I have to agree with the comments on the HiPower and the S&W 5906. I still have my Belgium made HiPower and did own the 5906 as well as a 4506. All are solid performers. None are my first choice for competitive shooting, but they are accurate enough and very reliable.
Hi Point about the only thing most can afford now. They as dependable as those high dollar guns. Taurus G2c only. Canik. Affordable & reliable for us poor people.
The Browning HP is the best overall handgun I own, by far. Now, I’ve added the Recover Tactical grip/rail system and added a light for more utility. This, and a few 15 round mags gives me a platform that’s reliable, accurate and proven effective with several decades of combat experience.
The Smith & Wesson 1006. Keep in mind that pistol was the answer after the Miami Dade fbi shootout in 1986. A weapon that was a game changer for law enforcement or military use is worth giving credit to.
I've got a CZ75 Rami and it IS a peach! Easy to carry, ergonomic and a great shooter. I've had it so many years that the factory tritium night sights have faded! Definitely underappreciated.
I own or have owned both the Browning HP and the Ruger P89. I will have the HP in my possession until the day I die, it is a comfortable feeling pistol and a natural pointer which I think is the reason that make it so loved. Mine came out of South America as a police gun and the first time I took it to the range I was disappointed in the fact I could not find a reliable commercial defense ammo it would feed (or at least the half dozen or more that I tried), I did a feed ramp polish on it and now I cannot find anything it wont feed. As far as the Ruger P89, it is a bit wide in the grip and not the most comfortable pistol to hold. With that said the reliability is GREAT with this pistol. I took mine through a concealed carry course which required us to have 1K round of ammo fired minimum to qualify, I was told by the instructors that I was making a mistake and that they would not bet their lives on a economy gun. I purposefully did not clean that pistol the entire course which took place over four or five 3 day weekends. That pistol never failed to fire and function as it should. I ended up giving the pistol to my father in law who also used it in another Conceal course without issue. I did change out the plastic grips which felt slippery to my hands to a set of Pachmayr grips.
I was issued a S&W 5903. It is identical to the 5906 but with an alloy frame and much lighter. The 3rd generation 45acp and 10mm guns are also winners.
Along side the S&W 5906, I'd add the 4006. It was the flagship for their new 40 S&W cartridge, and was an ultra reliable, durable, accurate pistol, with LE in mind as the intended market. Unfortunately it was short lived, as Glock was at the verge of entering the scene when it came out. Might as well add the 4506 and 1006 too. Both boat anchors; but super functional, reliable, and accurate... not to mention full of 90s nostalgia.
You can add a lot of the 3rd generation pistols. I still have my 6904 and 4043, and they're both wonderful guns. The 6904 is actually not much of a far cry from the currently trendy 9mm double-stack subcompacts.
A lot of the 3rd gen Smith were unique- in .45 I liked the 4513tsw with the full hammer, unlike its 6904 or 6906 9mm brethren with the bobbed hammers; sadly you were forced to shoot the first round in DA no matter what.
As far as 9mm’s go, the browning hi power is the Cadillac daddy. When it comes to the Lords caliber there are several manufacturers and customizers competing for first place. I have a Colt, a Springfield, a hybrid assembled out of colt, Ithaca,and Springfield parts, and even a cheap ole llama that are all very reliable pistols, but my actual favorite is my para ordnance P-14. It’s a very reliable and accurate 1911, with a double stack magazine chambered in the caliber that John browning built the 1911 around. After the Hi power I’d say my S&W model 59 is my #2 9mm.
The triggers in the 5906 were one of the best DA/SA triggers that came stock. The ergonimics allowed for a short feel DA trigger pull, without stacking, which allowed for a quicker DA trigger pull. The SA trigger was very short and crisp, with very minimal over travel.
I'm retired NYPD and carried the 5946 variant - "New York trigger" (12 lbs pull) used by NYPD and RCMP. Disliked the trigger pull (but I got used to it) and I never had a malfunction that wasn't purposely induced for training. The weight helped with stability for sight picture and recoil. Still love this pistol.
@@elwoogie1963 a 12 lb trigger is insane. I always thought the mantra of ''only the police should have guns'' would allow them to have a reasonable trigger pull rate.
I own the CZ2075 Rami - great gun to shoot and carry. Easily concealable. I love the de-cocker/safety. After loading the gun in prep for carrying I use the de-cocker safety which puts the hammer into the "half cocked" position. This makes the double action (first pull or the trigger) much shorter an easier to pull. The good thing is that the trigger pull from the half cocked position does not stack - Its a smooth and steady pull. I have no idea the going price for this gun today (Nov. 2023) but I bought it used in the original box with both magazines and all other accessories included from the factory. This was about 3 years ago and I paid less than $300 including sales tax at that time. Since you started out singing the praises of the venerable Browning Hi-power I want to tell you about my Ruger SR 1911 Commander size pistol. It comes in 9mm only as far as I know. Literally the softest recoil I have ever experienced with a 9mm pistol. BTW I am not "recoil sensitive" - and I was very surprised the first time I ever fired the gun. So smooth and soft shooter and mine is in the Aluminum alloy frame with SS slide. Never fails - super reliable like a 1911 is known to be. Ruger also makes the SR1911 in a SS frame which is naturally significantly heavier than mine in Alum Alloy.
I wouldn't trade my PX4 Storm Compact and am thinking about buying a 2nd one very soon. I agree that some people think it's ugly. I think it's a great looking gun. It's also extremely accurate. I fairly consistently hit 6" plates at 100 yards on a rifle range.
Interesting that you say some think it's ugly. Looking for a concealable edc I picked up a mildly used 9000s in .40 quite inexpensively while comparing it (mostly based on looks) to a PX4sc about 8 years ago. It was more than a bit snappy for my wrist. I didn't keep it long, but always wondered if I would have preferred the Storm.
I finished my police career with a PX-4 Storm in .45 ACP, which turned out to be the only gun I ever had to fire on duty. Love that gun! (And so does my mom, because it saved my life.)
My first gun was the PX4 Storm in 9mm. I carry it in a black leather hip holster. It shoots anything I feed from crap ammo to expensive defense ammo. Only one failure to fire and that was Sig V Crown from the first year they produced that ammo. Several thousand rounds later, not a single issue. A highly underrated firearm, to say the least.
S&W 5906 was underrated? I had the 5903 and that was the best service pistol I ever had. Since it was stolen from me. Ive been looking for another. But hard to find and the ones found looked so badly beaten up. Now Im about to get the 5906, hoping its just as good as the first one. With the DE cocker/safety. It definitely eliminates any misfires. In a crazy scenario of someone trying to use my gun on me. Id prefer a hammer so that I may have a better chance of keeping it from firing. Enclosed mechanical firing such as glocks or some sigs. Would be hard to stop in my opinion.
Bought a S&W new in ‘77 or so. Cost me $270. Dealer gave me two boxes of S&W 9mm. ammo loved the gun! Hated the plastic black grips. Have had several ‘59 series guns since, I like ‘um.
Anybody that can appreciate and understand the beauty of the 1911 can surely appreciate and understand John Browning's Hi-Power, which was the next level. The reason the Hi-Power didn't catch on in the US is because Browning's first gun, the 1911, had already solidified it's place in our military. Contrastingly the Hi-Power solidified it's place in the rest of the world, starting in Europe with both the police and military. Comparatively speaking, the Hi-Power made far more gains Internationally. If we're scoring points then the 1911 won here in the US and the Hi-Power won worldwide.
The third gen S&W automatics are HIGHLY underrated. It's worth noting there are models in .40 SW and 10mm. Also, at the time these came out, what were your other options for double stack pistols? Para-ordnance P14, the Hi-Power (both single action), or a Glock. And you could find the S&W cheap as police trade ins at the time. My dad picked up a 4006 for like $300 back when that Rucindez Ramirez train killer guy was on the loose.
The 4-digit Smiths were a vast improvement on the marginal 3-digit S&W semi-auto models. I had a 469, and other friends had 639s and 659s, all were dismal. You were better off with an original 39 or 59. (the very excellent S&W 52 was based on a model 39)
A benefit of the 5906 is to also buy the compact 6906 (12rd mag) version which is concealable and accepts all the 15 and 17 round 5906 magazines. I have both. Both have nice enough triggers. Both allow a second strike if a round fails to go off first try. I've yet to find an cartridge that either gun doesn't like. I've had both since the early 80s and use them regularly. I have a suitcase full of aftermarket magazines that work as well as all the factory mags in both guns.
The 5903 is even better. Aluminum frame instead SS but still has the SS slide the weight is closer to the Glock 19 but recoil is still very comfortable compared to the polymer frames.
My first duty handgun was a Browning Hi-Power. I carried it on and off duty for years, even in our brutal summer heat and humidity. Just takes some determination. ;) STILL a great pistol that has only gotten better with age and a few thousand rounds. I bought a Walther P99 a couple years after I retired as an LEO and was carrying it on the way home from work this morning. Great gun! I have, as happens, a Ruger P85. They were popular here with less well-off young cops back when they came out. Big and clunky by today's standards, they are still good guns that shoot reliably and can probably be ran over by a tank and still work (might break the tank, LOL).
i think about my FNX 45 T. everybody loves it, but it does not get talked about. even today, it has everything the other manufacturer's have just now made standard.
This is a great video! My first gun(still have) is the Ruger P89. Built like a tank and came with two 15 round magazines. Big, not for concealed carry but I love. People have become soft with always wanting light plastic guns. My cc gun is an all metal Astra A-60 in .380.
The Hi-Power 15 round mags are not new, nor are they 'extended.' The 1935 style mag has a tail on the follower to keep the spring from being overly compressed. They needed that in 1935, but the metallurgy of springs has improved since those quaint days and Mec-Gar which made the 13 round FN mags (FN was still living in 1935) has been offering those aftermarket since the 1990s. Springfield had nothing to do with that, just recognized FNs error when they introduced theirs. Every Hi-Power shooter I know over the last 30 years immediately sidelined the Mec-Gar 13 rounders for range work and buys the Mec-Gar 15 rounders. That's been the thing to do since the 90s.
Thr Browning High Power is the grand old man of semi autos. It has served 85 years in 65 nations, used by both British and Argentines, used by the Nazis and the Allies. Used by the FBI wirh Novak tuned BHPs. And still the choice of many in the special ops community. The choice of the British SAS until they have all worn out and the SAS chose another pistol. Since Brow inf doesnt .ake anymore, i have retifed my Terry Tussey tuned BHP and bought the Springfield SA35. Very good copy wirh significant improvements. The Ruger P85/90 are pigs. They eat everything, not that accurate. Trigger is smooth and long, but the design requirinf yiu to lock the slide to ghe rear, then stick your finger down the ejection port to push the ejector down to disassemble is just an invittion to getting the slide to chop uour finger and give you a blood blister at the very least. Bad design. Mr. CZ shooter needs to skip a few meals. What a blob-ster.
I have a Browning Hi-power and a P85. The Hi-power is just obviously a top 5 gun. The P85 is such a great gun and is sorely underrated. Bonus points because the mags are interchangeable with my Police Carbine, which is a predecessor to the Ruger PCC. I'm kind of tempted to pick up a p89 at my LGS just because the p85 is so good.
I'm fortunate to have shot/owned a couple of these. My dad has a Ruger P91DC (like the P-85 shown, but in 40 S&W), it's got a solid trigger but it is the fattest gun I've held and is closer to a full sized HK USP, it will probably survive the apocolypse though. The PX4 in 45 is awesome and Berettas are always nice. I just bought a P99 and I'm a changed man, the trigger takes some getting used to but it feels great, the ergonomics are top notch and just sinks into my hand like it was hand crafted for me by Carl Walther himself, and this put me on to paddle mag releases. Very sad to see the P99 out of production but I am happy to own one.
I think you should include the Ruger P95. It merges the P89 slide and barrel with a new polymer frame. It has 15 rounds and is lighter that the P89. I've had both and I love my P95R with safety decocker. It's built like a tank and is very accurate in my hands. It has the best DA/SA trigger of all my 9mms, plus it has a rail, which I installed a Crimson Trace light. I also put night sights on it from TroGlo!
Springfield Armory SA-35 Hi-Power, is loyal to the original Hi-Power, but with the right improvements. It is a pistol the original Hi- Power should have been. Also, I think premium pistols, like the Kahr K9 and P9 don't get the respect they deserve. Single stack yes. High capacity pistols are fine, but few people are going to get into "John Wick" shootouts. Single stack are good to carry.
Girsan did a good job with their Hi-Power clone, the MCP35, and is better that the SA. They also made a carry model that is really nice and elevated the Hi-Power in my opinion "Girsan MCP35 PI LW."
@@love4gtsandguns Does the Girsan have the magazine disconnect, heavy trigger pull, the problem of clawing the magazine out of the well, like the original Hi-Power? If so, I should tell you the Springfield Armory SA-35 Hi-Power has gotten rid of those problems.
Awesome. As a traditionalist, I don't like optics and rails on a classic pistol, but it is fine for those that do like it. The SA-35 is all forged steel too.
@LoneStarLawman I'm not a red dot guy myself, I like irons. I do however like rails for lights in case I use it for house protection. They make a forged steel option but the one I am referring to is aluminum alloy for lightweight carry.
I run a Sig P2022 it is by far my best purchase I paid $350.00 for it. I was so pleasantly surprised when I finally got it to the range and was able to run it through the paces it did and has performed flawlessly. My wife who is 5’ 105lbs absolutely love shooting this gun so much that she stole mine 😂 she now uses it for her daily carry gun. So if you see one pick it up you will not be disappointed.
The 2022 is good but suffered from sig offering it no reql followup or support, and neither did the aftermarket; same thing with the sig pro. At least they learned and designed the 320 and 365 series from the ground up instead of applying polymer frame designs to existing p series slides, ergos, etc. Same issue with the px4 in the video, it's just a poly frame slapped to a beretta 8000 cougar series design, but they've stuck with it and made some modest changes over the past 20 years.
@@demetriuscooksey7147 It was indeed. The Models 639 and 3906 were the single stackers. The 659 carried 14 in the magazine. The only gun I prefer to it is a 1911.
The Third generation Smith and Wesson semi-autos are still great, but they have been overshadowed by the polymer crowd. I carried a S&W Model 411 for half my career and still own it today...it'll go to my son.
Sig P239 is underrated as a carry pistol. 7rds of 40 s&w in a compact metal frame. Fits in the hand nicely, cycles everything. You get used to it and can’t imagine carrying something bulkier or sacrificing muh stopping power. 😂
I have smith and Wesson 5946 it is a tank been carrying it everyday for 20 years I chose it for the weight and the metal frame. I have had very few malfunctions with it and I treat it terribly I clean it about once every five years. It’s not a tack driver but I can hit the C zone at 25 meters consistently which is fine since I really can’t see that far anymore. It also has the added benefit of being an effective bludgeoning tool if I run out of rounds or am in hand to hand. Much more effective then a lighter weight gun. It’s my favorite carry gun. It’s not my favorite to shoot but it’s the one I would trust my life to. My favorite to shoot is the smith and Wesson Tr8 .357 magnum revolver.
@alexbanks7115 If it's DA/SA, it sounds like a 5906. The 5946 was only in DAO (no decocker or safety) & either curved or straight backstrap. Mostly bought by law enforcement in the 90s.
You are correct my mistake it’s a 5946 with an 8 lbs trigger pull but for whatever reason when I shoot it after the first shot the follow ups feel like they are less than 8 lbs. must just be me.
I bought my Sig SP2022 .40 about six years ago and didn't go wrong. About 2 years ago, I added a 9mm barrel and mags and it works slightly better with that arrangement. However, Since I have a Sig P320 in 9mm... I keep my SP2022 in .40.
One problem with the 59 and the 5906 was that, under recoil, the screw holding the mag release in place would gradually come undone. I had two of them back in the 1980s, and they both required me to keep an eye on this, and to screw it back down from time to time.
Back in about 2016 I picked up a slightly used Sig 2022 in .40SW, now I'm no .40 fan so I ordered the .357 Sig barrel for it and it's awesome. ;-) Also the first handgun I ever bought was a Ruger P89DC, an awesome pistol, wish I still had it.
I have the Steyr and I love it. It may be the most accurate handgun I own. The narrator must be talking about an older model because there's no external safety on my gun.
I once had a High Power but sold it. I kicked myself in the butt ever since. I have an old 5906 which truly is a really good piece and fun to shoot. However that double action pull takes a minute to adjust to after shooting a Glock or the like. One pistol which wasn't on the list was the CZ PCR. Its basically a compact 75 with a de-cocker. I have one and thoroughly enjoy shooting it. Like the 5906, that first double action trigger pull takes some learning but otherwise, it's a very acute, low recoil pistol that has very good ergonomics.
I was pretty stunned in watching this video! My first carry gun was trhe Walther P99. I had no idea how good it was being my first pistol purchase. My all-time favorite double stack pistol is the HH P30. Rugged, spot on target, comfortable, reliable. Personally, I liked the open hammer. My all-time favorite single stack is the SW 5906. Try and find one reasonably priced. A BIG regret in selling it. BIG. My second pistol purchase was the Styer. Again, a fine pistol. Except the HK, Most of these pistols are what I would call today as chump change. today. Woulda, coulda, shoulda...Arthritis in my hands has me carrying a Glock 26. It is an excellent pistol but, yeah, I miss the others. I did own several .45's but just too much for me.
Good to see the P-07/P-09 on the list. So many tubers go on and on about the 2011s, but the CZ P-09 is much lighter and it's better for follow-up shots. They are a third of the price as well.
Another underrated one, in my opinion, the Ruger American pistol. Designed around the military trials. The company withdrew over the political BS involved. I've been carrying a 45 compact since they came out. Rock solid. I shoot it better than just about any semi I've had or been issued.
I currently own two of the weapons on this list I have an original Browning 9mm from Belgium and I also have a Smith & Wesson 5906 I will not part with either one of them.
I picked up a Like New 2-tone SP2022 a month ago. It cs.e with czse, 2 mags, e tra grip, etc. I put a SMALL grip on it a d hsve a short trigger to put on. I lu ked up on (4) OEzm mags at my LGS for $29/each. It's been added to my GHB along with my 7.5-inch AR pistol.
S&W 915 was a 5906 but with an alloy frame, so it was noticeably lighter. 6906 was a compact version of the 5906 but with an alloy frame, so it, too, is light. Take the magazine safety out and the old alloy frame Smiths are nice pistols that are light enough for carry.
Nice list. But to say the Browning High Power influenced the Beretta 92 is a bit of a stretch . The Walther P38 has a lot more to do with the Beretta 92 and vice-versa, IMHO.
The Sig 2022 has a decent trigger. I'm an HK guy but my night stand gun is a 2022 with a white light and laser. CDNN had threaded barrels for the 9 X 19 for around a hundred bucks.
@05:05 The Ruger P85 and Mk III models are some of the sweetest handling pistols I've ever fired. With the two tone steel slide, cast aluminum lower (using Ruger's own casting methods developed in house long ago) and the rubber grips make for a pistol that is very appealing to the eye. However, like all Ruger guns, the disassembly is needlessly complex. Worst of all, accuracy, especially from such a sturdy pistol, is not nearly as good as you might hope for it to be.
The superstar in this group is the S&W third gen series. They were available in 9mm Para/Luger/x19, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm versions in full-size, mid-size, compact and subcompact, sometimes in single and double stack options, depending on chambering, and with blued steel frames, stainless steel frames, and black or natural aluminum alloy frames. They were extremely well-made and were police-tested on duty with all the law enforcement agencies that could afford them, to include but not limited to U.S. Customs, NYPD, LAPD, Chicago PD, CHP, WV State Police, Canada's RCMP, Japanese Coast Guard, among many, many others. They are infinitely rebuildable, super reliable, are machined of high-quality stainless steel, and typically wear real Novak sights. The 4006 was the original pistol designed for the .40 S&W, and is the perfect balance for that chambering. They feed so well that they'll feed empty brass from a magazine! They also weren't inexpensive, and not primarily intended for the civilian market. Used, they were often exchanged by agencies for brand new Glocks, on a 1:1 basis.
I have sold P30L's after every John Wick movie for a healthy profit. I regret the sale. And when the movie buzz subsides I buy another. But they do sell. The reason for lower sales is literally been used as a marketing tool by H&K. Glock makes good guns for a price point. H&K just makes good guns. Go bag and can just take one pistol? Grabbing an H&K in 9mm. And yes I own Glocks. I own most of the major brands in at least one or two models. I own 5 on this list in fact. The problem is more pricing than anything else. 500 dollar Glocks sell; 8 or 9 hundred dollar pistols sell less readily. Even used a P30L is 650 or more. Whereas a used Glock is 300\400 bucks. When you add a comp or match weight you are at a grand for the H&K. That is mid grade 1911 offerings. Which as you explained in the Hi-Power bit, a more desirable firearm to American Consumers.
I've never had a "Browning" but I've had numerous clones. Have the Tisas now. Loved them all. Want a CZ75. I just picked up a used Sig 2022. Very impressed with it.
Not sure why the US consumers don’t like DA/SA. I have a CZ p-09. I changed the decocker out for the manual thumb safety. I have other DA/SA pistols like the Beretta 92FS and the Sig p226.
I am not sure either. I think it may come down to CZ and the CZ97 knocking it out of the park to begin and companies have had an impossible time trying to compete with it's design, resulting in poorly made copies without interchangeable parts. The safety vs decocker seems an odd hurdle people can't seem to get over as well. With the decocker, the DA provides the perfect amount of safety yet it can be hard to move to a new manual of arms. Even if you do go with a safety version, the benefit of the DA is mostly diminished, with only the ability of repeat striking of an unfired round left. This isn't really a problem people are looking to solve.
The Sig p2022's lost out because of the traditionaly high Sig bore axis in a much lighter gun. With the all metal ones there is weight to keep the recoil flip down, with the too lightwieght polymer frame the recoil flip was unnaceptable. If the bore was lower it might have been different. Same reason why I do not like the Sig 320/m18.
Love my cz Rami!!!! I replaced all my magazine base plates with the Springfield XD base plate, easy sanding down required….super easy! 10 round mag with the XD base plate allows full grip, no pinky tucking!
I had a P85 for a long time. The single action trigger had a lot of take-up, but to me that was the only flaw. It could always be counted on to go bang when you pulled the trigger. Stripping and cleaning were also easy. Now, I'm kind of lusting after the PX4 if I don't decide to get the RIA CS (not the tac ultra due to costs).
I had to laugh about the Ruger P85. I worked with a cop that carried one. For a while. It went back to Ruger 4 times for major malfunctions. When it came back the last time, he didn't even open the box. He threw it in his his locker. Several years later he found it and handed the box to another officer and gave it away. Definitely agree with the S&W 5906 though. I carried one for 12 years.
I know there are good Browning Hi Powers out there, but the two I owned (FN made model III's) were the worst junk guns I ever bought. They felt great in hand at the sales counter, but the triggers were so bad that I sometimes stopped to make sure the safety wasn't on! The second one was as bad as the first plus the front site broke off while shooting at the range. I later acquired a FEG clone (at a much lower price) and it has been a much better gun. I've had it for almost 30 years now. As for the Ruger P89, it's worst issue was it was a bit big and clunky, but reliable. I later had a P90 (45ACP) and it was a good gun. Unfortunately, it was stolen and later recovered in Florida by a city that would not return it.
@@antoniotula262 I understand that. I sold mine because of the trigger combined with financial needs at the time. In retrospect, I should have kept it. I didn't really understand what I had or get the trigger was a byproduct of the hammer fire mechanics. It was different and was a dependable and accurate shooter once you learned the trigger.
The Poop250 was a major mistake and I vividly remember SIG Sauer trying desperately to peddle it. 😂 what about that thing is special to you at all? It was terrible!
I have seen a lot of these types of videos. But I think this one is the best I have seen so far. Your "List" was actually great! I own four of the ten guns you showed! LOL
The S&W 99 wasn’t exactly a copy of the Walter. At the time, S&W and Walther were collaborating on designs and product line distribution. Not sure why it ended. I remember a guy shows up on y range with a S&W 99 and didn’t realize it had a decocker - was running around with a cocked pistol in his drawers. The 3rd Gen S&Ws had a mixed track record. In .45 ACP they were considered great pistols. One’s issues to certain fed agencies didn’t always work, although may have had something to do with operator (lack of) maintenance.
