Striker Fire Models

T

TravisHenderson

Inactive
Hi,

I've had or have a variety of pistols in all sorts of styles.

Being a 1911 fan (who isn't!) there's an amazing selection of high end models.

Aficionados (or snobs...you decide!) discuss MIM parts etc and have analyzed the entire range of options....

But striker fire seems to be pretty much regarded as all the same despite a wider variety of mechanisms.

It seems Springfield, Ruger, Glock, etc are all on the same level and discussion never veers to MIM or actual firing mechanisms as being a reason to pick one over another. Seems to be which fits your hand better is the deciding factor.

Perhaps I have it wrong and there IS a Cadillac of striker fires that I have missed.

Are my assumptions correct or is there an off the shelf striker fire model that would rival Les Baer or Wilson Combat 1911s quality and build wise?

Thanks!

Trav!
 
ok, i am not an aficionado, nor an expert, nor professional.

i am an ordinary man, that got into this sport in late January of 2020, LONG BEFORE the panic buying.

i buy what I LIKE, and this is after watching very good you-tube videos FROM the experts, on firing, quality build, function, reliability, and then lastly, pricing.

i could care less all the rhetoric on the manufacturing process of each gun i buy.

they all use very good components, and metals, and each manufacturer, uses whatever process from that, to build the guns.

I WILL stay away from "cheapie-cheap" handguns, like say under the $200 price range, only due to the process INVOLVED in tearing them apart (field strip) for a cleaning, and the one that comes to my mind, is the HighPoint brand.

i will NEVER understand why on God's good earth, a hammer and punch must be used, to take down a gun.

when ALL OTHERS, our hands are all that is needed.

striker, or hammer fired, frankly i like them both, as i too have right now, 3 .45 ACP guns, that have hammers, and i have 1 9MM that is hammer fired, and 3 that are striker fired.

to me, THEY ALL do the "job" of allowing me to have fun at the range, and ALL are VERY capable for home defense.

i do not CCW yet, but hope to do so in the new year.

it's like "which motorcycle is the best", or "which pick up is the best"...

ask 27 people, and you get 1,000 opinions/answers/stories.
 
I've shot for many years and had a CCW for most of those. I bought, sold, and traded many firearms. Guns I would recommend(no order) are Sig 229, Walther P99AS, and HK P2000 all in nine mm. Merry Christmas
 
If you wanted something nice in the striker fired lineup, you should look at the Laugo Alien. Introductory series with extras, $5000 and all spoken for at that. Surely a standard model will be less; probably still $4000.
 
Not all the same

But striker fire seems to be pretty much regarded as all the same despite a wider variety of mechanisms.
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Well, they are not all the same as you are eluding to. ....... :)

It seems Springfield, Ruger, Glock, etc are all on the same level and discussion never veers to MIM or actual firing mechanisms as being a reason to pick one over another. Seems to be which fits your hand better is the deciding factor.
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I guess you could say that I have gone full circle, on this and now, generally prefer hammer fired over striker. Don't get me wrong, there are some striker-fired, that I truly enjoy shooting but "my" best is a Hammer-Fired. ... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Glock claims perfection, I don't know if there are any MIM in Glocks but there is plenty of plastic and stamped parts. Nothing about a Glock that compares to a good 1911 except that it will send a bullet down range. Kind of like a Glock is a Chevy and the 1911 is a Caddie.
 
I think you have it about right. What fits your hand the best and what you shoot best should really be the deciding factors in striker-fired pistols. Some have different features with regard to sights (steel vs plastic) and manual safeties (grip safety vs thumb safety vs no external safety). Really, the only other factor that is worth at least considering is aftermarket support, should you decide to "upgrade" anything...trigger, sights, barrel, holster options, etc. In terms of aftermarket stuff, Glock and M&P are the way to go...but options for Sig (i.e.- p320) are catching up quickly.
 
I'm like a lot about the 1911 design, but for a lot of reasons trust more modern designs. For that reason I prefer a 1911 style safety on a modern striker fired gun.

Out of the box the new military M17 and M18 are my pick for the best of the striker fired guns. You get a trigger that is actually pretty close to most out of the box 1911's with a similar style safety in a similar size gun. But with 17+ rounds of ammo in a lighter more modern plastic framed gun. And based on 40+ years of shooting 1911's, a much more reliable gun.

The Smith M&P can be in the running too. They offer most of their guns with a similar style safety. From the factory the triggers are very much "Glock like", but there are aftermarket triggers available that take them to a completely different level.

And I wouldn't want a trigger that light and short without a safety. On Glocks and other guns with a similar trigger they are OK. But no one would want a 1911 with a light, short trigger pull with no safety.

I picked up a used 1st gen M&P 45 ACP a while back dirt cheap and had an Apex trigger kit installed. That gun is now MORE accurate than my 1911's while holding 10+1 rounds or 45 ACP in a smaller, package. And extended 14 round mags are available. That gun with a pistol mounted light and 15 rounds now does duty as my night stand gun.

I won't knock Glock. While they are certainly utilitarian they simply work. And they have proven to be very durable. There are multiple shooters who have torture tested them to extreme limits and hundreds of thousands of rounds with no major failure. The other designs may be able to match that, but so far no one has proven it. I have a few Glocks and they aren't for sale. But I like the Sig and Smith offerings slightly better. Mostly due to having a safety.
 
What fits your hand the best and what you shoot best should really be the deciding factors in striker-fired pistols.
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This.

I've found that the HK VP line fits my hand like an extension of my arm. And that's why I went with the VP9 and VP9SK. Well, that and the fact that they provide ambidextrous mag release paddles, and slide release bars.
 
First off, I don't have "the Cadillac" of anything. I like em' on the budget side.

I would consider Glock and M&P to be the highly regarded workhorses of the striker family. I wouldn't consider them Cadillacs, but they are highly customizable and reliable.

Walther has some models that would be, IMO, higher end like the Q4 or Q5 with the steel frames.

Tough to compare when there are so many variations in striker fired handguns vs just the 1911 design.
 
One of these days I'm gonna bit the bullet and buy a striker fired handgun.

The poster praising the Sig P229 knows his handguns. While I'm a committed 1911-A1 aficionado, the Sig P229 might be the best of te best of double action semiauto handguns. The only deviation is he cited the 9MM. I'd go with .40 S&W.

The Sig P229's slide is machined from forged steel.

There is no doubt in my mind that the P229 is infinitely more reliable and durable that any revolver.

Its baby brother, the P239 is just as excellent in a smaller package.
 
I have a striker fired 9mm pistol. Its called a Luger! :D

Other than the grips & springs its all forged steel.

There is no doubt in my mind that the P229 is infinitely more reliable and durable that any revolver.
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While there's no doubt in your mind, there is in the rest of the world....:rolleyes:

There's no doubt the Sig P series guns are durable and reliable, but to make such a claim, "better than any revolver" is hubris.

You're welcome to your own opinion, but its only your own opinion...
 
Nothing wrong with the underrated Ruger SR9.....
 

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This is just a guess based upon observation: The Glock 19 and 22 dominate Western countries law enforcement agencies' issued handguns.
 
If you wanted something nice in the striker fired lineup, you should look at the Laugo Alien. Introductory series with extras, $5000 and all spoken for at that. Surely a standard model will be less; probably still $4000.
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Jim,
The Alien is more of a hammer fired pistol or a hybrid at the very least.
 
Jim,

I pick Glock not because of the ergonomics or the way it shoots, I just like utilitarian stuff that lasts and lasts and gives me no trouble.

I shoot Glocks, drive Toyotas, buy Samsung electronics, and in general try to research for the most trouble free long lasting piece of kit I can find even if they are lacking in features.

You asked about the Cadillac of striker fired pistols, from personal use and I am just familiar with the Toyota.

But for what I read, Wilson Combat custom Glocks are considered to be high end. Maybe Sig Sauer P320? That'd be a BMW or Audi though. : /
 
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At this point the most reliable semi I have is a DW Valkyrie(that's a lightweight Commander to you Glock guys). Second and 3rd are an LC9 and an FS92. My G19 hasn't jammed but the trigger failed. The S&W EZ 9mm is interesting and it is tempting, not because of the EZ but because it is hammer fired. Not sure I like the grip safety.
 
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