New fun gun...

[Mntneer357]

I’m here seeking advice, please. I’ve a somewhat significant birthday that’s still a while away. I’m thinking of marking the day by gifting myself a new pistol. I’ve come to enjoy shooting steel targets the most. But I do carry and, ideally, whatever comes next should be carryable, possibly in a leather shoulder holster or OWB.

Here’s where I’m looking for guidance. To quote a wise man (@MattyD380), “…I feel a sense of rage, loss and emptiness when I see a Beretta 92, with a red dot.” And, I got into firearms in the late 80s & early 90s, so my choices have some nostalgia factor too. I love simple things that just *work*.

The Candidates (in no particular order)…

Beretta 92 Centurion - Excellent gun with a *lot* to recommend it. But, even LTT’s website recommends having the entire top end of a 92-series rebuilt at 10K round intervals.
SIG 228 or 229 - Theres something very 90s about a two-tone 228, and it was widely thought of as a wonderfully balanced firearm, if not as durable as the 229. 229s are great but more difficult to find without a rail (and new Sig products seem to be hit-or-miss on the reliability department).
Dan Wesson Guardian 9mm - I’ve read shooting a 9mm 1911 is, in a lot of ways, “shooting with cheat codes enabled”. An incredible turn of phrase and, hey, I’ll take all the help I can get. I’ve heard lots of good about DW and the Guardian specifically.

I appreciate your time.

Cheers!

[G19Fan]

For range any of the above are great guns 1911 shoots fastest.

I wouldn't carry any of these personally

[JAH 3rd]

Since you brought up the Beretta 92 Centurion, I'll through out the Beretta PX4 Storm compact. It's a 15-round magazine in 9mm. My only complaint about it is that the grip is a bit slick for my tastes. But grip tape can help with that.

The manual of arms is similar to the 92 with the biggest difference is how one removes the slide from the frame. The safety/decocker is still on the slide. Decent sights. The rotating barrel lockup is different but easily learnable for disassembly and cleaning. The only thing I have done to my Storm is add a D-spring for the hammer. It reduces trigger pull, especially in double action.

Whatever firearm you decide to purchase, you might want to check the availability of a shoulder holster for it. Good luck in your quest for that special birthday present. Let us know what you decide.

[rathos]

I am a 1911/2011 guy, so I would say the Dan wesson would be my first choice. I have a soft spot for sigs, so a 228/229 would be cool, but in all honesty I think the beretta is a better double/single gun so the Beretta would be my second choice. If at some point you want to red dot it, the Beretta and the Sigs (depending on the frame) have the possibility of getting a red dot upper. While you could red dot the DW, it would require sending it off and having it cut.

[MattyD380]

Oh... this is a fun one! Help a guy buy a cool gun simply because he wants a cool gun.

And I appreciate the quotation. It's good to know whatever you buy will be safe from mutilation and humiliation. After all, hipster guns deserve safe, supportive homes where they're appreciated for who and what they are: awesome.

Anyway...

Over the past 2 - 3 years (before I became house poor, in June), I bought quite a few guns that had been on my list for a long time--and some that I didn't even know were on my list. And, of all those, I'll tell you which ones really made the happiest and scratched that proverbial "itch" the most...

The Walther P88 Compact. I happened to find mine new in the box for not even half of what it was worth. That alone was awesome. But, I'd wanted a P88 for years. And I'll say the thing really lived up to its reputation for quality and just all-around excellence. If you could take elements of a classic Sig, a Beretta, a Smith 3rd gen and cram all of that into a sleek nugget of German-engineered perfection... you'd have a P88. I guess it kinda plays on the same field as a P228/P229, but it feels a bit more accurate and a little more precise. So, if you like that classic 80s/90s DA/SA experience, the P88 gives it to you in a slightly more unique way--and the compact is actually very totable. The slide is much thinner than the slides on Sigs and Berettas. Mine has been 100% reliable with a wide variety of ammunition--including hollowpoints and shitty reman. Very accurate. Nice shooter. Granted, if you're gonna put 10s of thousands of rounds through it, you might not want a rare, out of production gun.

Speaking of out-of-production guns...

My Smith 4506-1 is another one that always puts a smile on my face. It's big, sexy and silver. Just holding it makes feel... macho. And a bit like a dirty cop. I find it shoots really well, too. Turns the .45 into a cream puff, and effortlessly hits POA. Interestingly, I found that it shot a lot better than the 645 I had for a while. I'm not sure you're looking for a .45, but, if you're looking for a classic big-bore blaster, the 4506-1 will definitely give you some "hell yeah" moments. Not exactly a carry gun, per se. But I do carry mine in long-sleeve weather, sometimes. It's not bad in the appendix position with its thin grip and long slide. And it rides beautifully in a shoulder holster.

Another one that come to mind is the Walther P99. I wasn't really looking for one--not like the previous two. But I watched one of the Bond movies where Brosnan has a P99... got on Gunbroker 5 minutes later... saw one and bought it on the spot. It turned out to be a fantastic pistol. One of the best DA/SA trigger setups... ever. The SA gives you this addictively crisp little snick when it breaks. Puts rounds right where you want them. The DA is uniquely smooth and shootable, too. I never have a problem making good hits with the P99. It's very light, for a gun its size too--makes it nice to carry. You could grab one of the Final Editions for sale now. Seems maybe a bit more special. I have a first-generation P99--I kinda like the more retro styling. But any P99 is fantastic.

And you can't go wrong with a P228/P229. I have an early P229, with no rail. I updated the sights and put some G10 grips on it... the thing is great all arounder. A little chunky. But, I guess it carries a bit better than a Beretta 92. Maybe. The P228 would have a slightly less chunky slide. And if you don't mind a single stack, the P239 is always a solid contender for a handy, service-pistol-ish DA/SA carry gun.

So...

I apologize for my unhinged rambling. But... perhaps it will give you some decent impractical insight on your next "semi-practical" gun purchase. Good luck, good sir.

[JTQ]

Beretta 92 Centurion - Excellent gun with a *lot* to recommend it. But, even LTT’s website recommends having the entire top end of a 92-series rebuilt at 10K round intervals.

By "rebuilt", I think he means replacing the firing pin spring and extractor spring and cleaning the firing pin and extractor channel. I could be mistaken, though.

[Evil_Ed]

By "rebuilt", I think he means replacing the firing pin spring and extractor spring and cleaning the firing pin and extractor channel. I could be mistaken, though.

Which IIRC requires basically detail disassembly of the entire slide...all kinds of tiny and fiddly roll pins, tiny springs and detents, etc. Essentially, an entire teardown and rebuild of the upper half

You can get the extractor and spring easy enough, but the firing pin spring...you need to yank the safety or decocker from the slide, and that's where shit gets more complicated than it needs to be, especially if you have a G model, or a G model conversion.

[gato naranja]

Since you brought up the Beretta 92 Centurion, I'll through out the Beretta PX4 Storm compact. It's a 15-round magazine in 9mm. My only complaint about it is that the grip is a bit slick for my tastes. But grip tape can help with that.

The manual of arms is similar to the 92 with the biggest difference is how one removes the slide from the frame. The safety/decocker is still on the slide. Decent sights. The rotating barrel lockup is different but easily learnable for disassembly and cleaning. The only thing I have done to my Storm is add a D-spring for the hammer. It reduces trigger pull, especially in double action.

Whatever firearm you decide to purchase, you might want to check the availability of a shoulder holster for it. Good luck in your quest for that special birthday present. Let us know what you decide.

If one can live with having to turn to a third party (LTT) doing the optic cuts, the PX4 Compact - even with its now laughable grip texture - and a good RDO would be my choice for a low-maintenance, durable, relatively inexpensive and dang near universally useful fun gun. I went in the 92X RDO direction, but should Beretta rework the PX4 grip frame and add factory RDO cuts (and I live long enough to see it happen), I'd go back to the PX4.

For pure recreation, an all-steel, 5" 9mm 1911 is more fun than anything except MAYBE a good N-frame or Blackhawk firing mild .45 ACP.

[ECK]

. “…I feel a sense of rage, loss and emptiness when I see a Beretta 92, with a red dot.”

Just wait until aging eyesight forces you to embrace the dot.

Everybody needs a Beretta 92 in their collection. Esp those that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s (thank you Martin Riggs and John MacClane). LTT or Wilson Combat are two obvious choices for those wanting to get into a ‘modern’ Beretta. I went LTT, and my eyesight said I needed the RDO. YMMV

All steel 1911’s in 9mm: Yes, a very fun gun to shoot, my wife loves mine. The DW Pointman is a popular choice among competition shooters who don’t want a semi-custom build. A local gunsmith built mine and it’s one of my favorite guns to shoot.

I never got into Sig 228 or their ilk (226, 229 etc) largely due to how high the pistol sits in your hand. Solid firearms to be sure, but handle one and shoot it side by side with the Beretta or 1911 and you’ll see what I mean.

[Joe in PNG]

I got a P239 9mm on a whim, and fell in love with it. It's a chonky boi, and probably not the best carry gun currently available.
But, it shoots ridiculously good, handles easy, and it's not too bad for my shortened eyes if I shoot with reading glasses. It's also got tons of class.