9mm semi handgun choices

Bobalos

Bobalos

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Morning folks, I know a bunch of you have some super nice handguns and was wondering if you were to make a top 5 list what it would look like.

I'm after a 9mm, semi with the ability to put some kind of optic on it. Not conceal cary kind of thing, strictly for the range. Precision and reliability are most important, price is next.

As some of you know, I'm a 1911 45 kind of guy. I've owned a few others but not for long. I love the ergonomics of it and have been shooting them off and on since I was a kid.

I don't mind starting with a solid foundation and adding on (optics, grips, mag well flares, etc).

It would be nice to know which ones, youve owned, which ones youve shot and which ones your lusting over.

I'd like 2 lists.
* money is no object badest guns
* best bang for the buck.

@Surf and Dune @punkur67

Im in San Diego, but would love to hear non-CA compliant guns as well. I wont be here forever.
 
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I was a die hard 1911 guy and still love them. But after some training I learned that there are other options that fit me better. I'm not a huge pistol guy but do like to shoot them. I have shot a bunch of modern pistols but I'm a big CZ fan. They are well balanced and have extremely comfortable ergonomics.

Money is no object would be an Atlas 2011. I have shot a couple and they are absolutely amazing. They have several different ones that they make.

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Another great 2011 option is a stacatto XC or any other stacatto.

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Next option would be a CZ czechmate. The make one without a threaded barrel for us CA kids.

game-over-i-mean-czechmate-v0-n7543a7282ta1.jpg

The CZ TS Orange is a great factory option

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Then a custom CZ shadow or SP01. This is what I did myself. Cajun gun works is the go to for build parts. These are my wife and my cajunized SP01's

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I have been super interested in the Dan wesson DWX. Is a CZ SP-01 lower with a 2011 trigger and upper. Looks like an excellent bang for the buck.

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Are you in CA Bobalos? Obviously makes a difference if you're looking for a "new" gun. For the most part, I'm pretty much in agreement with Punkur. That said, I think that for the money , there are better options than a Staccato. I have a Staccato P and its my least favorite. Main reason would be the trigger. Its a duty gun, so I think its set to about 4-5 lbs. I could dump some more into it and make it an amazing shooter but I already have more toys that I need . Probably going to sell it.
The one gun that I want to shoot every time I go to the range is my Sig P226 X5 Legion. Its reasonably priced and just shoots so good. Light. awesome trigger.

CZ's. If either of my 2 CZ's had a red or green dot (I'm going to have one of them milled soon ) they would probably be my new favorite. Again, reasonably priced, and as accurate as you can get. The triggers on the TSO and TSO2 are top of the food chain right out of the box. Heavy guns, which really help with the recoil without the use of being comped or ported.

Watchtower Apache. It's kinda Gucci but not that expensive for a semi custom gun. The whole gun is coated with a finsh that makes everything move/slide like its on bearings. I shoot my tightest groups with this gun (out of my red/green dots)

Laugo Arms Alien. Getting into the money is no object territory, but still 2-3 grand less than alot of the Atlas guns that are considered by most to be one of the best out there. Its pretty much the most unique gun on the market. Has virtually no muzzle rise due to the low bore axis. Everyone that has ever shot it has an immediate smile on their face after the first round. Also, you can change from the red dot to a iron site in about 15 seconds without having to sight it in.
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punkur67 said:
I was a die hard 1911 guy and still love them. But after some training I learned that there are other options that fit me better. I'm not a huge pistol guy but do like to shoot them. I have shot a bunch of modern pistols but I'm a big CZ fan. They are well balanced and have extremely comfortable ergonomics.

Money is no object would be an Atlas 2011. I have shot a couple and they are absolutely amazing. They have several different ones that they make.

View attachment 119978

Another great 2011 option is a stacatto XC or any other stacatto.

View attachment 119979

Next option would be a CZ czechmate. The make one without a threaded barrel for us CA kids.

View attachment 120018

The CZ TS Orange is a great factory option

View attachment 120017


Then a custom CZ shadow or SP01. This is what I did myself. Cajun gun works is the go to for build parts. These are my wife and my cajunized SP01's

View attachment 120023View attachment 120024

I have been super interested in the Dan wesson DWX. Is a CZ SP-01 lower with a 2011 trigger and upper. Looks like an excellent bang for the buck.

View attachment 120025
Click to expand...
I was able to shoot my buddys Dan Wesson DWX a few weeks and was dissapointed. The CZ's had better ergonomics IMO.
 
Bobalos said:
Morning folks, I know a bunch of you have some super nice handguns and was wondering if you were to make a top 5 list what it would look like.

I'm after a 9mm, semi with the ability to put some kind of optic on it. Not conceal cary kind of thing, strictly for the range. Precision and reliability are most important, price is next.

As some of you know, I'm a 1911 45 kind of guy. I've owned a few others but not for long. I love the ergonomics of it and have been shooting them off and on since I was a kid.

I don't mind starting with a solid foundation and adding on (optics, grips, mag well flares, etc).

It would be nice to know which ones, youve owned, which ones youve shot and which ones your lusting over.

I'd like 2 lists.
* money is no object badest guns
* best bang for the buck.

@Surf and Dune @punkur67
Click to expand...

To me...

The Best gun is the one that feels best in Your hand. Ya gotta try out a few to get a good "feel" for that.

👍🏼
 
Surf and Dune said:
I was able to shoot my buddys Dan Wesson DWX a few weeks and was dissapointed. The CZ's had better ergonomics IMO.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I may want to shoot one before I buy one with the CA off roster tax
 
I'm a H&K fan. The VP9 is pretty nice out of the box and even better with a little work on it. The Trijicon RMR is a nice sight.
 
Ok.... so @Surf and Dune took me to his range today (https://hotrodsandhandguns.com/) and let me shoot a bunch of his guns and a bunch of his buddies guns. They were all outstanding, some were more outstanding than others. Some I liked a lot, but are just out of my price range.

Thanks again @Surf and Dune for letting me shot all of your stuff and being patient while I asked a million questions. Your buddy John is cool as shit too.

Here is the list of stuff I shot today...
20240908_155422.jpg

And this is where we went. Hands down the best range I've ever been to. Restaurants (yes more than one), drinks, hotrods, guns, collections, gun store, ranges (yes more than one)
20240908_100101.jpg
20240908_133404.jpg20240908_133402.jpg20240908_121140.jpg20240908_121108.jpg20240908_121059.jpg
 
Bobalos said:
Ok.... so @Surf and Dune took me to his range today (https://hotrodsandhandguns.com/) and let me shoot a bunch of his guns and a bunch of his buddies guns. They were all outstanding, some were more outstanding than others. Some I liked a lot, but are just out of my price range.

Thanks again @Surf and Dune for letting me shot all of your stuff and being patient while I asked a million questions. Your buddy John is cool as shit too.

Here is the list of stuff I shot today...
View attachment 121116

And this is where we went. Hands down the best range I've ever been to. Restaurants (yes more than one), drinks, hotrods, guns, collections, gun store, ranges (yes more than one)
View attachment 121117
View attachment 121118View attachment 121119View attachment 121120View attachment 121121View attachment 121122
Click to expand...

Nice place!!!

I'm gonna go be poor somewhere else though...

hotrodsandhandguns.com

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I'd be interested in which you found to be the "Best Bang for Buck".
 
I'm an OG 1911 guy so the Dan Wesson 1911 (9mm) felt very natural in he hand, but I did not like the way it shot.

Both of the Sigs were super nice and probably the best bang bang for the buck.

The one I liked the best was the staccato XC. But the price......

The alien and the parrot were both bitchen guns but not for me.

I will say that they all felt VERY different in the hand and shot very different. even the 2 Sigs which were very similar guns, shot differently from each other. Hell the 2 CZ's were the "same guns", but different generations from each other and shot differently. I'm VERY great full for the chance to shoot them. It makes these kinds of decisions much easier.
 
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Bobalos said:
I'm an OG 1911 guy so the dan Wesson 1911 (9mm) felt very natural jn he hand, but I did not like the way it shot.

Both of the Sigs were super nice and probably the best bang bang for the buck.

The one I liked the best was the staccato XC. But the price......

The alien and the parrot were both vutchen guns but not for me.

I will say that they all felt VERY different in the hand and shot very different. I'm VERY great full for the chance to shoot them. It makes these kinds of decisions much easier.
Click to expand...

No Glocks in your list? Or did I miss it?

🤔
 
Bobalos said:
not a single one. Ive not shot a Glock I liked. Mind you its been a while since Ive shot one, but I have shot a bunch of them.
Click to expand...

Hand guns are very subjective. I loved the Glocks I have shot.

Good luck with your search!
 
Is it weird going from a striker fired 9mm to a 1911 style pistol?
 
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