glockcompact
New member
Since you don't like Glock my next pick would be a Sig p229 .40. I owned one for over 10 years. It's an outstanding pistol if you have the money. You said you considered the Sig anyway. Rent it - check it out.
Best pistol
- Thread starter south.texas.dead.I
- Start date
It sounds like you've got plenty of time to make a decision. Try to find a range where you can rent a variety of guns for a test drive. Each of the guns you mentioned will have a different feel. Having others tell you what gun to buy is like having someone else pick your next vehicle.
Amin Parker
New member
Cz 75. Dont buy until you have tried one.
I have a rather large collection of firearms and am pretty partial to my Sigs, especially my 1911 c. But the only reason the Sig trumps my Dan Wesson 1911 Commander bobtail is that I just think the Sig is prettier 
There's no contest in the build. DW has all those Ed Brown parts that makes it tighter than any 1911 I've ever picked up. Lately I've been rethinking the whole "prettier" thing and I'm not really all that convinced about that anymore. The bobtail I think takes getting used to looking at, but it conceals better under clothes and it feels better in your hands with a 2 hand grip, especially during recoil. The rounded butt doesn't jab as it has no sharp corner there. If you are used to normal 1911 frames, you won't know the difference till you shoot one Here's a good review on them. http://www.gunblast.com/DanWesson-CommanderClassic.htmThey have discontinued the model last year but there are still some to be had here and there new and of course used.
There's no contest in the build. DW has all those Ed Brown parts that makes it tighter than any 1911 I've ever picked up. Lately I've been rethinking the whole "prettier" thing and I'm not really all that convinced about that anymore. The bobtail I think takes getting used to looking at, but it conceals better under clothes and it feels better in your hands with a 2 hand grip, especially during recoil. The rounded butt doesn't jab as it has no sharp corner there. If you are used to normal 1911 frames, you won't know the difference till you shoot one Here's a good review on them. http://www.gunblast.com/DanWesson-CommanderClassic.htmThey have discontinued the model last year but there are still some to be had here and there new and of course used.WildBill45
New member
Get a Wilson .45 on the high end, a Sig .45 in the middle, and a Smith M&P .40 on the lower end...
I do not carry Kimbers ... I had bad experiences with one myself...
I do not carry Kimbers ... I had bad experiences with one myself...
iMagUdspEllr
New member
Of the guns you have named I would go with the Sig P226/9 Enhanced Elite versions (in .40 S&W since you aren't a fan of 9mm). The Sig has no safety to worry about, it carries 12 rounds (not 8), and isn't heavy for no reason. The new enhanced models fit my hand better than any pistol I have ever held.
I have 4 Sigs (P230, P226(40), P228(9) and P220(45)) and three Kimbers.
The Sigs are extremely reliable. The P228 is a sweet gun.
For starting out, 9mm ammo will be a lot more affordable than 40 or 45.
I will not buy another Kimber. My first Kimber was bought in 1997. It's been a good, reliable gun. My last one was bought a year ago. It's taken me a year to get it to function reliably. Kimber quality control is hit and miss. Maybe 70 or 80% are problem free. However, a lot of people who say that there Kimber has never given them a problem have also never fired anything but range ammo in their gun. My Kimber handled my reloads perfectly fine. But premium defense ammo has been a serious problem. Do you want a gun just for shooting at the range, or do you want something that is reliable for self defense?
That being said, I shoot a single action gun better than I do a traditional SA/DA gun.
If you really want to go the 1911 route, I suggest you avoid Kimber. Rock Island and Springfield are better choices. Dan Wesson is excellent but twice the price.
The Sigs are extremely reliable. The P228 is a sweet gun.
For starting out, 9mm ammo will be a lot more affordable than 40 or 45.
I will not buy another Kimber. My first Kimber was bought in 1997. It's been a good, reliable gun. My last one was bought a year ago. It's taken me a year to get it to function reliably. Kimber quality control is hit and miss. Maybe 70 or 80% are problem free. However, a lot of people who say that there Kimber has never given them a problem have also never fired anything but range ammo in their gun. My Kimber handled my reloads perfectly fine. But premium defense ammo has been a serious problem. Do you want a gun just for shooting at the range, or do you want something that is reliable for self defense?
That being said, I shoot a single action gun better than I do a traditional SA/DA gun.
If you really want to go the 1911 route, I suggest you avoid Kimber. Rock Island and Springfield are better choices. Dan Wesson is excellent but twice the price.