Which gun?

Question

I am looking into buying my girlfriend a 9mm Handgun. She is studying to be in the law enforcement field. Which is the best type of 9mm out there?Cost really isnt an issue. I want her to have the best one out there. Thank you for your help!

Thank you all for the suggestions. I understand that she will be issued her appropriate weapon, However I wanted to buy her a gun that she can use to practice and handle with. I was looking into goverment issued weapons and that would be fine....Thanks all

Answer 1

I prefer Glocks(model 17 9mm), and Berettas(model 92 9mm). For her, take her to places where they sell handguns in your area and see which one she prefers in terms of weight, balance, and things like magazine size and where the safety and magazine release are. Everyone has a different preference. Note that many police forces in larger cities require an officer to carry a specific type of handgun (Glock 17 is the most common), so you might hold off unless she has a specific department she wants to look for and knows the requirements.

Answer 2

There are many good 9MM autos out there. You can't go wrong with Glocks, SIGs. Springfield XD, or many others. But here are a few things to consider.

I would avoid a conventional double action auto. The trigger pull for the first shot must pull the hammer back and release it so the pull is very long and normally heavy. After the gun fires, the slide then cocks the hammer for the next shot so the trigger now has a lot of take up and while it still moves a long way it is not nearly as heavy, until it engages the sear again. This disjointed trigger action can be mastered but its a lot of work and these days there is little reason to put in that much effort.

Double action only autos have a consitant shot to shot trigger pull that normally long and heavy. While not an aid to good shooting, it does help prevent ADs (accidental discharges) under the stress of an armed confrontation.

Stryker fired pistols like the Glock and Springfield XD have consistant triggers shot to shot and are usually more manageable than double action only autos. The new line of SIG polymer pistols also have trigger mechanism that feels similar. If I were looking for 9MM that was not in a 1911 format it would be one of these. My choice would be on which pistol fits my had the best in terms of the shape and size of the grip as well as the reach to the trigger.

Unless your girlfriend has lots of dedication and can find someone to supervise her first several trips to the range, I'd avoid a single acion auto. The light, crisp triggers found on these guns are wonderful aids to good marksmanship and rapid fire shooting but they require significant range time to get comfortable with the and to be carried safely. While this type of pistol is my favorite, I have been shooting them in compition for years and normally shoot over 3,000 round in practice every summer.

Good luck

Answer 3

First, your girlfriend needs to get a permit and purchase the gun (you can give her the money).

The best gun is the one that fits best in her hand. Many law enforcement officiers use Glock (I have a Glock 23, .40 caliber) and I like it a lot. The Glock 19 is the same model in a 9mm. It's a compact. The Glock 17 is the full size.

Glock's may be too big for a woman's hand, depending on her size. I suggest you tell her you want to get her a handgun. Let her go through the proper steps to get her permit and see which gun fits her hand best.

Some good brands are Glock, H&K, Sig Sauer and Beretta if money is no object. Cheaper good guns are Rugers. Smith and Wesson makes some decent guns, but I would avoid the Sigma.

Again, let her pick one out so that it fits her hand well.

Answer 4

Sig Sauer P226 or P229

H&K USP


You made the statement that cost wasn't an issue, so I picked the best IMO with these two, far, far better quality and performance than Glock or Beretta. If you compared them to cars, the Sig is a Mercedes E class, the HK a BMW 5 series, the Beretta is a Ford Taurus and the Glock a Toyota Camry. Not a damn thing wrong with a Camry, but it's no BMW.

Answer 5

Lets keep it simple bud. Bring her to the range and let her try all the 9mms she can fit her hands onto. The choose the best five that fits her hands and then narrow it down by letting her run a few clips thru them.

Basically I'm old school. 1911 .45 for me or the other variants.

My suggestions are

Colt 1911 in 9mm yep they do have that. For a femme, maybe a commander. Used to have one my brother asked it from me. couldn't turn him down. Try super 38 too.

The springfield armory variants are nice .

Sig 228
HK USP
Walther P99

let her try out Hogue rubber grips too. she might like em.

thats it hope this helps.

Oh yes Browning HP... These guys are great, the FBI still uses them, but it works a lot better after a bit of tweeking. ask your gun smith he'll tell you.

Answer 6

A very user friendly, popular with law enforcement handgun is the Glock. Although most agencies are switching to the .40 S&W the .9mm still has a very real place in law enforcment. With quality ammo it is still a good defensive caliber.

Several rookies with our department have failed to qualify with the handgun of their choice. After recommending the Glock Model 19 and switching to this model they all qualified.

Since you say cost isn't an issue I recommend a Glock Model 19 with Trijicon nightsights and three high capacity magazines. If your friend prefers the full size Glock, then get her the Glock Model 17, again with night sights and high cap mags.

Best.

H

Answer 7

I've used many 9mm handguns, and in my personal opinion the absolute best one as far as ergonomics and grip comfort is the Walther P99. Smith and Wesson makes a clone of it called the SW99, which can be had for less money (S&W makes the body and frame, and slaps in the Walther barrel and firing mechanisms). I preferred the DA/SA model, but I would defer to the answer above.

Best to check with her department... back when I was still shooting, at least one agency (the FBI) was changing to a .40 cal compact constant trigger-pull sidearm.

My breakdown of a couple other popular models:

Beretta 92FS: good features, good accuracy, but a bit large in the hands. An American company (Taurus) makes a cheaper clone.
Glock 17: Didn't terribly impress me, surprisingly. There seem to be many glock fans everywhere, but it just wasn't comfortable in my hands.
Heckler & Koch USP: Great gun, but likewise felt slightly awkward in my hands.

The grips on all three of these guns seemed to leave "open space" in my hand, which is a distracting feeling. The P99, which I eventually purchased, comes with three differently-sized grips. The medium grip fit my hand naturally, as if it was molded to fit. It's a fairly popular weapon, I believe it is the standard-issue sidearm for some European police agencies.

Best bet is to have her go to a gun range and rent as many handguns as she can; especially try to have her use the gun she'll eventually be issued, if she'll be required to use it on the street.

Answer 8

Man--lots of GLOCK fans on here.94 years from now , I doubt if there will be 30 gun manufacturers making clones of the GLOCK.The 1911 is considered by MANY experts to be the greatest semi auto handgun.Springfield,Kimber,Les Baer,Chip McCormick and countless other manufacturers all make a 1911.As the above answerer said,they are available in many calibers.You can't go wrong-John Browning built a timeless piece when he made the 1911.

Answer 9

A 9mm Baretta (im not sure how to spell that) should be the best, seeing as most law enforcement agencies usually issue those to police officers any way im sure you can find those at most gun shops or any hunting supply stores.

Answer 10

The best type of 9 milimeter pistol is the Beretta 92FS, which our military uses. it's light, reliable, easy to clean and use. As far as I know, the police departments are using the bigger .40 handguns, but having a 9mm handgun as a backup is usually what police officers carry when they are issued a weapon when they go to work for their police departments.