This questions come my trying to figure out where CZ and Taurus eye fit into the Semi Auto handgun world. I have never owned either. But I see many people like theirs.
Top Tier -In my mind :
HK
M&P
FNP FNX
Glock
Beretta ?
Sig , yes this forum hates them for their gun of the month club but…standard 226 220…
and yes XD I guess
Tier Two :
Walther, Plenty Folks love theirs??
CZ
Taurus
Kahr
Ruger
Im not talking 1911’s, thats its own world. And hey, I already know that answer:cool: Rock River
Or Wheel guns , Smith owns that space , sorry Ruger
Not trying to start a fight, just wanted the perception of other shooters. And Im sure I missed someones favorite gun.
What do you consider the requirements for a Tier 1 vs Tier 2 pistol?
I have owned pistols from Glock, Walther, S&W M&P, FN, HK, Sig, Beretta, and Taurus, and shot many of these in multiple advanced pistol classes in rough conditions. Out of the pistols I’ve owned and shot, the only ones that I’ve had issues with are the Taurus and the Beretta. I’ve shot, but never owned a CZ, but heard great things about them. After shooting and owning many pistols, my daily carry gun and go-to pistol is the Walther PPQ 9mm.
In my opinion, Tier 1 and Tier 2 pistols are as follows: And this is based on reliability, functionality, and accuracy
I’m not huge on the tier system for pistols with myself I think it is a question is it a good choice for HD or LEO/Military use or isn’t it. Personally myself the following more than likely make the cut and all others I have absolutely no use for nor should anyone else. Of the top of my head, I would have confidence with these pistols and would recommend them to a friend or family member.
S&W M&P
FN: Hi Power and FNX/FNS
CZ: CZ 75 and derivatives including polymer versions
Sig: Mainly older ones
H&K
Glock
Walther, (PPQ and P99) Uncertain about PPX
Beretta (92 series) I’m uncertain of the PX4 and wouldn’t recommend it until I had more information on it.
I’d agree with this list. CZs are solid as a rock, but because they never really gained any mainstream acceptance as a duty weapon here in the U.S, they don’t get the attention and respect that a lot of the other tier 1 duty weapons get. The CZ 75 P-01 is, in my opinion, one of the best 9mm pistols on the market in terms of ergonomics, accuracy, ruggedness, and reliability. The 75 series’ only problems are that there’s not much in the way of accessories or holsters available for them, they aren’t quite as easy to field strip as, say, a Glock, M&P, HK, etc, and they are DA/SA and that’s starting to be considered obsolete.
CZ 75s and their derivatives are duty grade handguns. They have been widely accepted as police and military handguns through a wide swath of the world including many European police agencies. The fact that they are ignored by US police forces is a reflection of a lack of marketing and knowledge. And when it comes to accuracy out of the box, CZ handguns are second to none and better than most by a wide margin.
I disagree with your assessments of the downsides of the 75. While sight selection is less than overwhelming, there are enough options to please anyone. Holster selection is pretty much a wash. And if that were a bother, buy a $40 blue gun and send it to almost any holster maker to be returned with your new holster. What else does a handgun need? Grips? Plenty to find. Action work? Send it to Cajun Gun Works or CZ Custom.
I STRONGLY disagree with DA/SA becoming obsolete. Maybe on the internet. In the real world, a DA/SA with a decent trigger will give nothing to any striker fired pistol. I spent nearly 8 years with nothing but SF handguns (Glock and S&W) and now that I tried a CZ (P-07) I no longer own any SF pistols and doubt I ever will again. There is a reason why DA/SA pistols (especially CZs, its clones, and Berettas) dominate USPSA Production: a smooth, 5 - 6 lb DA trigger followed by a bunch of crisp, ultra short reset 2 lb SA triggers.
Those guns are much more accurate in stock configuration than most S&W or Glock guns are with aftermarket support. That’d be my guess as to why they “dominate” the gun game that and Beretta and CZ produce pistols that can handle heavy round counts without too many problems.
Tier 1 (would trust out of the box):
H&K
Wilson Combat
Nighthawk Custom
Springfield Custom Shop 1911s
Walther
P210, P220, 225, 226, 228, 229
S&W M&P and Third Gen DA autos
FN Hi-Power
Beretta 92/96
Glock
Tier 2 (would trust with testing and tweaking):
XDs
Production Springfield, Colt, Dan Wesson, S&W 1911s
CZ 75s
Most anything else that says SiG on it.
FN FNX/FNS
Ruger autos
Taurus PT-92s
Beretta Px4
Walther P-1
Lahti L-35
Tier 3 (better than throwing rocks… almost):
Anything else that says Taurus on it.
SiG P250
Kahr
Kel-Tec
Bersa
Makarov, Tokarev
FN Five-seveN
CZ 52, 82/83
. And I also feel that you are not giving CZ enough credit here. My tops are HK, Sig, Glock and M&P.