Sidearms & Scatterguns Best SA 9mm

prairiefire

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Minuteman
Jun 22, 2010
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I am in the market for a good (very good) SA 9mm. I know there are a lot of good ones on the market - last one I owned was a Shay Akai STI offering - great gun, but with the double stack mag it did get heavy after a lengthy range day. Any body have any recs? I don't need a custom gun at this point in my life, but I do want a durable and accurate shooter. Anything better than a Sig p210? Needs to be single action as well and something for which I can get a threaded barrel.
 
I got bit by the comp grade 9mm bug a few years ago after spending a ton of $
My thoughts are
1)Les Baer or nighthawk 9mm 1911, sig 210 and sig x5 level 1 are the benchmark for accuracy and reliablity. All in the 2-3k range
2) hk elite or expert in 9mm ($1200-$1500) also great investements
3) cz 97 sport custom shop in 9mm($1100 these are a great performer for the $)
4) browning hi-power( with some mod) ( to much $ for what you get unless you just love hi powers
 
I have been pleased with the new Springfield Armory Range Officer in 9mm. Has been reliable and accurate, the only problem I've had was that apparently it had a out of spec slide stop installed from the factory which was remedied by myself and a Wilson Combat replacement...

-pd
 
I got bit by the comp grade 9mm bug a few years ago after spending a ton of $
My thoughts are
1)Les Baer or nighthawk 9mm 1911, sig 210 and sig x5 level 1 are the benchmark for accuracy and reliablity. All in the 2-3k range
2) hk elite or expert in 9mm ($1200-$1500) also great investments
3) cz 97 sport custom shop in 9mm($1100 these are a great performer for the $)
4) browning hi-power( with some mod) ( to much $ for what you get unless you just love hi powers

I can attest to the H&K Expert in 9mm being a great weapon but it is DA/SA. I would also highly recommend the H&K USP Tactical in 9mm.

BR,
 
If you can find a Les Baer 1911 in 9mm, pick it up. That would be my hands-down, number one choice for an single action 9mm. However, they are very scarce and you can't go wrong with a Nighthawk or Wilson, though you're paying a lot for the names.
 
A CZ 75 SA of some sort. Think of it as a 9mm 2011, but it works out of the box with no fiddling, has excellent reliability, is supremely accurate, has reasonably priced and easily sourced parts, has reasonably priced magazines, and has a good amount of aftermarket support. You can even pick up a DA/SA variant and drop the SAO trigger in for like $35 then just remove the disconnector (or even leave it in, it'll work either way) and you'll have a SAO gun. Also, it fits your requirement for a threaded barrel since CZ Custom has threaded barrels available, as well as extended ones if you want to have it threaded yourself.

I've got an SP-01 Shadow that I swapped in the SAO trigger and it's awesome:

DSC_9853.jpg
 
+1 for CZ.I do believe the only pistol designed from the ground up for 9mm. Send it to Cajun Gun Works and let David make it perfect for you. If you want it for competition, send it to Shay at Akai Custom.
 
Sig P210 Legend, Sig X5 Tactical, or Sig X6 Lightweight
The HK Expert & SD9 are also awesome but they don't fit your criteria.
I own all of these, but I won't ever sell the P210.
I just bought a threaded barrel for my Sig X5 Tactical.
 
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I vote for the SIG P226 SAO. Any P226 magazine will work. My SIG is a tack driver. I put the Hogue G10 grips on for a little slimmer grip. 500 rounds and no malfunctions. Duty hosters are a little tough. I have a 511 Thumb Drive coming for evaluation. Was using the Blade-Tech WRS. Don't like the hood release.
 
I'll put in my vote for the XD 9mm. I own three. (I'd own Glocks , but their grips were made for orangutans.)

CZ 75 is an excellent choice also. But heavy.

Sigs slide height is too high, IMO. The grips do feel like custom ergonometrically crafted to fit my hand.
 
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Ha, I'll tell you right now that nothing will compare to your STI 2011, well except for a SVI 2011!

I played this game over and over a few times. I kept coming back to STI. My advice would be to try a STI Tactical 4.0. if you want to save some weight and have a handy pistol.
 
Sig P210 Legend, Sig X5 Tactical, or Sig X6 Lightweight
The HK Expert & SD9 are also awesome but they don't fit your criteria.
I own all of these, but I won't ever sell the P210.
I just bought a threaded barrel for my Sig X5 Tactical.

This is correct info....Level One X-5 is excellent in 9mm...also a HK P7 M8 is accurate too
 
I'm partial to the X5 lightweight. Guys in our group shoot SP01, X5 L1, Glock 34, ect. I have also been messing with a HDM 5.25 that could be good warmed up. While these aren't all sa they have proven to be accurate.
Give them all a try and see what you like.

R
 
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I just went through this same plight. I ended up up with a sig x5 because RTO was funding something else and made me an offer I couldn't turn down.
That being said I was looking very hard at a CZ tactical sport. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
I wore out a cz-75 years ago. It lasted 300,000-500,000 rounds of military surplus from around the world. Dirty nasty stuff. And still shoots but no rifling left.
And also have an SP01 that shoots but I wanted a Sao and a lower bore for faster follow ups.
The X5 delivers. I think the TS would also.