Best 9mm for target- no price limit

Gillis2

Gillis2

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Hi all,
In my shooting career, I have had the chance to try quite a few top shelf 9mm. So far my best experiences were with a pardini GT-9 and a Sig P-210.
What is the best 9mm semi-auto in your book? We are talking strictly for target practice here, no IPSC in mind.

Bring them on...

Thanks

Gilbert
 
Can't go wrong with the 210, 952, 5906PPC, 226-X series, Pardini GTs, probably some nice custom 1911s in 9mm too. For me personally, the X5/X6 works the best though I also have soft spot for the 210 super target.
 
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Gillis2 said:
Hi all,
In my shooting career, I have had the chance to try quite a few top shelf 9mm. So far my best experiences were with a pardini GT-9 and a Sig P-210.
What is the best 9mm semi-auto in your book? We are talking strictly for target practice here, no IPSC in mind.

Bring them on...

Thanks

Gilbert
Click to expand...

I think you know what's on my short list Gilbert LOL. I'm certainly no great shot, but I seem to have consistently done a wee bit better with my X5 over the P210 on the occasions I've had them both out on the same day. Both are keepers though and thanks again there BTW!

P.S. FWIW here's my two factory 25M test targets: X5, then P210

25h0cwl.jpg

hwek3d.jpg
 
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I've had or currently have the GT-9, X5's, P210's, CZ TS, and 952's. The CZ was by far the best value for dollar, I shoot best with the X5's, the Pardini has the best trigger, the 952's were absolute quality and are drop dead gorgeous, but the last one's I would sell are the 210's.

The X5's fit like a glove, have excellent sights, and a very good trigger. Most people would find them a very natural transition from more common pistols. Spare parts are an issue.

P210's, well, not much to say there as everything's been said. -1,-2,-6, P49, Legend; all fantastic. Only issue is spare parts.

The Pardini is an odd duck with an excellent trigger. If you agree with the ergos then it's fantastic but the grip is large and very raked; many dislike it, I enjoy mine.

The CZ is excellent value. Once again a large grip affects some and the quality is not to the standard of any of the others.

Now, onto the 952's. I had a 5" and 6", both beautifully made, exclusive, and an excellent letdown. If you haven't experienced a Model 52 then the 952 is superb. If you have a 52 then the 952 doesn't meet expectation. The reason is the trigger; breaks clean, no take up, no overtravel, but way too heavy. Get a trigger job done and you just destroyed the value of the gun. Additionally, the prices the 952 command these days are excessive- I'm glad as I made a small fortune selling mine - but in my mind they are not worth current asking prices. Once again, spare parts are an issue.

To answer your question, taking to heart "price no object", I would get a 5" 952-2 and find a good gunsmith to take a few pounds out of the trigger. I dislike how 6" guns balance so if you prefer nose heavy then the long slide with the same treatment is my answer.
 
My first answer is the P210....but my left field answer is the Swiss made Sphinx AT2000S, a better copy of the CZ 75. Absolutely first rate finish and accuracy, but probably harder to find than a P210. They have a bit of a cult following, and at one point were an issue side arm for Swiss police, along with the P210. Now that you are curious, do some research and find out about them. Beautiful machining, milled out of solid billets of stainless. How do I know this you ask.....because I got one!

A primer on them, here:

http://modernfirearms.net/handguns/hg/switch/sphinx-2000-e.html

These pistols are quite expensive, but offer probably the best quality and reliability that money can buy. Sphinx 2000 pistols in various models are in use by Australia, Belgium, Norway, Swiss and Venezuela police forces

http://gunofthedayblog.########.ca/2012/05/1st-may-sphinx-at-2000.html

The AT-2000 is well known for exceptional accuracy, and an all over pleasant pistol to shoot with its clean single action break of 1.5kg. Fitted by hand by master gunsmiths the slides are cut from solid steel as are most of the frames.

I've heard them explained as a Les Baer or Wilson Combat of the CZ 75 platform (as opposed to a 1911...)
 
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Well, if indeed "no price limit" then you wouldn't be looking for an out-of-the-box gun. You'd want a custom target pistol. Many years ago now, the US AMU (Army Marksmanship Unit) spent a huge amount of effort figuring out how to make the Beretta M9 service pistol accurate enough for NRA bullseye competition for their team shooters. In addition to the usual tightening up of fit, they came to realize that the standard twist of 9mm barrels is wrong for serious accuracy and had replacement barrels made with a different twist, and then experimented to find which bullet provided the best accuracy (turned out to be a hollow point, which has more mass at the base and is therefore more stable). They ended up with pistols that can consistently put ten rounds into well under an inch at 50 yards. Very impressive.

There are a few gunsmiths in the States who produce guns of comparable quality. David Sams is the best known, but there are others. Orders are placed one at a time and it's not uncommon to wait 6 months to a year to get your gun.
 
Thanks all for your replies. Very informative. Twisted Canuck: I do know about the Sphinx. It has a solid reputation.
I am not decided towards anything yet. I am just thinking and pondering things. I already have a couple of 9mm and am considering adding a pure target one. But I am in no rush.
Reading you guys is very educational.

Thanks

Gilbert
 
Gillis2 said:
Twisted Canuck: I do know about the Sphinx. It has a solid reputation.
I am not decided towards anything yet. I am just thinking and pondering things.
Gilbert
Click to expand...

I had not actually heard of them, then one (of two) came up on the EE, and my curiosity got the best of me...did some quick research and couldn't resist. Unfired so far.

Now, when my daughter's tuition for next semester comes up, I may have to PM you with a sweetheart deal! This is another instance where the picture does not do it justice....

IMG_20161218_194256_zpswl57xeeh.jpg
 
Sig introduced an American made P210 at Shot Show 2017. Lower priced version than the old, but I wonder how accurate it will be. The other one they introduced was the P320X series. Same modular chassis as the 320 but improved frame and handling.

P.
 
I've tried a lot of different pistols...My favorite is the Grand Power X-Calibur. It's very accurate, has an excellent trigger and recoils very little do to the rotary barrel action.
 
Twisted Canuck said:
I had not actually heard of them, then one (of two) came up on the EE, and my curiosity got the best of me...did some quick research and couldn't resist. Unfired so far.

Now, when my daughter's tuition for next semester comes up, I may have to PM you with a sweetheart deal! This is another instance where the picture does not do it justice....

IMG_20161218_194256_zpswl57xeeh.jpg
Click to expand...

Very nice. Those are beautifully made guns for sure TC. Definitely top of the list of all the CZs and variants in imo.
 
I think I might have peaked in the handgun game with my purchase last summer of a CZ TS Orange 9mm. I haven't seen anything that is clearly superior. The only thing that might have an edge, though it is drastically more expensive, is a decked out SVI 2011 in 9mm.
 
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