Looking for a nice 9mm to shoot bullseye with and I was wondering what is the best 9mm target handgun S&W has produced?

As far as I know, only the 952 would match your request. Dave_n

If it doesn't have to be a S&W, I would take a serious look at a EAA Witness Elite Match. I use one to shoot steel plates. Great single action trigger and fun to shoot.

I also was going to say EAA. I know it's not names a "match" gun but my 20-plus year old CZ75 is a wonderful hand gun.

The PPC series. I don't have a pic of the 6". These had to shoot a 1" group at 25 yards or they didn't ship

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PC semiauto collector

I'll join the EAA guys and recommend what it's copied from: the CZ 75B.

I'm new to 9MM having bought my first back in May 2009 and the CZ is the most accurate I've owned.

That's compared to a Glock 19, S&W Sigma, XD-9 and a Taurus 24/7 compact (owned only briefly).

My brother has been a 9mm guy for years and I've also been able to shoot his Sig P228 and Ruger SR9 in comparison.

Also the SR9c and M&P of some friends.

The CZ is an absolute tack driver. Aside from Hogue grips and a drop free mod for the magazine it is unaltered.

The ones that leap to my mind are the 952 (and -1 and -2) model(s), the S&W PPC-9 and the SIG P210. Those are the three that in my experience are typically the ones brought up as the best 9mm target handguns out there (production, not a special-order Wilson SuperGrade 9mm 1911 or similar). Maybe the SIG X5 Competition.

The 210s are awfully expensive, certainly more so than any other listed here. The PPC-9 can be tough to find. The X5 is awfully nice, but I'm not sure it compares against the other three (though I'm sure some would disagree with me, and admittedly I don't have much time behind the trigger of one...what time I did spend I very much enjoyed).

I'd suggest trying to find a good deal on a PC952 (or -1 or -2).

Staying within the S&W family, how about the Super 9 ?

9x19, 9x21 and 356TSW, 5" barrels and target sights.

I am on the Bullseye List and the 952 is tops there. The others mentioned above don't even make honorable mention.

Pretty bold statement considering the differences in shooters.

The EAA and this CZ will keep up quite well. Depending on the shooter. And they are a lot less expensive.

CZ-USA -> CZ 75 Tactical Sport

The poster asked about a bullseye target gun, not a sport pistol

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PC semiauto collector

I was hopeing that possibly the Model 59 in 9mm might be on par with the Model 52 in 38 wadcutter, but it seems this is not the case.

I like the Sig P210. Sig is making that pistol again with modern styling such as a 1911 style mag release and beavertail frame. Not sure if they are producing the target sighted model yet.

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Dick

Although they may be good shooters they just don't cut it in the Bullseye game. At least not with the top shooters. One other thing: Most of the top bullseye shooters don't even use a 9mm in competition.

I have to agree with Grinder on the PPC 9 guns. My 5" PPC 9 is more accurate than my 5" 952, although I suspect the 6" of either would meet your needs as long as you do your part. The PPC 9 is easy to convert to a red dot as Aristocrat makes an adapter that fits the stock slide.

The 952 is the only one I have any experience with and when I do my part with good ammo it will stay in the 10 and X ring all of the time. The trigger is incredible to say the least and believe it or not, the most accurate ammo over a rest in this 952 was CCI aluminum Blazer!! Would NEVER have guessed that one......

The demands of Bullseye shooting eliminates most of the guns mentioned above and I LOVE my CZ's!

The predecessor to the 952 was the M52 which is strictly a bullseye gun and hasn't been made in many years. The 52 has set a standard of excellence that is difficult to surpass........grab one quick if you can find one!!
Hope that helps in some manner.....
Randy

since you asked about 9mm, either the 5" 952 or the 5 "ppc models will hold (or should) hold 2" at 50 yards. I have several PC models, 5906 stock and 5-6 inch ppc's all hold 1" at 25 and right at 2" at 50, with good ammo. For the price they cannot be beat.
However the prices are going up for the PPC models because they are never going to be made again. If you intend to shoot optics get a 5" 952 and go to town.If it wont hold 2-2 1/2 at 50 send it back and the PC will make it good. If you need a .45 get a 945 and your set. good luck. Bob

Aside from the PPC series the only other 9m target grade pistol would be the S&W 9562PC.

Does anyone have the SW1911 Pro Series 9mm with adjustable sights yet?

Just wondering how it might stack up.

Joe

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Go NRA

They are nice guns, but not up to the same accuracy as the 5906ppc/952 series guns. Although you could have one accurized easily for a few hundred or less and it could be made to shoot as good. Especially if you like the 1911 type pistols.
Several years ago I sent a standard loaded 1911 to Springfield Custom, they put a Nowlin barrel, new bushing and link and the gun came back shooting 3/4 of an inch at 25 yards. About 4 bills was a good deal .RB

You'll see far more 9mm built on a 1911 platform @ Bullseye matches than the others . Have one built by a " Bullseye" gunsmith as they know exactly what you need to be competitive . Not saying the action pistol crowd can't build an accurate gun . If you get one built insist on a KKM barrel 1 in 32 twist . Jerry Kiefer , David Sams , Dave Salyer , Ed Masaki , Joe Chambers , Bob Marvel , KC Crawford can all build what you need . There are other 'smiths that can deliver too .

Boatbum; Why the 32 inch twist? That seems awfully slow to me. Is it to optimize something to do with the bullet weight or velocity?

Why would one choose any 9mm over a 52-2? The wadcutter sure makes a nice hole for touching the higher ring.
I recall reading about the 952 being a little over rated but cannot remember where.

Admittedly, this statement is biased and unqualified as I own a 52 but have never fired a 952.

And are you guys really one-handing 3/4 and 1 inch groups? Way better than I can do! I couldn't possibly squeeze the potential out of my 52 without a rest.

1 in 32 twist works much better with 115gr bullets than std 1 in 16 . Seems when David Sams was commissioned to turn the Berretta 92 into a viable target pistol he found std twist overstabilized . All this was done when he was still with USAMU . All because 9mm was issued caliber & they wanted to be able to shoot one in Service Pistol CMP " Hardball" matches . It's carried over to the 1911 platform for those who wish to shoot one in CF portion of NRA Conventional Outdoor Pistol or " Bullseye / 2700 " matches . Bullets of choice for the 9mm crowd are the Sierra #8815 115 FMJ or the Hornady 115 XTP JHP both of which will shoot sub 1" 10 round groups @ 50yds ( Ransom Rest ) with a well built 1911 or Berretta . The S&W 52 with 38 special 148 HBWC will usually hold 2" to 3" @ 50yds . The 38 is much slower ( 700fps ) vs the 9mm ( 1150 - 1300fps ) . Also more difficult to shoot well one handed @ 50yds than the 9mm . Technique / Follow thru is also more critical . According to the rules you MUST shoot a 22 & a 45 . Most just shoot the 45 for both CF & 45 matches . Accurate 9mm loads will have the same recoil as accurate 45acp loads , & they make a smaller hole in the target . Not to mention having to learn a 3rd gun . The 38 I can tell you from bitter experience will hurt scores far more than help them . It's your chicken , I ain't going to tell you how to pluck it .

Thanks, Boatbum; that's GREAT information. I, for one, didn't know that the 9mm was overstabilized at 1 in 16 twist.

As stated above, with the proper barrel twist rate, 9mm can shoot at or under 1" at 50 yards. There's an excellent list of bullseye 'smiths at the top of this page who can produce a centerfire 1911 capable of this kind of accuracy.
If someone can produce some targets, shot at 50 yards, from a CZ that's even under 2" I would sincerely like to see them.

Please tell me more about the S&W Super 9???

I bought a 952 hoping it would be like a 52-2. I did not find it to be as nice as the 52-2, and the trigger was not nearly as good. I sold it and bought a Sig 226 X-5. It was about the same price, much easier to reassemble, had a better trigger and I was more accurate with it. Sig claims the same accuracy as a 210 - but who knows.

Jeff

If you want 9mm accuracy beg Fiocci to bring back the 9mm wadcutter. Under the S&W name back in the 1970s it was as accurate in a Browning HP with target sights as an AMU tuned .45 Bullseye gun. Not in my hands, but in the hands of an AMU (Army Marksmanship Unit) Sergeant.
Geoff
Who was never very good with the gun and traded it away for something or another.

It was built on a 5906 platform, with 3 interchangeable 5" barrels in 9x19, 9x21 and .356 TSW. Single action tuned trigger, single left side safety, 15 round magazines, post front and adjustable target rear sights.

I passed on one locally recently that only had the 9x19 barrel. There has been one on that well-known auction site for a while, still there I think.

IMHO,
The S&W 52-2 although out of production is probably the most accurate Bulls-eye out of the box pistol ever built.
Does it need odd ammo, well yes, does it have limited size mags; yes to that too. Is is suitable for self defense, probably not
Is it the best built target pistol from S&W absolutely yes.

sig p210 the first target 9mm