Help choosing handgun: $500 or less, 9mm,

[dcbark01]

I've been reading a lot about these surplus or police-trade in Sig P6's on the market now for ~$300. Other than only having an 8 round mag, they sounded like pretty nice guns, especially since any other Sig you probably couldn't touch for under $500. Any opinions on these?

 

[Lost Californian]

My...I own it, just MY opinion..choice is a Polish P-64 surplus military pistol in 9x18 Makarov. I carry it and it is there at home for when I need. It is about the same size/shape as a Walther PPK, or a SIG 230. Bought two of them at Bradis for $170 each. I buy FMJ ammo for practice, and carry Corbon Pow'R Ball for use.

Inexpensive, reliable, and fun.

 

[Sailor]

I have an old Ruger P89. That thing runs good, but it is a tank. Very cheap used these days.

 

[WestSider]

I love the Glock 19. Easy to carry, accurate, good capacity, and reliable.

 

[scully]

Ruger P89 and don't look back. With the $200 left over buy a good holster and some ammo.

 

[G McBride]

Did anyone Mention XD. Buy the XD45C or the XD9SC and you will be happy.

 

[samrothstein01]

I agree with the fellow Glock go'ers! In my opinion, the glock is the most reliable, straightest shooting piece you can get out of the box. It's squared designs seems easier to square gainst targets and shoots where you point. There is little "maintenance" with the glock and its parts, and testing has shown one buried in sand, ice, and water with hundreds of rounds through it after each burial, without cleaning, and no mishaps!

In regards to the no safety issue....it has actually been discussed that a glock can be even more safe than guns with traditional safetys. The glock will not fire unless your finger is on the trigger....and if your finger is on the trigger than you must be intending to shoot. (Otherwise please remove your finger from the trigger! )Traditional safeties require the consciousness to check and see if it is on/off limiting response time, and causing someone to "think" the safety is on, when its not...causing mishaps.

My $.02

 

[Panama]

The glock will not fire unless your finger is on the trigger

A Glock or any firearm that has only a trigger safety, WILL fire if ANYTHING, including clothing, holster, or someone else's booger picker presses the trigger.

Is this incorrect?

(not trying to thread jack just asking)

 

[NateIU10]

A Glock or any firearm that has only a trigger safety, WILL fire if ANYTHING, including clothing, holster, or someone else's booger picker presses the trigger.

Is this incorrect?

(not trying to thread jack just asking)

You're correct, anything the depresses the trigger safety AND puts the 5.5lbs (standard) of force on the trigger will cause the firearm to discharge.

 

[Fenway]

A used Glock in 9mm is my suggestion.

 

[antsi]

I've been reading a lot about these surplus or police-trade in Sig P6's on the market now for ~$300. Other than only having an 8 round mag, they sounded like pretty nice guns, especially since any other Sig you probably couldn't touch for under $500. Any opinions on these?

There has been a lot of talk about these on SIGForum.com
If you are interested, I would go over there and do a search.
General word seems to be:
1) they are a great value
2) some of the SIG fanatics say these have the best size/balance/ergonomics of any SIGs. I have shot a 225 (civilian version of the same thing) and agree with this one.
3) there are a couple-few different "generations" of P6s on the used market right now, each with slight differences. There is an older generation that some people say has a slightly heavier double action trigger pull (though not everyone agrees with this), and there are two kinds of feed ramp, one of which may help with feeding of certain brands of JHPs. I would really search on SIGForum to get the scoop on these matters though, especially how to identify which ones are which.

 

[Joe Williams]

A quick rundown of some of the 9mms my wife and I own or have owned:
The Beretta 92 was flawlessly reliable, over thousands and thousands of rounds. I never had one malfunction, not my personal one and not any of the ones I used to carry on duty. A nice accurate gun, very smooth, but NOT a small one by any stretch of the imagination. Years after carrying them all the time, the gun still fits my hand like a glove, and it's the one I'm saving to buy now to supplement my 3" barrelled Ruger SP101 .357.

The Springfield Armory XD9 Tactical also never malfunctioned over more than a thousand rounds. This was my wife's gun, and it was much beloved. She shot it very well, and it felt great in both of our hands. We both liked the grip safety, and it handled cast bullets well, which is important to us since reloading lets us shoot an acceptable amount. It was a big gun also, too big for my wife to comfortably conceal.

The S&W M&P9 Compact is the gun my wife traded her beloved XD9 Tactical for. It was more accurate, and had a better trigger, but not as reliable. It had the bad habit of locking the slide back with one or two rounds left in the mags. It felt good in the hand, but the grips felt slick when shooting, and Cathy never did shoot it as well as she does other guns. I was able to shoot it well, but it felt like the grips had been oiled when shooting. She's sold the gun, and is thinking about going back to the XD9 Tactical or regular XD9, and learning to conceal the bigger guns.

The Glock 19 was a very reliable gun, and IMHO is the perfectly sized handgun, easy to conceal, big enough to be easy to shoot well, and adequately accurate. But it never fit my hands right, doesn't point right for me, and you can't use cast bullets in it. It's unlikely I'll buy another simply for subjective reasons. Objectively, it's an outstanding firearm.

My Sig P239 was one of my favorite carry guns. Sigs are just wonderful tools, and mine did everything right. But, they aren't usually cheap. Mine was a police trade in "certified pre-owned," so we got a break on the price. I really miss that gun, we had to sell it a few years back when we had a sudden need for some $$$

The Browning Hi-Power was a very nice gun. I found it easy to carry, very reliable, and for whatever reason I couldn't shoot it worth a darn. Wasn't the gun, other folks shot it just fine. I couldn't hit the side of a barn with it. Shame, because I actually liked the gun.

My Ruger P89 and P94 were both flawlessly reliable, and adequately accurate. They are also big guns, and they felt like 2x4s in my hand, but they are hard to beat for ruggedness, durability, and bang for the buck.

My Taurus Model 99 from years and years ago was a gun I shot in IPSC competition to spare my Beretta from too terribly much abuse, and prior to buying my own Beretta it was my carry gun for several years. Unfailing reliability and decent accuracy, and a fantastic deal for the money, IMHO.

 

[CandRFan]

There has been a lot of talk about these on SIGForum.com
If you are interested, I would go over there and do a search.
General word seems to be:
1) they are a great value
2) some of the SIG fanatics say these have the best size/balance/ergonomics of any SIGs. I have shot a 225 (civilian version of the same thing) and agree with this one.
3) there are a couple-few different "generations" of P6s on the used market right now, each with slight differences. There is an older generation that some people say has a slightly heavier double action trigger pull (though not everyone agrees with this), and there are two kinds of feed ramp, one of which may help with feeding of certain brands of JHPs. I would really search on SIGForum to get the scoop on these matters though, especially how to identify which ones are which.

I've got one. It's a boringly reliable handgun.

Solid Sig quality without the Sig price.

 

[SigSense]

Sig gets my nod, even though I carry a Beretta M-9 on duty. The Sig line is strong and reliable, but not as cheap as some others.

 

[GetA2J]

It's a boringly reliable handgun.

I just don't get that term I guess.
I know another guy who used a similar term to describe a rifle he had... he called it boringly accurate. THAT one I kinda get because there is nothing you can tinker with to make it more accurate. but a self defense handgun that is boringly reliable. Hmmmmm

 

[esrice]

I just don't get that term I guess.

I'm guessing he means its boring when you don't play Russian Roulette with your life like you do when carrying a gun of questionable reliability.

 

[Sailor]

G19 you can't use cast bullets in it/QUOTE]

Yes you can.

 

[mtk469]

I'm with you on that. I shoot 125gr LRN through my 19 quite often.
Matt

G19 you can't use cast bullets in it/QUOTE]

Yes you can.

 

[antsi]

I just don't get that term I guess.
I know another guy who used a similar term to describe a rifle he had... he called it boringly accurate. THAT one I kinda get because there is nothing you can tinker with to make it more accurate. but a self defense handgun that is boringly reliable. Hmmmmm

Well, I would say there are some kinds of "excitement" that you really don't want.

Like, always having to wonder if your gun is going to work may make life more "interesting," but that is a case where boring, predictable, sameness is probably better.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I have a nice Taurus PT92 (old style) that I might part with for the right price. I carried it for 10 years, and it's been accurized and the action smoothed.

It is not, however, a mid-sized pistol but rather a full sized.

Josh <><