Hand size, it matters.

[breakingtime91]

Took my 92a1 and p2000 out to shoot today. I haven't shot in 6 months because the move and new baby. I was really struggling with which pistol to pursue and feel was telling me the 92a1. I shot my p2000 first to get an idea of how it felt and reacquaint myself. I quickly dismissed it and grabbed the 92a1 to run the exact same set of drills. The recoil charecterictics of the beretta surprised me so much that after 30 rounds I picked back up the hk to confirm what I thought I was feeling. The Hk p2000 tracked flatter for me and seemed more controllable. My biggest issue with the 92 series gun is I have small hands. They are amazing guns but I simply don't have big enough guns to grip them adequately to control recoil. I am happy I did this experiment and shows me once again that feeling in dry fire may not translate to live fire.

[guymontag]

I never try to be one of those who tells others what to do, but I would try it out again for more of a sample size. I used to love the way the CZ's would fit in my hands, however I've turned out better competition times with a chunky old G17 even with my small mitts.

As long as you can pull the trigger straight back, and you have the right biomechanics I think either one should serve you well.

[GJM]

Seems like we had some discussion a year or so back, concerning weird recoil characteristics with the 92A1, but I can't remember what we concluded.

I get hand fit, but in my experience a 226/229, Beretta 92/Elite/Brig Tac, and CZ all cycle faster and track flatter than a HK hammer gun. For me, the goodness of the HK hammer gun is lighter weight, reliability with a range of calibers, durability, but not fast shooting.

[Clobbersaurus]

Took my 92a1 and p2000 out to shoot today. I haven't shot in 6 months because the move and new baby. I was really struggling with which pistol to pursue and feel was telling me the 92a1. I shot my p2000 first to get an idea of how it felt and reacquaint myself. I quickly dismissed it and grabbed the 92a1 to run the exact same set of drills. The recoil charecterictics of the beretta surprised me so much that after 30 rounds I picked back up the hk to confirm what I thought I was feeling. The Hk p2000 tracked flatter for me and seemed more controllable. My biggest issue with the 92 series gun is I have small hands. They are amazing guns but I simply don't have big enough guns to grip them adequately to control recoil. I am happy I did this experiment and shows me once again that feeling in dry fire may not translate to live fire.

That is an interesting observation, I had the exact opposite experience with the P2000 and my Beretta's, but I have larger hands.

If you have small hands and like the controls and feel of the Beretta the PX4 may be a good option for you.

[Clobbersaurus]

Seems like we had some discussion a year or so back, concerning weird recoil characteristics with the 92A1, but I can't remember what we concluded.

Was that the "wet noodle" thread? Guy claimed his gun getting a weird recoil impulse as the gun went into battery. He concluded that ha had installed the recoil spring assembly wrong I believe?

[GJM]

Was that the "wet noodle" thread? Guy claimed his gun getting a weird recoil impulse as the gun went into battery. He concluded that ha had installed the recoil spring assembly wrong I believe?

Sounds familiar, but I wouldn't testify to that!

[Nephrology]

It's buried in my training journal somewhere, but I trialled Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glock 19s and 17s against one another. Almost no real difference between frame sizes, despite my likewise elven hands. Biggest difference was between the g19s and the g17s, actually (shot the 19s slightly better at pace, as per 10-10-10 drill scores).

That said my favorite pistol is the gen 4 19. Locks into my hand really well, handles recoil marvelously for its size and noticeably better than the 3rd gen. The g17 has some different geometry going on and I find I do better with the M sized backstrap (vs the no-strap 19)

[stimpee]

Took my 92a1 and p2000 out to shoot today. I haven't shot in 6 months because the move and new baby. I was really struggling with which pistol to pursue and feel was telling me the 92a1. I shot my p2000 first to get an idea of how it felt and reacquaint myself. I quickly dismissed it and grabbed the 92a1 to run the exact same set of drills. The recoil charecterictics of the beretta surprised me so much that after 30 rounds I picked back up the hk to confirm what I thought I was feeling. The Hk p2000 tracked flatter for me and seemed more controllable. My biggest issue with the 92 series gun is I have small hands. They are amazing guns but I simply don't have big enough guns to grip them adequately to control recoil. I am happy I did this experiment and shows me once again that feeling in dry fire may not translate to live fire.

Have you tried an M9A3 or a Vertec model 92? The straight backstrap and narrower grips on those guns may make all the difference. I have "normal" sized palms but very short fingers. My primary hand dimensions put me around the 6th percentile for males per the tables used to classify the percentiles for military applications. I really don't shoot a standard 92 very well. I can shoot very well, and reasonably quickly with the M9A3. Might be worth a try if you can find a friend or a shop that has a Vertec/M9A3 you can try...

[Flintsky]

Thorough experimenting is very beneficial, because sometimes a gun that works great for one person isn't so great for another. Been there, done that. Usually I end up with the pistol that is more controversial in that many people don't like it, but I shoot it great.

[YVK]

My biggest issue with the 92 series gun is I have small hands. They are amazing guns but I simply don't have big enough guns to grip them adequately to control recoil.

Vertec grips are like 20 bucks and it takes 5 min with a small file to have them fitted on a regular 92. Remarkable reduction in grip size. I am selling off my Berettas and associated stuff; if I find a spare set, I'll send it to you.