Ready for 9mm

Underground
1

A little over 6 months ago, I received a .22LR Ruger 22/45. I've shot this pistol once every 2 weeks and feel very comfortable handling it.

I've started shooting the S&W and Sig Sauer 9mm and from a noob's perspective, there is no comparison! The Sig is so smooth and allows me to shoot better. 9mm is so easy after shooting a 4" barrel, 357 mag S&W 686.

I'm not sure if I can persuade my dad to get me a new gun :-D but if you can own only 1 9mm, which brand and model would you buy and why?

Thanks.

2

a 1911 .45 - lol

3

Dad already has a bunch of .45s so i'm looking to get a 9mm.

TTT for more recommendations.

4

agree, tough to go wrong with the SIG. If it works for you then it'll make a great weapon. Of course there are the other weapons like those mentioned, HKs, Glocks, etc. that you might want to consider before making a purchase just to be sure you have your bases covered.

5

Thanks for the comments gents! I don't plan to be a competitor, just proficient enough to be able to use it safely. For example, I'm competent enough to hit targets in a 4" X 4" area on horseback from 5 to 10 yards.

Another drill is to be able to keep all hits inside the 4" X 4" target after a 10 second all-out sprint, from prone, sitting, standing, using strong hand, using weak hand, etc... through 5 sprints.

I practice with the .22LR Ruger, a S&W 686 4" barrel 357 magnum, and a Sigarms P220 .45ACP.

I'm not really interested in CCW (next to impossible in CA anyway) or .22LR conversion kits. The P226 basically sold itself after my comparison with the S&W.

So what brand and model of 9mm would you guys choose if you could only have one? How does the Sig compare to the Beretta, Taurus, Glock, HKS, etc?

6

I recommend the SIG over the Beretta. We used Beretta's before, and used to break locking blocks on them constantly. Have never had a problem with a SIG, but I have not used a SIG as much as I have a Beretta. I also prefer the tighter feel of the SIG. It seems to be made to much higher tolerances than the Beretta. I personally shoot better with a SIG. I also like not having a safety on a duty gun, so that depends on your preference.

7

My choice would be Glock.

The weapon is exremely balanced and comfortable in your
hand.

There are no snag points.

There is no decocker.

There is a trigger safety and two internal safeties (nothing on
the outside of the weapon).

Very low profile.

Toughest weapon out there.

Very accurate weapon.

Maintenance is easy and user friendly.

I have a 1st generation Glock that has had hundreds of
thousands of rounds through it. It was rebuilt ( by me, so
easy) after about 150,000 rounds.

There are numerous companys who build third party
elements for Glock.

I carry a Glock 26 everday in a Predator holster.

We shoot with Glocks every week (Glocks 17, 19, 22, 26).

Demi

8

Demi made a good case for Glocks that I can't really add to.

If you want a weapon that has a manual safety lever, the USP series or a 9mm 1911 would be hard to beat.

If you want a double action weapon without a manual safety, SIG would be the choice I would make.

The trigger pulls for each will be distinct, as will how they fit your hand... something else to consider.

cheers

9

I was speaking in BRANDS.

You can only shoot the weapon that YOU can shoot WELL.
Likewise, you can only shoot the caliber that you can shoot
well.

Try everything.

Demi

10

Go with a .40 instead of the 9. Its a little more recoil but not much more and the round is a better round. Cost is about the same.

I have a Glock 22 in .40, love it.

But I love my Springfield 1911 .45 more.

11

I am eagerly awaiting my Sig 229R DAK. I shot my buddies DAK and it has the sweetest DA trigger on the market. I previously owned a couple of Glocks and prefer Sigs over Glocks. It is all a matter of preference.

12

Thanks for the feedback gents!

I've looked at the Glock which seems to be highly recommended here and other forums and what an awesome safety design!

The Sig that I've shot feels very comfortable and I actually shot better with it than the S&W.

For those who have shot both the Sig and the Glock, how would you describe the differences in feel and handling? None of my relatives have a Glock!

Thanks.

13

In my experience...

Sig feels "smoother handling" and the trigger in double action (hammer decocked) is heavier than Glock. Single action trigger pull in SIG is lighter than Glocks stock trigger.

The low bore axis of Glock will help with recoil, provided that you choke up on the weapon as much as possible (minimize the distance between the top of the web of your hand and the slide). A lower bore axis means the pistol will flip less or have a less jumpy attribute to it if you grip it right. This means faster follow up shots.

The trigger reset on the SIG is OK. Trigger reset means that after you have fired a shot, it's the distance that you have to let up on the trigger before it sets it self again and you can make another shot. The trigger reset on the Glock is great, one of the best out there because there is actuall a tactile feel of it resetting and a "click" that tells you it's ready to go bang again. Once you learn how to use the trigger reset on a Glock your shots will be more accurate and fast because there is a minimal amount of travel to make before making the gun fire. Again, this is one of the reasons why Glock is among the fastest shooting platforms behind the 1911 and maybe the P7.

The grip angle of the SIG is more traditional while the Glock is more aggressive. If you are familiar with other platforms like 1911 and HK then it will be very similar. Glock, hard to describe, I believe that for the person used to the above it will point lower at first.

Weight is usually a big factor in shooting a weapon but because SIG frequently uses alloy frames, it's kind of close to Glock's polymer. Grip size is vaguely the same if you are comparing apples to apples (double stack 9mms for example).

Again, the SIG feels more like a high quality weapon, more smooth and better made. Glock feels a little more clunky and cheap but by no means does that not make it a fantastic weapon. Both pistols will be more accurate than most shooters, but people will probably report that SIG is more accurate because of the lighter single action trigger and their familiarity with the grip angle.

Of the two platforms, I prefer Glock for a lot of the reasons that Demi mentioned (in his post above my last one, it sure sounded like he was specifically talking about Glock characteristics to me). If I were to go for a traditional double action pistol, I'd choose HK over SIG for a couple reasons but I'd feel absolutely well armed with a SIG. 100%. That's why I say it's tough to go wrong here.

Also like Demi said it's how they fit YOU and how well they work for YOU that matter. I would highly advise against buying either without shooting them both, side by side if possible.

cheers

14

"There is a trigger safety and two internal safeties (nothing on the outside of the weapon)."

Yep. That's why I dislike Glock.

15

Barbito,

My last post may start a holy war. Thank goodness that we're more civil on here and handle holy wars quite well.

16

Naw, it's all good here. :)

When I had a G27, I treated the holster like a safety. Gun comes out, it's ready to go.

On the flip side... having a safety... you need to think about when to engage and disengage it. On the draw? When the muzzle breaks 45 degrees? When your sights are aligned on target?

17

And interesting, for the SIG. I think the folks at the SIG Arms academy teach to shoot at a target and then decock with disengagement/reassessment. Lotsa clicks... clicks.

Kinda like the folks with 1911s in the haunted house shoots... bang bang.... snick... safety back on.... snick, bang bang bang... snick, safety back on. :D

18

Best 9mm is the Sig 226. I have a 226 ST that was worked over by Ernie Langdon. Both my 220 ST and 226 ST improved markedly in smoothness and reset after Ernie's work. I am sad he doesn't work on Sigs anymore. I still haven't gotten my 229R DAK. I am told that they are on indefinite back order due to the Department of Homeland securities large order.