Semiauto pistol options

The BHP fits my hand like no other gun. Love mine. If you don't have one, get one. everyone should have at least 1.

They just came out with a lot of Silver Chrome models recently. Fixed sights and $700 brand new.

Stay away from the Taurus PT-92. I had one once. What a completed utter total POS. Not in the same league at all. I think they are way over priced for what they are also.

USP 45's are real nice too. Depends on how fat your wallet is at the time I guess.

If you like the ambi stuff, you might consider a CZ 85 Combat. Real nice gun. I can get a Nickel one here for $429 brand new. They compare nicely to a BHP IMO.
 
Nightcrawler:


If you're interested in a 10mm, don't box yourself in.

First, if the G-20's too big in the grip, try the G-29. Light weight, plus 10+1 capacity. The mag bottoms accomodate Pearce finger-groove plates if you need the extra room for your little finger. (Get night sites if you go this route, preferably Trijicons).

There's also the different pre-sellout Smith 10XX series pistols still around. Do a Search, but several posters recently reported great satisfaction with "excellent condition" Smith 1066s. The Smiths certainly offer a different grip style from the large-framed G-20/G-21. Also mags are still available.

Just a suggestion.

(After reading some of the more recent posts, I'd avoid the Witness).
 
completely new direction

I went to a local shop today, now that I'm back home on spring break. I've given that shop quite a bit of business (bought my first gun there), so they don't mind letting me manhandle and try out things (they never know when I'll just buy one out of the blue). I did purchase a FAL magazine anyway, though.

At any rate, one of the guns I handled was a very old Colt 1911. The slide said Colt on it, and this was definately and old school type gun. The dealer told me somebody had put it together from Colt parts, which would explain it's low price of $350. It needed a refinishing, the sights were GI style, and it didn't have an ambi saftey, but had I had the money I probably would've bought the relic in a heartbeat (and probably sent it to Arizona Response Systems for a revitalizer).

Another pistol I handled was a CZ40. The pistol fit my hand like a glove, but only the CZ85B has an ambi saftey. The funny thing was, I had more or less overlooked .40 pistols altogether in my considerations. Funny. More power than a 9mm without the bulk or weight of a double stack .45. (Not that I find the USP45 or the P14 particularly heavy, but they'd probably be hard to conceal under many circumstances). I liked the pistol, and fit and finish were superior.

They also had a Springfield Armory XD40. Now, straight up, I am not a lover of Glocks. While a Glock 22 I one handled fit my hand well enough, the 21 series is bordering on being uncomfortable altogether. I also know that if I were to purchase a Glock that I'd be frustrated at the price of pre-bans. (In my weird psychology, no prebans available, in anything except 9mm, is preferable to them being only available at over a hundred dollars, thus eschewing the temptation to spend more than the price of the gun on mags).

At any rate, I was very impressed with the descendant of the HS2000. The little plastic Croatian gun fit my hand very well, and the trigger (to me, at least) was notably better than the Glock 21 I handled at Gander Mountain.

In essence, I fell almost in love with the little .40 pistol, though a polymer framed .40 has to be the type of pistol I gave the absolute least consideration to (that's not true; I also have little use for anything in the .25 caliber, or that ridiculously expensive, long, heavy, Sig 220 target pistol with the weighted barrel).

If I could have, I probably would've bought it on the spot. I examined the pistol thouroughly and found nothing about it's design, shape, controls (not that there were many, save the slide release) or price ($455) to be particularly disagreeble. That I found a double action or striker fired (whatever) semiauto with a trigger I liked is truly amazing as well.

Strange days indeed...I'm beginning to see how my pistol collection will develop. First and foremost, I need a modern, black and tacticle* lookin' pistol so people don't accuse me of being obsolescent. Then, I need a regular, single stack 1911, with beautiful wood grips and an ambi saftey, to show that I'm really old fashioned and have a sense of class. Then, I need a big .44 wheelgun to go with my Winchester trapper in that same caliber.

:D
 
oh yeah

There was a used S&W 1076 in 10mm there as well. It fit well, and I liked it, though the trigger was sloppy and its price was high for a used gun ($600). I'd probably leave it on the shelf.
 
Given the list I would say that my selection would be:

Hi Power - you can get 17 rd mags easily and cheaply
HK USP - I've nothing but the utmost respect for their firearms
Ruger P89 - even though I don't fair well shooting it, the one I have experience with has been 100% reliable and accurate enough for defensive purposes.

The reason I put the Hi Power first is because I am a big 1911 guy, and well, you know....
 
$600 for ...


... a used Smith 1076 is way too much. You were right to pass.

Try a local gun show in your area. Possibly more variety in Smith 10mms there, if they interest you.

Also, every once in a while you'll run across a decent-to-excellent-condition 10mm Colt Delta Elite. Sometimes the price is way too high, then again, sometimes it's actually reasonable. Worth a look.
 
Out of the guns you mention I would most likely get the Ruger, Taurus or the Browning.

Ruger: One of the best deals in guns out there. Great prices, probably one of the most durable guns out there, incredible reliability (the one I had never had one FTF or FTE in the 1000-3000 rounds I shot through it), the accuracy isn't bad or great but it is more than acceptable (if you want all the other features plus accuracy that is comprable to some of the best get the P90 in .45 instead of the 9mm P89). Yes, the hi-caps are readily available and at reasonable prices (around $50).

Taurus: A great gun. Taurus steel framed autos are very high quality guns. Just be prepared for some ribbing from others at the range (Taurus used to have some problems, and now the polymer guns do, so some people don't have very high opinions of them). Ask around to those who actually own Taurus steel framed autos (PT 92, PT99, PT 100, PT 101, PT 908/911/940/945) and you will hear mostly good things. I too like the cocked and locked AND decocker option over the Beretta's decocker only.

Browning: I like SA guns. I am a big 1911 fan. Personally, the HP doesn't do much for me but it is a classic, it is a SA auto and if you like it then it may be the better choice to go with first (I'm assuming you already own and know autos, I know I've seen you around on TFL but I don't remember off hand if you were an auto or a revolver guy, if all your guns are revolvers buy a DA/SA auto first).

A 1911 would be a good idea (again, same disclaimer as the Browning), though I don't think I'd get the one that you saw that was put together with parts. If the guy knew what he was doing it could be a good one but it could also be a total POS. Probably not worth the gamble. If cost is a big issue do what I did and get a Charles Daly, depending upon where you live the price won't be much over that $350 (around here they run around $450) and there is a lifetime warrantee (my CD has been highly reliable, they are very accurate and it is a cheap customization platform if you want to go that route).

One gun you didn't look at that I would if I were you is the CZ 85. CZs are great guns, all the pluses of the Ruger plus great accuracy in all calibers and better fit and finish. The CZ 75 isn't ambidextrous but the 85 is basically the same gun with ambidextrous controls. CZ made up a bunch of high-caps just before the ban went into effect so there are many on the market and at good prices (about $50) plus some of the CZ 75s (I know you want ambi controls which the 75 doesn't have) come new with one 15 rounder. I have 1100 rounds through mine in just two weeks and I have had no real problems (one minor hiccup when I let the oil on the rails get dry)- I love my CZ. Also, a DA gun that allows cocked and locked carry (unlike the Taurus if you want to carry DA you need to manually decock it just like with a revolver, though with practice it isn't a problem). The CZ 85 is available in both 9mm and .40S&W.
 
Have you considered a Para-Ordnance P14, since their pre-ban magazines are still easy to get and their usually priced at less than other manufacturers pre-ban magazines.
 
Grand List of Guns I've Seriously Considered

H&K USP45
Taurus PT92
Beretta 92FS
CZ 85B
1911A1 (Kimber or Springfield)
Para Ordnance P14/45
Ruger P89

And probably others. I really liked the Springfield XD40 I saw today. As I said, I handled the gun for awhile, checking the sights, the trigger, the slide, the grip, etc, and found nothing disagreeable. I hadn't really thought about a .40 before (I was assuming it was going to be either 9x19 or .45), but I very much liked the gun and a 10+1 .40 seems about right to me, for whatever reason. It helps that I've heard almost unanimously positive reviews.

So, now that I've done some handling of them, a .40 caliber weapon is under consideration. They do have the advantages of not being nearly so bulky as the double stack .45s. (While my hands have no problems with double stack .45s, a less bulky gun is not bad.)

I do know that I want a fullsize for my semiauto. I owned a Charles Daly 4" .45 for awhile (private sale, bought when I was 18). It was a jam-o-mattic and I doubt I'd buy another one. (the guide rod broke after 400 rounds.) I do notice with serious dismay that all of the "low-end" 1911 clones have standard ambidextrious safties, whereas you have to pay extra to get the "luxury" of a saftey I can use from Kimber or Springfield.

I do want a 1911, though, because I'm a fool for the classics. Right now, if I had to choose, I'd buy these three handguns:

Full-size, single stack 1911 of quality manufacture.
Springfield XP40
Dan Wesson 744 .44 revolver

So at least I've gotten past my "limiting the number of different catridges I own" thing. I was really constricting myself with that, methinks.
 
Whoa back up a second,,,,,a BHP with tangent sights??,,,, sounds like a Capitan. If so, and depending on condition, $500.00 could be a very good deal on it. If the dealer were willing to bargin a bit and/or some kind of two/three or so gun deal could get that down to say $450.00, I'd be all over that in a heartbeat.

BTW, if it is a Capitan, sending it off to be chopped/reworked would be a sin.
 
Right now, if I had to choose, I'd buy these three handguns:

Full-size, single stack 1911 of quality manufacture.
Springfield XP40
Dan Wesson 744 .44 revolver
Click to expand...

Sounds like a nice list.

I am a big 1911 fan. If you want to go inexpensive but don't trust Charles Daly (they have improved greatly, and anyone can make a lemon- but I understand that if your only experience with a particular gun, or any machine, is negative you won't want to go with that manufacturer again) try a Colt 1991 or a used Norinco (why does that always sound like a toy company to me :rolleyes: ).

I don't know much about that Springfield but from what I've read it sounds like a good gun. Seems alot like a Glock rip off to me though so why not the real thing?

Dan Wesson, never owned one but from what I've heard of them sounds like a great gun. Plus, the interchangable barrels can't be beat (2, 3, 4 or more guns in one if you want to buy the barrels). I want a 2", 4", 6" and 8" barrel in a DW .357 magnum.

You really do owe it to yourself to find a way to shoot a CZ before you rule it out. Great gun at a great price, I don't think there is a better deal out there (look around this forum- is there another gun with a more cultlike following out there?).
 
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