What's the best "out of the box" semi-automatic pistol you've owned?

My EAA SAR K2P never ceases to amaze me. After somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 rounds I've never had an issue that wasn't because of the ammo. I had 2 underpowered rounds from the 2nd 50 round box of ammo ever shot from the pistol. They fired, but didn't have enough power to cycle the slide.
 
Kimber Pro Eclipse II... hands down. I went through 2 1911's previously, 1 1911 recently, none fit my hand like the Kimber, none make me look like a hero like the Kimber. That's any pistol, anywhere....

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...I went through 2 1911's previously, 1 1911 recently, none fit my hand like the Kimber...
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Looking at the picture you posted, it shows what seems to be a standard flat-mainspring housing with what appears to be standard 1911 stocks, a fairly standard long, skeletonized trigger and front-strap checkering. This begs the question for me, what feature/difference is there between the other 1911's with the same features and this one that makes this one "fit your hand" while the others did not? Can you list a dimension that is not a standard for 1911's that would account for a better fit in your hand? Ask'en for a friend.:)
 
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Looking at the picture you posted, it shows what seems to be a standard flat-mainspring housing with what appears to be standard 1911 stocks, a fairly standard long, skeletonized trigger and front-strap checkering. This begs the question for me, what feature/difference is there between the other 1911's with the same features and this one that makes this one "fit your hand" while the others did not? Can you list a dimension that is not a standard for 1911's that would account for a better fit in your hand? Ask'en for a friend.
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There is more to it than that... my previous Colt had the arched mainspring housing, hated that. It's a 4", my previous 2 were 5"... the 4" balances better. It has a longer trigger than the previous 2, better for my longer fingers. Other features... frontstrap checkering, beavertail, nice sights.

Now... that's the actual, physical differences. I've probably held 200 different 1911's in my life... I'm a big gunshow grabber... comparing apples to apples (that is to say, 4" 1911's) I've had a few pistols come close to my Kimber, but none equal to the feel of it... and, yes that's very subjective. Where the lead meets the steel is in how well I can shoot it...

If your friend is hunting for a 1911, I would recommend taking my time (unless he is limited by budget.) Go to a stocking dealer or gun show and start picking them up. 5", 4", or whatever specific barrel size. You will find the very minute differences in a pistol make a big difference in how a pistol feels in the hand.
 
It's a toss up between my XD45 Tac and Buck Mark URX SS. The latter wears a Browning rail and reflex site, but out of the box it shot like I'd owned it all my life. The XD is just a rock-solid pistol. All it needed was better sites.
 
I have a RIA "rock" full size 1911 in 9mm, a S&W SD9VE and a Taurus PT111 G2 that each have between 600 and 1,000 rounds through them without a malfunction of any kind. The 1911 feels good in my hand and is the most accurate for me but the PT111 is a better all purpose gun that is also accurate.
 
Sig P320 Compact RX.

Flawless before and after upgrade!
I like the way it feels in my hand and the way it shoots.
So, I guess that meets the criteria asked.

I did enjoy shooting my friends Glock G19 and if I got one it would be a MOS version with a Red Dot.
However since I already have a Red Dot in 9mm it would be redundant.

Mackie244 / Bud
 
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I've had some Clunkers, but also a number that would qualify as a "best" at the time I purchased them. Most recently, it was one that I was not sure about, and purchased as much out of curiosity as anything. It is the American made SIG P210. Just a few hundred rounds through it thus far, but flawless reliability to this point. It displays precise fit of barrel/slide/frame (no battle rattle whatsoever), clean internal machine work, 3 1/2# trigger, etc. Having owned the Swiss and German P210s, I was prepared to be underwhelmed with the American version, but so far, couldn't be more pleased with my purchase.
 

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As far as immediately and always shooting it very well and never having a single jam in 20+ years despite dozens of different ammo types, that would have to my be Browning Hi-Power. :cool:
 
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Since I got into Bullseye shooting, these are my "best" out of the box:

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This M46 dates from 1968, so I had to have someone drill it for a sight base. Modern M41's are predrilled from the factory.

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I probably have 10,000 to 15,000 rounds through each, in Bullseye Competition.
 
I've never bought a pistol that wasn't great 'out of the box', but some of them I did swap out parts before I had barely put any rounds through them. My CZ's all got Cajun parts and springs, and even Wolf +5 or +10 magazine springs. They work great, but they didn't get much trigger time bone stock.

The pistol that made the biggest impression on me as a shooter 'out of the box' isn't glamorous, but it was the Glock 26. It was my first, and only, Glock. I almost didn't want to like it, since I wasn't in to the Glock hype at all. However, as soon as I shot it at 7 and 15yds, it changed my mind about the platform! I just couldn't believe how easy it was to shoot accurately, from an admittedly novice hand too. I carried it for three years, became proficient with both strong and weak hand shooting, and only got rid of it to fund another CZ. I would recommend a G26 in a heartbeat, I just didn't have any emotional attachment to it. Sell a Glock, and you can just buy another down the road. That being said, the G26 is a heck of a performer bone stock!
 
My Springfield 1911A1 takes the cake here, the only time it gave me problems was when I dipped into some 185 jhp, and that was the recoil spring being too heavy. Shooting 230 hardball it has been 100% through 2k rounds. A close second is my H&K VP9 LE, with those guys though I didn't expect anything less.
 
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