# Doubt, glock 17, 19 or beretta px4 practical shooting, concealed



## mik3gun (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi all.

After a lot of reading here and google.. I have some doubts.

I am thinking about to buy a gun, I think I will not be using always as concealed, but I would like to take some curse and practical shooting. and I am new to guns too.

I went last weekend to range center and rent a glock 17 and beretta px4. the g19 not yet.(this the most I read on internet, rent the guns before buy one). Because I am new I think those could be good options, not expensive and have read good comments about them.

My doubts are: 

1- If I choose the glock, which one could be better for practical shooting? . I read the 17 could be better, but why? it worst get 17 or is almost the same using 17 or 19.

2- I felt a little more comfortable with px4, it is double action, ALMOST just touching the trigger it fire.. while with the glock I have to push more the trigger and I lost aim :s 

but I dont know if the px4 could be a little more dangerous cause with a little push fire the gun :s


PD: I dont write so much english, sorry for my mistakes.

thanks


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

When it comes to shooting accurately, usually larger guns are better. Their larger frames have plenty of gripping surface, their sights are large and easy to see and align, the distance between the front and rear sights (called the "sight radius") is longer which makes for more accurate aiming (small errors in aligning the sights make for smaller errors on target), and the trigger action is usually smoother and crisper than smaller guns (helps prevent you from moving the gun off-target while you are pressing the trigger).

Smaller guns are usually better for carrying, especially carrying concealed. They are lighter in weight, shorter in overall length so they don't poke you in the ribs when you sit down, and easier to conceal because the shorter grip frame, smaller overall size and lighter weight does not disturb your clothing so much.

The Glock 17 has a longer sight radius, so in theory, it might be more accurate for some shooters then the smaller Glock 19. I have both, and once you learn to shoot them properly, their practical accuracy (the accuracy you expect to get when shooting under normal, non-supported handgun shooting positions) is almost exactly equal. In close-distance defensive-style practical shooting competitions or shooting courses, they will perform very similarly. So, if they shoot nearly the same, but you think you might want/need to carry the weapon at some time in the future, then I would suggest choosing the smaller of the two weapons, the Glock 19.

The Beretta PX4 looks to be a fine weapon as well, but I have no direct experience with it. I have owned several weapons from the Beretta 92 series of guns, and they all performed very well, but not as well as my Glocks. The difference is in the trigger action; Glocks have the same trigger pull weight and trigger travel distance for every shot, from first to the last. Most Beretta weapons have a Double-Action/Single Action trigger system; the first pull is a long heavy double-action one (hammer is cocked and then released by the trigger, to make the weapon harder to fire by accident), and then all remaining shots are fired single-action (from a cocked hammer position) with a short/light trigger pull. The transition from the long/heavy first shot pull to the later short/lighter pulls can make a shooter scatter his shots on target, or force greater concentration and slower shooting times to prevent it. For this reason, and this reason alone, I would recommend the Glock (or any other similar trigger action weapon) over a Beretta PX4 (or any other DA/SA weapon), for defensive or practical shooting competition use.


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## mik3gun (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks for the answer buddy. But I am not sure about if you like the glock hahahaa... just kidding.

What I dont like about px4 is as you say the short/lighter for the 2nd and the rest of shoot. 

In the other hand, what I dont like about glock is this doesnt has external safe. 

What about the S&W M&P?, there is a model with external safe, and it is similar to glock.. But it is more expensive.. 
I know the glock and px4 are easy to disassemble and assemble. is the m&p easy too?

thanks again


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

Here is my advice...don't get the Glock if no saftey scares you. It should not, because you have to pull the trigger to make it shoot. so keep your finger off the trigger until you want to shoot it and take it off when you are not shooting it. But I can understand a new person not being sure about that, it is a bit unsettling I guess.

Don't get the Berreta if you don't like the trigger in SA mode. That will rule out many of the available weapons and the SA is the thing most shooters I know like best about DA/SA handguns. The first shot in DA is normally what is harder and less accurate especially to a new shooter.

The M&P is easy to tale down. The easiest 9mm I know to take down is a Ruger SR9. Easy peasy and you do not have to pull the trigger to take it down. It has an external saftey and shoots pretty nicely.
I bought one for both of my sons. The trigger on new ones is managable and can be made very smooth for 35 bucks and a visit to this web site. I'd try it if I were you you might just like it. There are a ton of good handguns out there get the one you like best in your price range.

RCG


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## mik3gun (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi guys.
Thanks for the advice.

Today I went to the range and rent the MP9. I shoot pretty well with this. I feel less recoil with this and there is the model MP9 with thumb safety. 549$..

They didnt has XD or ruger to rent.


What about this MP9, is reliable?, is good for concealed? what about for pratical shooting. Can be done any change or modify the gun like the glock that you can modify many thins? (I ask this cause I read in IDPA forums about many people modify them for better accuracy, trigger and so on.. 

Thanks


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## troutabout (Sep 30, 2010)

I'm going to muddy up the water here and suggest you not rule out the Beretta PX4 - especially in sub compact. I just bought mine in 9mm 2 weeks ago and have had it on the range 3 times for about 300 rounds. While the trigger pull is admittedly harder and longer on D/A it is not 'hair trigger' on single action. With an external hammer and decocker/safety you have the choice to only shoot in S/A if you wish. I keep a round in my chamber and the hammer down when I CC. I have owned several brands of pistols, both wheel guns and semi's and this PX4sc is smooth and accurate. Don't be too quick to count it out. Even with some QC problems on these early production runs it's a great gun.


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