Good for gifting?

[Stamatos]

Ladies, need some advice. My gal picked up a great Uberti SAA for Christmas for me a couple years ago and has had a great time shooting. I'd like to return the favor and she'd like a good plinker that can double as a home defense weapon. We went into a shop in Livermore and the guy was great (I'll dig up the name of the place if anyone wants it). So after looking at all the weapons, my girlfriend really liked the FNP9. I have a Beretta 92 and was thinking of trying to find a good Cougar because I can be a bit of a brand whore.
So I'd like to know what any of you could tell me about any experience with the FNP9 or a Cougar in 9 or 40. If anyone has other suggestions, I'm open to those as well (unless they are suggesting a Glock.. sorry, I'm just not a fan). Thanks in advance for any help.

[Stormfeather]

quick question, just because you arent a fan of glocks, what happens if your lady might become one? Seems foolish to discount one brand over another because "you" dont like them. Especially if it may become a home defense weapon.

[movie zombie]

if you're trying to return the favor, you'll buy what she wants and not a cougar because you're a bit of brand whore. take her to the range, let her shoot your guns AND rent some others as well. let mer make the decision.

mz

[Stamatos]

Thanks for the responses so far guys. I'm avoiding range guns for the very reason I don't like Glocks. all of the Glocks I've fired were at Markleys or up North and they just did not wear well in the way of the action as I had several jams. That being the case, I don't trust the brand and therefore would not want to gift a weapon that I fear may not perform when it has to. So it isn't about my preference superseding hers, I wouldn't gift a Glock to any Marine Corps or cop friends either because if they needed it and it malfunctioned the way it did on me, I'd feel responsible.
All that said, have any of you fired the FNP9? That is her first choice and I think it looks like a solid contender and has great features for the price. I'm hesitant to test one at the range because maybe the one she fires just hasn't been handled well or we get a bad batch of reloads and she just hates the feel of an otherwise fine choice (arguably, like my experience with Glock).

Thanks again for the input thus far, hope I clarified my stance a bit.

[movie zombie]

i like markleys! i feel comfortable there and they have a woman behind the counter now! last time i was there a couple of weeks ago i wasn't the only woman using the range either!

however, i haven't fired the FNP9.

take the time to go over the hill to some of the ranges there. call first to make sure they have the pistol in question as a rental. even if she fires one that hasn't been handled well, she will have fired it IN HER HAND. i found that made all the difference for me when making purchases. i've fired enough now and bought enough also that i know when something fits my hand and if i'm going to like it. well, with revolvers that's true. however with semi-autos i find i do need to fire it because it might fit my hand but it might kick in my hand in a way i don't like. kahr was recommended highly to me, seemed to fit my hand well, but i hated the thing because when i fired it, the casings hit me in the face and in the head. no fun.

take a chance and rent one if you can find it. don't buy a box of reloads. if she hates the feel, well, she hates the feel. at least you won't be out $ for something she doesn't want to shoot.

mz

[Stamatos]

Thanks Zombie (btw, my girlfriend is a HUGE zombie fiction fan, I'm going to hit up that book signing in Capitola on Tuesday)
I'll check the ranges over this hill and see if I can't find a FNP9 for her to take through the paces.

[Musclemom]

I'll just echo what mz said. Do some sleuthing to find out what she'd be comfortable with. I think it's great that you're looking to gift her a gun. It's OK to think about what you'd want in a gun. But, rather than buying her something you'd want, think about how what you want would apply to her situation/preferences etc. And, just as you're doing here, talk to people and find out what other ladies are shooting and what works for them. I can't help you with the FNP9, as I haven't shot one either!

Good luck and happy shopping!

[movie zombie]

yes, happy shopping! and i echo Musclemom: it really is great that you're wanting to return the favor and gift her a gun!

mz

ps http://www.dragunov.net/bay_area_ranges.htm in case you're looking for contact info re ranges with rentals. i found jackson arms to be pricey as a range in general but well run. didn't check re rentals. target masters has rentals and i've used their range but i don't care for the store as much as i do markley's. good luck! please let us know how it goes and what she ends up with.

[Stamatos]

Thanks again for the help and the advice, I'll certainly let you folks know how it turns out and I'll check here from time to time and see if anyone else drops some wisdom on me.

[CHS]

A coworker of mine bought an FNP9 and I've shot it.

Crappy trigger, reliable, and has it's creepy how little recoil it has. Seriously, creepy. No recoil.

I was able to get decent groups with it, but I would definitely look into a trigger job at some point.

[kemasa]

I personally like Sigs, but I have a question about your experience with Glocks. Was the ammo range reloaded ammo or was it new factory ammo? It can make a huge difference. I personally don't care for how Glocks feel and shoot, but they are good firearms.

[Stamatos]

I personally like Sigs, but I have a question about your experience with Glocks. Was the ammo range reloaded ammo or was it new factory ammo? It can make a huge difference. I personally don't care for how Glocks feel and shoot, but they are good firearms.

Kemasa, Sig is a nice brand though a little out of my price range right now. I was firing the Glocks at Markley's and I believe they have a reloads only policy for their rentals. I'm not really saying Glocks suck or anything, as there are plenty of law enforcement, defense contracts and private citizen experience that would make such a statement sound utterly ignorant. I just do not like the recoil, trigger, grade of polymer, lack of external "features" or fit. Combine this with how often mine jammed at the range and you have a pretty spoiled experience.
bdsmchs, I may be wrong but I believe the FNP9 actually has a second generation trigger now (I've read so many gun reviews lately I may actually be mistaking this for the Taurus Mill series). But even if it hasn't, thank you for the input, it really helps.

[kemasa]

I would discount the jams as being due to the ammo, which is not the fault of the firearm.

I don't care for how it shoots either.

[rimfire17]

I've owned Glocks for years and never had a misfeed except once on a handload. However, there are plenty of great guns out there in every price range. Try to see what she wants!

If you're a brand whore, go for a Sig! They never disappoint!

[kemasa]

I have seen problems with Glocks & ammo, but it was always with range reloads, never with factory loads or other quality ammo.