3rd handgun purchase...still deciding

[Beretta92FSfan]

So my very first gun was a Beretta 92FS ( quiet all you Beretta haters, it served me very well and saved my hand from a crappy reload blow out ) and I was very glad with my purchase. 2000 rounds later I decided to go a different route and get a 1911. I specifically chose the Sig Sauer Nitron 1911 because I honestly still today think it's the best value for a 1911 under $1000. ( reasons why: probably the best trigger for it's price point, beautiful stock rosewood grips, novak night sights, "matchgrade barrel", extended beaver tail to protect my hands, checkering on the front strap, lifetime warranty, and I don't mind an external extractor or the fact it has a hint of signess to its square slide) The Sig 1911 has never given me any feed issues and Sigs lifetime warranty cleared up some minor problems I had ( extended slide lock they gave me ate at the wood grips a little ).

Now comes my 3rd gun and similar to my 2nd purchase, I want to get something radically different for variety sake. Naturally I am under the impression a striker fired polymer gun is the way to go since they are radically different then the hammer fired guns I currently have.

The Walther PPQ ( a lot of people seem to love this gun ) isn't even on the roster, nor is the S&W M&P. Honestly I would have loved to get either a Sig P320 ( since I heard the trigger was the best stock and that's the most important to me ) or the HK VP9 ( seems to be the other good new kid on the block ). However since the Sig P320 and HK VP9 aren't on the list these options aren't available to me, pretty much all I can go for is:

Glock 17 or possibly 19: Although it isn't the prettiest gun it is obviously recommended a lot for a reason. I'm still a bit undecided if I would go for the 17 or 19 since I have slightly larger hands but the 19 would be better if I ever CC ( yeah in California? possible in the future? ) Also the fact that glocks use a different grip angle helps differentiate it from previous firearms I own

Springfield XD: I was originally interested in this gun due to a lot more features and bang for your buck then the Glock ( see my other post on it ) but this some actually turned me off into getting this since it is originally a Croatian gun and had a lot of QC issues apparently.

S&W Shield: I heard this is basically an M&P and I haven't given this much thought or research? Anyone want to vouch for it?

Also please before anyone throws out the suggestion for me to buy a CZ-75 or polymer equivalent, I think they are the ugliest firearms out there and am just not interested in them sorry :-/ Oh and my budget is around $600-700ish

[Midtown]

Not sure what kind of QC issues you read about. My XD9 has blown through 1000 rounds without a hiccup. Very easy to break down as well. Haven't found any ammos it doesn't like so far. Not only are they originally Croatian, they are still made in Croatia, they are just licensed by Springfield.

BTW how is a 92FS radically different than a 1911?

Trying to find variety in semi autos in CA is hard. I would consider getting a revolver. They are inherently more interesting than semi-autos because you can see the mechanics of the gun in action. Plus, they are a lot better looking. For 6-700 you could grab a nice GP100. Great shooter. I guess everyone should have a polymer gun too though. I think any of your choices will do, just pick the one that feels best in your hand and if you can shoot before you buy, even better.

[Beretta92FSfan]

BTW how is a 92FS radically different than a 1911?

Trying to find variety in semi autos in CA is hard. I would consider getting a revolver. They are inherently more interesting than semi-autos because you can see the mechanics of the gun in action. Plus, they are a lot better looking. For 6-700 you could grab a nice GP100. Great shooter. I guess everyone should have a polymer gun too though. I think any of your choices will do, just pick the one that feels best in your hand and if you can shoot before you buy, even better.

A 92FS is radically different from a 1911 mainly because its a different caliber and has a DA/SA system.

Someone suggested for me to go revolvers but I've never been really into them.

[Midtown]

A 92FS is radically different from a 1911 mainly because its a different caliber and has a DA/SA system.

Someone suggested for me to go revolvers but I've never been really into them.

That certainly makes them different, but radically so? I am just trying to tie into your radically different theme. A revolver is radically different than a semi-auto, much more so than one semi auto to another.

Have you shot many revolvers? I know it's easy to think that revolvers are just antiquated tech, but for the fun of shooting, nothing beats a revolver, especially one that can be shot single action. I wouldn't count one out without giving it a fair shake. It really opens up your options, especially here in CA.

[Beretta92FSfan]

That certainly makes them different, but radically so?

Have you shot many revolvers? I know it's easy to think that revolvers are just antiquated tech, but for the fun of shooting, nothing beats a revolver, especially one that can be shot single action. I wouldn't count one out without giving it a fair shake. It really opens up your options, especially here in CA.

Eh at least in terms of feel. I've shot 3 revolvers and had a blast with them at the range, but I'm looking into something more feasible for SD purposes as well which the striker fired and polymer guns fits

[elsupermanny14]

Radically different? How about something in 357 magnum? something with a cylinder in it perhaps? Something dead sexy? Something like that this,

[Webologist]

S&W Shield: I heard this is basically an M&P and I haven't given this much thought or research? Anyone want to vouch for it?

Shield is a great gun, particularly if you're looking for a concealable sub-compact. (It sounds like you're covered for full-sized handguns)

Every CCW holder I personally know has a Shield 9 or .40. All have been flawless.

[Midtown]

Eh at least in terms of feel. I've shot 3 revolvers and had a blast with them at the range, but I'm looking into something more feasible for SD purposes as well which the striker fired and polymer guns fits

You might want to specify your needs in the OP then. You are basically asking a question that has been answered like a million times on this site alone. If you aren't adding a twist, people are just going to tell you to "use the search function"

[whipkiller]

Now comes my 3rd gun and similar to my 2nd purchase, I want to get something radically different for variety sake. Naturally I am under the impression a striker fired polymer gun is the way to go since they are radically different then the hammer fired guns I currently have.

The Walther PPQ ( a lot of people seem to love this gun ) isn't even on the roster, nor is the S&W M&P. Honestly I would have loved to get either a Sig P320 ( since I heard the trigger was the best stock and that's the most important to me ) or the HK VP9 ( seems to be the other good new kid on the block ). However since the Sig P320 and HK VP9 aren't on the list these options aren't available to me, pretty much all I can go for is:

Glock 17 or possibly 19: Although it isn't the prettiest gun it is obviously recommended a lot for a reason. I'm still a bit undecided if I would go for the 17 or 19 since I have slightly larger hands but the 19 would be better if I ever CC ( yeah in California? possible in the future? ) Also the fact that glocks use a different grip angle helps differentiate it from previous firearms I own

Springfield XD: I was originally interested in this gun due to a lot more features and bang for your buck then the Glock ( see my other post on it ) but this some actually turned me off into getting this since it is originally a Croatian gun and had a lot of QC issues apparently.

S&W Shield: I heard this is basically an M&P and I haven't given this much thought or research? Anyone want to vouch for it?

Also please before anyone throws out the suggestion for me to buy a CZ-75 or polymer equivalent, I think they are the ugliest firearms out there and am just not interested in them sorry :-/ Oh and my budget is around $600-700ish

I know there's no accounting for taste, but you seriously think CZ's are uglier than a Glock? I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that before!
By the way, I shoot my CZ (SP-01) better than other gun I own, even my 1911.

If you're interested in the PPQ or M&P (I like my M&P 9 & Shield 9) there should be plenty available through PPT if you don't mind used.

[Grunt81]

You have a full size 9mm and .45 ACP. I'm a firm believer in the right tool for the right job. Looks like you're covered in the nightstand gun category.

Get something that serves a different purpose, either for CCW or the backwoods. I don't think it's as far-fetched to get a CCW in California anymore, depending on the area. I've been researching sub-compact pistols and the SW MP Shield is definitely on my list, as is the Glock 26.

If you think you ever need to take out a charging animal on a hunting trip, get a .44 magnum revolver or a 10mm.

The Glock 40 in 10mm with 6.02" barrel would double as a backwoods gun and a fun range gun for those steel targets at 100 yds and beyond. So would a .44 magnum but the 15 round capacity on the Glock 40 is too good to pass up (outside of Cali).

[floogy]

Realistically you already have enough pistols for defensive purposes. Anything past two is just because you like guns. I like guns, a lot. So my justification for buying more is because I like them, not because I need them for defense. If you have any chance of getting your CCW check out the S&W Shield. One of the few left on the roster other than Glock and XD. Also it's single stack and easily concealed. If CCW is out of the picture, get whatever you want. You already have two good defensive pistols.

[Champagne-N-Beer]

Looking for a SD pistol and then rejecting idea of a wheel gun? This statement makes me scratch my head.

If no want revolver, no harm no foul, but cannot say a cylinder gun is not a self defense weapon but a polymer striker-fired is - that's just, well, wrong.

But, back to the striker-fired polymer aspect - by eliminating Hk, S&W, Glock, SIG etc you really are tossing out some of the best in the business.

If those not your fancy, try FNS - no need to stay on roster, go PPT. Also heard good stuff about Ruger SR9 but never fondled one myself.

Best o' luck in search

[Nrai2020]

You re 4 months late to the party...

[himurax13]

Also please before anyone throws out the suggestion for me to buy a CZ-75 or polymer equivalent, I think they are the ugliest firearms out there and am just not interested in them sorry :-/ Oh and my budget is around $600-700ish

Well OP, since your first two handgun purchases consisted of a Beretta and a Sig 1911, your opinion on what looks nice is a little offbeat.


Seriously, how can anyone with any sense of aesthetics call these ugly?

[Beretta92FSfan]

Looking for a SD pistol and then rejecting idea of a wheel gun? This statement makes me scratch my head.

If no want revolver, no harm no foul, but cannot say a cylinder gun is not a self defense weapon but a polymer striker-fired is - that's just, well, wrong.

But, back to the striker-fired polymer aspect - by eliminating Hk, S&W, Glock, SIG etc you really are tossing out some of the best in the business.

If those not your fancy, try FNS - no need to stay on roster, go PPT. Also heard good stuff about Ruger SR9 but never fondled one myself.

Best o' luck in search

In terms of SD, 10 rounds instead of 6 might not sound like much but those 4 extra rounds are pretty important. Revolvers take a lot longer to reload in SD situations. Whats a good website that has a lot of used guns advertised for California?