9MM Hand Guns

[PistolKidd]

For your price range, if you wanted new, I think you're limited to Glocks and CZ's. Hk and Sig tend to carry a heftier price tag..

Despite all the horror stories of blowups, jams, customer service problems, bad metallurgy..etc etc. that you hear from every camp... all the "popular" choices you hear shoot very well and jam very very infrequently*, if at all..

Between me and my brother, we've owned, glocks, sigs, springfields, colts, kimbers, Hk's, rugers, S&W, and thats just some of teh stuff we've owned..Ive shot more than this list, but I have to be honest, very few of them ever jammed on me..and they were all very accurate..

I would seriously take that recommendation of going to the range or finding out if any of your friends/coworkers shoot.. have them show you the ropes and see if they can expose you to the various pistols out there..

Some people like the wheelguns vs the semi-autos...some cant stand the polymer frames and stick with the metals..while others love the 1911's vs anything else :-)

Try them out and see what you like.. you can get MOST of the guns I've mentioned for about 600- some will have to be used but there are great deals if you know what you're doing..

Personally, if it was a first time purchase, and I had $600, I would go the route of getting a Glock 17 or Glock 19. They're both fairly inexpensive, and as someone pointed out, you can easily get a brand new one for under 600 bucks.. Thye're very easy to maintain and popular enough that upgrades are readily available for a reasonable cost.. The biggest thing for me is probably the cost of shooting- 9mm is fairly cheap so time spent at the range, becoming proficient is easier on the wallet as well..

whatever your choice, learn to use it and be safe!

[BPA]

Certified pre-owned SIG.. pick your model. 226, 228, 229, 239 any will fit the bill I like the way they shoot and feel better than Hk. try some out

[sintax]

After owning a few hand guns (glock 17 and 19, Springfield XD, 1911) I recently bought a sig. Sig is hands down the best in my book so far. They can not be touched for a production piece.

[Evil Gun]

I own three nines: S&W 5906, TEC-DC 9 and a Walther P1 (post-war P-38)

[CrazyGunner]

Has anyone ever tried the WBB hollow points?

[Tyler]

Beretta 92fs, if it is good enough for the military it is good enough for me. Although it is heavier than a glock, it still feels much better in my hand. The mag release on the glock bugs the crap out of my thumb while shooting. You should at least hold one of each before making the choice though.

[icormba]

FN HighPower! it's about $100 cheaper than the Browning marked gun & they are BOTH made at the same factory in Belgium!

or

CZ 75B

Those are my favorite 9's.

Although my 92FS has probably the smoothest action...

oh heck... I like them all!

[sargenv]

My preference would also be a Sig with my favorite being the 229 in 40, but I believe the 9mm version is the 228. I've had my 229 for going on 8 years now and I use it for production class with downloaded 40's (reloads). 10 rd mags can be had from CDNN for $15. It is actually faster to shoot and I feel easier to control than my other production gun, an LDA in 9mm.

Vince

[Justang]

The NRA gave the Taurus 24/7 handgun of the year. I held one and they are pretty nice. Turners has them right now for $319.
CZ's are good too (or a Baby Eagle).
HK's are my favorite, but they are pricey.
Sigs are good guns.
Glock suck. Early 80's technology that hasn't been improved since. The gun looks boring, even ugly. The only thing it has going for it is the reliability factor. But an HK will do everything a Glock will do... but the HK will do it better... with a much larger price tag of course. And, of course, that's just my opinion on Glocks.

[asintado]

My choices would be:

Springfield XD-9
Browning or FN Hi-Power
CZ75 or CZ85
S&W 5906

All are great guns. What I would do is I would rent some guns at a gun range and try it out. Pick the one that suits you best.

[CowtownBallin]

Like so many people here have said, it's about picking what you like in your hand..the grip, the weight balance, the look...

For example, see the quote below.

I've owned a Glock 17 and a SIG P239, and they're fine, high quality guns, but I just don't like them. They don't fit me well and I don't shoot them intuitively. I sold the Glock and am ready to sell the SIG, but the CZ75B's my favorite, and was only $300 back in the day.

Maxicon didn't like his Glock 17, so he sold it. To me. I love it! If I could, I'd marry it. My girlfriend hates it because I love it so much.

You gotta find what fits you. It's like buying a pair of shoes. Go to a range that rents guns, drop a couple Andrew Jacksons on the counter, and go through a couple magfulls in three or four guns. I'd invite you to come shooting with me, but I have no idea where you live. Might want to put that in your profile!

[Silverback]

"You gotta find what fits you."

CowTown and a couple of others have it right. You should try and rent a few and see what fits the best. Thats probably the cheapest way to get started. The gun you can't shoot well is a gun you shouldn't even bother with unless your a collector.

I have Beretta, Smiths and Rugers and I like shooting them all but the Beretta is the first I grab. It fits and I can shoot it well. besides - it fun trying them all.

[grammaton76]

do we know what he was issued?

I wish I could remember. I do know his duty rifle was a FAL, and he felt no need to swap away from that.

[CowtownBallin]

Browning Hi-Power.

Doesn't it look like the trigger is in the wrong position, since the hammer is cocked?

[glen avon]

turner's has star model Bs on sale for $200