Wonder Nines

[fidelity]

... The P-226 Legion is by far the best shooting pistol I own.

Me too. If I needed to choose a sidearm to go to war with, it would be a P226 Legion.

 

[Mark75H]

I'd wager that the HiPower is a rare enough gun that almost everyone suggesting something else doesn't own one and has never shot one (with the few exceptions already calling above).

I have a P226, a P229 and 2 HiPowers and the HiPower is always my choice. Its almost always the one that guests and friends want to shoot or shoot again.

Borrow one before you decide.

 

[3paul10]

Another vote for the Smith 5906....heavy yes, but very accurate

 

[dontpanic]

I'd wager that the HiPower is a rare enough gun that almost everyone suggesting something else doesn't own one and has never shot one (with the few exceptions already calling above).

I have a P226, a P229 and 2 HiPowers and the HiPower is always my choice. Its almost always the one that guests and friends want to shoot or shoot again.

Borrow one before you decide.

I sold 2 HiPowers and a P226. In for CZ all the way.
I was a HiPower fanatic for years, I could never get over it's flaws. Flaws that are well known and not too hard to fix. Yet Browning never fixed them. Another opportunity lost.

 

[callidus]

Of the steel framed, double stacked 9mm semi auto handguns, which one is your favorite and why? I've always wanted a Browning Hi-Power, but that of course leads to looking at the CZ-75 which leads to the Jericho 941...

There is of course the Beretta 92 and the Sig 226 and a host of others. Which is your favorite and why?

9mm steel framed? Sig 226. Hands down. Open it up to other calibers, and I'd take a 1911 in 10mm.

 

[LargemouthAss]

Another one that I always lusted after was a HK P7M13 but was I was always put off by the price tag and when I camw across one, it was usually a M8 and we all know that 8 rounds just ain't enough.

The Lemon Squeezer was considered to be designed as the modern gunfighter's perfect gun.

Any P7 owners out there?

I own an M8 and an M13. They are crazy accurate and the trigger is excellent. The problem with them is that they get really hot after two magazines. The M13 gets hot after one mag and too hot to shoot after 2 magazines unless you are shooting really slowly.

I love the P226 and my Legion SAO is very fun to shoot. It was my favorite 9mm until the Shadow 2 came out.

My CZ Shadow 2 is the most accurate 9mm I own. Although heavy the Shadow 2 is very manageable and easy to shoot fast. I have not found a single fault with the Shadow 2. It has to be at the top of the list for wonder 9's.

 

[Bob A]

I own an M8 and an M13. They are crazy accurate and the trigger is excellent. The problem with them is that they get really hot after two magazines. The M13 gets hot after one mag and too hot to shoot after 2 magazines unless you are shooting really slowly.

Yeah, an innovative and accurate design, but not suited for a range toy as the thing gets so hot. Given the cost, it's a bit pricey as a CCW weapon, because if you have to use it, it will end up in an evidence locker instead of home in your safe.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Just to set the terminology straight, as it waa understood during the Wondernine Era -

Service sized, double stack,* metal * framed, double action at least for first shot, 9mm .

Most of them were alloy, not steel frames . DA/SA or DAO both fit definition. In begining , traditional DA waa dominate , later part of era DAO made inroads.

Since the OP specified Metal frames, we'll ignore THE pistol of the era .

If we stick to those with widespread LE usage , there were three families : Beretta M92 , SIG P226 , and various flavors of three digit and four digit S&W. Yes , there were some small depts , and department approved private purchases of other things , but the big three had probably 90% of the Dept purchase market .

Of those - Beretta I don't care for fit and balance . And it was big enough to have real issues for ofc smaller than average in either hand size, or general stature . SIGs are great , but were close to twice the $ as S&W. The four digit S&W are actually decent pistols. Today they are underappreciated ( except by S&W Collectors ).

Several other quality pistols didn't particularly chase gov't contracts, but concentrated on public sales . Genuine CZ-75 were rare during most of the Wondernine Era , but the Italian Clones were good pistols in their own right, and offered more variations and options than genuine CZ.

Not exactly a 9mm , but Astra of all people was the first to market a DA/SA , double stack .45acp .

 

[Biggfoot44]

Double post.

 

[erwos]

I'd wager that the HiPower is a rare enough gun that almost everyone suggesting something else doesn't own one and has never shot one (with the few exceptions already calling above).

I have a P226, a P229 and 2 HiPowers and the HiPower is always my choice. Its almost always the one that guests and friends want to shoot or shoot again.

Totally agree. I liked my P226, but the BHP is a MUCH more comfortable gun to shoot. I think there are legitimate arguments against the BHP as a service weapon, such as a meh mag capacity and being SAO, but once you remove that mag disconnect safety, it's a great shooter.

That said, it's basically impossible for me not to recommend a CZ-75 or derivative from IWI/IMI or Tanfoglio. Steel or polymer frame doesn't matter, they're both excellent. Only knock against them is that the after-market is not really as robust as it could be - finding a threaded Tanfo or Jericho barrel is basically impossible, for example.

If we stick to those with widespread LE usage in the USA , there were three families : Beretta M92 , SIG P226 , and various flavors of three digit and four digit S&W.

I made a tiny clarification in bold. The pistols you've listed off were definitely the big ones in the US LE market, but, globally, there's definitely been others. Some examples would be: CZ-75s, Stars, Tanfos, BHPs, smaller caliber Berettas, CZ99s, and probably others I can't think of off the top of my head. I know this is a US forum, and thus we're US-centric by nature, but I wanted to bring that up. To me, the classical WonderNine era basically ended when Glock started taking big bites of the LE market in the 90's.

 

[Schipperke]

I have SigSauer 226 "West Germany". Nicer than the J.A. Nine or 916. I finally got to fire a Beretta 92 couple weeks ago, very nice.

 

[Suleiman]

I own an M8 and an M13. They are crazy accurate and the trigger is excellent. The problem with them is that they get really hot after two magazines. The M13 gets hot after one mag and too hot to shoot after 2 magazines unless you are shooting really slowly.

Yeah, an innovative and accurate design, but not suited for a range toy as the thing gets so hot. Given the cost, it's a bit pricey as a CCW weapon, because if you have to use it, it will end up in an evidence locker instead of home in your safe.

I love my P7. As long as i'm only intending to put a magazine or two down range, its the gun with which i'm the most accurate and enjoy above all others.
You wont catch me reloading on the fly and trying to put 50 rounds down range without an ove-glove though.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

The Sig P226 is a sweet shooting pistol. Law enforcement agencies that adopted it are well served by it. The Beretta 92, while reliable, is a pretty large pistol for only a 9mm hole in the barrel. My 226 outshoots my 92FS buy a good margin. I'm really a 1911/BHP guy but do like the Sig. As far as the 92FS goes...I've never liked a pistol with a slide-mounted safety. The Beretta just reinforces that dislike even if it is an ok pistol.

 

[jimbobborg]

CZ SP-01. 22 rounds when you put a +4 extension on the magazines.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Ok, the actual CZ-75 saw more use outside of the US , albeit more often wil Mil than LE . Star concentrated more on single stacks, until the Ultra Star near their end . It's lack of sucuess was a major factor in their bankruptcy, and closing . Astra did indeed make Wondernines. CZ-99 didn't get introduced until the waning of the Wondernine Era . The Beretta Cougar didn't go over well in US, but was more popular in the rest of the world.

And European LE still made wide use of smaller cal pistols ( for general issue ) well into the US Wondernine Era .

And the Star pistols of the time were indeed fine enough pistols, just outside of the Wondernine parameters under discussion.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Amen Joppa. I never wanted to do boardings with the Beretta after beingvtrained with and carrying a 1911.

Junk after the 1911 and before the SIG.

IMO

 

[Bisleyfan44]

Of the steel framed, double stacked 9mm semi auto handguns, which one is your favorite and why? I've always wanted a Browning Hi-Power, but that of course leads to looking at the CZ-75 which leads to the Jericho 941...

There is of course the Beretta 92 and the Sig 226 and a host of others. Which is your favorite and why?

Loved my Sig 226 and Ruger P89. Both very accurate and stone reliable.

 

[joppaj]

Loved my Sig 226 and Ruger P89. Both very accurate and stone reliable.

About ten years ago, there was a Davidson's exclusive stainless P89 with Hogue grips. I always thought it looked awesome.

 

[Cold Steel]

The Browning Hi-Power is still my favorite. I own an early '70s Belgian made Hi-Power and still shoot it fairly regularly. I find it amusing to point out to 1911 fanboys that JMB wanted to do better and so started designing the Hi-Power.

I've always wondered how good the Brownings are. Do they shoot hollowpoints okay? My dad had one, but I never shot it. It's got the black case made by Browning, has a round hammer, wood grips and was made in Belgium. It's a beautiful gun. Feels great in the hand, but I don't know whether to keep it or sell it. I like it much better than any 1911 I've ever held. Given my choice, I don't know which I'd take: the High Power or a Colt Gold Cup. Any thoughts?

I think the Beretta 92 was the first of the Wonder Nines. After that, it was the S&W 659/639/459/439s, Sig Saur and, of course, the Glock. I really wanted one of the nickel 59s, but I heard they jammed a lot. So I bought an early Beretta that never jammed. Then I got a S&W 659. It, too, has never malfunctioned with factory ammo. I don't have a Sig 9mm, but I have a .45 I've never shot, so I don't know anything but the reputation of the gun.

My favorite "9" by far is my 659. It's gorgeous and it works!

 

[Biggfoot44]

With only a little bit of regional chauvinism , the US marketplace dominates and defines the world wide ( non- communist) handgun market, if only by sheer numbers .

The Trivia answer is the MAB ( & predecessors) were the first Wondernine .

BUT since if it didn't happen with US Law Enforcement, or US Mil , it didn't happen , the first meaningful Wondernine was the S&W M59 .