I've been shopping lately for some budget 9MM semi-auto handguns. I own several premium over $1000 handguns, several Glocks, several Sigs, Beretta's, HK, Rugers Smith & Wesson, etc. I historically turned my nose up at "budget" handguns, in the $200-$350 price range. Sorry Hi Point, Jennings, Lorcin and the like, your $160 guns will never grace my household. All of my pistols are defensive use firearms. They must be 100% reliable, all the time, or they get sold. Period.
I recently decided I needed to add some cheaper, reliable guns to my stable for various reasons. I've been doing my homework. Reading reviews. Watching YouTube reviews on some of the "budget" guns on the marketplace.
Some models considered were:
Smith&Wesson SD9VE($259)
Ruger 9E($299)
Walther PPX ($279)
EAA SARB6P CZ-75 clone($249)
Canik TP9v2 Walther P99 sorta clone ($320)
I ended up buying two of the pistols listed above:
1) SD9VE. It's a sorta Glock copy. In a sense, I like some of the engineering inside better than I do on Glock pistols. The trigger is about 8-9 pounds, which isn't great, but is acceptable for a defensive budget handgun. Apex makes a trigger spring kit for $20 which lowers the trigger pull by 2-3 pounds. It has a lifetime warranty from Smith & Wesson. I can't find any fault with the pistol, and would gladly recommend it to a family member needing a home defense pistol.
2) Canik TP9v2. This gun is getting AMAZING reviews online. Gun reviewers are falling all over themselves talking about this gun. I thought to myself, can it possible be that good? Especially for only $319? It's a sorta Walther P99 copy. It's made in Turkey by a very modern Turkish defense contractor. Comes with two very high quality Mec-Gar 18 rd magazines and a decent quality paddle holster. This pistol has the nicest trigger I've ever felt on a striker fired pistol. Ever. Handily beats my Glocks, Sigs, and a $1250 Wilson Combat Beretta. It's incredible that you can get a trigger this good on a $320 pistol. I really, really, like this pistol. It has opened my eyes up to the possibility of getting quality without spending a fortune. At its current price, it has to be the best budget firearm on the planet. It has a lifetime warranty from Century Arms. The only cons I see are that it is imported solely by Century Arms, who has a less than stellar reputation and their name is plastered all over the slide of the gun. If another more reputable company imported these and slapped their name on them (AKA like the Springfield XD model HS2000 pistols), this pistol could easily sell for $450-$500 and they would sell every last one of them right off the boat. Highly recommended if you have $320 and are looking for a high quality pistol. I think it's a more modern, better gun that my Glocks. Seriously.
And as always, since this is a lube forum, lube used on the above pistols is TW25B grease.
I recently decided I needed to add some cheaper, reliable guns to my stable for various reasons. I've been doing my homework. Reading reviews. Watching YouTube reviews on some of the "budget" guns on the marketplace.
Some models considered were:
Smith&Wesson SD9VE($259)
Ruger 9E($299)
Walther PPX ($279)
EAA SARB6P CZ-75 clone($249)
Canik TP9v2 Walther P99 sorta clone ($320)
I ended up buying two of the pistols listed above:
1) SD9VE. It's a sorta Glock copy. In a sense, I like some of the engineering inside better than I do on Glock pistols. The trigger is about 8-9 pounds, which isn't great, but is acceptable for a defensive budget handgun. Apex makes a trigger spring kit for $20 which lowers the trigger pull by 2-3 pounds. It has a lifetime warranty from Smith & Wesson. I can't find any fault with the pistol, and would gladly recommend it to a family member needing a home defense pistol.
2) Canik TP9v2. This gun is getting AMAZING reviews online. Gun reviewers are falling all over themselves talking about this gun. I thought to myself, can it possible be that good? Especially for only $319? It's a sorta Walther P99 copy. It's made in Turkey by a very modern Turkish defense contractor. Comes with two very high quality Mec-Gar 18 rd magazines and a decent quality paddle holster. This pistol has the nicest trigger I've ever felt on a striker fired pistol. Ever. Handily beats my Glocks, Sigs, and a $1250 Wilson Combat Beretta. It's incredible that you can get a trigger this good on a $320 pistol. I really, really, like this pistol. It has opened my eyes up to the possibility of getting quality without spending a fortune. At its current price, it has to be the best budget firearm on the planet. It has a lifetime warranty from Century Arms. The only cons I see are that it is imported solely by Century Arms, who has a less than stellar reputation and their name is plastered all over the slide of the gun. If another more reputable company imported these and slapped their name on them (AKA like the Springfield XD model HS2000 pistols), this pistol could easily sell for $450-$500 and they would sell every last one of them right off the boat. Highly recommended if you have $320 and are looking for a high quality pistol. I think it's a more modern, better gun that my Glocks. Seriously.
And as always, since this is a lube forum, lube used on the above pistols is TW25B grease.
