I have written already once, about the utility and my experience with 9mm automatic pistols. Since nothing remains the same in this business, my updated view of these pistols follow. I have had the luxury of shooting, and owning a few other 9mms since the original post, and this experience, both good and bad has shaped, and as much as I would dislike admitting it, changed- the ranking of how I perceive these pistols.
I will say that while I do respect, and carry often the 9mm, it is not the alpha and omega of the pistol shooting universe. Because it has reclaimed the position of king of the pit for all defensive handguns, which is a notion quite a curiosity to me. It does stand on its own merits, as the right option for those that have no other preferences. Good enough, for them, and for me, I carry and shoot a ton of them because of its utility.
Walther P99.
In the previous piece, this excellent sidearm was rated as first, my favorite in the stable. I don’t consider it so this moment, simply because during on intense shooting drill the pistol broke and ceased to function. Walther repaired it quickly, and it has run ever since, up to its old glory. At this writing, it is at least a year from being trusted in the defensive sense.
I put over 10K rounds through that gun, and bought it used, so I have no idea how often it was fired but break it did do. I have no idea how often it was fired by its previous owner, and it was well used, so I am thinking at least another 10K, maybe a bit more- which gives us a useful milestone when we consider about when it is going to fail.
This is emotional, I know- but I am simply mad at the gun for breaking. It still runs the same, but I do not think that I can call it my favorite, primary, EDC, whatever. I think it will be another two years before I carry it for serious work anymore.
Sig P229.
I picked up this excellent pistol from Sig, and it really shoots. Everything that I aim at, regardless of the brand of rounds selected, will shoot to the sights, and I appreciate this. I have done some heavy lifting with it to date, and as a target capable pistol, if someone chooses a 9mm to shoot against me, this is the pistol that they will find in my hand. I’ll be tough to beat with this gun.
As I judge pistols really on two criteria, hitting to the sights and reliability, this gun gives me both. I have to say that of those 9mms in the stable, this one is my favorite at this writing.
Sig SP 2022.
I bought this ugly bargain priced Sig for not much at all, in fact I paid less than a third for it than I did the P 229. It runs, and shoots to the sights, which really are the only two important things about any pistol, so I think. I do have and carry often its twin in 357 Sig, and as a companion/ practice piece for another running a higher potency round. I think that such a thing is fairly modern twist on the subcaliber practice piece notion. This gun shoots well enough, that I do not think that it will be regulated to the understudy role totally.
I am told that the 2022 is the “Sig’s best kept secret.” If all of them run this well, and shoot this straight, I understand why it is called so.
Sig P365.
I call this one the little big gun, and this surely is. Shoots with the larger cat four sized guns, better, actually better – than most. It is one of two guns that I recommend, as I have shot several, and every single specimen was excellent, in both reliability and accuracy. This is a gun that carries easily and truly delivers. First rate little piece.
Because I maintain this gun in stock, from the factory form, I carry it often for real world defense. I think this by itself says a great deal about the piece.
Sig365XL
This pistol is the prettier sister of the gun that I just wrote about, and as such, it does not get carried that often. While I appreciate the higher accessories on this pistol, it makes no difference at all when it is being fired, and I am sure that they cost Sig to make it look this way.
Since I did not look at this XL as a serious working gun, at the moment I am using it to learn optics on pistols and making my way to solvency in doing so. My initial impression after a couple of weeks of labor is that it does improve precision, however picking up the dot has its own procedure for the nut behind the butt. I can and do experience “sight vertigo”, in that the dot does not leap to the shooting eye when I present the pistol. Also, I am not sure that if you shoot well enough in the first place a red dot sight is worth the risk in terms of durability and failing a man the moment he needs it the most.
Still, as a woke pistol man, and a renaissance man, I need to know how to run one if I am to be a decent instructor. For this gun it serves that purpose, and only that one.
All said, if a fellow needs an explanation of the difference between a working gun and a play pretty, I can show him on these last two evil stepsisters. The smaller 365 I carry, the XL, I do not. Enough said.
Smith and Wesson Model 5906.
The bad thing about this gun, is it is heavy. The good thing about this gun, is that it is heavy; as in when doing two and ones it slaps right back on target. Mine was a police turn in, I am told from a foreign country, and it was neglected, the non-stainless parts rusted badly. Shaped right up. I do heavy lifting with this heavy gun, and it runs. Accuracy is very good, but honestly only with loads that it likes, but all shoot well enough for defensive accuracy with anything that I care to feed it. Like every Smith third gen, it is turned to the complicated, but worth it.
Glock 19 and Browning Hi-Power.
Again, I think this is the really visual and understandable simile of the difference between working guns and play pretties. I do not enjoy shooting a Glock, but I carry one frequently. It is a distinct pleasure and quite enjoyable to shoot the Hi-power, but I have stopped carrying it for anything but show and tell range stuff.
One of the things about the Browning Hi-power, is one is considering it coming into a capacity and categorization of a working gun, is that the reset can be a bit lengthy. I recently fired one of our clone hi-power guns from another manufacturer, and the reset was so long and tedious that I thought that the gun had broken.
M18.
I have spent more time now with this excellent sidearm, and it is meeting my expectations. I have lingering concerns about durability within the construction of modularity, that seems to me that anything designed with this mind will have looser tolerances.
Still, with a few thousand rounds through the gun I have no concern. It shoots well, not quite target great, but close- and surely enough for defensive accuracy. Actually, if I am to carry a weapon for serious work, and I do not care about discretion of carry, this one is going to be close by- what one could call an EDC- which normally I find an offensive categorization.
One big plus of this gun is the safety, that many wise pistol men discount, but I do find it normally. I like the feature because the safety is applied prior to the gun being holstered; and flicked off once safely returned. As such, it does have the advantages of a “pull and go” sidearm, while dissolving any chance that it will discharge during holstering. I honestly believe that all 320 pistols should have such a feature, and it my mind is a game changer.
Glock 17.
Although I do have years behind a Glock 19, I picked up a model 17 at a good price, honestly the same day that the Walther broke. It appealed to my sense of durability, and that is an itch that I needed to scratch that day. Other than that, it is a Glock, so not much to report otherwise. It shoots a bit high to the sights, and that makes me mad, but I can make it work.
It does shoot straighter and is easier to shoot than the model 19. Follow ups are not nearly as jumpy, and close in multiple shot drills are easier, and defensively accurate.
A few others:
The Initial Guns. Those great offerings from Europe that are known as HK, CZ, and FN. Not really a fan, to be honest. Most are unique and are actually kind of weird. Several of these guns shoot to the sights but are not impressive in doing so. I do not think that they have anything spectacular in the functional department over any of the Glocks, and with those pistols I am already both set up and satisfied.
Stoeger. We got a great deal on the mid-sized guns from Stoeger, and they were really impressive. Handled well, shot well. This moment, if I were looking for a bargain priced pistol, that would be the one.
All said, the rankings of the 9mms I own from least favorite to most, are all coming up Sig. The 229, M18, 365s, and the 2022; all of them are reliable and shoot to the sights. I think that the DA/SA is out of fashion these days, but each and every one of my top shooters in every caliber is either an SA only, or a DA/SA. The striker fired guns do not tend to compete accuracy wise, and although close enough for defensive work, that work is better if a fellow has confidence if the pistol is match accurate, which all of the Sig DA/SAs are.
I am still not a Sig guy, I think that a fellow ought to be able to shoot everything, but my Sigs do clearly dominate the 9mms that I own. The rest are serviceable, quality arms, and I do not hesitate to pack any or all of them. But, this moment, and in 9mm, everything is coming up Sig.