Got my permit, help me decide on my first pistol

[That_FNG]

So I started the permit process this year (Erie County) on February 6th 2020 and just got my approval letter yesterday in the mail. Trying to decide on what pistol I should get first. The new smith and Wesson MP EZ in 9mm has caught my eye because of the features it has such as an internal hammer and easy to rack slide. Seems like it would make a great carry piece but also be fun to shoot. I also have my eye on a berretta 92 in 9mm because it is such an iconic gun and when I shot one in PA it was tons of fun. The HK USP in 45 is another iconic gun that I have always wanted because of the design and how good it feels in my hand. I had the chance to shoot my brothers when I visited him two years ago in Indianapolis and it was a rare example of a gun that exceeded my expectations. One of the other ones that has caught my eye is the GSG 1911-22. Fairly inexpensive, a good 22 trainer version of the 1911, cheap to shoot and seems well made. Right before the whole corona thing hit I sold one of my AR’s so I have about $1k to spend on a pistol or combination of pistols.

I could get either the berretta, the usp or both the MP EZ9mm and GSG 1911-22. For basically the same amount of money.

I’m open to other suggestions as well. What interests me is fun to shoot factor, iconic look/iconic design and reliability. Any other suggestions or thoughts?

 

[Edwardteach72]

Honestly unless you have some physical handicaps there is no reason to look at the EZ.

As for the USP.. google police trade ins, and look around lot of HK/SIG/Glocks come up for good prices (mainly get good deals in the HK and Sigs) with the police trade in guns..

You get a good gun that has very very little use (some holster wear which isnt a big deal and even easy to fix) for a hell of a good price.


Also Check out CZ.. (mainly CZ P-07 P-09, P-10, P-01, SP-01)

 

[GOYABEAN]

Congrats @That_FNG

 

[Toecutter]

I think i saw on sootch00 facebook someone has beretta police trade ins . Issue will be the mags .

 

[Edwardteach72]

I think i saw on sootch00 facebook someone has beretta police trade ins . Issue will be the mags .

Tell the FFL to keep them and then pick up some 10 rounders, still come out ahead vs buying new

 

[MikeyCNY]

Congrats!

Out of your options, I would recommend the MP EZ9mm and GSG 1911-22 - though maybe consider a Shield in place of the EZ model for carrying.

I have no experience with the EZ specifically, but I have several M&P models (Gen1 Shield, 2.0 Fullsize, 2.0 Compact), and I love them. The 2.0 Compact specifically is great, though I mostly carry the Shield due to the size (and 8 rounds vs 10 in Compact).

A .22 is great for long, cheap sessions at the range! I don't have the GSG model so I can't vouch for it, but in general .22 cal pistols are sometimes finicky. Great training tool.

My first pistol was a Beretta PX4 Storm, and I ended up disliking both the DA/SA trigger and the stupid backwards safety. (it worked opposite of the 1911's safety which I also had - I worried about training scars with getting the safeties mixed up)

 

[That_FNG]

Honestly unless you have some physical handicaps there is no reason to look at the EZ.

As for the USP.. google police trade ins, and look around lot of HK/SIG/Glocks come up for good prices (mainly get good deals in the HK and Sigs) with the police trade in guns..

You get a good gun that has very very little use (some holster wear which isnt a big deal and even easy to fix) for a hell of a good price.


Also Check out CZ.. (mainly CZ P-07 P-09, P-10, P-01, SP-01)

I don’t have any physical disability, what attracts me most with the shield EZ is that it is hammer fired. From what I understand the regular shield is striker fired. From my limited experience with what I have shot in free states, hammer fired pistols tend to have a better trigger then striker fired Guns. Idk care either way about the easy to rack slide. I do like that the shield EZ has a grip safety and can be ordered without an external thumb safety. My buddy has a custom colt 1911 and I like how the grip safety works.

my problem with the sig’s is that their quality control has been all over the board, and with the glock’s, (Striker fired) well it’s a bland chunk of plastic that works but nothing more beyond that.
The CZ’s I have looked at but idk know too much about them to know if they would be good or not. The CZ75 seems interesting but I need to find out more about it

 

[That_FNG]

Also forgot to mention if there any decent reliable 1911’s for under $1k I would be interested.
I would be open to a gun that has more of a full size frame but compact slide. Having enough Frame to have a proper grip is important to me.

in regards to the beretta 92, HK USP and 1911 those would be pistols I only want to buy brand new. All of them have been on my bucket list and with those I want the experience of buying new (emotional not logical I know) for anything else I’m open to new or used

 

[Edwardteach72]

Grip safeties are stupid for DAO guns

 

[MikeyCNY]

Also forgot to mention if there any decent reliable 1911’s for under $1k I would be interested.
I would be open to a gun that has more of a full size frame but compact slide. Having enough Frame to have a proper grip is important to me.

in regards to the beretta 92, HK USP and 1911 those would be pistols I only want to buy brand new. All of them have been on my bucket list and with those I want the experience of buying new (emotional not logical I know) for anything else I’m open to new or used

I have Ruger SR1911 models in 45 ACP and 10mm and they are both very nicely built. I believe the 45 ACP model is usually sub-$700, 10mm is usually more but I got it for a great deal at auction. I plan to add a 9mm to my collection eventually, just have other things on my list first...

They don't have rails to add a light so you have to get creative -



My Gen 1 Shield has Apex trigger internals, the newer 2.0 models you likely won't need it. The triggers in my 2.0 Fullsize and Compact were very nice, though I added an Apex flat trigger to the fullsize.

The Fullsize has a TLR-1 HL on it, the Compact gets a TLR-7 -


The 2.0 models both have AmeriGlo I-Dot installed, and I absolutely love them. HIGHLY recommend.

My 1.0 Shield has TruGlo TFX Pro sights installed.. See my claim to fame here for my thoughts. Eventually I plan to get a 2.0 Shield (and I know as soon as I do they'll announce a 3.0), and I'll add I-Dot sights to that as well.

 

[Toecutter]

I don’t have any physical disability, what attracts me most with the shield EZ is that it is hammer fired. From what I understand the regular shield is striker fired. From my limited experience with what I have shot in free states, hammer fired pistols tend to have a better trigger then striker fired Guns. Idk care either way about the easy to rack slide. I do like that the shield EZ has a grip safety and can be ordered without an external thumb safety. My buddy has a custom colt 1911 and I like how the grip safety works.

my problem with the sig’s is that their quality control has been all over the board, and with the glock’s, (Striker fired) well it’s a bland chunk of plastic that works but nothing more beyond that.
The CZ’s I have looked at but idk know too much about them to know if they would be good or not. The CZ75 seems interesting but I need to find out more about it

Its rare you will find someone talk bad about a CZ .
This has been on my radar it’s basically a cz p07 copy made by the swiss.

SPHINX SDP Compact - KRISS USA

Competition grade accuracy with combat level reliability, the SPHINX SDP raises the bar for performance duty pistols.

kriss-usa.com

 

[Edwardteach72]

Its rare you will find someone talk bad about a CZ .
This has been on my radar it’s basically a cz p07 copy made by the swiss.

SPHINX SDP Compact - KRISS USA

Competition grade accuracy with combat level reliability, the SPHINX SDP raises the bar for performance duty pistols.

kriss-usa.com

No the CZ is the copy of the Sphinx

 

[Robin]

I have a Colt 1911, flat back and a SIG P220, .45ACP. The colt seems to have some kind of universal grip configuration that virtually everyone can become a good shot with. I don't know where you get your information from, but between my son and I, we have quite a few SIG's in many calibers and have never had a problem with any of them, as for the P220, it is a very user friendly gun that is accurate and reliable.
Whatever you decide, If you can, try before you buy! The Firing Pin in Bergen has many to choose from for a test run, if they are open.
Robin

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

First off congrats

Second, wait let me get this straight you are in Erie county, you started the process in February and you got your license in may?! Holy crap. Double congrats you must have the stars aligned for you.

There are DAO hammer fired guns out there like the Ruger security 9, Walther Creed, sig p250 (hammer fired gun the 320 is based on)

Some striker fired guns now have surprisingly smooth triggers that are more than adequate. Check out, hold, dry fire some like the CZ p10, Glock 19/45/17, Walther PPQ, Beretta APX, sig320. M&p 2.0 etc

 

[That_FNG]

I have a Colt 1911, flat back and a SIG P220, .45ACP. The colt seems to have some kind of universal grip configuration that virtually everyone can become a good shot with. I don't know where you get your information from, but between my son and I, we have quite a few SIG's in many calibers and have never had a problem with any of them, as for the P220, it is a very user friendly gun that is accurate and reliable.
Whatever you decide, If you can, try before you buy! The Firing Pin in Bergen has many to choose from for a test run, if they are open.
Robin

I had a Sig MCX and it ran like hot garbage. Ran PMC bronze and federal thru it and it would misfeed or failure to eject almost every other round. Tried pmags as well as the mags that came with it and nothing but problems. Sent it back to sig and they fixed it and sent it back. It would now cycle ok(not great still) but accuracy was about a 5 inch group at 25 yards at best. I ending up cutting my losses and went with a palmetto state AR that ran the same ammo fine. Talked to other MCX owners and they had problems as well. Granted that is a small sample size out of how many guns they make but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Sig, Remington and Springfield armory are brands I don’t have much interest in due to problems with products of theirs I’ve owned

 

[C3D]

Do yourself a favor. Buy one gun, whatever it is, and stick with it for a year. Use it to improve your technique and skills.

Of course that first gun should be a Glock, but that's a more personal choice.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Do yourself a favor. Buy one gun, whatever it is, and stick with it for a year. Use it to improve your technique and skills.

Of course that first gun should be a Glock, but that's a more personal choice.

See. Now... I wanted to "like" your post- then I read the second paragraph!

OP should totally get a CZ.

 

[Darth]

Grip safeties are stupid

FTFY.

 

[Darth]

So I started the permit process this year (Erie County) on February 6th 2020 and just got my approval letter yesterday in the mail. Trying to decide on what pistol I should get first. The new smith and Wesson MP EZ in 9mm has caught my eye because of the features it has such as an internal hammer and easy to rack slide. Seems like it would make a great carry piece but also be fun to shoot. I also have my eye on a berretta 92 in 9mm because it is such an iconic gun and when I shot one in PA it was tons of fun. The HK USP in 45 is another iconic gun that I have always wanted because of the design and how good it feels in my hand. I had the chance to shoot my brothers when I visited him two years ago in Indianapolis and it was a rare example of a gun that exceeded my expectations. One of the other ones that has caught my eye is the GSG 1911-22. Fairly inexpensive, a good 22 trainer version of the 1911, cheap to shoot and seems well made. Right before the whole corona thing hit I sold one of my AR’s so I have about $1k to spend on a pistol or combination of pistols.

I could get either the berretta, the usp or both the MP EZ9mm and GSG 1911-22. For basically the same amount of money.

I’m open to other suggestions as well. What interests me is fun to shoot factor, iconic look/iconic design and reliability. Any other suggestions or thoughts?

Walther P99.

 

[Edwardteach72]

FTFY.

Yes thank you

 

[togmaster]

Czczczczczczczczczczczcz.

I've made my point.

 

[Twogunwilly]

I'd go G23 and for a second pistol, G23

 

[MikeyCNY]

I'd go G23 and for a second pistol, G23

I'm not sure which naming system I hate more - Glock's or SIG's

 

[C3D]

It comes down to preference. I like Glocks precisely because they are ugly POSs that go bang on every single trigger pull, without exception. Other shooters may find different fits for their needs.

 

[That_FNG]

In regards to 1911’s how are the ones made by Taurus, rock island armory and European american armory? I’m not looking for high end, mainly that it goes bang every time with decent quality ammo

 

[Calculon]

Congrats. What features do you want or want to avoid? My first pistol was an M&P9 full size with thumb safety. Thought it was the sensible choice but hated the safety especially when taking pistol training classes. Removed the safety and I love it. Carries well for a full size and if you go to free-America you can have 17 rounders.

I’ve shot the 92 and though I shoot it well I don’t love the safety or how thick the grip is. Also the cut out slide looks cool (iconic for sure) but it offers less to grip when racking the slide. Guys who compete with them love them so if it’s right for you go for it.

I’ve shot the HK a couple times and loved it with one exception - I found the mag release a little odd.

All are great choices - just figure which features make most sense for you.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Congrats. What features do you want or want to avoid? My first pistol was an M&P9 full size with thumb safety. Thought it was the sensible choice but hated the safety especially when taking pistol training classes. Removed the safety and I love it. Carries well for a full size and if you go to free-America you can have 17 rounders.

I’ve shot the 92 and though I shoot it well I don’t love the safety or how thick the grip is. Also the cut out slide looks cool (iconic for sure) but it offers less to grip when racking the slide. Guys who compete with them love them so if it’s right for you go for it.

I’ve shot the HK a couple times and loved it with one exception - I found the mag release a little odd.

All are great choices - just figure which features make most sense for you.

The 92 can always (and should. I mean SHOULD) be swapped over to a G model

 

[Chevusa]

Congratulations! It’s pretty exciting isn’t it? Welcome to the club.

I just checked with Biden. He said you don’t need a pistol. He said buy a shotgun. Double barrel. If you ever hear a noise, fire 2 blasts into the air.Your problem will be solved, he said.

 

[Acer-m14]

buy a damn Hi-Point .. its American .. LOL ..

 

[Chevusa]

Go with an MP 9mm but not the EZ model and pick up a 22. I was shooting a friends 22 yesterday and it convinced me that I need to get one. Great to practice the fundamentals with and you can shoot all day for almost no money.