best 9mm?

[PapaPerk]

Berettas are manufactured in Maryland (MD), not Massachusetts (MA)



Topic is 9mm handguns and ammo, Bro...

I clarified what someone was saying "Bro". I don't care what the topic is. :licking::licking::licking:

 

[EagleTDL]

I went with the Taurus 24x7 Titanium 9mm (really light). As soon as I buy a second one, stainless steel for me of course, this one will become my wife's.

You're in good company! For our anniversary a couple of years ago the Spousal Unit and I bought each other new Taurus'... I got a 24x7 in 45ACP and she got a PT 111 in 9mm. It's worked out pretty well, her hands aren't big enough to shoot mine and her's is too small for me to comfortably shoot.

As to the OP, like everyone has told ya, go to your local range and try some on for size. Also, if you like the features of a particular model, try it out in different calibers to get that fit that's "just right". When it fits your hand, you'll know...

 

[two_bit_score]

I have a few shotguns and am no stranger to hunting but I am looking for my first handgun. I will use this for target shooting to get up to speed with it but I primarily want one for self/family/property defense. I think a 9mm would be a good start for a first handgun but I can see myself adding a .45 and a revolver down the road. I will definitely get a safe so if you have any recommendations on a small one let me know. Thanks

Here is some of what I have found. From pics I am partial to the stainless steel models

1. CZ 75b: Haggle Price $490-$520
What a shooter. Nice trigger. Never a jam! Over 10,000 rounds and still going strong. The CZ 75b gets better the more you shoot it. After the first 1,000 rounds, it performs like a tuned competition pistol. The accuracy is amazing. Even die hard revolver guys shoot good with this gun. It points like a M1911 and handles like a Hi-Power. If you spend some time shooting the 75b, you will fall in love with it too. I don't think you can do better for under $900. Ditto for the CZ 85b. Could CZ better the 75b platform? Yes; see the awesome CZ SP-01 and SP-01 Tactical. The SP-01 can be bought for under $600 if you haggle!
CZ USA CZ 75b Review CZ 75b Overview Video
2. Baby Eagle 9915R: Haggle Price $530-$560
The MRI Baby Desert Eagle is all steel with a 4.52" barrel. Handles just like the CZ 75, but more solid. Very good shooter with a strong heavy feel to it. About 500 rounds for break-in. I love shooting this baby. The good trigger and solid feel makes this the ultimate double-tap pistol. It is as close to the perfect shooter as you can get. The MRI Baby Eagle is a good choice for combat competition. I would have ranked it above the CZ if the exterior finish was better. Overall quality is great. The Baby Eagle is built to last a lifetime. The Isralies sure know how to make fine firearms. Also known as the IWI Jericho 941. This is NOT a CZ clone! Note: MRI is importing them again!
Magnum Research Website
3. Beretta 92FS (M9): Haggle Price $560-$590
Great performance on the range. This is a man's pistol. A true warrior that replaced the 45 ACP 1911 service pistol. The Beretta M9 (or 92FS) is the most tested pistol since the M1911-A1. Used by the U.S. Military and thousands of poilce officers. Beretta 92 pistols with over 75,000 rounds have been reported. This solid designed pistol is what replaced so many police revolvers. Nothing shoots better than a well used Beretta 92FS. Allow about 300 rounds for break-in. Good long range pistol. I can hit the 50 yard gong over and over again. Easy to find magazines and holsters for this popular gun. The Italian made ones are tight! See the new 92-A1 with 1913 Picatinny rail.
Beretta USA Unofficial Beretta Site 92FS In Combat. WOW!

Have you shot any of these guns? Are those your on reviews?

Of the three you list I'd go with the beretta just because I am familiar with it more than the CZ's. Ive seen them in gun shops but that s about all. They may be great.

If you absolutely have to have a stainless I would look at a Kimber. They are fine.

I'll throw out one here that I think is an excellent 9mm but you ll have to find a used one.

The S&W model 39. Really nice gun.
Redirect Notice

 

[foggy1111]

Had a Kahr MK9 about 10 years ago....very well built and accurate little pistol, but, boy! was it heavy for it's size!! (which is why I sold it a couple years ago...I'd wanted a pocket pistol).
Kahr used to recommend a 200 round break in for their guns...might still.
Good luck with it, Foggy!

Thanks Roy. These Kahrs get pretty good reveiws. The one I bought weighs just 16 oz empty. These are among the smallest 9mm made....and are suitable for pocket carry or IWB carry. The quaility and reliabilty is said to be second to none - for a package this size. They operate much like a Glock....and have many of the Glock attributes....only in a single stack, narrower, lighter, and more compact size. Now a Glock price too!! What's not to like?

At least they sold me. :laughing:

 

[two_bit_score]

I'm one of those who buys about the cheapest ammo I can find for shooting holes in paper. And I have .38 ammo, both Remington and Winchester 130 grain, that have a slightly flat nose. But I've not even seen any 9mm with a flat nose. All I've bought are round nose. And while I've used several different ones, all I have on hand right now are the Federal 9mm Luger 115 grain. I would like to find the 9mm with the slight flat spot on the nose because they cut a clean hole in the paper while the round noses tend to tear paper. Maybe I just haven't looked at expensive enough 9mm ammo.

You know, really, if one is going to carry a handgun around on their own property I think a S&W Model 27 .357 revolver with 158 gr. Winchester HP ammo is a good choice. Good, heavy, dependable gun with a stopper round that also has plenty of punch.

 

[JerryK]

I bought Federal 9mm +P+ 124gr Hydra-Shok JHP's for home defense, and plink/practice with Winchester 9mm 124gr NATO FMJ's. Both are hotter loads than normal U.S. standard loads, but are well within what the Glock is designed for. You can get the NATO's online in blocks of 500 fairly 'cheap' if you look around.

 

[RoyJackson]

I bought Federal 9mm +P+ 124gr Hydra-Shok JHP's for home defense, and plink/practice with Winchester 9mm 124gr NATO FMJ's. Both are hotter loads than normal U.S. standard loads, but are well within what the Glock is designed for. You can get the NATO's online in blocks of 500 fairly 'cheap' if you look around.

I bought several hundred rounds of Wolf. It's pretty hot, but jeez!! is it dirty!!! I bought this a few years ago when ammo was scarce.
I'll keep it for absolute emergencies, but I doubt I'd use it otherwise and I don't recommend it unless there's nothing else available
Another brand that can be had pretty cheap is Sellier & Bellot through Sportsman Guide.

 

[RobertN]

Some years back, a friend bought a couple cases of 9mm from Sportsman Guide. It was supposedly Egyptian surplus. He had an HK94 carbine(FUN gun to plink with!).

OMG! That was the dirtiest, nastiest stuff I have EVER seen! It made black powder in our Hawkens look spotless clean. It shot great, seemed accurate for plinking ect. But dirty! Yuck, nasty icky dirty!

Beware what you buy, before you buy a volume of ammo...

I Wolf. It's pretty hot, but jeez!! is it dirty!!!
Another brand that can be had pretty cheap is Sellier & Bellot through Sportsman Guide.

 

[RoyJackson]

Beware what you buy, before you buy a volume of ammo...

I don't normally buy volume (except for 7.62x39 and 5.56 NATO), but if you recall, ammo did get scarce a few years back.
If we ever get into a real SHTF, Zombie Apocalypse situation, I reckon we won't be worrying about how dirty the ammo is.

BTW, some Wolf is steel cased. It runs through a GLOCK OK, but I do understand steel case ammo can be tough on extractors.
Wolf works great with an AK type rifle or an SKS though...

 

[Soundguy]

Yeah...I've read those reports. Although the 9mm round did get an undeserved bad reputation out of that gunfight, there was a silver lining. Since then, there have been some fantastic 9mm ammo developed.

I normally use Speer Gold Dot for carry ammo, but I like Hornady Critical Defense too (first tried the Critical Defense in a Ruger LCP since I wanted a round that had some "omph" to it as well as feed reliably...I was so impressed, I bought it in 9mm too).

unfortunately, in florida where it's nearly always warm, if you want to carry discreetly.. you have to pick and choose.

I currently carry a keltec P3AT it's .380, so the 9n that the OP is looking for might be close.. easy to carry.. lots of manufacturers have someting in a similar sized gun. 2 points I'd like to respons to.. 1, I feel safest around whatever gun that is currently on hand. 2, i would feel most safe, if that gun were a .45acp.. though it's harder to carry, or a shotgun if we are talking home defense. and that home def shotgun would likely be a pump.. and if that was it's only purpose.. it would be tactical length and pistol gripped.

soundguy