help me pick a striker-fired wonder-9

Walther PPQ. Excellent ergonomics, very nice striker fired trigger, 3 choices of backstrap, accurate, reliable. They are a win win win for the poly guns. Try one before you buy something.

X2.

Should be able to pick a gently used one up on the EE for a bit more than your price point. But it will easily best the other striker fired guns on yer list. Try it before you commit to something else. Great gun!
 
I also tried the PPX, but as mentioned, it's a bobbed-hammer DAO - not what I'm after. Been there, done that, with a Beretta 96D. Not going there again. Gun was reliable, but hard to print good groups with a DAO.

The DAO on the PPX is VERY smooth, nothing like a true DAO. If you're not against the bobbed hammer I strongly suggest you try it... I can group almost as nicely with my brother's PPX as I can with my PPQ, and it also groups better than any of my many Glocks.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with a PPQ, a Glock, or the SFP9. PPQ has the best trigger of the bunch. You can feel free to try out my Glock 34 if you're interested. BYOA, though, lol.
 
Glock or M&P 2.0.... I've shot them all and there are lots of great options out there but both represent the best starting point for quality and reliability.
i have shot multiple sdv9 and imo they are Unworthy of any praise.
Disregard any advice from cabelas employees. I'm quite certain 99% of them have never even fired a pistol let alone the rifles and shotguns they sell.
 
I have a Gen 4 Glock and M&P 2.0, in my opinion the Glock has a better factory trigger but you can upgrade both pistols with aftermarket triggers, my choice would be a Gen 4 Glock 19 or 17, good luck.
 
I tried the paddle release on one of the more expensive pistols at cabelas (forget which model - it was a $1000+ gun) - it looked interesting, but to be honest, it felt awkward.

I also tried the PPX, but as mentioned, it's a bobbed-hammer DAO - not what I'm after. Been there, done that, with a Beretta 96D. Not going there again. Gun was reliable, but hard to print good groups with a DAO.

The H&K one I found akward. The PPQ M1 Navy which I bought is longer and allows you to use your middle finger to drop the mag, while keeping your index finger on the frame and the pistol pointed down range. I normally wouldn't recommend anything other than the standard mag release which can be found in the M2 version of the PPQ, but I find this much slicker after a few tries. Oh and it is ambi. It's faster and smoother. I tried the HK one and I found the paddle too short so my finger would miss it. This I found very akward and would go with a conventional over it.
 
The HK VP( (SFP9) or Walther PPQ M2 are both amazing strikers with wicked triggers right out of the box. Incredible ergonomics, like moulded to your hand. Those are my two picks.

It's hard to pick a winner between the triggers of the two above, but Walther just squeaks by with the reset.

You can't go wrong with a Glock (G19 or G17), but it's like holding a block of wood. Frame mods are almost a must unless you are the rare type that it actually fits your hand well. Aftermarket for Glock is staggering, so lots of fun to blow your wad on modding them.
 
Seeing as people are talking about these, I have the PPQ M1, a Gen 4 Glock 17, and a M&P gen 1 (both a 9 and a .40). All are still stock, until I can afford upgrades. My opinion is that the M&P is the gun I want to hate but can't help but love (comfortable, easy to maintain, takes a bit of time to break in the slide though...stiff bugger indeed), the Glock 17 feels cheap but I'm really impressed with how it shoots (really need better sights though), and the PPQ....The PPQ is an absolute dream. Fun to fire, fits great in my smallish paws, love the paddle mag release. I hear it can shoot underwater, perfect for when the dolphins get pissed off with all the plastic in the ocean and decide to become our overlords.
I think the thing about the PPQ is that Walther makes quality guns and every pistol is proven and test fired before shipping...I still have the perforated target from Quality Control Supervisor "Hans" that came with mine. My groups are better, shame on you Hans!
I do hear that the Creed isn't as good as the PPQ. Reviews have been meh. Then again, P320 reviews have been awesome, and we all know what happens when you drop one. You come visit me in my ER, and I laugh at you for perforating your foot and buying a 320 when you could be rocking a PPQ.
Magazines are a bit hard to source, especially for the M1. Not a big deal, but I can't get them locally. Can be ordered. I got mine from the US.
Just my 0.02$
 
The only striker fired I own is a Glock 17 gen3. It has seen many rounds without any issues over the years of ownership. Easy to take-down and clean(when/if required). Parts and mags are avail everywhere.
Although my HK p30l feels better in the hand I would pick the Glock if I had to choose one.....
 
Googling around, Glock mags seem to run $29-39 each, while M&P mage are $50 each. That said, it's not like you buy a lot of mags. The cheapest Glock 17 Gen4 is still $300 more than the M&P 2.0 - that's a lot of mags, more than I would ever need.
 
Lots of opinions out there,lol, and it seems lots of love for the PPQ!! Hope I get the chance to shoot one some day. I haven't been shooting handguns for years like some of these guys,but I have had the chance to shoot many of the guns mentioned in the " under $650" category, and I have to say IMHO the FN FNS9ls is as good as any, and better than most. As a lefty, at the very least have a look at it, we have two and they have been nothing short of utterly dependable. Grip angle is almost identical to a 1911, and they are very accurate. I'm not sure you can find a PPQ for $650 or less? I have put over 6000 rounds thru my FNS in the last year and the trigger , although stiff and gritty at first, has broken in and is fantastic and predictable.
 
If you google 1911's, there are a lot for sale. Doesn't mean they are garbage, this just means they are an extremely popular pistol and there are tons of them out there. Same with the Glock 17's. Great pistols. I own both.
 
Based on your personal requirements with mag release, I think you should take a close look at the Walther P99. I have the P99 AS, and I hate the mag release on it, but someone who might actually prefer using their index finger to drop a mag, it may be perfect for you and its ambidextrous. Grip, trigger and sites are all top shelf and would easily hold their own against any of the other modern combat pistols.

Not sure if you can find a used one in your price range though. The newer Walthers go for quite a bit less than what I paid for my P99, and seem to be driving down the resale value of the P99s, but the newer PPXs have a more conventional mag release, and aren't what you would want.

As for Cabela's and Glocks, bah humbug. A price war between manufacturers is good for consumers, and unless Glock started compromising on the product to get the price down, I wouldn't strike it off the list. Sidenote, "I really liked the Glock but the fact that it was on sale when I bought it made me wonder about resale value..." SAID NO ONE, EVER.
 
I highly doubt that when the Cabela's guy said he was worried about resale value, that he was actually worried about his customers ability to re-sell one of the cheapest mass produced firearms on the market after beating it to heck, like most Glock owners. Its pretty much a well made disposable pistol.

He probably meant that the price war and lag from Cabela's purchase from distributor and time to market meant that Cabela's couldn't sell the pistol fast enough to make money. That is hardly a criticism of the firearm.
 
I've owned a lot of striker fired pistols, although I prefer SA/DA pistols. Hands down the best in my opinion is the FNH FNS (4.25" barrel). Its almost perfect.
 
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