jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (01/14/87)
Article: 1:22 I don't know much about the Browning, but my recollection is that most are single-action. If you're buying a pistol, particularly if you intend to have it available for home defense, you should decide first whether you want single or double-action. Single is certainly easier to shoot, but the disadvantage is that it's easier to shoot unintentionally. The most popular Browning is the Hi-Power, and I believe it is a single- action. There are also 9mm versions of the famous Colt .45, also single-action. [ Yes, the Hi-Power is single action -jh ] Double-actions are harder to shoot the first shot (the remaining shots are single-action) but can be used single-action by cocking the trigger. Most police agencies insist on DA so this is where the money is now. The most famous 9mm is now the Beretta 92F, the army's new gun. The runner up was a Sig-Sauer (they make 3 models, the P220, P225, P226, differing primarily in size and magazine capacity.) I haven't heard as high praise for S&W as for the above names, but they do have a wide line of guns. Everything I've seen suggests the 459 is preferrable to the 439 for a full-size gun. The 469 is the smallest DA 9mm I know of, if that is important. My father-in-law has one, about the size of a 2" .38, but much easier to shoot accurately. Other than DA vs SA, the three major features for an auto are: - Barrel length Most have 4.5" to 5" barrels - Magazine capacity The older designs are 7-shot, with up to 15 shots (Beretta 92F, S-S P226, S&W 459) on the nwer models - Safety The S-S have no safety. The SA must have safeties, and they are usually easy to use. Some people have trouble using the safety on a DA with their shooting hand. In terms of price, the S&W's are also much more reasonable than any other, but don't expect revolver prices. Some like the Taurus 92F/92T, which were made in Brazil with the molds used for the Beretta.
jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (01/22/87)
Article: 1:38 As someone pointed out, H&K was overlooked. There are pretty expensive. The H&K are used by a few police agencies and are unique in that they are cocked by squeezing the handle, a SA more comparable to a DA. Also, Ruger is supposedly coming out with their own 9mm at a very reasonable price. Their 22mm auto has been very good so I'm considering getting it. Finally, if you care, most of the guns mentioned (except S&W) are imported from Europe. We all should do our part to help the trade deficit. Here's what my Gun Digest 1987 annual shows for 9mm autos: Gun Barrel Rounds Price Mfr Comment Beretta 92F 4.9" 15 $685 Italy Compact due out Brno CS-75 4.7" 15 $635 Czech CZ-85 ambidextrous Browning DA 4.5"? 15 $430 ? I have little info Brow. Hi-Power 4.7" 13 $452 Belg. Single action Colt Gov't 5" 7 $535 US Single action Colt Commander 4.25" 9 $535 US Single action Glock 17 4.5" 17 $443 Austria Plastic pistol H&K P7-M13 4.1" 13 $666 Germany P7-M8 is 8-shot H&K P9S 4" 9 $666 Germany Not squeeze-cocker Ruger P-85 4.5" 15 $295 US Vaporware SIG-Sauer P220 4.4" 9 $564 Germany No safety SIG-Sauer P225 3.8" 8 $602 Germany No safety SIG-Sauer P226 4.4" 15 $628 Germany No safety Steyr GB 5.4" 18 $595 Germany Not very common S&W 439 4" 8 $422 US 639 is stainless S&W 459 4" 14 $460 US 659 is stainless S&W 469 3.5" 12 $433 US Compact; 669 stainless Taurus PT-92AF 4.9" 15 $367 Brazil PT-99 adjustable sights (I've left out most of the "cheap" guns, except the Taurus, which is a authorized(??) copy of an early Beretta 92F, and some suggest is the best of the cheapies.) Some think the Glock -- the Austrian military sidearm -- is a good buy, but [flame on] I don't believe in supporting a gun which has as its main advantage that it is easier to smuggle on airplanes. While I'm at it, I'd have trouble buying the Brno for political reasons, even though people say the Czechs make excellent guns. [flame off] [ I couldn't resist inserting a flame here. The Glock has a metal frame and slide rails (on the slide itself). Tests done with metal detectors and real airport security (who didn't know they were being tested) found that the weapon was as detectable as anything else. In fact, there has yet to be a hijack attempt involving a Glock. This is all Newsweek yellow journalism. - rudely inserted flame off.. -jh ]