- Location
- Nova Scotia
If you are like me and don't care about looks. CZ SP01 are not too far off. I paid 650 shipped for my Shadow. But its got scratches and stuff. There are still people selling for normal prices and not out to gouge.
Quite a while back I bought a Norinco NZ85B with the intent that if I liked the "CZ"pattern, I would upgrade. The factory grips were terrible, but I put a set of take-off CZ over molded grips on it. Over the years that I have owned it, I have had the opportunity to shoot a number of CZ 75 type pistols and other clones like the Tanfoglio, Jericho and the Sphinx, and the Norinco is comparable in every way (Including accuracy) to these other great classic pistols so I never did upgrade.
They sold for between $300 and 400 new, but now you might find one for $500.00 if you are lucky.
If you are into actual target shooting and do not want to pretend to be John Wick then the Beretta 92s Surplus from Marstar is an excellent deal. They are $500 and an excellent build quality and accuracy. Most people don't like them because they have a European Heel Release magazine and not a modern thumb release magazine. That makes it no good for competition/fast reloads. But if you want budget, quality, accuracy, then the 92s is your best bet. Berretta is a top brand in the firearms world.
Your second option is the IWI 941F Surplus. It costs a bit more but it has the thumb release magazine that modern pistols have. The drawback is that it is single action only, while the 92s is Double/Single, if that matters to you. It also has a barrel with polygonal rifling. The 92s has a traditionally rifled barrel. The traditionally rifled barrel is better for shooting lead cast bullets, if you ever get that far into the hobby, but otherwise they are just fine. Glock uses polygonal barrels and they have not had a reason to change since the 80s.
If you want excellent target shooting, get the Beretta 92s, if you want good shooting but something just a bit more modern get the IWI 941F.
Tenda just put a bunch of 9mm pistols on their site.
Thank you to everyone for your feedback, info, tips and advice - really appreciated! Seems a strong consensus includes Beretta 92S and Jericho 941F as two of the top choices for budget. I remember a few months ago at my local range, I met someone who had a polymer 9mm which I got to shoot and liked. I don't recall if it was a Canik or Canuk though!
A few have suggested models from Canik, Girsan and Taurus TH9. I have also been checking FMK 9C1, Girsan MC28, Girsan MC9, Canik TP9SF. I've been checking reviews on YouTube and seems some mixed reviews, both good and some really negative. Anyone own or had experience shooting any of these?
Those that you just mentioned are clones of existing guns, or remixes of existing guns. Quality is nowhere hear as good as something Beretta or IWI make. If you only have the budget for one gun in the price range of the Clones then my recommendation is to not hamstring yourself with one of them. The feel and quality is really different. That is advice I wish someone gave me when I started buying handguns. Don't buy "cheap new" unless there is something unique or special about them. If you can't afford the good brands then wait for surplus. Even the good brands used are better than the New Cheap stuff. It really is amazing once you learn that for yourself. In you case that is something you will not be able to learn for yourself but will have to trust others are not exaggerating.
That said, please don't buy a New Cheap gun as your one and only gun. Please.
Hey Polish, thanks for your advice. I did learn that with Norinco, years ago. The NP58 was an "expensive paper weight"! I'll never buy one of those again. I had heard some good reviews online, especially on some of these made in Turkey and occasionally got to try one at my local range.
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