Top 9mm pistols

[mountainman]

Apex triggers make the M &  P pretty unbeatable! Just ask Chris Costa...

[jay.sharkbait]

Apex triggers make the M &  P pretty unbeatable! Just ask Chris Costa...

Who's Chris Costa?

[follow maggie]

Any of the major brands will treat you fine. Handle a bunch and choose the one that's comfortable in your hand and has a trigger pull you like.

[Jim the Plumber]

I would go with a Glock 17/19/34.  The 34 is my favorite for having fun/competition, the 17 is great for packing in the woods.

Mags (you should have at least 10 or more) are dirt cheap, and last forever.  I recently found them online for $22 new (Glock OEM).  XD mags are harder to find and are twice as expensive, same with M&P mags only M&P mags are more expensive. I also found 33 round mags a couple months ago, again OEM mags, for under $30, buy at least ten of those too. 

Glock triggers are o.k. out of the box, especially the 34, but they can be made much better using stock parts and a little knowledge.  XD and M&P triggers are absolutely horrendous.

Word for word what I would say.
 I would add that having shot a few Glock 9mm under water and other sundry torture tests, they are without peer.

[buck man]

Glock 19 is a good choice. Like them better than any of the 3 XD's I have. Spend a little more though and get a sig p226 tac op. Best high capacity nine out there IMHO.

[Cylvertip]

I'm a Glock 9mm guy.  One of the main reasons I went for Glock was dependability - especially when I bought my first 17,  21 years ago ( I think the competition has closed or erased the gap now, but back then, they could handle abuse like no other).  That 17 is still my carry gun today.  Hardly needs cleaned if at all, zero corrosion issues, even if stuck in a soaking wet pack for a week or two and not wiped down after, and if you plan on having multiple pistols, the Glock family of guns in matching caliber will all accept the full size large cap mags.  For example, I have a 17L ( 6" barrel), 17's (full size), 19(mid size), and 26("Baby Glock") all in 9mm.  All of those pistols will accept the hi cap 17 round mags from the 17/ 34/ 17L, or for that matter, the 30 round mag I have.

    I had talked with a former Thurston County Sheriff about Glocks following my original purchase.  He was a certified Armorer who had gone to "Glock School".  He was told the gun never needed cleaning  by Glock.  He said he had about 5K rounds through his weapon at the time of that course and hadn't cleaned it since.  At the time we had the conversation, he said he had put over 65K rounds through it with no issues.  I believed him, but who knows.  I know I have put 6k to 7k through mine with minimal cleaning and no issues.  In the the rounds I have shot, I have had one casing caught in the breach following a shot.  I believe this was due to bad form rather than an issue with the pistol.  I had not tensed up before the shot so my arm ended up taking a lot of the recoil, which didn't let the slide do it's job.

  There is also the old "throw it in the dish washer" if you don't want to clean it by hand.  I have heard this from more than one dealer and the gentleman mentioned above.  Not sure I would go that far, but that's the kind of abuse they are known to handle.

For any pistol or any semi auto, I would stay away from the steel cased ammo.  The potential is there for the steel cases to chew away at the feed ramps over many many rounds.   

[PNW_Hunter]

Glock 19 gen 4. No other research needed

[DoubleJ]

Glock 19 gen 3. No other research needed

Fixt

[pilebuck]

Go Beretta compact inox rail or go home 

[Buzz2401]

I have most of the guns listed and felt like the M&P 9 was one of the worst guns i have ever purchased.  The trigger was so bad that it wasn't even fun to shoot.  I could of gotten a new trigger but I decided to sell it instead.  It pisses me off when you spend hard earned money and then have to spend more money to make your purchase right.  I really like the Glocks and Sigs though.  The XD isn't a bad gun and my wife really likes it but it wasn't really for me but it didn't really seem to have any flaws.

[Tyler_C]

I've been looking pretty close at a Sig P250.  Price almost seems too good to be true, though..

[mountainman]

To the OP, the best thing to make a decision is go to a range with rentals, or shoot with some friends and try as many different models that you can and see what fits for you. Too many opinions can be confusing. Find what works and feels best to you!

[thinkingman]

 CZ75 is the top of the 9x19 food chain.
You can get an STI Spartan 9mm 1911 that will be the envy of all but the Glock guys.
They don't know any better.

[addicted]

Cz 75, 75b, 75b omega, glock 17/19, Xd's, sigs, whichever fits your hand best.

[lamrith]

To the OP, the best thing to make a decision is go to a range with rentals, or shoot with some friends and try as many different models that you can and see what fits for you. Too many opinions can be confusing. Find what works and feels best to you!

Probably the best advice here.  Specially if looking for a smaller carry gun.  Guns of similar size when small can have very different recoil and feel while firing.  Make sure you have one you are comfortable and confident with so you practice and are proficient.  The lives of yourself AND everyone around could depend on it.