# Help with my gun choice



## GO24JUNIOR (Apr 19, 2010)

Hey guys,
Mike from Orlando, FL here. Ok so I think I've narrowed down my choice for my first handgun purchase. The winners are.

Glock 17
HK USP 9mm
Sig Sauer P226
Beretta 92fs

I would like your opinion based on your experience, quality, PRICE (of course times are rough you know), durability, accuracy, ease of use those kinda things. Whatever you wanna input is more than welcomed. Thanks and look forward to hearing from all of you.

Mike:smt023


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## Poink88 (Feb 11, 2010)

Have you at least handled all of these guns? Test fired them?

If so, only you can really help yourself now. If price is a concern (as you stated)...take out the HK and Sig.

Reliability and durability are probably pretty close (except if you ended with a "rare" lemon).

Good luck!


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## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

Please read Poink's post again, because he nailed it. If it were me I would buy the Beretta bc that's what floats my boat. I really don't like Glock...but there are more than a few people who would disagree with me. So what you have to do is go grab one of each, hold them, look over their features, weigh the differences, and decide on your own.

Good Luck


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

If it were ME, I would choose the 226. They are all good choices overall.


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## GO24JUNIOR (Apr 19, 2010)

Thanks for the input guys so far. I'm actually headed to the gun range tomorrow. They have a 17 which I've shot before just been sometime. They also have a beretta and HK that I can use on the range and get a feel for. I wish they had a sig. I've heard great things about it and that it is worth the expense you pay for it but I mean who knows. I agree that it's kind of one of those things you gotta feel out and I intend to. Just wanna make sure I'm headed in the right direction with my choices. Thanks again.

Mike:smt023


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## Frank45 (Feb 21, 2010)

dosborn said:


> If it were ME, I would choose the 226. They are all good choices overall.


I agree with all dosborn said, and I will add you can't go wrong with a Sig.:smt023:smt023


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I voted for the Beretta because I like a visible hammer / safety / decocker - single action and or double action trigger pull.

While I own a Beretta 92 FS and love it - a Beretta PX4 in either full size or compact size is usually more practical for the everyday user.

Here's a picture of my PX4 subcompact.










All of the guns you listed are quality guns - but they are very different in their use and safety features - they also "feel" and shoot differently.

You should shoot each of them several times (rent or borrow) before you buy.

Just because someone else likes a Beretta or Sig - does not mean you will.

I hope this helps you.

:smt1099


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

I agree with dondavis3, of the choices in the poll I voted for the Beretta 92FS.


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## traffictech (Apr 26, 2010)

GO24JUNIOR said:


> Hey guys,
> Mike from Orlando, FL here. Ok so I think I've narrowed down my choice for my first handgun purchase. The winners are.
> 
> Glock 17
> ...


Mike, this is a small world I live in the land of Mouse as well!
Is 9mm the only cal you want?
A few question to ask are?

What am I going to be using this pistol for target, home defense, CC or all three?
What cal am I comfortable firing?
What size frame and how does it fit my hand?
Whats the cost of ammo? .380 is very hard to come by, Started reloading myself for this reason.
How safe is the pistol/ (safety & de-cocker)

To expand on the last question further I have a simple test for pistols.
If I chamber a round and engage the safety, then drop it from waist high will it fire?
That will rule out many cheap pistols.

Cost?
Never allow cost to determine what may end up saying your life one day.
Many stores like Bass pro shops, Gander and Shoot straight have lay-a-ways.

From the list you provided my choices are the following in order.

1. HK USP 9mm and Sig Sauer P226 are tied for first place.

2. Beretta 92fs

and Last NEVER pay the sticker price!Talk them down.


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## Allterrain (Feb 20, 2010)

Out of your list, I vote Beretta 92fs 9mm. 9mm ammo is cheep, does the job and the 92fs just plain looks cool. Especially in stainless. Just my 2 cents.


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## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

From the available choices the Sig makes the most sense. IMO


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## Tuefelhunden (Nov 20, 2006)

Everything on your list is excellent but I voted Glock. From your list, married up with your requirements a lot of those areas are comparable but cost and ease of use edges the Glock out front in my opinion. Doesn't get much simpler and one very user friendly trigger to master rather than 2 in transition, DA/SA. My two bits.


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## fudo (Nov 11, 2009)

None of the above, I would choose a Colt New Agent. In 9mm, I would get a SA EMP.


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## hogger129 (May 4, 2010)

GO24JUNIOR said:


> Hey guys,
> Mike from Orlando, FL here. Ok so I think I've narrowed down my choice for my first handgun purchase. The winners are.
> 
> Glock 17
> ...


Well these are all great pistols in my opinion. The Beretta is one of the smoothest guns I've ever handled. My only dislike about it is that it's big. And I think the trigger is a bit too heavy. The Glock 17 is okay. It's lightweight and has a high ammo capacity. On the downside, they aren't customizable really at all. I tend to think their reliability is spotty. Again, I dislike the trigger. I'm a 1911 guy so I'm pretty used to a single action. And to add to that, the Glock lacks any other safety than the "Safe Action" trigger.

I'd probably go with the Sig Sauer P226. It's smaller than the Beretta and it has a safety/decocker on it that the Glock lacks. It's a double-stack pistol. I think they are generally of pretty good quality. And it's going to usually be less expensive than an HK.

If I had enough money to spend on all of these, I'd go with the HK USP. I would like to get the USP .45 someday just because it's one of the best guns I've ever seen. I think the grip is very comfortable. They are really accurate, and they are extremely tough guns. On the negative side, it's a bigger gun again. If you went with the HK USP, I'd go for the Compact model.

But all around, I'm gonna suggest the P226.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I picked the Glock because it's the simplest to operate and care for, allowing a new shooter to concentrate on safety and marksmanship. Of course, if you get used to a handgun with no 'flip' lever safety, you may never like one that does have it. 

On the other hand, you will get used to the idea that all you have to do to avoid accidents is keep your finger out of the trigger guard and the muzzle pointed safely...the proper behavior with any gun.


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## JoeInKS (Jan 17, 2010)

Oh Boy. The Sig 226 is my favorite but its just too darn expensive to buy, get parts for, magazines, etc. I'm inherently cheap so I look for justification in everything. When I shot the models mentioned, I just could not justify almost double the cost of the Glock. If I would have shot the Glock better that's one thing but there wasn't a noticeable difference.

Glock's aren't the best guns in the world (I like H&K then Steyr then FN then Sig) but the fact that they are so reliable, cheap to maintain, kind find any parts for easily, can upgrade at a whim, can find oodles of information about (YouTube, etc.), and you can drop them from a helicopter and still shoot them. Pretty cool.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

hogger129 said:


> Well these are all great pistols in my opinion. The Beretta is one of the smoothest guns I've ever handled. My only dislike about it is that it's big. And I think the trigger is a bit too heavy. The Glock 17 is okay. It's lightweight and has a high ammo capacity. On the downside, they aren't customizable really at all. I tend to think their reliability is spotty.
> 
> ...


Glocks have spotty reliability? Dude, you gotta stop drinking the bong water! :mrgreen:

I have a handful of Glocks, and they are all stone-reliable, even with crappy ammo. I've shot two of them over 500 rounds each without cleaning with no stoppages. There are tens of thousands of Glocks in service with local, state, and Federal police forces here in the U.S., along with many military and police units worldwide. You think they'd put up with "spotty reliability"? I sure would like to hear you elaborate on your personal experiences with Glocks that led you to this conclusion, if you're so inclined.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

JoeInKS said:


> Glock's aren't the best guns in the world (I like H&K then Steyr then FN then Sig) but the fact that they are so reliable, cheap to maintain, kind find any parts for easily, can upgrade at a whim, can find oodles of information about (YouTube, etc.), and you can drop them from a helicopter and still shoot them. Pretty cool.


You forgot accurate. The average shooter never gets good enough to shoot as well as a Glock is capable of. Even people that hate them for their looks and feel can shoot them well.

I place the XD in the same category.


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## FlaChef (Dec 31, 2008)

Also voicing an opinion from here in Orlando:

As others have said, any of the above will work great and go with what feels best to you.

I do know that East Orange Shooting Sports has (or did not long ago) a Sig 226 in their rental section.

And I am just wondering how you narrowed it down to those 4 choices? 
Was it purely on research or have you handled all of them. I ask only because for my first gun I had it down to 2 or 3 models and then ended up with something totally different that was just "the one" for my hand as soon as i picked it up.
I am a huge believer in the "go with what feels good to you" school. Could be one of those or something like a Walther or CZ or any of dozens of good quality reliable pistols.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

FlaChef said:


> I am a huge believer in the "go with what feels good to you" school.


I'm a believer in learning how to shoot, and then buying the correct tool for the job. Once you learn the fundamentals and practice them until you are a decent marksman, you can adjust to any gun that fits your need.

My Glock 20 feels like a brick in my hand, but I shoot it better than anything I have.


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## sig225 (Aug 30, 2010)

If this is to be your very first handgun. you should base your decision more on the pistol that will be less complicated to own and operate. I voted for Sig, mainly due to fact they are the pistols I 've grown to appreciate a little more than others (sigaholic).
The Glock models, in your case, would be a great choice, due to the fact they are easy to maintain, field strip and clean. Glock also has unlimited resources for parts, add-ons, ugrades, etc.
I would also consider the Smith & Wesson M&P series of pistols. I would rate them a little ahead of the Glock, mainly because they are a little more updated, and have better ergonomics (in my opinion). I currently have an M&P 9c, and it's been one of my best pistols in overall satisfaction.

Remember, your first pistol will be one that can learn from and enjoy, in all aspects realated to handguns. After time, YOU WILL want to add more handguns to your collection. This is when you may want choose a more complicated design of pistol.... :smt023


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