What do you look for in a pistol?

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

I've owned a half dozen different handguns and sold all but my PT92. There are a few things I don't like about the 92 (unnecessary grip size and small magazine release) so I've been considering other pistols more carefully. I had a Sig SP2022 and loved it except for the position of the slide release. I thought it would be a good thing in the beginning but it comes way back and I use a high thumb hold so I almost always ended up with a closed slide on an empty magazine. I was holding the slide release down. I wasn't willing to change my technique to fit the gun so it had to go. One of my other issues with some pistols I've tried is that I don't generally like striker fire pistols for a variety of reasons. I had an XD and really didn't like anything about it. I don't use the slingshot method for reloading, I like to hit the slide release and most striker fire pistols seem to have a very minimal slide release. I will slingshot if I have to but I prefer to do it the other way because it's faster.

The pistol I'm looking at right now is a CZ 75 P-09. I'm also considering the smaller P-07 because it would be more concealable. DA/SA like I want, seems to have a large magazine release, slide release and a slim frame. Takedown seems easy enough as well. Not 92 or Glock easy but not SP2022 difficult. I also really like the way they look because I'm going to spend a lot more time looking at it than I am shooting it. According to my youtube research (haha), they seem to be reliable guns. I got to handle a P09 at the gun show last weekend but it was zip tied open so I couldn't really do much with it. Does anyone have any experience with the P-07 or P-09? I am really not a huge pistol guy. I would be content to have one pistol if not for the two BIG issues I have with the 92. I'd really like my next pistol purchase to be one that I keep for a very long time. Let me know if there is any criteria for selecting a pistol that I'm missing.

[jakebrake]

what do I look for? a pistol that feels like an extension of my arm. probably why I find myself returning to 1911's

criteria? it fits your hand, the controls work in your mind, you aren't going broke buying it, you like the trigger pull. it's a caliber you can find and afford ammo for,

you like how it feels. that's the big thing. if you pick it up, and it feels like crap, don't think you'll talk yourself into liking it because someone else does.

[Ronin]

What do you look for in a pistol?


Bullets.

[mbinpa]

If I had to choose a single pistol that has, or can have, everything I look for in a handgun it would definitely be a 1911A1. It has almost everything I want - great sights, great trigger, knockdown caliber, easy availability of holsters,ammo and parts.

If you know how to shoot it, it has maximum accuracy and reliability.

Take it out of the box and it ranks among the best defensive caliber available.

Aftermarket accessories and a little work and you have the best bullseye gun or the best carry gun around.

Just about any sight made has one for a 1911 . A little work and you have the best trigger in the world. Grips galore, holsters at any gun store or show. Parts for pennies if you need them.

There are only two cons - weight and capacity. I have been carrying the 1911 for 30 years so weight is not an issue and if I need more then 8 or 9 rounds I am in a world of hurt anyway.

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

IMHO the number one thing I look for in a pistol is reliability. I dib't care how a pistol operates or fits the hand if it isn't reliable I don't want it.

[Kabloosh]

I like to research pistols before I go check them out.

I'll just browse everything and when I see something I'll dig further into it.

The first thing I look for is what sort of purpose is this weapon going to serve? Is it going to be a conceal carry piece or something else? It's a tool after all and it needs to have a purpose to me to own it.

The second thing that catches my eye of an pistol is the look of course. I mean it is quite obvious you want to choose something that you think looks cool. That can be a highpoint if you're into that sort of thing(I'm not). I like smaller handguns because I'm a smaller guy. This kind of goes back up to the first thing because of the purpose the gun will be serving. Even then I'll likely never own a full sized pistol simply because a compact model just feels better for me(ex. G19 over the G17, I got a Px4 Storm compact though which is the G19 equivalent of the Px4 series).

The third would be things like features, and reliability. Most handguns are reliable though so while people would tout own brand over the other the differences can only be seen if you start dumping mud into the action of the weapon, and even then many guns function near flawlessly in such unrealistic conditions. Features are also important because you may favor a striker fired pistol, or a hammer fired pistol like me. You may want a metal frame vs a polymer frame. Things like a safety might be a thing for you as well.

The fourth is going out and actually feeling the gun up. I was dead set on the CZ75 duty but after picking it up I found it to be too big for my tastes and I didn't like the grip. The frame also looked cheap compared to even my SR9c despite being nearly 150 dollars more(for what I paid for). The trigger was awesome, but I went somewhere else and then checked out a Px4 Storm Compact as well as several other handguns. This is where I just get a feel for the gun, and how it fits, price, and what not.

The fifth and final thing I look for is actually inspecting the gun. Tearing it down, and checking how it works and whether anything looks worn or broken which shouldn't be on a new handgun. Use on a used handgun should be expected. My SR9c when I bought it used looked to be in the same exact condition as the new one at the shop. After the amount of rounds I put through mine there is some show of use everywhere which from research is normal(such as dings on the feeding ramp).

Personal preference is going to trump most anything. You can't go wrong with many guns over the 450-500 dollar mark on a new gun. Glock, Beretta, Ruger, S&W, etc. they are all relatively the same in my book, and many of these guns aren't going to fail you when you need them as long as you do proper maintenance.

[Twoboxer]

For a pistol I intend to use at the range . . . how it feels in my hand, the trigger, and then how consistent its POI is (from a rest).

It seems it's fairly easy to get one that feels good and has a great (or improvable) trigger . . . but some just shoot better than others, and there's really no reason not to have one of those.

M&P9 got replaced by a CZ75 that way.

[ColtShooter]

* double *

[ColtShooter]

I would suggest taking a look at this. Most comfortable and accurate gun I have shot in 9mm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Power_K100

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

I also really like the PX4 now that it has been mentioned. I like the look of the CZ better but the PX4 has a lot going for it. I held one and my favorite thing about it was the slide release. It's huge and easy to operate and without that, I probably wouldn't have given the gun a second thought. I didn't like the magazine release but now I found out that it can be changed to a larger one ... I really need to handle them side by side I guess. I don't know if I would like a round trigger guard but it's worth looking at. Does the shape of the trigger guard generally make a high thumb hold any more or less effective?