revolver shooter needs semi-automatic recommendation

[BarbC]

I think you would like the M&P line because, like a revolver, the M&Ps are very simple to operate. There are no safeties or decockers. They take down very easily for cleaning and go back together just as easily. The M&Ps also have adjustable grip sizes to maximize ergonomics. The M&P9 is very comfortable to shoot. The low bore line keeps recoil and muzzle flip to a minimum.

I have both the M&P9 in full size and the M&P45 compact. I love them both.

 

[Sportsterguy]

Packed a SA 1911 for 19 years before the weight became an issue. I would not buy one of their new "Brazilian" models. If you do buy a 1911 you need to REALLY learn the platform. With a good trigger set at 4.5 lbs. it's quite easy to prematurely pull that trigger or forget to disengage the safety in a SD situation and in complete honesty 1911's are more prone to malfunctions than a Sig, Glock or a H&K. Sometimes during that timeframe I carried a Sig 228 which was a great semi and now resides in my wifes purse. I once ran a 3K round torture test on it without any cleaning and it never bobbled. I then carried a H&K P7 PSP for about a year but went back to my roots and started carrying either my 2.5" 19-4 in a Alessi Body Guard shoulder or my 3" 657 OWB. I now carry the 19 with my old model 36 as a backup.

My recommendation if you swap is a used Sig 228. It fits my small hands, is easy to conceal IWB, accurate and mine has been 100% reliable with about 75K rounds down the barrel.

Here is a source for one that I would jump on quickly at a fantastic price ($465.00) and is a semi you can count on.

Firearms, Guns, Rifles. Grain Valley, Missouri.

 

[HQN]

My favorite semi-auto would have to be the Sig P229 in .40 S&W (it also comes in 9mm, I believe). I've heard bad things about recent Sig quality control, but this gun has been perfect so far. And the trigger pull feels a lot like my revolver.

 

[Glock17]

Get a Glock and don't look bock !!!!!!
G19 G17 G34 9mm !!!!!

 

[budman1950]

FWIW, don't ignore the CZ 75 platform. They have quite a few options and, IMHO, are completely reliable.

Or, get a Glock...

Ken

 

[BreakerDan]

Seems like many S&W revolver fans like Sig better than Glock.
I really like my two- P226 9mm and P226 in 357. I used
a P226 in 357 Sig in the academy and it never jammed
once, not even with the cheap remanufactured ammo we used.
They seem just as reliable as a revolver and you can
get the "DAK" action on the SIG or DAO.
Either way, I dont think you could go wrong with a
226, 228, or 229. Don't go .40 in the SIG,
their high barrel axis makes them kick more than I like.
Just my 2 cents.

Or if you want to go old school, get an S&W 39 9mm.

 

[scooter123]

As a Sig shooter I am not impressed by the P250, they had big time issues with failure to eject when they were first released. IMO, the Sig the will fit you best is the P239. It's a single stack "Classic" Sig with an 8 round magazine capacity in 9mm and 7 rounds in the 40 and 357 Sig.

I have the 40 caliber and it's been 100% perfectly reliable since day one. In about 1200 rounds downrange it has never failed to feed, fire, or eject. The grip is also small enough that it should not be a problem for someone with small hands. However, the P239 has a very flat front strap with sharp corners and the front strap will "bite" a bit during fire. Fortunately, there is a very cheap and easy fix for that "bite". Hogue makes a wrap around finger groove grip for the P239 that not only eliminates that "bite" they alos improve the pointing characteristic of the P239 and cushion the recoil a bit. With this grip, you have a semi auto that is a near perfect CCW Combat handgun. It's very reliable, very accurate, and is a great "point" shooting pistol. In addition, the sight radius is nearly the same as a 4 inch K frame so it's not difficult to hit very well in sighted fire.

Currently, Sig offers a variety of trigger options.

First is the classic DA/SA trigger. Out of the box the DA trigger will be quite scratchy but 300-400 rounds of pure DA practice will smooth it out to an aceptable level. In single action it will break very nearly as cleanly as a S&W.

Next is the SRT variant of the DA/SA trigger. This is a trigger that offers a very short reset distance for single action fire. Reset on the standard DA/SA trigger is 0.30 inch, on the SRT variant the reset is cut to just 0.12 inch. It's a great trigger for "speed work". However, it does come with a tradeoff. On the standard DA/SA trigger the sear creep in single action only measures 0.020 inch on my P239. On my SRT equipped P229 the sear creep in single action measures 0.070 inch. Sig increased the sear engagement on the SRT triggers because it was found that the guns could double or triple fire if the shooter "rode" the reset point if the pistol had the shorter sear engagement. Basically, the single action trigger in the SRT variant is noticably creepy. If your shooting for speed, you'll never notice it, however if your shooting for precision you will notice that creep.

The third variant of trigger currently available on the classic Sig's is the DAK, or Double Action Kellerman. This is the only double action trigger that Sig makes that is smooth out of the box. It's also a fairly light double action trigger with a rated 6.5 lbs. of pull. Trigger stroke is a near match for the DA pull in a K frame. However, the DAK trigger has TWO reset points. At the full reset length each trigger pull will have a weight of 6.5 lbs. If you use the short reset point, the trigger weight increases to 9.5 lbs. The advantage to the short reset is that it permits most shooters to get a faster repeat. However, getting consistent at finding that shorter reset point will take a good bit of practice at the range, the click given off by the action at this point is not very distinct.

Now, for someone who has done a lot of revolver shooting, I would recomend the DAK variant. In many ways it will feel a lot like shooting a K frame with an action job, especially if you ignore the short reset feature.

As for myself, I prefer the DA/SA triggers. I practice enough with these types of triggers that the transition really doesn't bother me and they are easier to shoot precisely in single action. The only downside is that the DA trigger in these models it quite poor when they are brand new and it takes a lot of double action practice to wear them in to the point where they are acceptable. In addition, they will never be as silky smooth as a well broken in S&W revolver.

 

[MJB]

Glock G19.

If you want a more revolver like trigger you can get a NY1 or even heavier NY2 trigger.

 

[99savage308]

Fellars and Lady,

re:This talk 'bout semi-autos and which is best for the young man asking.

I say get a Smith. So did 1066. I do think one other person so to get a Smith too. The rest jump ship, just like rats .....shame on 'em. They were anti-Smith. I bet some of 'em have Smith semi-autos. Mister get you a Smith semi-auto and be happy as a miner on pay day. I have a Smith 39 and have been trying to sell it for 2 years. Noone wants to buy it.They want high cap mags and a Swiss or German named gun. After reading this thread and seeing all the Smith wagon jumpers I'm keeping the 39 with two mags, box, papers and signed letter. I do hope you buy a Smith semi-auto and I will sujest you look at the Smith 908 it is a sleeperrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Good luck.
..

 

[ajpelz]

Every time I pick up a glock, it is pointed at the ground 10-15 feet in front of me. The grip angle on Glocks is very extreme. Make sure they work for you before buying. I have slightly larger than average hands FWIW.

Also not comfortable with a 4.5# trigger pull with no safety.

Have you seen they sell clips now that intentionally encourage the carrying of Glocks with no holster?? One for sale on this forum now. I don't get it.

 

[teufelhunden]

There's no reason you can't love revolvers AND pistols.

I've reached a point where I have given up on trying to find the perfect handgun for me and just accepted the fact that I am going to collect a lot of different specimens.

Glocks are solid pistols in my opinion, but after years of trying to love them, I eventually realized they don't fit my hand. I sold mine and puchased a XD45, which I really like. I plan to get at least one more XD, and maybe more. I also love 1911's although I don't own any (yet).

The Glocks, XDs and M&Ps are DOA, .

For what ever it is worth, but I believe the BATF has declared the XD to be single action, since the tigger just releases the striker, as opposed to the glock system where it moves the striker rearward before releasing it. Because of this, the XDs shoot in a different class than Glocks in IDPA.

 

[Emerson]

I love revolvers, 1911's and Hi-Powers. If I could only have one auto it would be a 1911. In my opinion it is yet to be improved on. I've owned Sigs, Glocks, H&K's and Berettas. All are reliable in my experience. I just don't feel the love with a plastic gun however. I guess I'm too old school, but I don't think plastic guns have the character of a good well made steel gun.

If I had to get a DA auto my personal choice would be a Sig 220.

If you were to choose a 1911 I would recommend getting a good one. The cheaper ones can tend to be less reliable. I think you get what you pay for.

My daily carry gun is an Ed Brown Special Forces. Currently have 5,000 rounds through it with no malfunctions of any kind. That's reliable enough for me.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I've got smallish hands myself and found the M&P very comfortable ( once I got past my "Plastic Phobia"). What I like (beyond the grip fit) is that is shoots like a revolver. i.e no external safeties to fumble with. Just pull the trigger and it shoots (reliably with a wide variaty of ammo.). Another benny is that you can find them at less than revolver prices.

 

[Jimmymac46]

I really don't think you will be happy with the P-250 in the long run. A far better choice would be, as stated by others earlier, a 226 or my personal favorite, the 229. I have never heard any bad press, problems, or other issues with the P229. It is the Sig gold standard IMO.

That said, I would suggest you move up to a 40 and pass on the marginal 9mm. The 9 is perfect for a concealable small gun in a 3913 or similar auto. If you decide to purchase a larger framed gun, get a corresponding larger caliber.

However, IMO the finest of them all is still the nearly 100 year old 1911 style. Solid, slender for packing, reliable (granted-with some assistance), high caliber, single action, safe to carry stuffed in your pants (unlike Glock and other similar weapons) in Condition Three, and extremely fun to shoot. They also increase in value as time passes. Oh, and unlike others of plastic material, they work well as a bludgeon when you run out of ammo (not a recommended practice however).

 

[1066]

teufelhunden,

I think that technically speaking none of the three (Glock, XD & M&P) are true DOA guns. All of these guns "precock" the striker, albeit to a different extent. I simple use the term DOA in its common usage for semi-autos ie. the same trigger pull shot-to-shot, no manual external safety, etc.

That is one of the reasons I suggested the S&W autos; they are true DOA guns, but suffer from a long trigger pull as a result.

Here is a great article on the XD, with comment on the Glock vs XD trigger. I think they hit the nail right on the head here, although as usual its always a matter of opinion:

FEATURE ARTICLES>>>AmericanCopMagazine.com

 

[shawn mccarver]

I'm not sure that this is the right place for this request, but I'll try it here. I am a revolver guy (for carry, plinking and IDPA) but I've gotten the bug to get a semi-automatic pistol, probably a 9mm. I've had some pistols in the past and don't miss the ones that I have traded off (except that BHP, wish I still had it!). What I'd like is a pistol with the same manual of arms as a revolver and with a similar trigger.

I was thinking about a Sig 250 Compact in 9mm, as it has a small frame alternative (I have very small hands), no safety, and a revolver-like double action. I have not been able to try one out, except to dry-fire it at a local store, and I hate to buy a gun that I've never shot.

So, what I'm asking is whether the assembled revolver lovers have any experience with this gun, and whether there is another gun that I should consider. (By the way, I used to have a Kahr K-9, which had a great double action trigger and which I traded off after it's second visit back to factory -- everyone who shot that gun had a FTF every second or third magazine.)

Revolvers are NOT (as perhaps stated by many in this post) usually capable of double action only fire. A revovler can be used in both single and double action modes.

The closest auto that follows that method of operation was the Browning Double Mode pistol, or BDM, almost adopted by the US Secret Service.

The BDM is double action for each shot, but allows the user to cock it if a careful single action shot is needed. It also had a great grip.

The advantage of the so-called DAO autoloader (long pull on each shot - in theory makes it safer) is also its major disadvantage (long pull on each shot - harder to shoot accurately).

If you really want to go down this road, then use the DAO type of auto, but with the light pull. This would be S&W M&P, Glock with NY-1 spring, HK with LEM feature, SIG with DAK feature, Beretta PX4 with C (constant) action, Springfield XD or XDM, Ruger SR9, Colt 2000, and possibly others.

 

[38-44HD45]

I love both, have to qualify with both for my Instructor's license, and usually carry one of each. My primary is usually a semi. I find that revolver-to-semi transition for my students is really easy with Glocks, Kahrs and any DAO auto like a Sig with a DAK trigger, a 3953, or a Beretta 92D. Sorry to hear about your experience with the K-9. I own several Kahrs, and not a one has had any problems after being broken-in. Most of them have functioned 100% from round-1.

 

[epj]

My Beretta 8000F weighs 33 oz, or about the same as my model 696. 15+1 rounds of 9mm Luger is not the highest capacity, but is comforting... What I've always liked about the Cougar is how well the grips fit my (average-sized) hands, and how gentle the recoil is due to the rotating barrel. I believe they're made in Turkey now under the Stoeger name. Find one and shoot it, if possible, to get an idea of the feel.

I have one also. My only wonder9. It is currently my bedside gun. Mine is the Stoger varient, and when I bought it a couple of years ago, it was only $339 new. I think they have increased in price a bit, but are still a great value. Also available in .40 S&W.

 

[Cruiser RN]

I am a 15+ year revolver shooter also with small hands.I got the Chief's Special in 9mm which fit my hands fine and had it converted to DAO with a trigger job to make the DA pull smooth and to get rid of the Safety/Decocker.It has the mag release safety that made me feel better if got forbid someone got to it and also if I had a case of stupidity and accidentally left one in chamber.I also got rid of the Hogue rubber grips and replaced it with Big Dog's Custom Delrin Grips.Try it you might like it.....Mike

 

[jeffrey]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks to everyone for your advice! I really appreciate all the thought that everyone has given my question. I hadn't thought about the S&W M&P before and I will try it out. Some other suggestions make alot of sense, as well, such as H&K and other Sig pistols.

The problem that I have created for myself is that I would like just one pistol that would serve multiple uses -- and I know that this is hard to get with revolvers, so why should it be easier with pistols?

The other problem is that there are so many choices! But on Friday night I was able to eliminate one gun, the Sig 239. Great gun but it's too big for my hands, and it's limited capacity rules it out for IDPA. Also, the Sig 228 looks like it would work well (thanks Sportsterguy!) but a DA/SA wouldn't give me the same revolver manual of arms that I am looking for.

I am taking a business trip to Las Vegas next month and a friend who used to live there tells me that there are at least two well-stocked rental ranges there. So, as I don't gamble or drink (yeah, I know I'm boring) I will have some time to shoot some of the guns that everyone has suggested. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks again!