Semi auto pistol question

[BHC]

My duty weapon for that 2 or 3 years is a S&W M&P, I was surprised by it, like it alot. My department has certain request on duty weapons, when switching over glock wouldn't meet those requirements cause it would cause manufacturing issues,  so we went with S&W

[Haskell_Hunter]

Go to the range and shoot everything you can.  The one you shoot the best is the gun you get.  It's that simple.  If you are going to use it for home protection, you want your shots to land true.  Get the gun you shoot the best.

I am a member at Gun For Hire and would love to rent pistols with you there.  I can get some free rentals, I think.

As a Glock owner myself and someone who started on Glocks, I am starting to move away from them.  Great guns, solid manufacturing, but as I branch out into different firearms I am seeing that I shoot some guns better than others.  And some guns feel better in my hands.  My Kimber 1911 is a favorite, but it's basically a range gun.  Really fun gun to shoot, and it has its place.  I recently bought a Sig P365 XL and love it.  If concealed carry ever becomes a thing, that will be my carry weapon.  I never pass up the opportunity to shoot a Sig P320.  Feels good in my hands and it a solid shooter.  For me that would be a good home protection pistol.

The good and bad thing is that there are a lot of options in the marketplace.  The good is that there's probably an excellent pistol out there for you, the bad is that you might have to shoot a lot of them to find it (which, in hindsight, isn't that bad of a thing  ).

LMK if you want to go to Gun for Hire.

[OldMenRule]

1 hour ago, blackpowder said:

You opened a large can of worms by asking opinions on this topic. Bottom line if you’ve never shot or haven’t shot much your not going to know what you like. I grew up on Sig and they will always be a favorite, but glock is a good gun. A little tough to get used to if you have shot other guns. But if you’re new to shooting you will become familiar with it very quickly. This is true for any gun maker.  And as stated before take up the slack and hit that wall before pressing this is true for any trigger press IMO. Even this is debated in shooting circles now. But it’s all about what will work for you efficiently. And more importantly SAFELY. 

To me it's like opening a book of knowledge. I truly appreciate all the opinions. Helps a novice like me greatly. Great site for learning and eating!!! 

[Swamprat]

As expected. Lots of varying responses.  

Only you can decide what you like. 

Polymer gun vs metal gun 

Striker fire vs traditional hammer 

Light weight vs heavy 

Compact vs full size.  

Grip 

Trigger 

 

Agree with others. When it comes to a $500 gun. Hard to beat Glock.  Some guns may be prettier. Some may have better trigger, some may be more accurate. For the price point Glock is the winner in those categories.  

Buy a stock Glock or a stock 1911.  Once you get a feel for them then you can think about aftermarket parts. 

In a 50 years we will look at the Glock 19 like we look at the 1911 45 now.  

 

 

 

 

 

[OldMenRule]

Curious that no one mentioned Barretta. My neighbor is ex-military and swears by them. I'll likely rent a few and see how they feel. I appreciate all the great advice. Funny the ammo will likely cost more than the gun..

[Haskell_Hunter]

2 minutes ago, OldMenRule said:

Curious that no one mentioned Barretta. My neighbor is ex-military and swears by them. I'll likely rent a few and see how they feel. I appreciate all the great advice. Funny the ammo will likely cost more than the gun..

https://gunforhire.com/monthly-rental-menu/

There is the rental menu.

10 Barretta's to shoot in 9mm.  Plus a plethora of other models in 9mm.

[Buckmaster3405]

I think what a few guys say here is best..go shoot different models or at least hold them and find whats comfortable..for me glocks didnt feel like they fit in my hand well..probably great guns.ive got big hands ..everyone is different...if you buy a quality gun you cant go wrong as long as your comfortable with it

[Silver Belly62]

Glad you are asking for info, but as others have stated you are going to get a lot of different opinions. If it's possible to shoot some different models at a local range or through other friends I would do so.  What may be the latest and greatest or the most popular seller for some might not be what you will like down the road.  There are a lot more options out there for the buyer now compared to what there was years ago. But I'll try and help where I can

 You mentioned two things already you would be using it for (range & defense). Regarding range use will you just be shooting once in a while at a local range with family/friends or do you have possible interest in the future in some of the shooting events that some of the local clubs have such as steel plate matches, IDPA,  USPSA, etc ?  If that's something you might be interested in you may want to go to a few of these different matches just to see what is involved and some of the pistols being used.  Owning something that you can get more use out of would definitely be worthwhile.

Another thing to consider is pistol size. Are you more interested in something in the compact or full size frame ? Some manufacturers have different kits available that if you have a standard compact/carry model you can get a "long slide" kit which allows you to have two different versions of the same gun without having to go through getting another pistol permit. The basic Sig P320 for example works on a removable chassis system, which is where the serial number actually is,  and you can get one of the different conversion kits up to full size for it. My first P320 was a basic carry model and I added the full size kit. HK VP9 is another one, I have the standard model but when I found the long slide kit for it at a decent price I picked that up.  Another one I read somewhere that might be doing that in the future is the IWI Masada 9 mm. Some options like that may save you time and money in the long run if it works for you.

I have several striker fired pistols and as much as I like the ones I have they are not my favorite. Actually prefer the hammer fired style  w/decocker and revolvers.

Not knowing what price point you would like to be in I've listed some different models, other than those already mentioned, you may want to take a look at if available in your area.  Sig P320 or 365,   HK VP9,  CZ's - P-01, P-07, P-09, SP-01,   Springfield- Hell Cat & XDM line,  IWI Masada,  Arex Zero 1 & Delta Gen 2,  Beretta - PX4,  Walther

Edited May 14, 2021 by Silver Belly62

[Oakland Steve]

My first was a Beretta Px4. Put on night sights, stainless guide rod and changed the safety to a decocker. Great gun but I evolved into a 1911 guy so it pretty much sits in the safe.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[OldMenRule]

2 hours ago, Haskell_Hunter said:

https://gunforhire.com/monthly-rental-menu/

There is the rental menu.

10 Barretta's to shoot in 9mm.  Plus a plethora of other models in 9mm.

Your spoiling me my friend... Much appreciated. 

[MikeStaten]

Lots of reliable 9mm semis out there and the price range is fairly narrow.   I’d try a few at a range and see which fits you best.   I bought a Walther PPQ as the grip fits me very well and the trigger was the best out of any other gun I tried.   

[tuny]

I carried a glock from 1987 to 2010, own one for retired carry. we were the first department to carry glocks in NJ. they are simple easy to maintain and very reliable, and usually reasonable priced.

[nmc02]

Glock model 45 is the perfect 9 mm

[B B]

Go shoot as many as you can... then go buy a Hellcat or any Xd model.  They are the best because I like them 

Edited May 15, 2021 by B B

[OldMenRule]

 Thanks very much for al the comments. Appreciated greatly. I'll shoot a bunch and go from there.