SD9 vs G19 vs P95 three way smack down

[Tactical Jackalope]

Glock 19 for the win.

Parts are widely available and easiest to find of any of the others you've listed.

[loose_holster_dan]

Of the 3, the G19 is head and shoulders above the rest. It has been there done that.
The Smith is bottom of the heap. The crappy Sigma trigger pull has always annoyed me and I wouldn't spend a nickle putting lipstick on that market failure pig.
As to the Ruger, you say intimidating, I say fugly. For concealment purposes, it would be like carrying a brick. But that's what its ergomatics emulate. It is boringly reliable though.

yup.

if you're worried about cost, but like the reliability, look at the ruger sr9 series. i personally favor the sr9c myself.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

I'm not understanding the hatred toward the S&W SD9. Seems to be some carry over opinions treating the SD as if it were the same gun as the SIGMA series. It's not.

True its different especially with the apex trigger installed $20 and 20 minutes.

The SD series Was designed as an improvement over the Sigmas and they did improve it.

Some people think they are the same and remember the law suit. Really hits a nerve but the gun has great reviews for cost, reliability grip. With the apex trigger it's a nice gun to shoot.

Should have put the M&P in there..It gets my first vote

[Tactical Jackalope]

M&P was made to be better than the Sigma and SD, it is!

[Theohazard]

8MM Mauser posted
Now, the SD9, if I understand it correctly this is basically a copy of the Glock, especially once the trigger is improved. It seems like the best deal on the face of it; but what am I missing with an SD9 nine that I get with a Glock? And that brings me to another question? If the SD is a Glock copy and the M&P is supposed to be a step up from the SD is it also a step up from the Glock? Would it be worth waiting even longer for an M&P?

The SD is a copy of the Glock and the M&P is an improvement on the SD, but keep in mind they both still need to get around the Glock patents.

I recently took an M&P armorers course offered by Smith & Wesson. What struck me about the M&P design was it seems like they were trying to copy the Glock and at the same time trying to improve on it, but they had to get around the Glock patents. So, in my opinion, the improvements aren't really significant, and at the same time a lot of the internals appear as though they were made unnecessarily more complicated soley to avoid another patent-infringement lawsuit from Glock. (The Glock trigger is also vastly superior to the M&P, which has a terrible reset; the reset is still not as good as the Glock's even with an Apex trigger kit installed.)

As soon as I got back home from the M&P armorers course, I stripped my Glock 19 down all the way for comparison. The simplicity and efficiency of the Glock design is definitely noticeable when compared to the M&P.

[Theohazard]

Constantine posted
M&P was made to be better than the Sigma and SD, it is!

It definitely is better. The M&P is a very good gun. However, I prefer the Glock due to its simplicity and vastly superior trigger reset.

That said, it all depends on which one you shoot better. They're both good guns.

[6.8]

The Ruger has a very long track record now. 18 years is nothing to sneeze at. They are known for their accuracy and reliability. Why do you think they are still producing this gun (the SR series was suppose to replace it) the reasons are obvious, it's a great gun that still garners huge demand in the Marketplace. I'm pretty sure the Block/Glock isn't even made in the USA

[57K]

The pistol you're overlooking and very much need to consider is the Ruger SR9. IMO, it is a stronger built pistol and the new ones like the one I bought directly from Ruger, have very good triggers. The SR9 is much thinner than the G19 or the M&P9, yet still has 17+1 capacity. The grip frame is thinner than a 1911's is, so it's definitely carryable. All the SR9's trigger needs is break-in from firing and dry firing. With just about 250 rounds through mine, the trigger is good enough now that I've decided against adding a Ghost trigger reset bar that is very similar to the Glock's connector and depending on which model you choose, they run 20 - $27.

Forget about the number of parts in the SR9 because the pistol breaks down completely into sub-assembles similar to Ruger revolvers. It may have more parts than a Glock, but it's a better design. The forward rails are much longer and stronger than what's used in the Glock or M&P. They're incorporated into the chamber-block similar to what you'll find on SIG/Sauer P-22X series pistols as well as the SA XD/XDm series. In other words, the SR9's barrel chamber is completely surrounded by STEEL. Not polymer as is the case of Glock's and the M&Ps.

I've had an XDm 4.5 in .45 ACP since June of of 2010. I've always been convinced that it is a better design than the Glock or M&P. This past week, I sold it to my shooting partner who wanted it because of its exceptional accuracy. What will I replace it with, you ask? The Ruger SR45 based on my evaluation of my SR9. Better sights, better trigger, built stronger and in the USA, etc, etc, etc. This is THE deal in polymer frame pistols, not that I have anything against the P-95, my brother owns one, but the SR9/40/45 series gives Ruger their first pistol that's world-class and IMO, it's a world-beater.

[SPEMack618]

First off, the Ruger SR9 is a fine pistol. An ex-girlfriend purchased one to replace her Taurus wheel gun and she and I both fell in love it.

They're both gone now.

But in regards to the OPs 9mm triangle, I would recommend the Glock out of the three if it is to be the first defensive handgun and primary handgun.

Plenty of after market support, spare mags, holsters etc. The design is proven and effective.

However, and this is my more esoteric side speaking, I think the Ruger P-95 is a pretty neat gun. Mine is utterly reliable and digests anything I feed it.

That being said, there is no reason for the gun to be limited to 10 rnd OEM magazines other than old Bill's stupidity.

[Tactical Jackalope]

Originally Posted by Theohazard

It definitely is better. The M&P is a very good gun. However, I prefer the Glock due to its simplicity and vastly superior trigger reset.

That said, it all depends on which one you shoot better. They're both good guns.

You and I both! lol I carry my G19

[SIMP]

I own a P95 stainless and that thing is a workhorse. For the price, I don't think you could find a better buy. It has never failed me in anyway. It's the gun I keep in my truck for protection all of the time. It may not be the prettiest thing around, but it will last you forever.

[RBid]

Originally Posted by 6.8

I'm pretty sure the Block/Glock isn't even made in the USA

The US market pistols are made in Smyrna, Georgia, here in the USA. The company is Austrian, but they employ a lot of US labor, and pay a lot of US taxes.