A little background. I have a lot more experience with long guns than hand guns. My dad had his share of rifles and shotguns when my brother and I were growing up and he taught us both to shoot them reasonably well. However, Dad always liked revolvers, so I have had very little experience with semi-autos.
My budget is in the $500-600 range. I would love a P30 with the LEM trigger, but my would wife would shoot me for spending $850+ for that gun. This will eventually be my CCW gun, in fact this will be for the foreseeable future my only handgun.
I guess I have the usual list of suspects, gen 4 G19 (extraction issues???), gen 3 G19 (extraction issues also??), Walther PPQ, M & P, dare I add Springfield to the mix???
What experience I have with semi-autos is almost all with older Glocks. I seemed to shoot the Glocks fine, but my hold up is with the current manufacturing issues both the gen 3 and 4 seem to be having.
I would appreciate any words of wisdom you all have. I can’t afford a $500 paper weight and although I do like the looks of the gen 4 G19 I don’t want to be sending it back and forth to Glock.
In your price range the G19 would be an excellent choice. As far as Gen 3 vs. Gen 4, I’d handle both and hopefully shoot both before deciding. Glock seems to have worked out most of the problems in Gen 4 and I do like the multiple backstraps and new double RSA.
I also had experience only in older Glocks so early this year when I bought a G23 I was concerned about all the reports of problems in Gen 4 and recent Gen 3s. Comparing both in my hands I had to take a chance on the Gen 4 and never regretted it. I did take advantage of Glock’s RSA trade in program to get the latest version but never had issues with the 0-3 version the 23Gen4 came with.
I don’t have first hand experience with the 9mm Gen 4s so hopefully you’ll get more replies.
First, let me say, welcome to the forum. I am a 1911 guy, but for ccw you lose a few rounds. I would try and find an older glock if you are worried about the extractor issues. I have friends that really love the springfield xdm’s. If you have a range near you that rents guns, I would go there and rent a few different guns that you are interested in and go from there. That way you can decide which one fits your hand correctly and shoots the way you like. I did this with my wife and she ended up with a sig p239. Good luck in your search.
I forgot to add that the most recent Gen 4s have updated ejectors so when you field strip the pistol in the store, look at the number on the ejector for the latest one and of course the same applies to the RSA. I don’t know what the numbers on 9mms are but no doubt you could find that info beforehand. My 23Gen4 has the old 1882 ejector but I’m not sending it in for replacement. If I were buying today I’d look for new stock that already had the new ejector and RSA.
I’m a huge M&P fan. I havnt had any of the “issues” others see to have. I use a M&P9 Pro 5inch for USPSA and 3gun(about 4500rds last year in the first year I had it) and the full size 4.25 M&P9 for carry and about 2500rds thru that. The trigger is my only complaint, but I shoot them better than Glocks. Glocks are damn good as well, especially the 19, I’ve owner both, and prefer the M&P.
I’ve owned a Springfield XD9 Sub-Compact and really liked the pistol, but ended up selling it to a good friend who made an offer I couldn’t refuse. I loved that pistol, my only complaint was the “safety grip” or whatever it’s called on the back that you have to depress to rack the slide. I then went through a few other pistols and was never really satisfied (One was a Glock and I absolutely hated it). Yadi Yadi Yada, quite a few months go by…
THEN, I finally purchased my M&P 9c and kicked myself in the ass for not getting that one from day one. I absolutely LOVE this pistol. I like the trigger (but, there are aftermarket trigger options if you’re not a fan), it has adjustable back straps to fit your hands best, you can purchase aftermarket sights, a few guys are going RMR, it has a rail on the front for a light, there are laser options for it (from the factory), they sell models with and without a safety for whichever you prefer, etc etc etc… I look at this pistol as a more ergonomic and more attractive Glock. The best part about it? It’s under your budget. I paid $469 for mine.
Lots of good advice here. I can only add that it’s a personal decision. Think about how you came to choose your favorite rifles and shotguns, then get ready to apply the same thinking to handguns. Also, there’s a big difference between your current long-gun skills and the skills you need to win fights with a pistol. Popping a few caps at the range now and then isn’t enough, so start looking at a training budget along with your gun-buying budget.
To answer your question more directly, never buy a self-defense weapon because of how it feels in your hand or how it looks. Buy it because it’s powerful, durable, reliable, and you can hit things with it.
That said, it’s hard to go wrong with a 9mm Glock. Parts are cheap and easy to find, and most places that sell parts will install them for free. You can swap parts easily yourself because you only need a punch to detail strip a Glock, and you can teach yourself to do that by watching YouTube. There’s also a vast amount of common knowledge about them, the best of which is found right here.
A G17 is the same size as a 1911, so it’s kind of a horse to conceal, but it can be done. A G19 is a bit easier to hide and almost as easy to shoot well. Find an early Gen 3 version of either one and you’re good to go. They last forever, so there’s no reason to buy a new one. If I were in your position, I’d buy a police trade-in, strip it and clean it, put in a new recoil spring, add better sights, then get a Kydex holster and five or six spare mags.
Also, there’s nothing wrong with a revolver if you train with it enough to become proficient with it.
No one on this forum will tell you the glock is a poor choice. I have a Gen 3 G19. Works great, just don’t like the feel.
I have a CZ 75B. The most accurate pistol I own. Very fun steel gun!!
If I had to pick just one though, it would be my P99 (I have the AS model). Great feel, melts in you hand. Nice size, excellent for CC, light weight, feeds all ammo, nice trigger.
M&P 9c, 9 full size, Walther PPQ 9mm, and Glock 19? Doesn’t sound like you have a bad choice in there. My largest handgun is a M&P 9c, right now. I carry it mostly iwb in a crossbreed supertuck or comp-tac infidel but I just picked up a RCS Phantom with owb attachments. I also own x-grip attachments for 17round mags.
I am not a fan of glocks. I almost bought a g19 back when I bought the 9c. I’m heavily considering a Walther PPQ 9mm or an HK p2000 or p30 if I can find a low enough price.
Go to the range and try to rent all your choices. Pick which one you think feels and shoots the best but also take quality and reliability in to consideration.