Sig, HK, Berreta, EAA Witness, Glock 9mms. What one is the best and looking for under 500$.
-Dan

Unless you are planing on getting a used gun you can pretty much discount H&K, while they are the best performing of the ones listed and in my opinion best looking they are incredibly pricey. Of the ones left my vote goes to the Sig or Glock. The berreta while a nice looking gun has been known to have some problems...though I know alot of people that are happy with them. Sig's are very accurate, look nice, and you shouldn't have to much trouble getting one for less than 500 bones. Glocks are lightweight, and dependable but I find their looks to be less than appealing.

Ok I got it narrowed down now.

Browning HP
Glocks 17,19
CZ-75
Beretta 92
HK p7m8
HK USP
Sigs p226,228
Walther 88

Although Bill Ruger rolled over to the magazine capacity bull, I aquired a P89DC.
American made, accurate and reliable.

If I must use a minor caliber auto, this is my choice.

Nathaniel has a point, Ruger makes a fine pistol...you can get those new for by far less than 500 dollars.

Would second the CZ75

Personally I'd rather have a good used Glock than a new Ruger. I have just seen too many people have trouble with them and have never been impressed with their quality.

I think the Stainless steel Beretta is one of the finest looking hanguns ever, especially with the black wrap around grip. They are also extremely reliable and great as far as accuracy goes. HI capacity mags are around too! FInding one under 500 might be a chore but Your gonna pay over that for A NEW H and K, glock, sig or any of the top brands.

IronPirate
If your set on a "9MM" , buy an American gun get a Ruger!!
It will shoot any thing you want to run in it and it will not cast you an arm and a leg-forget the Block!

Ruger owner, but I like .45ACP -big holes lots of blood -dead BG's :D

Sig, HK, Berreta, EAA Witness, Glock 9mms. What one is the best and looking for under 500$.
-Dan
Get the one that fits most comfortable in your hand, and has the most natural point. All are good quality guns. I have a 9mm/41 AE TZ75 that I use the most, but own Beretta, Sig, and Colt as well. Whatever you choose, practice with it as often as you have the opportunity to appreciate it.

Lee L

Browning Hi-Power, or Springfield 1911, in 9mm. Both have excellent ergonomics, and impeccable reputations. Also, I think a double-action trigger on an automatic kind of sucks.

For what its worth...a friend of mine just bought a S&W Sigma 9MM(9VE) for a hair over 300 bucks new(ive got the same one but in .40SW). We shot probably about a 1000 rounds through it in the past 2 weeks and havent had a single jam, misfire, stovepipe, etc. Its dead nuts reliable in my book, cheap, even cheaper to shoot, and is fairly accurate for a DOA. I dont know why alot of people hate S&W for their sigma series...i think there great guns for the money. If you can work around the heavy trigger pull(i personally like it) you can actually get some decent groups out of it. I cant really speak for the older generation of sigmas, but their new ones are fine by me!

Browning Hi-Power, or Springfield 1911, in 9mm. Both have excellent ergonomics, and impeccable reputations. Also, I think a double-action trigger on an automatic kind of sucks.

Twenty years ago I would have agreed with you about the double action trigger, but I was put into a situation where I was not allowed to carry Cocked and Locked due to department regulations, and so the double action/single action became quite attractive. Once mastered it is quite easy to use. At one time only double action only pistols were allowed, and I learned to live with that. Practice is the key to success with whatever type you use. I like the 1911 and own 3 of them for target use, but still carry a TZ75 in 41 AE for normal carry. Personnal prefferance is the deciding factor for all of us.

Lee L

I would say the Beretta. It is totally reliable, shoots like a,,,,,well,,,,,a Beretta, easy to maintain,,,,,,parts are easily available,,, very accurate,,,,and it is so "good lookin"!
You can look around and get one with the factory pre-Clinton 15 round mags for around your price range and you will not be unhappy.
I must take exception with the former poster that stated there are problems with the 92FS. Where did he get his information?
It is the most tested handgun on the market today and I have never had anyone say their was a problem in the operation.
(Open to be corrected, OK?)
No, I don't work for Beretta, I also own a Ruger P944 and others. It is just the best shooting gun and best feeling gun, as well as it is so 'purdy', gun that I now own.
It can be had for around $450.00 LNIB with the Hi Cap mags to boot.
Good Luck with your decision. Been there, done that!

Used HK USP from CDNN. (http://www.cdnninvestments.com/) Then download their latest catalog. From what I hear their "used" firearms are in excellent conditon and exactly as stated. They are out of 9mm now, but they have the .40 S&W for $400.00. Page 15.

I'll ask the question, What are you going to use the firearm for? there are so many variables to consider...
Budget?
Use?
Reliability should be first.

Single action?
The BHP or the Springfield/Colt get the nod. I'd choose either as a "Target" shooter.
Double action?
Beretta and Walther make fine firearms, and even though these two choices are traditionally used as "combat" or "duty" weapons, they offer acceptable accuracy. In fact the Walther is VERY ACCURATE :cool:
Double action only?
Beretta or [cough] Smith & Wesson offer reliable "Police" weapons.
Polymer?
Too many to choose, but Glock stands first as far as polymer is considered in my book. on the other hand, A Walther P99 is a poly gun too and is a fine reliable firearm. Yes, I'm pro Walther :D the 99 is a fine reliable handgun.

good luck in your choices.

Try here: http://www.kyimports.com/

There are a bunch of cop guns out there as a result of agencies either changing brands or changing calibers. I'd get the Sig 9mm. You can get them for around $500.00, they've likely been well-maintained if they came from a decent department, and they've probably only been fired twice a year. I carried a 226 for a few years, and that was probably my favorite auto in 9mm. As always, I would have preferred a .45......

Glock 17 is my choice by far.

Lightweight to carry.

Comfortable grip angle and safe-action trigger makes it easy to shoot.

Polymer frame and simple, robust design makes it highly durable and reliable.

Modular design makes repairs very simple.

I have been teaching both open and LEO-only Defensive Handgun courses for almost a decade, and the easiest gun for the average shooter to learn to operate and shoot well is the Glock 17. When I was at the police academy, all of the the students shooting Berettas were wishing they had Glocks. Sigs and H&Ks are nice guns, but the DA pull on the first shot makes it slightly more difficult to make the first hit with the same speed and accuracy than one can with a Glock or a SA 1911 for the average shooter. Don't get me wrong, there are some guys out there that can run a DA/SA gun like a Sig or Beretta as well as a Glock, but they are in the minority. Heck, the same is true for some revolver shooters, BUT day in and day out, the Glock system is probably the most user-friendly one I have come across.

To answer your question I've seen friends Berettas jam, and they seem to be finicky on which ammo you can feed through them. I am not saying they are a horrible gun, I think for a carry gun they are fine. To me it doesn't seem like the kind of gun I would take to the range and fire 1,000 rounds through on a regular basis.

To answer your question I've seen friends Berettas jam, and they seem to be finicky on which ammo you can feed through them. I am not saying they are a horrible gun, I think for a carry gun they are fine. To me it doesn't seem like the kind of gun I would take to the range and fire 1,000 rounds through on a regular basis.

I have to agree, I've seen quite a few jam on the range, and one with a cracked slide(early model) The owner said that he never fired reloads, and was taking it back to the dealer. When firing a lot of rounds I prefer an all steel weapon, as it helps in the recoil department. I know that the Military had a lot of problems with the M9, which is the Mod.92, cracking in the slide as well, but the problem is supposed to be taken care of. Most feed well if fed round nose ammo, but tend to hang up on the flat nosed stuff or ammo with a lot of lead exposed. My Beretta is a Brigader, and I had to polish the feed ramp, and smooth the Mag lips to get it reliable.

Lee L

I have a pre ban 92 fs, and have put a lot of rnds (1000+) with out a failure. I am talking fmj, hp, hard cast reloads. It reflects what the gov. testing stated. No other gun has went thru this testing and survived. I consider this pistol equal to my 1911A1 Colt 45 ACP.
Jim

I have a P93DC Ruger, I gave $350 for mine used in great condition, hardly fired at all. Plus got 3 - 15rd mags with it in its original box with manuals.

Ofcourse, my first choice was a Walther P99, but just didnt have the clams for it at the time.

Chalk me up for the Walther P99 endorsement too. :D

It was my first purchase, and is still my favorite.

Is your P99 accurate ? Smooth ? I assume it being a high priced, German engineered pistol it will be rock solid.

How does the S&W SW99 do ? S&W is building the poly frames for the Walther P99, thats how they got the contract t build the SW99.

Is your P99 accurate ? Smooth ? I assume it being a high priced, German engineered pistol it will be rock solid.

How does the S&W SW99 do ? S&W is building the poly frames for the Walther P99, thats how they got the contract t build the SW99.

Very accurate and smooth. They aren't all that expensive. Not HK expensive anyway.

Like any gun, there are always good and bad opinions. My personal opinion is that the SW99 is inferior to the P99. Alot of parts are cast or stamped, where Walther machines almost every piece. However, that's not to say that it's nessecarily less accurate or reliable. But the ONLY cloned gun I put stock in is the 1911 (and only a select few manufacturers of those, yet). I just personally don't trust SW99's because they aren't the original and aren't manufactured to the same high standards as Walthers. Now that Walther is bringing the P99 Compact to the table, I don't see any reason to buy any SW99.

As far as I know, the only part of (some) P99's that S&W makes are the slides. Everything else is made in Germany. S&W doesn't make P99's, only imports them, and they only made the slides for a small number of pistols (check the proofs to make certain yours is 100% German made).

The Glock's "rubber band" trigger is somewhat lawyer-proof, but takes some getting used to.
I had to make some decisions when I bought my Ruger-
I don't like the 9mm Parabellum. It is inferior to the 45 ACP for any application. I did want a 9 for contingiency reasons. Since the US military rolled over for NATO and adopted the minor caliber, I know cheap 9mm ammo will be available for a long time. I'd rather have a 9 than a pipe wrench to defend my home with. Given a choice, however, if something goes bump in the night, I'm going to check things out with my mag light and one of my magnum revolvers - more than likely my 44.
If I had a quality 45, that would probably be my companion on these ventures.
One day, maybe I'll be able to afford a Wilson CQB, but until such time, I'll make due.
Also, the "double action" trigger mechanism is a solution to a problem that never existed in the first place.
The cocked and locked 1911 is fool proof in a fighting weapon for a disciplined shooter.
I vastly prefer the tuned DA revolver over the Glock's gadget.

To each, his own.

ÜberPhLuBB, what is a good price to expect to pay for one of these ?

on USA Guns site, I think it was listed for $639

ÜberPhLuBB, what is a good price to expect to pay for one of these ?

on USA Guns site, I think it was listed for $639

I got my .40 for $599 spanking new, but you can find them cheaper.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976422467.htm

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976434329.htm

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976419652.htm

I found a Titanium coated, .40 version for $450. Unfired, new in box. ****, wish I had $450 right now.

I found a Titanium coated, .40 version for $450. Unfired, new in box. ****, wish I had $450 right now.

Make sure you can inspect it before you buy. Check for the three Walther proofs (slide, barrel, and frame) to make certain it's 100% German made.

About 5000 slides and barrels in .40 cal were manufactured by Smith & Wesson. All others are German made.

http://www.praxagora.com/lunde/WaltherP99FAQ/IX/5.html

A great P99 FAQ:
http://www.praxagora.com/lunde/WaltherP99FAQ

Thanks for the info

For my money, either the Beretta 92FS or the Browning Hi Power. The BHP has a wonderful feel to it.

Springfield xd9 deserves consideration.

Springfield does make fine weapons, but aren't they a little bit over the price limit he wanted?

The springfield XD series can be had for $400 give or take. I bought one last wednesday for $460 out the door. The 9mm accepts the .40 mags as high caps, you can reliably stuff 15 in 'em without modification, Beretta 92 high caps will also work with some modification that will not alter their function in the 92, making them legal. The XD mags can be bought for $24 making them relatively inexpensive as far as high caps go.

Good to know Wolfe, thanks. Hows the finish on them though, the only bad thing I've heard about them is that the finish tends to wear quickly.

G17 or G19 are great guns, and the G 26 for ccw with sweaters and coats.

From what I hear the finish can be a problem if not properly cared for. There are plenty of solutions to the issue tho like BlueWonder armidillo for example. The finish is not as durable as say a Glock but the price isn't as high either. Some people have problems some people don't. Your mileage may very.

Sig, HK, Berreta, EAA Witness, Glock 9mms. What one is the best and looking for under 500$.
-Dan

There is a very favorable test article on the Charles Daly Hi-Power in the March issue of Shooting Illustrated. Suggested retail is $499, which means it will usually sell for even less. I've just learned they are Hungarian FEG components assembled by Dan Wesson. I'm seriously thinking about one myself, and I'm not a 9mm enthusiast.

Dan...is this going to be a carry gun, or just something to shoot with? If its to be a carry gun, I would look at a Beretta 9000 in 9mm. I have one in .40 and it's great!!!! Very compact, very reliable, very accurate!!!! I paid four something for mine brand new...they can be had for much less used. (I don't work for Beretta either...just happy with the gun)

If its just a shooting gun, I would say Glock or Sig. Also, take a look at a Springfield XD-9...never shot one, but hear great things about them. Good luck!!
-Jereme

I work with a lot of Fed guys who shoot the Rugers the Fed supplies them with, and they are AMAZINGLY durable AND accurate. They shoot when absolutely Grimy! and accurate too. My Mini 14 will do that too!

just for your info!

I'm love my revolvers though! Security Six rules!

Hello. If interested, here's some information on a few 9mm pistols:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/CZ75.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/TaurusPT92.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/SpringfieldXD9.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Plastic%20Pistols.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/WhyBuy.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/1911in9mm.htm

Best.

JJ79, you mean your Beretta 9000 will actually hit something ? We sent one back to Beretta because it was shooting 18 inches low at 15 yards. I will NEVER own a Beretta, just because of the poor service we recieved with that one.

They sent the gun back with a target saying it was wihtin their specs. You know what they said do ? Use the black part, on the very bottom of the front sight. What good is white dots if you cant even use them ? The target they sent, was shameful. If I shot a group like that, I'd hide the target and the gun.

Like I told them in the letter I sent, we really expected more out of a company like Beretta, and they definetly stopped any further purchases of their guns. I dont care how many good ones are out there, the poor service alone was enough to turn anyone against them.

Here are the letters I sent and Berettas reply.

(Letter to Beretta)

I went to the range today with my uncle, to rip off a few rounds. Well
he
brought his Beretta 9000S .40 S&W . Now we were expecting great
things
from this gun, with it being a Beretta and all. Well, it shoots
terrible !
at 15 yards, you have to aim at the clip holding the target, and even
then
it barely hits the bottom of the target. We seen the sights are
non-adjustable, and you don't offer any adjustable sights for it on
your
website.

Do you think this gun was defective from the factory ? I know it wasn't
our
shooting style, because we were also shooting a: P93 Ruger, P94 Ruger,
PT92
Taurus, and a 941 Jericho. All between 15 and 25 yards with no
problems.

What can be done to fix this gun ? We really did expect a lot more out
of
it because it was a Beretta.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time,
Kennis Easter

_____________________________________
(Beretta's reply)

Kennis,
I am sorry to say that you do need to send that firearm back to us. If
you
call us on Wednesday or Thursday of next week morning is your best bet
we
can have this gun picked up for and brought in here to looked at by our
gunsmiths. Our number 1-800-636-3420.
Best Regards,
Beretta USA
visit our website at www.berettausa.com

________________________________________
(My last reply)

Hello, we did like you said, and sent it back. Well we received the gun back, with a target, saying it was within your specs. It said to aim using the very bottom of the front sight. What good is white dots on the sights, if you cant even use them ? The group that had been shot on that target was shameful, the grouping was all over the place.

Thanks for taking a look at it, but this has definetly detoured me from any future purchases of Beretta guns. Anyone who even mentions one, I tell them about this incident,and turn them to Ruger. Flawless engineering, reliable and accurate. Not to mention almost half the price, and never seen one jam, no matter what type of bullets was used.

Best Regards,
Kennis

Tang...yep, it'll hit something!! I mean, obviously its a defense pistol, primarily for use at close range, (it performs much better @ 7-10 yards than it does @ 15-20) but mine certainly doesn't shoot 18" low at 15 yards...must've gotten a lemon. It's a shame that you got that kind of service from beretta :( that would be enough for me to call it quits with them too!!!!

Tang, I sympathise with you. We had a 9000 at the range a couple of years ago, that was 15 inches high at 25 yards, and that was with four diffrent shooters, so we decided that it was the weapon. Filed down the rear sight and got it on the mark, but as for me no more 9000's.

Lee L

Buy a Springfield XD. I owned several handguns in several different calibers. The XD is one of the best shooting and functioning guns that I’ve shoot. It is extremely accurate, reliable and fun to shoot. It will shoot anything. You can’t go wrong. The price is right and backed by a life time warranty with one of the best companies in the market. Buy it I did.

Actually, the best thing to do is find a range where you can rent different models and try them. I was advised that when I first got into firearms, and I foolishly ignored it. End result, I paid good money for a couple of pistols I ended up selling for a fraction of what I paid later, because I hadn't rented them first and fired them.

Actually, the best thing to do is find a range where you can rent different models and try them. I was advised that when I first got into firearms, and I foolishly ignored it. End result, I paid good money for a couple of pistols I ended up selling for a fraction of what I paid later, because I hadn't rented them first and fired them.

Best advice I've heard yet.

Lee L

That is the best bet IF there is a range near you with rentals. Otherwise buy the XD and smile because you just got a great pistol at a price that's way too low.