Big, heavy 9mm suggestions ?

K

kymasabe

New member
So, I've got a S&W SD9 that I was perfectly content with until...I got a chance to shoot some outdoor steels with a friends STI Staccato XC. Totally ruined my love of the SD9. So, now I'm thinking it's time to buy a heavy, full framed 9mm. STI is WAY out of my price range. I'm thinking....CZ SP-01 Shadow, Beretta 92x Performance, or Sig P320 X-Five Legion.
The P320 has me a little concerned because it's DAO striker fired, but seems to get great reviews. The Beretta seems a little more expensive than the others, I'm guessing because I'm paying for the Beretta name, but also gets great reviews. CZ seems like a good option as I've got CZ Custom and Cajun Gunworks available for upgrades if needed.
None of these guns are available locally so I can't handle one, and there aren't any at any local ranges for rent.
I'm hoping some of you have experience with a few of these options and can give me some insight.
Use: range use, home defense, a gun I intend to keep the rest of my life.
Optics: as I'll have to sell one of my AR's and a kidney to afford the gun, will probably stick to sights for now as I won't be able to afford a micro red dot. Something like Dawson sights with the fiber optic front is a good option for my old eyes.
Priorities: trigger, trigger, trigger !! Gotta be light, smooth, crisp break, and NOT single action. I prefer DA/SA and like decockers if available.

suggestions? recommendations ?
 
I’ve owned a few full-size CZs, namely the B and BD. I’ve also owned and still own a Beretta 92A1. I prefer the Beretta by a fair margin. I’ve done Cajun Gun Works parts in my CZs and I have Langdon Tactical trigger bar as well as the Beretta match hammer and D spring in my Beretta (as well as the G decocker conversion). I’ve done different grips on both the CZ (VZ grips) and the Beretta (Langdon grips). The Beretta 92 with a Langdon trigger bar is nuts. It blows away the reset on any other DA/SA pistol I’ve owned, including SIGs with Short Reset Triggers and the CZ 75s with CGW kits. I burn the center of targets out with my Beretta in a way I don’t with the CZs and SIGs I’ve owned. As someone with smaller hands I thought the Beretta wouldn’t be that great since it is sort of chunky, but I don’t find it an issue.

All that said, in my time on this forum I’ve often found that one person’s experience doesn’t match my own and vice versa. Even if the competition versions of those pistols aren’t available locally, I would see if you could still find some of the lower end models of the Beretta and the CZ to see if the feel of the grips and layout of the controls works for you. That would at least give you some hands on before you make a purchase. I’d say do the same with a P320 for the X5, but I find the feel of the X5 grips much better then the stock grip modules of the P330, so handling a standard P320 won’t give you a great idea. You could at least try the trigger though.


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I would look at the CZ,75BD. It's the full size all steel but no rail good for me because I don't like having a rail on a gun. I carry this gun most of the time. Trigger get better after 200 300 rounds. You can also have it worked but I don't think you need to. Can't say anything bad about this gun I love it.
 
Quite a few people say the Walther Q5 Match Steel Frame is a pretty good gun.


- gonzo, SoCenPA. "Before all else, be armed." --Niccolo Machiavelli
 
I have a CZ75B that shoots very nicely. Last weekend I took out my 92S for the first time, it felt "softer" in the recoil than the 75. Haven't shot it enough to say if I shoot it more accurately than the 75 but I like shooting it so far. Just the initial feel of shooting them I would pick the 92.
 
I'm sorry I don't have any experience with the guns you are considering. When I read

Big, heavy 9mm suggestions ?
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My mind went in a different direction, to some of the big, heavy 9mms I've owned.

C-96 Mauser Broomhandle, Bolo (rebored to 9mm Luger)
Cobray M11/9
and perhaps the ultimate, the Calico, with its 50rnd (or 100 rnd) magazine.:D
 
If I were to buy any handgun other than a 1911, it would be a CZ -- my choice would be a CZ-75 Compact, but in terms of shooting comfort they all share pretty much the same grip shape and angle.

I haven't shot a P320. Don't care for the Berettas at all.
 
look at the canik tp9sfx. gonsogeezer suggested a walter q5, the canik is based on one. it has a partially stacked striker fire trigger, longer barrel, plates for optics and is relatively affordable.
 
TunnelRat said:
I’ve owned a few full-size CZs, namely the B and BD. I’ve also owned and still own a Beretta 92A1. I prefer the Beretta by a fair margin. I’ve done Cajun Gun Works parts in my CZs and I have Langdon Tactical trigger bar as well as the Beretta match hammer and D spring in my Beretta (as well as the G decocker conversion). I’ve done different grips on both the CZ (VZ grips) and the Beretta (Langdon grips). The Beretta 92 with a Langdon trigger bar is nuts. It blows away the reset on any other DA/SA pistol I’ve owned, including SIGs with Short Reset Triggers and the CZ 75s with CGW kits. I burn the center of targets out with my Beretta in a way I don’t with the CZs and SIGs I’ve owned. As someone with smaller hands I thought the Beretta wouldn’t be that great since it is sort of chunky, but I don’t find it an issue.

All that said, in my time on this forum I’ve often found that one person’s experience doesn’t match my own and vice versa. Even if the competition versions of those pistols aren’t available locally, I would see if you could still find some of the lower end models of the Beretta and the CZ to see if the feel of the grips and layout of the controls works for you. That would at least give you some hands on before you make a purchase. I’d say do the same with a P320 for the X5, but I find the feel of the X5 grips much better then the stock grip modules of the P330, so handling a standard P320 won’t give you a great idea. You could at least try the trigger though.


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Excellent advice!, and I need to buy a Beretta 92 series some day.
 
jr24 said:
CZ 75, Beretta 92, Sig 226
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You're on the right track.
I like the feel of the CZ75, but I want a better trigger, and I want a pre-b trigger. That's why I was looking at the Sp-01 Shadow Custom, or possibly the Sp-01 tactical and I'd buy the Cajun Gun Works pro kit for it.
Beretta 92...another great gun gun but... I don't like Beretta's slide mounted safety and I don't like safeties that have to swing up, seems backwards to me. The new 92X looks like has a frams mounted safety and I haven't handled one to check this out but...appears to swing down, the direction I prefer.
SigP226, had one, was a great gun, but I'd still want the Legion version, better trigger. And while searching the P226 specs today, ran across the heavier and I think slightly longer P320 X-five Legion.
Gonzogeezer suggested the Walther....but it appears to be much more expensive than the other guns I'm considering, is a bit out of my price range.
 
If ammo capacity isn’t a major issue, a 1911 in 9mm is a great choice. I have a Springfield Loaded and it is a really nice shooter. I believe the Loaded is now only available in .45 ACP , but the Range Officer is available in 9mm. There are very few DA/SA triggers that can compare to a nice 1911 trigger. As a stainless steel gun, you won’t have to worry about corrosion (I noticed SW Florida as your location). It has a fiber optic front sight and adjustable rear sights. MSRP is $1057, but gunbroker.com has some in the $850 range.

I don’t have too much experience with CZs, but I have read a lot of good things. I will probably get one eventually. I don’t have experience with Beretta’s Performance line. I’m am not that impressed with the standard 92. I have the Sig P320 X-Five, but not the Legion. They added some weight and improved the trigger. I am not a huge fan of the original X-Five trigger as I feel a “competition ready” gun should have a much nicer trigger. You could also look at the P226 as well.

Good luck!
 
CZ 75 or 9mm Full Size 1911 will shoot circles around you flimsy plastic S&W. The out of the box reliability goes to the CZ but the 1911s will break in nicely with a little polishing.
 
Use: range use, home defense, a gun I intend to keep the rest of my life.
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Browning Hi Power......

Not really big - not really small - - - but - - huge on history, great feel and super on class ...

Dang - quit reading too soon & missed the D/A requirement.

Oh well, a CZ75b is a decent gun too (I like mine a lot & it does have the added perk of the Kadet .22 conversion) - but - it's no where near the BHP in many ways...
 
Used Smith 5906. Guns are tanks. The Beretta and Sig 226 are lightweight aluminum allow frames. If you want to buy new, one of the 1911's
 
jmr40 said:
Used Smith 5906. Guns are tanks. The Beretta and Sig 226 are lightweight aluminum allow frames. If you want to buy new, one of the 1911's
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Both Beretta and SIG have versions of their pistols that have steel frames, though the standard models are aluminum alloy.


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