I have the shadow and love it. I once put 800 rounds through it without cleaning. I did check it to make sure barrel was clear etc. I have probably put 5000 rounds through mine and only had a couple of failure to feed with some flat nose 124 grain. I really like. Have shot lots of other 9 mm but would go back to my shadow. Also have the laser which is the .22. It is good as well.
Need Input On These 9's
- Thread starter GEORGE7mm
- Start date
Like many I missed the big about already shooting revolvers.
That being the case I think you'll find that the hammer fired guns have triggers which will feel the most familiar. In particular you should not have any issue with the first shot in DA if you're used to DA revolvers and shoot them that way reasonably often. Note that shooting DA for the first shot is optional for practicing and general plinking. But it's not a bad thing to practice if you get such a pistol because it'll be how you need to do it if you get into IPSC or IDPA production classes of competition at some point.
Between the CZ and Beretta you'll find that the Beretta feels "fat" in the hands. The CZ has slightly slimmer and more ovalized gripping geometry so it fits smaller hands a bit better. Yet it still works for us folks that take Large to XLarge glove sizes.
That being the case I think you'll find that the hammer fired guns have triggers which will feel the most familiar. In particular you should not have any issue with the first shot in DA if you're used to DA revolvers and shoot them that way reasonably often. Note that shooting DA for the first shot is optional for practicing and general plinking. But it's not a bad thing to practice if you get such a pistol because it'll be how you need to do it if you get into IPSC or IDPA production classes of competition at some point.
Between the CZ and Beretta you'll find that the Beretta feels "fat" in the hands. The CZ has slightly slimmer and more ovalized gripping geometry so it fits smaller hands a bit better. Yet it still works for us folks that take Large to XLarge glove sizes.
I'm an M&P fan, so I'm biased...however the 9mm M&P range kit is a heck of a good deal. The Beretta and CZ have their fans too...but I don't think you can get them, plus 3 or 4 mags, a holster and a loading tool for anything like the price of the Range Kit. IMHO.
Beretta is the prettiest of the 3, but the Shadow is the most refined pistol of your choices. I sold my CZ75b (liked it though), but would buy a Shadow after trying one at the range. One of the best bang/buck/out of the box pistols
calvados.boulard
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My M&P9 Pro fits like a glove, and is scary accurate. Love the longer sight radius and F.O. front sight. The out of the box lightened trigger is pretty much perfect...light, crisp, and breaks and resets clean with no mush. It's a pistol you can pick up and not need to do any work on it whatsoever. Never a FTF, FTE, or any other failure. I've shot a number of M&Ps now, and have never experienced this accuracy issues that some speak of.
Cal.
Cal.
I think BCRider makes some good points. I started shooting with SAA-style revolvers, then DA revolvers, then various pistols. I still own a bunch of each. For self-loading pistols, I find my preference is still for SA or DA hammered guns rather than the striker-fired ones (either modern polymer or older ones like the FN 1910). I just 'feel' safer with a visible hammer that I can manually ####, de-#### and generally control.
Having said that, I own a S&W M&P 9mm and quite like it. OTOH, I also own a Browning Hi-Power and a plain-jane CZ75 and like them a lot more. But they're all good guns and, if someone handed me any one of them to use either for target shooting or for 'serious social purposes', I would take it without hesitation.
The three you mentioned: all three are well-designed pistols made by long-established makers with excellent reputations. All three are widely available with good availability both of spare parts and of gunsmiths who can work on them if necessary (not always the case with some of the more 'exotic' choices).
With any of the three, a properly-manufactured one can shoot more accurately "stock out of the box" than 90% of the shooters using it, and close to 99% of new guns on the dealers' shelves are "properly-manufactured". (If you look carefully, you can find stories about 'lemons' with any make and model of firearm - guns that jam repeatedly or are inconsistent in shot placement. On the whole, for the number of their firearms in circulation, I think S&W, Beretta and CZ have as few complaints about problem guns as any maker out there.)
I've owned many CZ firearms, including a handful of CZ75s, and truthfully have never met a CZ I didn't like. I own several now including a CZ75. I expect most people would be quite happy with a Shadow.
I've also owned many S&Ws revolvers and self-loaders over the years and have also never met a S&W I didn't like. I own an M&P now. I like the interchangeable backstraps that let you custom-fit the grip to your hand. I found the trigger took a little getting used to, and I'm still not entirely sold on the whole 'striker-fired with no manual safety' concept, but then, I'm am very traditionalist and conservative regarding objects I use (I like writing with fountain pens, thank you very much). However, as with any firearm, a couple boxes of ammo down the pipe get you used to the trigger pull, and then it's all good. Again, I expect most people could be quite happy with a S&W M&P.
I don't own a Beretta 92 Inox, and have never owned or shot a Beretta 92 series firearm. I've owned other Beretta self-loaders, however, and have never encountered a badly-designed or badly-made firearm from the company.
Bottomline: have everyone who will be shooting the pistol at least try handling it at the gunstore - grip size and fit, reach to trigger and trigger pull, sight picture. Even if you can't try it on the range, you can probably at least dry fire it a few times to get a sense of the controls.
Truthfully, I think you have done your research well - there are no 'junk' pistols on your list that you need to be warned off. And if you later decide that something else would be better, all three should hold their resale value quite well.
I never fired the M&P but I own a Shadow and the 92fs and I can tell you there is no contest in the more accurate of these two...it's the Shadow...The 92fs is a great pistol,reliable etc,but I find the CZ Shadow fit's the hand better,is heavier,giving less muzzle flip,and I shoot more consistantly accurate with it.The price of the Beretta has come down lately and is now around the same as a Shadow...I don't think you can go wrong with either...
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I have the Beretta and Smith.
Both are awesome guns, I like the weight of the beretta, it helps reduce recoil.
Both are easy to field strips.
Beretta mags are harder to find though. If you so with the smith, I would suggest the range kit, I feel its an awesome deal.
If you have any more questions, just throw me a pm.
Both are awesome guns, I like the weight of the beretta, it helps reduce recoil.
Both are easy to field strips.
Beretta mags are harder to find though. If you so with the smith, I would suggest the range kit, I feel its an awesome deal.
If you have any more questions, just throw me a pm.
