BKP99:
Thanks for your response.
I forget that parts availability and other such problems regarding firearms are so different in Canada than it is in the U.S. I guess I would be more concerned about "durability" too if I knew getting a broken pistol fixed would be a big deal.
As I mentioned previously I've simply never had a pistol or revolver of any quality break down.. Never had a part fail... I'll certainly qualify that by saying I also never have shot thousands and thousands of rounds of ammo thru any of my particular firearms either.
I guess the pistol I've shot the most would be my Sig P239. I bought the Sig new over ten years ago. I've shot what for me would be a considerable number of rounds thru it (9MM) and up to this minute it has never failed in any way. It was very accurate from day one, (so accurate I in fact sold two Glock 26's I had at the time) and the only negative I ever found with it was the factory grips were a bit iffy.. I replace them with rubber Hogues, reversed the mag release (I'm a lefty) and started shooting.
I'm a senior citizen and in the last few years my vision has declined along with my hand steadiness so I put a set of Crimson Trace Lasergrips on it, and now it's a "tack driver" at self defense range again. I don't know what kind of reputation Crimson Trace has in Canada, but I have a set on a J-frame snubby, and the Sig, and they are fantastic. When you can put the red laser dot on something you can shortly thereafter place a hole in that same spot if you so chose.
I don't shoot further out because I can't see well further out, and for cc purposes self defense range is where I need accuracy.. Beyond self defense range I can run in the other direction.
I don't know the reputation of Sig in Canada either. But, I have it in my mind that the Sig would be just like the "energizer bunny" and keep on functioning perfectly thru however many thousand rounds of 9mm ammo I could afford to run thru it.
The Walther P99c/AS is the ONLY pistol I've ever had that is equal to, and in some respects exceed the Sig P239. I'm not saying I think it will "outlast" a Sig in a durability contest, but it has so many "nice" things about it that I prefer over the Sig P239. The Walther P99c/AS is definitely as accurate, perhaps even more so, with factory sights..
The Crimson Trace lasergrips enable the Sig to beat the Walther in accuracy head to head, by a slim margin.. I shot them "head to head" just to see. The Criimson Trace laser dot can be seen even in daylight conditions at self defense range, so it would always be potentially a bit more accurate than the Walther..
In fact I have five "preferred" concealed carry firearms.. For conditions where wardrobe, weather, etc. allow I like the Sig P239, Walther P99c/AS, or when in a revolver mood my S&W Airweight Bodyguard (also w/CT grips). Other times I have a North American Arms Guardian 32cal, and a KelTec P32. Both of the last two pistols can be worn safely concealed almost anywhere other than a nude beach.
And I don't frequent nude beaches as naked old people aren't pretty anyplace, much less a public beach.
I hate it for you folks that most of you cannot own and enjoy compact pistols and snubby revolvers and such. I have derived considerable pleasure over my 5 decades of firearms ownership with just such firearms.
One Canadian gentleman even responded to another post of mine with pictures of his Colt Detective special but said when he dies it cannot be passed down to his heirs, but must be sold or destroyed.. That sucks.
Anyway, all of my personal opinions are just that, personal opinions. I have been fortunate in that the firearms I own have been reliable and never having the need, desire, or interest in shooting thousands and thousands of rounds thru them I just never found out the point where they would fail..
Of course everything will fail if you use it long enough (my short term memory for example), I just have never been a marathon shooter, so the point regarding individual firearm durability was moot.
Thanks for letting me ramble, and I appreciate the response. Oh yeah, congratulations on the P7M8's.. I know they have are fantastic pistols and I would love to have one, but they are simply too expensive for my old retired pay grade. I had to "settle" for a (German Govt. surplus) Walther P5 which has a very good reputation, but not up to the quality and reputation of the H&K's..
Best Wishes,
J. Pomeroy
P.S. if "redleg" reads this, I apologize to him for my earlier "testy" response. After I had my daily fiber, zoloft, and took a nice senior citizen nap I realized I was arguing a subject I knew nothing about.. (long term durability of the Walther P99 pistol).
I DO know about the "short term" tho - it's EXCELLENT!
