ok...DONT SHOOT!

[tat2dchad]

I have a question and I thought you all would be the best to ask, since obviously you support and like your S&W. but I would be willing to bet a fair few of you own other brands as well.

my girl is looking for a 9mm gun that is fun to shoot at the range and is also a good CC gun. she isn't a fan of the super small guns at all.

so if you were to pick one gun, what would you choose that is not a S&W?

she is 99% sure she is getting a Glock 19 (she likes the way it shoots and feels ) but I thought id see if there was something she should look at before she lol..pulls the trigger

 

[BobC357]

I would certainly pick a name brand and not some who-knows-what company. There are hundreds of 9mm on the market today. I went with the M&P because after decades with S&W, I've never had an issue even after 40 years with one gun. I like the feel and the reliability. The M&P 9mm Compact may be a nice fit.

I have nothing against Glock, Colt, Taurus, Ruger, etc. I own guns by various manufacturers. I just like Smiths better. It's just a personal thing.

 

[CC83]

Any striker fired gun. My friend that is a girl wanted to learn to shoot, so I took several guns to the range. She liked the full size M&P 9mm the best and the M&P shield second. She did not like DAO or double/single action.
I would choose any striker fired pistol that is used by law enforcement, or is from Smith Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Beretta. I don't have money or patience to test guns, so I let the police do it for me.

There are allot of guns sold that just don't function correctly. The new Remington R-51 doesn't function correctly. At least the one I fondled at Gander. I've read that the Smith Wesson SD9 VE is just as reliable as the M&P and allot less money. From what I could find out, the SD9 VE is a little more of a DAO striker fired (more travel) and the M&P is almost a single action striker fired (very little travel).

 

[OKFC05]

Kahr P9 (not the small one)

 

[idahojess]

I like my Glock 19 fine, but I found that the M&Ps just fit my hand better. One thing to look for is the reach to the trigger. The Glock has a longer reach to the trigger for me; it's hard to get a proper grip on the gun and proper contact with the trigger.
If you can, see if she can try a few before spending money.

 

[SMMAssociates]

If you want to stay in the price range ($600 or less), the M&P's are my choice. Probably a 9mm for a newbie. I've never actually fired a Shield, but that should also be a good choice. Neither the 9C or Shield9 should be considered target guns, but both will do a decent job on the range.

Stay away from the SD9VE. Terrible triggers.... The M&P's and Shield can be "shot in", or easily updated with the DCAEK kits (and their trigger if you really want it), but start out seriously decent. (Unless you get the Massachusetts-compliant trigger, which is way too heavy for accuracy unless you're a Hulk.)

The Springfield EMP is also a great choice, but closer to $1,000....

I don't personally care for Glocks, but they're also a good choice for a new shooter.

About any .38 revolver is also a good choice. My preference is the S&W J-frame or K-Frame but ONLY in .38Spl. +P and Magnums are bragging rights items, IMHO. A longer barrel for target use is an advantage, and I can't hit much with a short one anyway. I carried a 4" S&W M10HB for a long time. Big, heavy, bulky, etc., but confidence-inspiring.

(The nice thing about a revolver is that all but the most catastrophic failures can be cleared easily and are obvious to the shooter. Getting a semi-auto to shoot may be a lot more interesting until you get the hang of it.)

Mostly, though, the Girl Friend (or other party you're helping) needs to actually handle, and hopefully shoot, before making a choice.

Regards,

 

[wtburnette]

If she liked the G19, have her try a Walther PPQ. Very similar in size to the G19, while having better ergos and what is probably the best stock trigger of any striker fired guns. I met up with a guy from a local forum and shot his and I like it so much I bought myself one 2 days later. Just so you know, I own a G19, G34 and M&P VTAC, which is an M&P 9 with a FDE color and different sights. I like the PPQ better than any of the other guns I own. The only downside I can think of is that magazines are more expensive (around $35 each instead of ~$25 each for a Glock) and there are less accessories. That's not saying you can't find anything and everything she would need, if she went with a PPQ, just that you might not have the same level of choice you would with a Glock.

That said, I also have a Shield 9mm that is my EDC and I wouldn't want anything else for carry. I never could carry my G19 comfortably, but the Shield carries very well. Not as fun to shoot, but not bad and very accurate. Good luck with your decision. Hope you end up with something she really likes.

 

[Hamster65]

My very first 9mm was a 1st gen Glock 19 and as much as I loved that gun, it didn't fit my hand near as well as my M&P9. As far as CC weapons though, if I'd thought about it ahead of time, I probably would have got with an M&P Shield.

I personally don't have any experience with a PPQ so I won't comment except to say this.........Walther lists the PPQ as a "double action only" pistol but, I don't think that's quite accurate. The trigger is very similar to that of a Glock and with a .4" pull and a .1" reset and only a 5.6 pound pull, that sounds like most striker fired pistols.

To me..........DOA pistols are things like the Kel-tec PF9 and the SCCY 9mm, etc. They are extremely small and easy to drop in a pocket but, they do have some downsides. A long heavy trigger pull (like that of a large revolver), excessive recoil (due to their light weight) and generally NOT a good range gun.

 

[modelbuilder56]

I carry a Glock 23 gen 4 and I have small hands. My wife loves to shoot it but I prefer a single stack magazine for concealed carry. I recently have been looking at the new Springfield Armory XDS in 9mm and I believe it will be my next purchase as I really can't find any negative reviews with them. I had a 9mm Shield which I liked but traded it in on a M&P15 Sport.

 

[Sgt.Peck]

If you want the gun she carries to work, each and every time, there is no better pairing of handgun and caliber imo than the Glock 19. It has a long and proven defensive record. There is a reason the Glock is the most widely used handgun in law enforcement. Been carrying one since 1988. Although I am not limited, the only other gun I carry is a J frame.

 

[redbrd]

Can't go wrong with a G19. Very reliable, durable, and accurate. If thats what she is leaning toward I can't think of any reason to chage her mind.

 

[squekydad]

The Ruger SR9 series has a slimmer grip she might like. Several friends have them and have been 100% with any ammo for them. Also one of the best triggers in the striker group, with only the Walther better IMHO. M&P series feels better in my hand so I got the S&W instead of the Ruger. Just visit a range with a good rental assortment and have some fun comparison shopping. She will know what is right for her after that.

 

[tat2dchad]

She wants to stay away from s&w just because I already habe the m&p40 with a 9mm barrel. I dont like the glock because of the weird canted kn the handle and most ofnthem feel like you are holding a juice box. However i did like the glock 19s feel.smaller than my m&p butnbig enough to still feel like a gun. She has shot most of the guns mentioned . The walther was another choice but being so slosely related to s^w parts may be hard to come by and it sounds like the gun itself can be as well. Sonthat turned her off . She loves my gun but its to big for Her to want to carry.

. Appreciate the replys

 

[Doubless]

FWIW, I like the Bersa.

 

[Old_Sparky]

Hard to say which I like better, my M&P 9c, or my Ruger SR9c.

 

[AGoyette]

When I was looking for a CC gun I have lots of items on my check list. I wanted one with an external safety. (I am used to a 1911, it is not such a big deal now) I did not want something to small. I wanted it to be a good range gun (a lot of the super small ones are not good range guns, they are designed for close contact shooting). I wanted a gun in 9mm as I was getting rid of my 40 since I did not like the recoil. My carry gun at the time was a Steyr M40-A1. It hit the back of my car seat when I was sitting in the car. So I wanted something a little bit smaller. I looked at a lot of guns. I went to a range that had several guns that I was looking at and I rented a 9mm. The range I was at has a rule, if you rent a 9 then you are renting any 9mm they have, just bring the one you are shooting back and swap it out for another 9mm.
I tried the Glock 26 since tons of people recommended the Glocks. I did well with it and it felt fine in my hand. Not a surprise since the same guy designed the Glocks and Steyrs. I was VERY interested in the Springfield XDS, but this was during the recall so I could not find one to shoot. I could not hit the broad side of a barn with the S&W 9c.

So with the info I had and after shooting numerous 9mm's I went to the gun show. I did handle the SCCY 9mm and really liked how it felt and the trigger did not seem to bad. But I was concerned about the recoil since it was so small. Long story short, I ended up trading the Steyr for a M&P 9c with a thumb safety. In my opinion, the 9c fit all my check boxes. It is easy to carry. It is big enough to be good at the range. (It has out shot my 5" Pro at 25 yards) yet small enough to comfortably carry. After putting about 700 rounds through it, I put the Apex DCAEK kit in and added the polymer trigger. I have not regretted it.
I have tried the Springfield XDS post recall. I loved it before the recall. The ones at my LGS were fondled a lot by me. After the recall, I HATE the trigger. Since the recall involved the trigger, I don't want to mess with it. My old competition gun is a Springfield 1911 and I love it. The girls love it too. So as so many have suggested, she should rent different guns that she is interested in and see what she likes the most.

 

[RobzGuns]

If she likes the size of the G19, the other contenders in this size/category I like (in the order I like them) are the G19, XDM9c, XD9 Service (4" barrel), Ruger SR9c and of course, the M&P9c.

With the Glocks, one either loves or hates the grip angle. I think the extra angle allows easier locking of the wrist, similar to a tennis racket, or Handshake.

My Wife does fine with my G19 and with my Shield, but prefers her G26 with the addition of a Pearce (pinky) Grip extension. Nice fit, good backstrap to trigger length, low perceived recoil (allowing quick followup shots) and POA=POI for her.

If SHE likes the G19 the best and can shoot it well, then let her go for it. Her gun... HER choice.
Whatever pistol the Boyfriend/Husband/Significant Other (or any of US) THINKS would be better, or chooses FOR her will be wrong... It's a fact of life. Learn it and live with it.

 

[g8rb8]

My 2 cents worth.

Of 9 mm pistols that might be on her list I've had significant range and plinking experience with the following:

1. Glock 17 - rock solid dependable. I cannot shoot it any more accurately than the 19 or 26. Glock 17 magazines will fit the 19 or 26. Glocks are very simple. Simple is good. I've had one failure (can't remember if it was a FTF or FTE) within the first few mags of one of these Glocks (can't remember which one) but since then thousands of dependable rounds fired. All 3 seem to work well with any ammo - hollow points, old Norinco ammo, any brand of FMJ bullets. Got ammo ..... no problem.

2. Glock 19 - rock solid dependable and my favorite of the 3 sizes of Glock 9 mm's because it's more comfortable to shoot than the 26 and I can shoot as accurate with it as I can the longer barreled model 17. One day my dad, son, nephew and I set up an outdoor range with various challenges and had a test comparing Glocks 17 & 19 & 26, 3 different models of 1911's (Springfield, Remington, and Rock Island), Beretta PX4 Storm full size, Sig 226, and H&K USP's in 9mm and .45 ACP. All 4 of us had our best cumulative scores with the Glock 19 except for my nephew doing as well with a 1911.

3. Glock 26. It's more concealable even with a magazine extension which makes it more comfortable to shoot.

4. Kahr CM 9. Very concealable. Great CC sights. Has held up to about a thousand rounds without any problems. One downside is it takes more practice to shoot it well because it's a small package double action pistol but the extended grip helps. The other downside is it's less reliable than the Glocks with FTF's and FTE's depending on ammo.

5. H&K USP. As dependable as the Glocks, and maybe built nicer, but more complicated. I cannot shoot this as accurately as the Glocks even though it fits my hand better(?).

6. Beretta PX4 Storm full size. Like the H&K USP it's reliable and more complicated. In addition it's front end heavy. In the day of comparing the various handguns it came in last place.

7. Sig P226. Of all the above mentioned this is my favorite because it fits my hand perfectly, I can shoot it accurately (but no more accurately than the Glocks), and it is as rock solid dependable as the Glocks. However it is more complicated and expensive than the Glocks.

I have no experience with S&W semi-auto pistols or Springfield polymer pistols and I would suspect either of those would be good choices.

The last young lady for whom I provided an opinion regarding a CC license and carry firearm ended up with a revolver after trying a number of semi-auto pistols. She preferred the simplicity and dependability of the revolver. She now carries a 5-screw model 10 providing some evidence the ladies are the more intelligent of the species.

I don't think "your girl" could go wrong with a Glock 19 as long as she's comfortable with the operation of a semi-auto pistol.

 

[WR Moore]

Just one major ceveat with the Glock family: it leads the world in negligent discharges.

 

[tim c]

m&p 9 c or shield love my shield and very accurate