kennytaker
Member
- Location
- London, Ontario
CZ 75 SP01 Shadow top 5 options to start (and parts are easy to get, mags cost about 45-50ea)
9mm Decisions - First Purchase
- Thread starter JesseMantz
- Start date
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
^The S&W M&P Professional model and the Apex trigger kit in 9mm.
Affordable tackdriver.
No one can really tell you what the best choice for you is but yourself, really the best thing to do is shoot all the guns your interested in and pick whats best for you. However, I know that's nearly impossible to do in Canada, so sadly you're stuck buying essentially blind. Really you should buy the gun that excites you the most, and coincides with your ideals and required features. Honestly almost any gun you buy you can shoot well with and will serve you well if you get enough QUALITY trigger time with it (ie. not sending massive amounts of lead down range and instead focus on the fundamentals).
I've had the opportunity to shoot a fair amount of different handguns, from HK's, Sigs, Glocks, M&P's, a variety of 1911's, Walthers, CZ's, the list goes on. Based on MY needs, interests, style of shooting and philosophy, here are my impressions.
When I first shot a Glock I hated it, the thing felt like crap in my hand, the sights seemed all jacked up (still do somewhat), the slide tried to eat me (I have XL hands) and over all didn't shoot that great, I did like the trigger though. Since then I have become a much more proficient shooter and the last time I shot a Glock loved it! Still feels like a brick but the recoil is so low, the trigger gives greawt feedback and is fast enough, and it points very naturally. It's dead nuts simple, just like an AK. The parts availability and aftermarket accessories are plentiful. My biggest issue with the Glock is the price when buying new. $800, screw that, buy a used one, they are easy to find on the EE for roughly $600 for an almost brand new one.
M&P has almost all the same qualities of the Glock, only with arguably better ergonomics (but a worse trigger) and better sights. The best part is you can buy the range kit which comes with a holster, 3 mags, and mag pouches, all for less then a brand new Glock. The perfect starter kit for IDPA. Throw and Apex trigger kit in there and its the best bang for the buck out there as far as i'm concerned.
1911's are fantastic guns, great triggers, very accurate, nice all metal "real gun". If you can get over the safety, they are great. Downside is they can be finicky unless you get a good one and maintain it PROPERLY (cant run it like a Glock). Also they are expensive, and finding a used 9mm will be hard. That said if you can find one it's worth a look, one of the best guns I've shot was an all steel STI 9mm 4" tactical.
Provided you are not against the DA/SA trigger system, I CANNOT recommended the P226 highly enough. It is easily one of the best guns I have EVER shot and is the next pistol on my buy list. Every time I shoot one it feels like the stars align and Its impossible to shoot it bad. Again like the Glock accessories are plentiful and they are dead nuts reliable. I know it has the heavy DA first shot, but its so smooth that you can't even tell its there (if you do any shooting under pressure). Seriously, buy a sig, you will not regret it.
Along with the Sig's I HIGHLY recommend HK, specifically the P30L. There is not a pistol on the planet that has better ergonomics (personally i find it much better in hand then the PPQ), and the grip panel combinations are endless. The craftsmanship is second to none, the sights are fantastic, the mag release in my opinion is way faster then the traditional design and my preferred config. The mags for sure aren't cheap but they are the best quality mags I have ever seen on a pistol (buy them off the EE for a fraction of the new price). The gun is also one of the most reliable guns on the market today, and in my opinion the best 9mm currently made. The downsides of this pistol are the trigger is pretty much crap, reset is long and not very noticeable, but it breaks clean and smooth, similar to the sig but not quite as good. That said if you shoot it in any kind of stress style shooting you don't notice at all. Secondly accessories are scarce, gonna have to order a custom holster from the states. I'll disclose this is my current go to pistol, and I've put probably over 3000 rounds through it since the beginning of the summer. Another good option is the USP, much better trigger but it's a big gun, I love my USP45F, easily just as accurate as a high end 1911 but can go through hell and back and work every time.
I suggest no matter what you buy, buy it from the EE. The price for brand new pistols in Canada is hilariously overpriced. I'd say anything on this list you could get in almost new condition on the EE for $800 or less.
Heres an interesting read for anyone interested in seeing someone who really knows what they are talking about test these guns.
Gen 4 Glock 17 endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/6885
S&W M&P endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/998
HK P30 endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/2668
I've had the opportunity to shoot a fair amount of different handguns, from HK's, Sigs, Glocks, M&P's, a variety of 1911's, Walthers, CZ's, the list goes on. Based on MY needs, interests, style of shooting and philosophy, here are my impressions.
When I first shot a Glock I hated it, the thing felt like crap in my hand, the sights seemed all jacked up (still do somewhat), the slide tried to eat me (I have XL hands) and over all didn't shoot that great, I did like the trigger though. Since then I have become a much more proficient shooter and the last time I shot a Glock loved it! Still feels like a brick but the recoil is so low, the trigger gives greawt feedback and is fast enough, and it points very naturally. It's dead nuts simple, just like an AK. The parts availability and aftermarket accessories are plentiful. My biggest issue with the Glock is the price when buying new. $800, screw that, buy a used one, they are easy to find on the EE for roughly $600 for an almost brand new one.
M&P has almost all the same qualities of the Glock, only with arguably better ergonomics (but a worse trigger) and better sights. The best part is you can buy the range kit which comes with a holster, 3 mags, and mag pouches, all for less then a brand new Glock. The perfect starter kit for IDPA. Throw and Apex trigger kit in there and its the best bang for the buck out there as far as i'm concerned.
1911's are fantastic guns, great triggers, very accurate, nice all metal "real gun". If you can get over the safety, they are great. Downside is they can be finicky unless you get a good one and maintain it PROPERLY (cant run it like a Glock). Also they are expensive, and finding a used 9mm will be hard. That said if you can find one it's worth a look, one of the best guns I've shot was an all steel STI 9mm 4" tactical.
Provided you are not against the DA/SA trigger system, I CANNOT recommended the P226 highly enough. It is easily one of the best guns I have EVER shot and is the next pistol on my buy list. Every time I shoot one it feels like the stars align and Its impossible to shoot it bad. Again like the Glock accessories are plentiful and they are dead nuts reliable. I know it has the heavy DA first shot, but its so smooth that you can't even tell its there (if you do any shooting under pressure). Seriously, buy a sig, you will not regret it.
Along with the Sig's I HIGHLY recommend HK, specifically the P30L. There is not a pistol on the planet that has better ergonomics (personally i find it much better in hand then the PPQ), and the grip panel combinations are endless. The craftsmanship is second to none, the sights are fantastic, the mag release in my opinion is way faster then the traditional design and my preferred config. The mags for sure aren't cheap but they are the best quality mags I have ever seen on a pistol (buy them off the EE for a fraction of the new price). The gun is also one of the most reliable guns on the market today, and in my opinion the best 9mm currently made. The downsides of this pistol are the trigger is pretty much crap, reset is long and not very noticeable, but it breaks clean and smooth, similar to the sig but not quite as good. That said if you shoot it in any kind of stress style shooting you don't notice at all. Secondly accessories are scarce, gonna have to order a custom holster from the states. I'll disclose this is my current go to pistol, and I've put probably over 3000 rounds through it since the beginning of the summer. Another good option is the USP, much better trigger but it's a big gun, I love my USP45F, easily just as accurate as a high end 1911 but can go through hell and back and work every time.
I suggest no matter what you buy, buy it from the EE. The price for brand new pistols in Canada is hilariously overpriced. I'd say anything on this list you could get in almost new condition on the EE for $800 or less.
Heres an interesting read for anyone interested in seeing someone who really knows what they are talking about test these guns.
Gen 4 Glock 17 endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/6885
S&W M&P endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/998
HK P30 endurance test by Todd G
http://pistol-training.com/archives/2668
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