I don't know if you're still looking, but if accuracy is your primary objective you might want to consider a Smith & Wesson Performance Center gun. I have a 945 in 40 cal. with a 3.5" barrel that will shoot 2.5" groups (six shots) at 50 yards with fixed combat sights. They have at least two or three models in 40 cal. Their pistols are a very good value for the money. Go to gunsamerica.com and search for S&W performance center to get an idea of what is available. I have owned four of their performance center guns and would be glad to discuss them with you if you are interested.

Happy shopping!

I resently sold my sig pro 2340 because it had a heavy trigger pull, and I couldnt shoot it very consistantly. Ive got alot of 40 brass and 500 loaded rounds so I want to stick with the 40sw. I mostly shoot paper so accuracy is my main objective all thoe I may carry it in the truck from time to time.
The two pistols Ive been looking at the hardest are the Browning Hi-power and the CZ 75. I have also considered the springfield XD40, HK USP, Beretta 96, and the 1911 clones. Im looking for full size so a 5in barrel or so. I have shoot a USP but havent shot any of the others.
Any help with your likes or dislikes of these pistols would be great, also any that I may of missed that would suit my need. Thanks Jeremy

jjohnson,



First off, welcome to AR. All the handguns you mention fit the bill for most folks, however if you don't have a large hand such as myself you'll narrow down your choice pretty quick. A 1911 style fits my hand pretty good, but 1911's in a 40 S&W are pretty few and far in between and you'll pay top dollar? Not sure why, but do a search on GunBroker, or GunsAmerica, you'll see what I mean. The other choice I had was the Glock 23. Now I'll be straight up with you, I like Glocks. People either like them or hate them, but they do the job for me. I currently own three, a Glock 23C-40sw, Glock 26-9mm and a Glock 29 in the 10mm. My 23C is my paper puncher, which I enjoy. I've got a couple of Springfield's 1911's in .45, but I prefer my Glock's. One pistol I had and since got rid of was the SigArms/Mauser M2. It certainly is a good value for the money but the grip was too wide for me, which caused my trigger finger to drag across the grip. Back to your question, in the full size pistol area of the Glocks in the 40 S&W would be a G22 or a G35. If you never tried one, it's worth a look IMO.

I give a vote for my H&K usp 40.I have been shooting it for about 6 months and can say that it has given me great service and very good accuratcy no mater what I shoot in it.

I carry a pair of Hi Powers in 40 S&W and they are fine pistols. Just keep in mind they will probably need the magazine disconnect removed at a minimum to get the trigger a liitle smoother and lighter.

Every CZ75 I've seen has been a good shooting pistol, I assume you'd get the traditional double action model so you can carry it cocked and locked and have that sweet single action trigger for the first shot.

If I wasn't addicted to the Hi Power I'd say go for a CZ75, I don't think that would be a mistake.

jjohnson

I have a CZ 75B in .40 S&W, which I chose for the following reasons: good fit in my hand (as opposed to the Glock), option of "cocked and locked" for first round in single action (I'm a 1911 shooter most of the time and don't have to change training approaches) and/or first round trigger-cock with subsequent SA, a very nicely blued finish on an all steel gun, great price/quality ratio. Mine is accurate. What are the downsides? 1) I didn't particularly like the plastic grip panels but the rubber CZ grip panels are nice or, as I did, replace them with some smooth Coco Bolo from Hogue (looks great with the blued finish). 2)The factory rear sight is too narrow for my style of shooting and eyesight and needs to be opened up a bit, but this can be done by yourself or a gunsmith with just a file. 3)My gun was very tight out of the box and required a few hundred rounds before I was satisfied with reliability with a variety of loads. Don't be immediately discouraged with misfeeds until you've put several hundred rounds through it, in my case they magically stopped and I'm at 100% reliabilty, for the last few thousand rounds at least. 4)I find the factory recoil spring to be too light for my loads, replace it with an aftermarket Wolff or other brand with a couple more pounds. 5) If you are stuck with the US mandated 10 round magazine you will find it to be a pain in the ass. The ninth round isn't easy to load and the tenth requires Zen. However, it will lighten up with time and with use. Leave the magazine loaded for awhile and it will get easier to load. This in fact may be the origin of some of the misfeeds during the break-in period. 5) My pistol was extremely accurate of the box. As I said, it was tight, especially in the barrel lock-up position. But beware, there is no barrel bushing and the barrel/slide fit will logically wear over time if you don't do a good job of cleaning and lubricating frequently the barrel to slide surfaces. If you go out for a 500 round afternoon of IDPA or IPSC fun shooting, give the barrel a wipe and a relube when you're on a break. It will keep you happy with the accuracy over the long run and, during the break-in period, I would do it even more often. 6) I had a trigger job done by a very good gunsmith familiar with the CZ 75B. It is a world of difference when the smith knows what he is doing. He refused to tell me just what he did but the results are almost as good as my USA prepared 1911's. Conclusion, after the 1911, my favorite pistol and a great caliber. By the way, here in France I can use the 12 round magazine made for the CZ Target series (magazine release notch needed some light filing to be reliable). So, with two loaded magazines and one in the chamber I've got 25 rounds. Since a lot of the friendly contests I participate in here in France have no magazine limits, I am sometimes penalized with my 1911 on multiple target drills. I needed another pistol. Since I have no desire to own a tricked out "race gun" but prefer a real combat pistol, the CZ 75B is the only one I know that met my standards of good ergonomics with increased capacity. I like the Glock too, but the fit to my hand of the CZ 75B, the all-steel construction and attractive blue finish, as well as the single action mode made me go for the CZ.

I own an XD 40 and an EAA Witness full size polymer frame pistols.

The XD is a "Glockish" pistol with very good accuracy out of the box. I like the way it shoots.

I really like the EAA Witness. If you are going to shoot IDPA get the unported model. The grip on the EAA is very comfortable and the large size frame makes shooting a bunch very easy.

Lots of good suggestions above also.

Let's see, I have owned the CZ, Walther P 99, Sig Pro, fired numerous Hi Powers...and my recommendation would be the Springfield XD.

Now don't get me wrong, all of the others are decent rigs. The Hi-Power has the class and history going for it, ,and they can be made to be nice guns, but as someone else mentioned they generally need some help out of the box to at the least get a decent trigger. The CZ's are a great deal and well made. Mine was quite accurate. And they have lots of nice features you might like if you like 1911's, like the single action, cocked and locked ability, somewhat similar take down, etc. Mine was also absolutely reliable. But for me I didn't love the ergonomics (many, many people do, but it's like anthing else--size of your hands etc will make a difference), and the sights that come standard with them are a bit small and somewhat limiting (like I said, though, mine was one of the more accurate pistols I have owned even WITH these sights--I'm sure it would have benn better with better ones). The Sig Pro, as you noted, is a bit clunky and hard for me to shoot well without really concentrating, so I can understand your decision to ditch yours--I did too. The Walther P99 has alot going for it--relatively light, very reliable, easy take-down. But mine wasn't amazingly accurate--basic combat gun accuracy.

Of all of them the XD is my favorite. Very good ergonomics for me make it very easy to shoot well. It is more accurate than any of the others I have owned or shot listed above, and easy to shoot well fast and accurately. My only pistol right off that is more accurate is one of my 1911's. It also has the easier more modern takedown. And to top it all off they are a bargain price-wise. Oh, mine had been absolutely reliable to date as well, with anything I have put through it. Now obviously the accuracy can vary with any individual model and specimen, so there are probably people who have P99's that are more accurate than their xd's, etc, but so far for me I have been VERY impressed with the xd. They all have their pro's and cons, though, and none of those listed so far are really BAD pistols. Best bet as always is to try to handle them all and see what fits YOU well.

Stopped a the gun shop today they had the berreta and two browning hi-powers in 40sw. The brownings sure fit my hand nice. $550 for the fixed sight $650 for adjustable sights. I didnt buy any still looking. Jeremy

JJohnson you might add the Kimber 40 S&W to your posibles, its, an exelent weapon.