There are so many reasons IMHO...
- It is a perfect blend of size, weight and slimness that creates a soft shooting combat 9mm.
- Concealablity in the right holster these slim fullsized 9mms simply disappear.
- It was JMB last major design which Dieudonne Saive improved upon creating what we call the Browning Hi Power
- It is accurate enough out of the box and can be made even more accurate with a little work.
- Extremely short length of pull for a double stack 9mm.
- They are reliable real war real combat tested pistols. These pistols have seen use in military combat for over 80 years...
- They fit a wide range of shooter hands. For those who experience hammer bite can still shoot the pistol with a no bite hammer modification or replacement.
- An elegant example of old school design and craftsmanship that was the standard that for combat 9mms before the invention of tactical plastic.
- They are capable of a very nice trigger although most of the time the out of the box trigger is less than stellar.
- Aftermarket support and aftermarket parts are everywhere. Everything from mags to hammers to springs.
- There are tons of outstanding gunsmiths who can work on and improve these pistols everything from the guy down the street to guys like Yost and Novak.
- The history and the variety of configurations makes them appealing to collectors. You have 3 distinct generations of these pistols all with individual characteristics and appeal.
Really the list could go on and on. For me it all comes down to the fact I shoot it well. It fits me and the looks and the other factors I mentioned are just icing on the cake.....
They are a gun which every serious gun enthusiast should have in their safe... IMHO
