While waiting on my LTC to be issued, I'm having fun obsessing over my first range guns.
My goals are not to train for defensive use, but for shooting accurately with iron sights. And maybe, eventually, local USPSA shoots. I've all but made up my mind to get a Ruger MKII or IV Target for 22lr shooting and re-training myself on the basics. So the next question is: what is a good range 9mm to practice with? Supposedly shooting life is easier with striker fired handguns, but I'm kinda broken and like to make easy things hard.
So, I'm looking at full sized mostly metal DA/SA 9mms. I'm expecting to buy USED, and I'd like to keep cost to $600 or less and the gun to not need $100s in parts to be worthwhile. I'm going to keep it in iron sights, but factory removable front/rear sights would be really nice. That's probably the most important other than just being DA/SA. After removable sights, having a good set of aftermarket options (springs/triggers) to tune the action would be helpful. I want to whittle this list down to like 2 - 3 guns and then go try them at MA Firearms School or Granite State, but my list is too long and I need help pairing it down.
For what it's worth, I have a large frame and large hands, but they're not fat. A 1911 fits in my hands comfortably. I mined this older thread for some options before writing this.
My goals are not to train for defensive use, but for shooting accurately with iron sights. And maybe, eventually, local USPSA shoots. I've all but made up my mind to get a Ruger MKII or IV Target for 22lr shooting and re-training myself on the basics. So the next question is: what is a good range 9mm to practice with? Supposedly shooting life is easier with striker fired handguns, but I'm kinda broken and like to make easy things hard.
So, I'm looking at full sized mostly metal DA/SA 9mms. I'm expecting to buy USED, and I'd like to keep cost to $600 or less and the gun to not need $100s in parts to be worthwhile. I'm going to keep it in iron sights, but factory removable front/rear sights would be really nice. That's probably the most important other than just being DA/SA. After removable sights, having a good set of aftermarket options (springs/triggers) to tune the action would be helpful. I want to whittle this list down to like 2 - 3 guns and then go try them at MA Firearms School or Granite State, but my list is too long and I need help pairing it down.
- Beretta 92a1 / m9a1
- Love the look, the metal. Don't really care about slide safety.
- Would use D spring, and maybe do G conversion. Saw something about a stainless trigger and skeletonized hammer too.
- IT vs US manufacture matter?
- CZ-75B(D?)
- People seem to love these, this is high up on the list
- S&W 5906/5904/915
- An earlier NES thread liked the 5906 a lot (link at bottom)
- Sig P226 (MK25?)
- DE vs US manufacture matter?
- Ruger P89
- "Like a 9mm mullet" lol
- Browning P35 Standard/MK3/MK2
- Looks like a beautiful weapon, but will be hard to find in my price range I think
- Canik TP9SF Elite
- Given MSRP, this is the only one that I would get new
- Not a big fan of all the plastic I see, nor the integrated trigger safety
For what it's worth, I have a large frame and large hands, but they're not fat. A 1911 fits in my hands comfortably. I mined this older thread for some options before writing this.
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