From personal experience ... that is what is in the safe ... the P7M8 and P7M13 are the finest 9mm pistols around. Next, and much easier on the budget, are the SIG P226 and P228. Thereafter are the CZ75 variants. They represent very good value and shoot well, but are improved with a Briley barrel.

The P7s are the best summer carry guns we've run into. The just work and are very accurate. The low line of the barrel relative to the top of the hand means they tend to rotate in the hand (flip) less than almost anything else that is not compensated.

I am completely unimpressed with Berettas.

1911's can be made into superb firearms in 9mm or 38 Super. I have a lovely single column gun built in 40 S&W with a Delta Elite slide shortened by 1/2" and fitted with a 1" compensator, flat topped, ramped Nowlin bbl, great internals, and iron sights. Ammo is loaded to slightly shorter than 10mm ... will push 135 Noslers to 1500 fps! Kills deer like the hammer of Thor.

Another vote for the P210 from Sig. Haven't owned one but I've a shot a few when I lived in Germany. Very smooth, very accurate. Had one acquaintance who was a retired Polizie could get 100 meter, 15 cm groups with his, offhand.

Would love to own one myself if only Sig would bump up the bore diameter 1mm

Hmm. Interesting comments about the EAA Witness. I have 2, in 38Super and 45acp, and neither set the world on fire in terms of accuracy. No one has stated the standards that they use. I would expect all in the black on a standard 25 yard pistol target as a minimum. These both accomplish this, but not much better. A target gun should have x ring accuracy from a rest, a good carry gun should have 9 ring accuracy. All in the black is just entry level for me. Having said that, configuration has an impact. A short barrelled gun may be very difficult to test at 25 yards, even though it might group very well at say, 10 yards. ie. just because it groups into 1 inch at 10 yards does not mean it will group into 2 1/2 inches at 25 yards. The sight radius, ergonomics etc. might not allow you to hold/shoot that well. The Sig 210 seems to be the handsdown winner for 9mm, although the new S&W Custom Shop replacement for the model 52, in 9mm is supposed to have wonderful accuracy.
Peter.

For handgun hunting I wouldn't pick a nine unless I had a serious beef with jackrabbits or something. Otherwise my nines are the Browning HiPower and the H&K P7 PSP. The one SIG 210 I once had the brief pleasure to shoot was accurate and grease on glass smooth, but given the cost that is a "wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then" sort of thing. Again, not for hunting, but the Kahr PM9 is about the only nine I could find a use for these days. Be well.

Like my buddy RJM I think the "Colt 1911" is the best semi-auto bar none. However I like it best in 45ACP. I have a Bomar sighted Barsto barreled custom 9mm 1911 that shoots very good, with all the ergonomics of the 1911 type pistols.
Other good 9mm choices are the H&K P7, the Browning Hi-Power, and the Glock.
Main thing is, get one that is reliable, and shoot it till you and the pistol are one.

I shoot the SIG 226 it likes any of the factory 9mm I have tried, and all of the different reloads I have fed it, and has never jammed. I shot my friends Browning Hi Power it did not like some of the factory ammo he used in it. Another friend has a Beretta it jammed the most and seemed to be very finicky about what was fed in it, but the owner didn't belief in cleaning it either so that may have been part of the problem. I will stick with the SIG.

If we were talking 45 1911 I would say Kimber, but we are not, so I wont mention the Kimber.

Best? Well, I'll give you three best pistols, IMHO. First is the H&K P7. Outstanding design, compact for the barrel length, accurate, robust, reliable, and just plain cool. I've shot them alot, but never owned one, as I can't afford $1300 for one gun - or can't rationalize it. Second, Glock model 17; that's the caliber and gun that Glock started with, and IMHO, it's the best. SAme qualities mentioned for the H&K, but a lot less expensive. After owning and shooting lots of 9mm's, I have come back to the model 17. It's tough to beat. For those who don't like the looks of the Glock, the Sig P226 is the next best, IMHO. Great trigger once the first shot has cocked the gun.