brick between two fingers. It has 3 sizes of back straps and 3 sizes of side straps allowing for tons of grip combinations. The finger grooves are more natural than the Glocks. Its not as concealable or slim as the G43 and its almost as large as a G19 without the capacity, but its ergos, trigger and accuracy more than make up for its size relative to its competitors. In the last 3 months I have already put over 2k in ammo through it. That is a mix of brass, aluminum and steel. This thing eats it all. Now there have been a lot of "youtube" tests on the VP9 series of actions and of course grain of salt and all that, I am still probably inclined to agree with them in terms of abuse they can take is probably not as much as say a Glock can. But for everyday carry, its is excellent.

 

[rick8018]

Buy the gun that fits your hand best. That's all I've got.

Pistols (all guns really) are like potato chips. You will probably end up with most of them eventually.

 

[Aonarch]

I forgot about H&K.

Also I don't recommend getting a duty/ service size pistol. stick to the Glock 19 size.

 

[Dirty Hatch]

Thanks for the input guys. The guy I am traveling with for work this week has a Glock 19. Going to the range next weekend with him to try it out. I will look at the others that have been suggested to see how they feel.

 

[Hostile]

I shot/handled a bunch of 9mm pistols before I bought my H&K VP9. Ultimately, for me, the VP9 was just the most comfortable to shoot and it shot well for me.

Do what you're planning though, find a local range that lets you rent a variety of pistols to try out.

 

[zukiphile]

Buy the gun that fits your hand best.

Indeed.

Other considerations are your budget and the use to which you envision putting the pistol.

 

[LFZ]

Sig P320 is a nice one to have lately as well.

 

[Dirty Hatch]

Ended up going to the range yesterday and shot the following guns:
M&P older generation - I found the trigger to be a bit awkward, but the grip felt good
M&P newer generation - Big improvement on the trigger, but the grip was a littler rough, felt like sandpaper
Sig P320 - Something about it did not feel right to me, but I can't really pinpoint it.
Glock 17 - Didn't really like it at first, but after putting about 20-25 rounds through it, I warmed up to it.

At this point, I was pretty sold on the M&P newer generation; figured I could replace the grips. I was set to shoot the H&K, but I did a quick lookup of this thread and saw Aonarch's suggestion of the Glock 19, so I bought another 50 rounds and took the 19 out. Perfect size, weight and the recoil was nice. I just couldn't put the gun down and I forgot all about the H&K. They didn't have the 4th gen in stock that I shot, but the 3rd gen didn't really feel any different, so I ended up picking up one of those instead.

Overall, I don't really think I could have gone wrong with any of the guns I tested out; it just came down to which one felt the best to shot. Thanks everyone for their input, it was much appreciated.

 

[GreenandChrome]

Indeed.

Other considerations are your budget and the use to which you envision putting the pistol.

I've been told having a hero complex is bad. I guess we're supposed to sit around and let bad things happen.

While the OP has made the purchase, I do hear of good things from Walther pistols having a fantastic grip.

My next pistol will be a G19 or G17. So I can participate in GSSF matches.

 

[zukiphile]

I've been told having a hero complex is bad. I guess we're supposed to sit around and let bad things happen.

I didn't mean to ominously cryptic. I have some pistols that I like very much. If I were to use one in a defensive shooting, I would assume that I would never see it again or that if I ever got it back it would be vandalised.

There are some perfectly serviceable 9mm pistols in the $200 to $300 range that are sufficient for personal defense. Losing one of those in the police evidence locker wouldn't be a tragedy.

Just being practical.

 

[reiddy]

I recommend Smith and Wesson
Mp 9mm 1.0 or the 2.0 great guns

 

[TinkerToy II]

Check out a Ruger LC9s PRO. It has no safety levers to interfere with shooting the gun. When you want to gun the fire, you pull the trigger. Very straightforward and even could be thought of as being safer because it is simple and predictable. There is only one but an important safety feature, a slot at the end the barrel that lets you see if there is a round in the chamber. The selling price is reasonable. Size is between large and small.

 

[Hostile]

Check out a Ruger LC9s PRO.

Depending on your size, look at the Ruger SR9C as well. A buddy has one that I've shot many times and I'll be damned if I shoot that thing better than any other pistol that I've shot. Everyone else that shot it says the same thing. I shoot it better than my VP9...

EDIT: Pic:

They also offer 17-rd mags with grip extensions:

 

[GreenandChrome]

Depending on your size, look at the Ruger SR9C as well. A buddy has one that I've shot many times and I'll be damned if I shoot that thing better than any other pistol that I've shot. Everyone else that shot it says the same thing. I shoot it better than my VP9...

Don't think I've shot that one... but the same thing happened with the Beretta PX4c. I shot it pretty well, and my wife was markedly better with it. It's just fugly and too big (thick) to carry.

 

[TurboZen]

That Ruger 9x19 looks pretty damn sweet

 

[Power5]

Check out a Ruger LC9s PRO. It has no safety levers to interfere with shooting the gun. When you want to gun the fire, you pull the trigger. Very straightforward and even could be thought of as being safer because it is simple and predictable. There is only one but an important safety feature, a slot at the end the barrel that lets you see if there is a round in the chamber. The selling price is reasonable. Size is between large and small.

Obviously size is all relative, but it is definitely on the small end of the spectrum by a large margin. Pretty sure just a derringer is going to be smaller.

Everyone should own a 92fs. It is the softest shooting 9mm I have shot. Of my 3 it fits me the best and I do not have the typical "large" hands that people claim is required for a 92fs. I also shoot my CZ replica, Canik55 Stingray. I think they must have quit making this rep. I really wish I had bought 2 or 3 of them back then. 1 of each color maybe. I got it about 10 years ago for $350 OTD brand new. By far the best purchase of a gun I have made. My 92fs is now about 15 years old I think. Has about 3500 down the pipe and has never been rebuilt or fully cleaned. Just a field cleaning after each trip. Still shoots 100% flawlessly. Has NEVER had a misfire or any kind. Shoots light steel case, shoots heavy HP. Shoots any and everything I put into it. My Canik is the same way. Brother has a baby eagle that does not like steel or aluminum cased ammo. So not all CZ reps are made equal. Canik shoots fairly soft as well. In contrast the LC9s I have is brutal. Feels like shooting a 1911 .45 and then some. By the end of my 3 mags, my palm is already starting to feel it. Most likely due to the very thin grip. Though, it is my carry, not a range toy. It only needs to shoot a few rounds if I ever need to pull it. It has also shot any and everything I have put into it. I think of all my guns, only my Canik has had a failure. That may have been on me though so who knows.

For ergonomics, I love my beretta.
For value, there is no way I can beat my Canik.
For carry, my one and only is good enough. I can hit the target from 10 yards so that is good enough for its duties.

 

[Power5]

Don't think I've shot that one... but the same thing happened with the Beretta PX4c. I shot it pretty well, and my wife was markedly better with it. It's just fugly and too big (thick) to carry.

I have wanted one of these since they came out. I considered one when I picked up my first gun, my 92fs. It was too new though. And being a lethal weapon fan, I had to get the 92fs. Don't plan to IWB carry one, but could easily carry on hiking trips, so may have to look at these again.

 

[TinkerToy II]

Everyone should own a 92fs. It is the softest shooting 9mm I have shot. Of my 3 it fits me the best and I do not have the typical "large" hands that people claim is required for a 92fs. I also shoot my CZ replica, Canik55 Stingray. I think they must have quit making this rep. I really wish I had bought 2 or 3 of them back then. 1 of each color maybe. I got it about 10 years ago for $350 OTD brand new. By far the best purchase of a gun I have made. My 92fs is now about 15 years old I think. Has about 3500 down the pipe and has never been rebuilt or fully cleaned. Just a field cleaning after each trip. Still shoots 100% flawlessly. Has NEVER had a misfire or any kind. Shoots light steel case, shoots heavy HP. Shoots any and everything I put into it. My Canik is the same way. Brother has a baby eagle that does not like steel or aluminum cased ammo. So not all CZ reps are made equal. Canik shoots fairly soft as well. In contrast the LC9s I have is brutal. Feels like shooting a 1911 .45 and then some. By the end of my 3 mags, my palm is already starting to feel it. Most likely due to the very thin grip. Though, it is my carry, not a range toy. It only needs to shoot a few rounds if I ever need to pull it. It has also shot any and everything I have put into it. I think of all my guns, only my Canik has had a failure. That may have been on me though so who knows.

For ergonomics, I love my beretta.
For value, there is no way I can beat my Canik.
For carry, my one and only is good enough. I can hit the target from 10 yards so that is good enough for its duties.

If you want a soft shooting gun for play at a range, that is fine. The OP has not made his priorities entirely clear. If you bought a handgun for defense, then soft shooting is not a priority. The Ruger LC9S Pro is 6" long, not as small as some 40 cal pistols and is adequate for defense, maybe not range play.