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[Nightingale]

Went to the range and tried a bunch of semi-autos.

debating which one I want. Anyone got something to say about the following?

HK USP 40 (.40 S&W)
Glock 23 (.40 S&W)
Glock 19 (9mm)
Glock 17 (9mm)

I also tried a Baretta and a Sig. The Baretta didn't fit my hand well, and the sig kicked like a mule. It was a 9mm, and it kicked more than the .40s I'd been shooting.

 

[AnimEdge]

Im a fan of the Beretta myself, i like the overall feel of the gun, cant say i have tryed the others though

 

[Seig]

Berettas over time do not hold up as well.

H&K is a good gun.
Glock is a good gun as well.
Stay away from the 9mm. The round is too fast and doesn't always put the target down. Stick with the .40 S&W in either the HK or the Glock.
The 23 is a nice gun, shoots well, and is easy to maintain.

 

[KenpoTex]

I'll basically echo Seig on this one. I don't like Beretta's because of their track-record. That said, many people swear by them but I've heard too many horror stories. As far as the others, H&K are top of the line. However, they are a little pricey (okay, a lot). Glocks are excellent weapons: durable, reliable, and accurate (even if they are butt-ugly ). I'd stay away from the 9mm for the reason that Seig gave, there have been too many times when a 9mm wouldn't stop someone. Go with the .40 (or better yet, the .45) not much of an increase in felt recoil (especially with the Glock) but better ballistics. Good luck

 

[OULobo]

I'll basically echo Seig on this one. I don't like Beretta's because of their track-record. That said, many people swear by them but I've heard too many horror stories. As far as the others, H&K are top of the line. However, they are a little pricey (okay, a lot). Glocks are excellent weapons: durable, reliable, and accurate (even if they are butt-ugly ). I'd stay away from the 9mm for the reason that Seig gave, there have been too many times when a 9mm wouldn't stop someone. Go with the .40 (or better yet, the .45) not much of an increase in felt recoil (especially with the Glock) but better ballistics. Good luck

Ditto, the .40 is the round of choice right now, the ammo du jour so to speak. The 9mm is starting to fade from view. Besides, as has been mentioned, it is a little inferior compared to the .40 when looking at it in a self-defense scenario.

I like Glocks, hell I own one. They hold up extremely well, aren't too heavy, have good capacity options and are really easy to maintain.

 

[dearnis.com]

If the Glock suits you and you are comfortable with it go with it. The .40 is probably a better choice...BUT if you shoot the 9 significantly better, it is a better choice for you. The recent demise of the AWB ( artyon: ) means hi-cap mags will again be available; this matters more for the 9 than for the 40 (oh, never mind, you are in CA...no high caps for you!)

 

[8253]

The Glock 23 is an excellent weapon. Glocks are good quality weapons, and the .40 cal round is a good median between the 9mm and the .45 giving it good penetration and knockdown power.

 

[Stick Dummy]

Get the G-23 and use 165 gr. ammo and you won't go wrong.........

The 9mm was originally designed for wounding, its takes more men out of the fight to take care of the wounded.
Thats why it sucked as a L-E round, and it took the community 20 + years to re-invent/"discover" this simple historical fact.

.40 S&W is a great round, if you have strong wrists the .45 ACP is even betterer :asian:

 

[Seig]

Just to reiterate what Stick said, the 1911 is a great gun! With the .40 you can make some mistakes. If recoil is an issue, stay away from guns like the Firestorm mini .40. When it comes to recoil, it's harder than the .45 ACP.

 

[Cryozombie]

I have an HK USP in 9mm...

Its a pretty gun, its comfortable, and seems pretty well made, and I haven't had it choke on any of the ammo I put thru it, even some el-cheapo reloads we buy for the range.

Plus I just sorta like HK's firearms.

 

[KenpoTex]

H&K's are very good weapons. I'd like to have a USP or USP-compact in .45 acp. or a P-7 (even though it's a 9mm). I'd really like a Mark-23 SOCOM (or a G-3, or an MP-5, or a PSG-1, or...).

 

[SMP]

Glock makes great firearms but I would choose the HK for the simple fact that just about anyone can pick up a Glock and shoot reasonably well. And in a self defense type scenario I would prefer someone not be able to shoot my gun well.

 

[Gaidheal]

Personally, I like 9mm. Used properly it is excellent and you get a larger magazine for the same weight and size. But I wouldn't use a Baretta. My preferred 9mm is the Browning HP.

Anyway.. of the choices you gave, I'd take the H&K in .40 S&W. It's a good gun from what I have seen (not fired one, but friends have) and the calibre has an excellent record, especially in LEO scenarios, from what reports I have seen.

<rant> Of course, I am in the UK so I have NO pistols at all... *sigh* Hungerford was sad, Dunblane was sad... but psychos are not typical of gun users and gun laws don't stop psychos getting guns. </rant>

John

 

[Tgace]

What do you see using it for (carry, home, competition, etc.)?

Which are you most accurate with (hand cannon wont help you much if you cant hit jack with it)?

Which do you think you would shoot more often (comfort, fit, etc.)?

Which one is easiest for you to manipulate (reloads, levers/buttons, etc.)?

 

[Ceicei]

I like the Glock 19. It fits my hand well. I used to have a Ruger P89, but it was too unwieldy for me. I tried testing with it and my LE instructor said it wouldn't work and let me use his G23 for my training. It was because of that I decided to go with the G19, and sold the Ruger.

- Ceicei

 

[dearnis.com]

It fits my hand well

That's all it comes down to. If you have a quality weapon (read reliable) that fits you and you can hit with everything else is a side issue.