Which gun fits this description?

[Martinjmpr]

I'm toying with the thought of jumping off the Glock/plastic pistol bandwagon. Currently have a G17.

I'm trying to think of what 9mm handgun might fit into this description (if any):

1. All metal (preferably all steel but alloy frame might be acceptable)
2. Reliable and common (i.e. I can find a magazine or other repair part for it if I need it)
3. Double-action only, with or without external safety
4. Big enough to fit my big hand (the G17 fits just fine) but also able to carry concealed if needed. Mag capacity can be anything over 7 rounds so single-stack is OK.

I think requirements 3 and 4 are going to be tough to find. I know some of the older S&W stainless steel semi auto pistols were DA only - I want to say the 5946?

Weren't there also versions of the Sig P226 that were DA only? Or am I thinking of a different gun?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: How about the Sig P228? Isn't this the same pistol the US Military adopted as the M11? From what I've seen on GB these are available in DAO. How are they in terms of reliability?

[sportbikeco]

Sounds like a DAK Sig. CDNN has some 40's right now, DAK is usually a pretty good price too.

[.455_Hunter]

5946 would be a good choice for a partially-cocked DAO trigger not dissimilar to your G17. 3rd Gen parts and mags are available, just maybe not on the shelf at the local Tactical Ted Outlet.

[Erni]

If you want 45acp then SW also had some alloy framed DAO guns.
I have one with alloy frame and stainless top. 8rd mags. The hammer is pre cocked and needs to be pulled a bit to fire. No safety on DAO guns so they are a bit like a revolver. Super reliable and light for what it is. A bit snappy though.
Actually I could be convinced to let it go. [emoji16]

[battlemidget]

For what it's worth, check out one of those 1911s chambered in 9mm.

[Martinjmpr]

For what it's worth, check out one of those 1911s chambered in 9mm.

I guess I could consider those.

TBH I'm not a huge 1911 fan (although I don't hate them.) I pretty much learned to shoot and carry handguns with a DA revolver (and still have a couple of DA revolvers) so a DA action with no external safety is what feels most "natural" to me. But I like 9mm because ammo is plentiful and reasonably inexpensive (well, compared to other calibers at least.)

Having said that, a Commander-sized 9mm 1911 style gun could work, big enough to fill my hand, single-stack magazine and shorter slide/barrel for potential concealment purposes, and holsters/mags should be easy to find almost anywhere.

Any specific brands to consider? Kimber? Springfield?

[TFOGGER]

Maybe not exactly what you were thinking, but if SA/DA trigger is an option, maybe https://www.magnumresearch.com/baby-eagle/

[def90]

I love my HiPower.. I hear they make a DA version.

[Jamnanc]

Why the f would you want a double action only auto? Do you like to miss?

[bellavite1]

I am going to state the obvious...Beretta 92D?

[XJ]

I have/had a handful of M&P in different calibers and revisions, no issues at all. After trying my first one side-by-side with a Glock years ago at the range I changed over immediately.

Never had one with an external safety, to me those are unnecessary.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/subcategory/mp-9-m20-metal

[Great-Kazoo]

I'm toying with the thought of jumping off the Glock/plastic pistol bandwagon. Currently have a G17.

I'm trying to think of what 9mm handgun might fit into this description (if any):

1. All metal (preferably all steel but alloy frame might be acceptable)
2. Reliable and common (i.e. I can find a magazine or other repair part for it if I need it)
3. Double-action only, with or without external safety
4. Big enough to fit my big hand (the G17 fits just fine) but also able to carry concealed if needed. Mag capacity can be anything over 7 rounds so single-stack is OK.

I think requirements 3 and 4 are going to be tough to find. I know some of the older S&W stainless steel semi auto pistols were DA only - I want to say the 5946?

Weren't there also versions of the Sig P226 that were DA only? Or am I thinking of a different gun?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: How about the Sig P228? Isn't this the same pistol the US Military adopted as the M11? From what I've seen on GB these are available in DAO. How are they in terms of reliability?

This one comes the closest

Colt, 90 series , Double Eagle.

[Wulf202]

There are dao sig 226 factory guns. You can also swap the parts in any 226

228 is a mid size gun think g19. If you like a g17 you're equivalent in sig is a 226.

Reliability is good. 229 is a 228 with a milled slide. 228 has stamped slides.

[Martinjmpr]

I guess I should explain why I posted this question: I'm approaching retirement (within the next 18 months) which means moving out of the Denver area and that means asking myself what I need to get rid of vs. having to haul stuff to my next residence.

When I look at my gun safe, I see a lot of redundancy. I definitely want to keep a 9mm just because ammo is (reasonably) easy to find for it. But I have both the Glock 17 and the S&W Shield 9 . The Glock easy to shoot but it's huge and difficult to conceal. The S&W is concealable but not as much fun to shoot. So I'm wondering if there's a kind of "happy medium" that falls between those two extremes, one gun that can replace both the Glock and the S&W. IOW, something big enough in my hand to be comfortable and accurate to shoot, but also small enough to be concealable (which I why I was thinking of a single-stack magazine.)

As far as the metal frame goes, I'm just thinking I'd like something more "traditional" than a polymer-frame gun. I'm not dead-set on a metal (steel or aluminum) frame but it is my preference at this point.

I'd definitely want to stick to a relatively "common" gun, something that's been in production for a long time, just because that makes it easier to get magazines, holsters, etc.

At this point I'm not ruling anything out, just want to know what's out there that I may not have considered.

[Martinjmpr]

It's not DA, but what experience have folks had with the Springfield Armory "Range Officer" 9mm and similar SA guns? It's got a Commander-length slide, all steel frame, etc.

Single stack 9mm that should be big enough to fill my hand but also thin enough to be a reasonably concealable pistol in a waistband. Magazine and holsters should be widely available.

[Joe_K]

Beretta 92D
Sig P250
Sig P290
HK P30

Not all of these are traditional steel frame and slide options, but they are not bad guns if your hard up for a DAO handgun.

[ray1970]

When I look at my gun safe, I see a lot of redundancy. I definitely want to keep a 9mm just because ammo is (reasonably) easy to find for it. But I have both the Glock 17 and the S&W Shield 9 . The Glock easy to shoot but it's huge and difficult to conceal. The S&W is concealable but not as much fun to shoot. So I'm wondering if there's a kind of "happy medium" that falls between those two extremes, one gun that can replace both the Glock and the S&W. IOW, something big enough in my hand to be comfortable and accurate to shoot, but also small enough to be concealable (which I why I was thinking of a single-stack magazine.)

As far as the metal frame goes, I'm just thinking I'd like something more "traditional" than a polymer-frame gun. I'm not dead-set on a metal (steel or aluminum) frame but it is my preference at this point.


I was jumping in to toss a vote for the Sig 226/228 based off of your original post.

Based off of the post I quoted above, it isn?t sexy and doesn?t meet the criteria of your original post but a Glock 19 is hard to beat for practically and definitely slots somewhere between your 17 and the shield.

If you insist on a metal frame CZ might have some options for you as well. I like my Sigs but they are chunky pigs and I don?t really like to carry them.

[Martinjmpr]

I like my Sigs but they are chunky pigs and I don?t really like to carry them.

Yeah, after I posted this I forgot that I have an Air Soft P226 that I bought in Korea in 2000. It's the exact size of a real 226 and when I handled it I thought "this IS a fat gun."

I've never been a 1911 fanboi (nothing against them but I think there are better designs out there) but they are nice and slim.

Doesn't Dan Wesson make some nice 1911 style guns? Definitely sticking with 9mm though.

[SpamOnRye]

CZ SP01 or P01 models. Essentially a modern model of the CZ75. Repair kits are not as easy to find as Glock/S&W/SIG but they are out there.

[Wulf202]

If you're stuck on single stack metal framed the sig in question is the p225. Can be made dao with a hammer change.

1911s are very nice to shoot but have lots of pointy bits to snag clothing during ccw.

[Martinjmpr]

I have/had a handful of M&P in different calibers and revisions, no issues at all. After trying my first one side-by-side with a Glock years ago at the range I changed over immediately.

Never had one with an external safety, to me those are unnecessary.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/subcategory/mp-9-m20-metal

OK, so I'm going to expand my search a little and consider other polymer frame guns and I like the looks of the M&P 2 Compact. My question for that would be: Were/are these guns used by many LE agencies? Are they popular guns?

Reason I'm asking is that one of the things I'm looking for is a gun that is popular/common enough that if I'm at, say a Sporting Goods store in Billings, Montana, I want to be able to get a magazine or holster if I need one. I absolutely can with the Glock, so does the S&W M&P have enough market popularity and commonality that finding magazines, holsters, etc, would likely be pretty easy anywhere in the US?

And for those who have them, do you carry it concealed in an IWB-style holster? Is it comfortable to do so?

What I'm looking for, in a nutshell, is a way to replace 2 guns (Glock 17 and S&W Shield) with one: A gun big enough to fill my hand and be comfortable to shoot, but also be compact enough to carry concealed.

So those of you who have the S&W M&P 2 Compact, how do you like it? How does it compare to the likes of Glock, Springfield, and other polymer pistols?

FWIW I'd consider H&K but I've always gotten the impression that the H&K guns are kind of esoteric, high end, hard to get common parts for (holsters and mags, mostly.) Am I wrong?

[ray1970]

I can?t comment on magazine or accessory availability but if I wasn?t a long time Glock 19 guy I?d probably be carrying an M&P 2.0 compact. I had one for a while and spent some time with it at the range and it?s a solid performer. It?s pretty much the S&W version of the Glock 19.

[bellavite1]

Glock 19 Gen 5.
Stupid easy to work on.
Decently smooth trigger.
Trigger is pretty damn close to a "double action" striker fired.
Spare parts for the apocalypse (hopefully soon) are incredibly inexpensive.
Magazines are everywhere.
Our distributor shows over 140 different sights configurations.
Every manufacturer makes holsters for Glocks.
All kind of accessories, hell, if you wanted to have a Glock mounted toaster somebody probably makes it...

[Martinjmpr]

Glock 19 Gen 5.
Stupid easy to work on.
Decently smooth trigger.
Trigger is pretty damn close to a "double action" striker fired.
Spare parts for the apocalypse (hopefully soon) are incredibly inexpensive.
Magazines are everywhere.
Our distributor shows over 140 different sights configurations.
Every manufacturer makes holsters for Glocks.
All kind of accessories, hell, if you wanted to have a Glock mounted toaster somebody probably makes it...

Well, obviously going from a G17 to a G19 would be the easiest answer. It's just that I've been a Glock guy for so long that I've never really considered anything else and I'm curious about what else is out there.

I owned a G23 (.40 cal compact) for a few years and had a 9mm barrel on it and used G19 magazines, so it was basically a G19 in all but name. What I remember about the G23 was that it was still rather bulky for a concealed carry gun. It was a Gen 3, IIRC, if that makes a difference.

Maybe this is a silly question but does Glock make a single-stack 9mm that's not a sub-compact? I'm familiar with the sub compact G43 (wife has one) but I'm thinking something the size of a G19 but with a single-stack magazine?

[ray1970]

They make the 48 which is basically a thinner Glock 19.

[ray1970]

I?ve never found the 19 to be too big. In fact, comparing it to smaller, lower capacity, more compact handguns the size difference is always so marginal that I just can?t justify switching.

Below is a S&W Shield in 45 ACP compared to a 19. The slide on the 19 is less than a half inch longer, the overall height is almost identical with the flush magazine in the Shield, and for me the overall thickness wasn?t enough to really make a difference in how it carried. The grip on the Shield is thinner but once you get to the slide and the frame near the slide the thickness difference isn?t that much.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230104/91b6085d5b420ee9f748fed490b3dab0.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230104/ad9450eb8558052c36e14cae35d4f5b1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230104/97ed2028f9066a883a320cf5a56a65cc.jpg

[ray1970]

For me carrying comfortably is more about the grip length than the length of the slide or the thickness of the piece. Obviously your mileage may vary.

For full disclosure, my favorite carry gun is a J-frame and you?ll often find that on me more than the 19 these days.

[Martinjmpr]

They make the 48 which is basically a thinner Glock 19.

Yeah, right after I posted that I looked it up and found the 48. Also the 43X which is about halfway between the 43 and the 48.

[ray1970]

I think the 43x is basically the 43 length slide with the longer grip of the 48.

[Great-Kazoo]

I think the 43x is basically the 43 length slide with the longer grip of the 48.

Correct

[Great-Kazoo]

CZ SP01 or P01 models. Essentially a modern model of the CZ75. Repair kits are not as easy to find as Glock/S&W/SIG but they are out there.



There's a big CZ guy down in the valley (Phoenix) who's well regarded for cz parts.

With that said, revisiting this discussion. Outside the CZ, i would suggest you take a look at the Canik's A real sleeper of a handgun, not sure what the market is up in CO. Down here you see a lot of them on the firing line. Along with H&K VP-9 and walther PDP.

[Stinky]

Just confirming the prior choices listed and adding a few comments.

The S&W 5900 family (5946)....as mentioned.
Ruger, I don't know their numbers...around P85 timeframe.

The Range Officer is a full sized 1911 (somebody said that it was Commander sized). I presently own one.

Sigs do have DAO versions.,,,very indestructable.

Beretta....I don't think so, I wouldn't recommend it. I carried a 96D, and hated that gun. The trigger is longer than a revolver's.

Not sure that CZs come in DAO

I'd get one in DA/SA....that opens up to the 5906, High-Power, Sigs, CZ-75 and a bunch more.