[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Dissatisfaction With Handguns (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/6/2008 5:49:40 AM EDT
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I have tried for years now to find one that I truly like. I have owned Springfield, Kimber, S&W, Sig, Glock, Beretta, and H&K. Nothing I have owned makes me happy for more than a few weeks. I am not a rich man so I can't have one of everything. I like 9s and 45s. 40s have never done anything for me. I like to carry occasionally. Anybody else out there suffering from this lack of joy? I currently own an HK45 and a S&W M&P340. |
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HELL YES... I have 16 different handguns representing 6 different platforms, and I have YET to have one sing my name and make me want to dedicate to it... I also will carry a gun for a while, become bored with it, and suddenly everything under the gunstore glass looks WONDERFUL and I am just SO sure that my NEXT purchase will be THE ONE... but it never is... This is getting damned expensive. 
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I change CCW platforms more than I change my shorts, so I know where you are coming from. For 15 or so years now, I have struggled with finding the perfect firearm for CCW. My old standby is a Gen 4 G19, namely because its 100% reliability. However, I will occassionally carry a Sig P225 (P9), a Kimber UCII .45, Kel-Tec P3AT, Beretta M9, or even an original BHP or S&W 586. Already, I am eying a Kahr P9 - just to its thin profile and its accuracy. I have moved more handguns though my gun safe than I care to mention. Some of those I did not keep were S&W Sigmas, Astra, CZ, Taurus, Colt, Springfield Armory, and Steyr. I am partial to 9mm myself. But finding the perfect weapon - I don't think its possible for me... |
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Well, I'm bored with production guns. The love of my handgun life is an accurate, reliable semi-custom or custom 1911. Right now I'm concentrating on wearing a few out. I'd suggest going shooting with someone who owns a really nice 1911. Springfield and Kimber need not apply. |
I should have bought that Les Baer when I passed. I'm just not happy with any pistol even ones I don't own yet. |
| I was happy with my sig p226, but then I had to get a springfield xd-45 compact, which concealed a lot better. All was well until a got bitten by the 1911 bug and bought a kimber warrior. I shot it better than any other handgun platform, but with that came a desire to upgrade. Traded the kimber warrior in for a les baer trs, which is currently my favorite handgun. Of course, I just had to sell my sig and get a glock 19 so that I would have a more compact 9mm. Having spent tried out various platforms including the beretta m9, hk usp, various 1911's, glocks, xd's, and some revolvers, my platform of choice is now the 1911. The polymer guns serve well as carry/beater/heavy use guns, but the baer does all my precision shooting and is my handgun of choice if I had to take a difficult shot (ie. family in hostage situation). My friend, what you might really need to cure your handgun needs is a semi-custom 1911. Its kinda like going from driving a honda civic to a ferrari. Wilson, les baer, nighthawk, ed brown, and rock river are some names that come to mind. I admit they cost a fair amount of change, but I have no regrets. Save up for a few weeks/months, thats what I did. You can also find some decent deals on used ones and save a few hundred bucks. |
What is it exactly you don't like about the guns you've had? Is it a carry issue, a shooting issue, what? |
I'm the same. I've tried an example of just about everything. Can't find the one that just "clicks". I really want to find the difinitive handgun that fits me. Right now I'm working with a Sig Pro 2022. So far I like it. I just hope it's the one. |
Yes, you must. I had all of my handguns out on the couch on saturday. I had a little bit of time and was watching a movie that wasn't all that interesting. I sat there and handled every one, several times. Seeing if one just hit me like it's the best. I have a G19, HiPower, M9, Kimber 1911 custom II, and an XD45. I found that they all feel real good and as I think back, they are all reliable. They each have their pluses and minuses for different situations. For example, IMHO, the G19 and the HiPower are way better suited for CCW than any of the others. But the larger ones are easier to shoot accurately. Being the 1911 and M9 and even the XD. I think for me right now, the HiPower is my favorite with all of them tieing for second. But a HiPower would be a very good carry pistol and big enough for anything else. I think you have to decide what it is you want your pistol for and find one that meets that requirements and learn to like it. And shoot it. Some guys will tell you that Glocks are the only viable choice for defense. And although I agree they are usually very reliable, I don't totally agree with this. All of mine are very reliable. My 1911 is finicky with certain mags, but that's easily verified. Good luck. I understand though. |
Gee, this sounds like me. I have more pistols than I can actually use at any given time. Seven of them are competition pistols in varous calibers, and the rest are for collecting. The pistol I carry almost all the time is my J-frame. I can pocket carry it anywhere, anytime, with any type of clothing. If I'm not carrying the J, it's a 1911 or maybe the HK45. Only time will tell.
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| I had 2 .40's, and sold them............I now have a Glock 34, a S&W 1911PD, Kimber Custom II and a SIG 220R........I like and carry them all, but none exclusively......now I want a S&W N frame, either 21-4 or 22-4......I have a small .38 snubbie for CCW, but my hands are big, so I tend to stick with the larger handguns and try new ways to conceal |
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Tell me about it! I went through 6 different CCW's before deciding on my P7PSP 1) Glock 17 2) Sig 229 3) H&K Compact .45 4) H&K Compact 9mm 5) Kel-Tec 9mm 6) H&K P7M8 7) H&K P7PSP But I am happy with the PSP 90% of the time. Sometimes I want more capacity so I will go back to other guns on my list, & sometimes I want more power, .45. |
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To me, my guns are tools - very cool tools that can kill people, but tools nontheless. I don't really look to them for "satisfaction". I like USPs in .45 and the Glock 19. I shoot at an amazing range where I can practice realistically and i guess it's the practice and training that I like more than the tools. Mike |
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I'm pretty much in the same boat as Mike (suprise suprise) G19/17 for my 9mm's HK45/1911 for my .45's And a few MK23's just for fun. I have a dedicated CCW Kahr CW9, but thats it as far as the "specialty" guns go. They're tools, and those are the ones that mesh with me the best. |
| The only pistol i have shot that put me in aw is my CZ P01. My work gun is an H&K USP 45 that has never jammed, and i shoot rather well, but i shoot my CZ way better. I know what you are saying. I have a Glock thats ok, it shoots good, doesnt jam, but doesnt do much for me (besides being 10mm). Then i have a piece of shit mosquito. Fuck that gun |
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Two that you may not have tried: CZ-75etc and Sig P232. The P232 is a .380, but works great as a CCW gun for when I cannot afford to print at all. It is light and thin, but bigger than most 380s and fits MY hand perfectly. Of all the handguns I own, it points the best. Recoil is snappy, but I can get all 8 shots on a 8" from the 10 yard line (that is draw and empty the mag as fast as I can). My dad shoots remarkably well at 25 yards with it. |
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I have tried many handguns and own several, My three favorites 1. S&W 66 2.Walther p99 3. Walther p99 compact if you haven't tried these give them a shake all are grip customizeable with easy to switch grip panels or in the case of the 66 unlimited grip options for a K frame. While we can debate 9mm all day i like it, and IMO 357 magnum is an amazing cartridge superior to most pistol loads with modern powder and bullets. |
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Glock 31 Colt cobra in .357 RIA goverment style 1911 Sig 226 Preban west german version. Glock17X2 S&W .22 semi Ruger GP-100 .357 FNP-40 Beretta92 Fs CZ-52 HKUSP .45 Taurus PT1911 Glock19 Taurus M-85 .38 special sig 220 ST (inherited 2 Colt Goverments) Springfeild TRP Thats in order of purchase for the last 3 years some I sold, some I traded for others. I still havent found "the one" but what I have learned in the entire process is: -9mm should only be used to kill humans -FN Pistols in any caliber over 9mm will wear a hole in the webbing of your hand if you shoot it more than 100 rounds. -Brand name really does make a difference in most cases. the Taurus M-85 misses a round if you pull the trigger to fast, My PT1911 sites were crooked and the cane farmer who assembled it must have been a first timer on the milling machine, There is rough machining marks on the inside of the magwell and ridges along the frame rails, the "adjustable" heinie fake sites hex screws were loctited to the sites and then the sites were also loctited to the frame, then the grip bushings were loctited to the grip screws yet not to the frame  .( oh but it will fire everytime and eat any hollow points ) and it rusts everytime you handle it and dont imediately wipe it down afterwards. My RIA wouldnt even feed ball after several trips to a smith and using wilson mags.-Glocks (at least in my case) have worked all the time and have an indestructable finish yet get boring after awhile (hence the X2 on glock 17's) and are hardly a collectors item or an investment. -HK worked flawlessly everytime with everything, but grip is the same size as an FS desert eagle, the finish seamed week but only the black wore off but the metal must be treated with something because it never rusted, It was also highly acurate but still to large and yet a glock 21 fits my hand like a glove .-I also learned I cant hit shit with a revolver and I have no Idea why or how I cannot even bring in a 4" group with light loads. -on to the Cz-52, milsurps are nice to try out if you want a project it functioned flawlessly but it soon fell apart with extended use. -Sigs used to be my "if I only purchased one gun it would be a sig" until I actually started using them, My 226 west german I got from a Leo who had bought one brand new back in the "pre-ban" days and the slide cracked, so he sent it back to the factory they sent him him a new one and he threw it in the back of his closet to trade off. So I got a Nib Sig from 1992 with a recoil spring that wore out after 2,500 rounds, factory magazine springs that bound up and broke when tried to get them out, and an out of spec extractor (or that is what I was told anyway). Take 2 one year later a 220St with day and night high vis sites ( I only laugh inside now when I rember my first FFL that I purchased from said "you cant wear out a sig") I lost round count after 3,000 but shortly after that it wouldnt feed nor eject after several trips to a smith and the factory I still couldnt resolve the issues with it so $800+ went down the toilet to a $400 store credit. -In my search for a cheap plinker I came across the S&W model22A I think it is, and after that moment I lost all respect for smith & wesson for releasing a handgun with parts that were so cheap they would fall apart after one range trip (oh but they remedied that by sending you free ones and put a few extras in the box for you wow).- Other than that I used my RIA and PT1911 to hone my skills on fully disasembling a 70 and 80 series 1911 yet I cannot call any 1911 the gun for some reason  yet all of mine run flawlessy and I can repair and maintain them. Same with the glock I just started fully disasemmbling them and have got the hang of it yet I cant call them My favorite gun, Maybe it will never happen looking back at everyone elses post
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Well, I am picking up a G19 to keep my HK45 company. The M&P340 is a j frame revolver. I have shot revolvers, just not a fan of them. |
I'm a glock guy through and through......and the MandP's are the ONLY handguns right now that interest me in any major way....especially their .45's. that said? my 19 often makes me wonder why i'd want any other gun........when i could just buy another 19......and have one for the truck....one for the bedstand.......and for ccw......one in the kitchen........one in the bathroom.......one for competition......one chromed out so i have a pimp gun........one in the safe for a rainy day........one to pass down to my kids (even though i have none)........one for shooting in my other hand so i can look like John Woo in The Killer.......one for shooting underwater.......one for my mall ninja outfit............one in the attic in case i find myself up there and unarmed and am attacked....... |
I agree. I, like most of you have never really met a handgun that I wouldn't shoot. However as my primary reason for choosing a handgun was self defense I stopped worrying about the newest and most hip model of the moment and ultimately chose the one I shot the best. Since then it's been a continuous learning curve to make that platform perform to the best of our ability. I get the most enjoyment from a firearm when it allows me to preform at the top of the performance curve. The majority of my handguns now consist of different variants of that one platform. And while I enjoy toying with the newest and latest when I have the Opportunity I'm pretty much as Married to my choice of handgun platform as I am to my Wife.  My suggestion is to take the handgun platform that you shoot the BEST and to invest in taking some self defense classes that push you to perform. You may be surprised at the results. |
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I'm with SGB....you need to pick something good and stick with it. I, too, went round and round the mullberry bush with handguns and came full circle right back to the guns of my youth... Colt 1911 for Carry Browning HP for alternate carry. Old School Smith and Colt REvolvers.....cuz theyz teh bomb. There is a plethora of good handguns out there....but for me, the pistols and REvolvers that defined pistols and revolvers for the 20th century are where it's at. |
+1 on the bad Sigs, mine have been trouble from day one. I have found a G19 does most everything I need a handgun to do. I have some 1911s I love to shoot and a Kahr PM9 that goes with me when nothing else will. The other 20 or so handguns are just there because it took me shooting and owning that many before I found what worked for me. Keep shooting and sooner or later you will find something that works for you also. |
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Each handgun I have I enjoy shooting and owning: S & W 686 Plus, Glock 19, and Sig Sauer P220R. If it was legal to CCW in Hawaii, I would rotate each and every one for personal protection. I find each a joy to shoot and interesting which keeps my attention. Before I bought each of them, I did some research and made sure I would be happy with them before I purchased them. I would never, ever sell or trade them because I am completely satisfied with them. There are a few more I'm looking to acquire that would make my collection of happily own and satisfying firearms - a Glock 29, Sig Sauer P220 Equinox Carry, a Ruger Mark III 6 7/8" barrel with fiber optic sights, and, and, AND...
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| I've owned a fair number of different handguns. Beretta, 1911s, SIG, HK, CZ...The guns that stick with me are the boring ones. 9mm Glocks are the most boring pistols ever, so I really like them. There's no excitement, surprises, or uniqueness to a 9mm Glock. They are cheap and they work, and that's all I ask of them. |
I'm not a fan of the Walther 99. I have never owned one but have put hundreds of rounds through one. |
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I've only shot an HK once and liked it very much. It was a USP 9. How about you? It would not be very good for CCW, but it handled real nice. Plus you have the option of C & L or DA/SA. But, when I saw bigbore's test when he compared it to a Glock, I wasn't really impressed. It choked alot easier. That's why I bought a Glock. But I have a feeling the HK guys would not agree. Not trying to hijack your thread but wondering what you and others thought. |
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Even though I am partial to auto pistols I find myself holding more long term interest in revolvers. I can't really say why but the closest I can guess is with an auto you get a round that works well and stick with it. With a revolver you can play around with so many different things. This of course assumes you are a handloader, being stuck with factory ammo for anything just plain sux. |
I do want to buy an 8 shot S&W .357 magnum but have to find one I like. I also have to buy a deer rifle first. |
I like this one www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=11101&storeId=10001&productId=51525&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=15706&isFirearm=Y and this one www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=11101&langId=-1&productId=67983&tabselected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=15702. |
| I agree that just going to the range and plinking/target shooting gets dullvery quickly. For me, handguns are just tools. I carry some for personal protection, but most are used for practical shooting competition. I strongly urge you to find your local USPSA club and shoot a few matches. Any production DA 9mm in a Kydex or leather holster will work fine to start. If you find the competitive environment exciting and invogorating (as I do), then you will fall in love anew with your handguns. |
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I went through that. I have owned/sold/traded in the last 6 years Beretta 92FS Vertec worked on by Earnest Langdon Sig P220 Sig P220ST Sig P229.40 Sig P226 9mm Sig P239 .357sig Sig P239 9mm (two of them) Sig Pro 9mm Walther P99 .40 Walther P22 HK P7 PSP w/ NP3 finish CZ75 SAO with custom work CZ82 Bulgarian Makarov Desert Eagle .50AE FNP-9 FNP-9 SAO XD 9mm Subcompact worked on by Canyon Creek XD45 Tactical Ruger Sp101 .357 magnum Ruger 50th Anniversary Blackhawk .44 Magnum Ruger 50th Anniversary Blackhawk .357 Magnum S&W 66 .357 magnum S&W 629 .44 magnum Taurus Tracker .357 Magnum Dan Wesson Patriot Marksman 1911 Springfield Arms Mil Spec Ultra Compact 1911 I also have shot many many others that I have not owned (can't stand glocks) and all I own now: Rock River Arms Elite Commando (now called the pro carry) Wilson Combat CQB Compact Browning Buckmark I think the most I ever had was 6-7 at a time. I just kept feeling like while everything was good they weren't quite right for me. I kept away from 1911's because of all the negative reliability opinions expressed. That and my only experience was with my friends Auto Ordinance POS. I decided to try one and bought the Dan Wesson after some research. I was absolutely thrilled. I could shoot it faster and more accurately then any pistol I had owned before. Still there were things I didn't like like the finish, the front cocking serrations, the internals seemed a little rough, etc. It however opened my eyes to 1911's as it was in my hands superior to anything else I had tried before. I picked up a mil spec ultra compact very briefly. I found myself only shooting my 1911's so I decided fuck it I am going to get some 1911's exactly how I want to every detail and get ones fitted by competent pistol smiths. So I sold whatever it was I had besides my buckmark and bought the RRA then the Wilson shortly after. I loved shootinng them so much I started reloading. I have shot well over 10k rounds through the rra and about 3k through the wilson in just over 2 years. The most I shot through any other pistol before selling yhem for something else was about 1500rds. I have no plans to sell them. I've even tried some other SAO since getting them just to add variety like the CZ75 SAO, FNP-9 SAO but they just don't do it for me. I just got done inspecting 4k pieces of brass to load for them  . Good 1911's are as reliable as anything else.I'm not trying to sell you on 1911's. I just understand where you are coming from. Just keep trying different guns and maybe you will find what works for you/keeps your interest. Here is a pic of my RRA when it was pretty new. It is my favorite pistola (I hadn't started reloading yet at the time of the pic)  . |
Well said. Maybe our tastes differ, but well made 1911s never get boring to me. I would go with a semi custom that speaks to you. It may hurt the wallet, but so does buying 15 wrong handguns and absorbing the debt or taking a beating selling them off. |