Who manufactures the best Pistol?

[SND]

I'm curious who manufactures the best pistol. By best I mean best techniques, best Heat threat, best design, accurate fit, finish, attention to details, well engineered, shoots straight, long lasting with no parts that break unexpectedly?

I've once again kind of gotten the bug to buy one and join the club again. Thinking 9mm or .40.
But, I've had 2 pistol brought to me the last few years to see if I could repair/remove a broken piece, as far as I'm concerned both were trashed and likely did end up there, broken slider close to the ejection hole, wanted to see if I could weld it, other was a steel piece broken inside which surely badly scored the aluminum frame when it broke, likely bad HT, not saying a bit of user over loading may not have happened, I don't know, not my guns. I've since forgotten what make the first one was, but I know the 2nd was a T...

Anyhow, in my search so far I found some are made in Italy, Czech republic, Israel, Austria.
Does Anyone make them in USA anymore?

One friend who used to compete more with hanguns told me he redoes all his entirely, you can tell handling them that they're tight everywhere. I'm really wondering if there's anything new from known brands that actually do somewhat similar. Or if I have to buy a $800+ plus gun(CZ and Beretta seemed to get the better reviews overall??) and put another grand into it before I get something that doesn't rattle?, haven't handled a CZ before so I don't know how they are yet.
I've usually been more of a rifle guy, only shot a few .45s, .22 pistols and .38 revolver. Actually was thinking of maybe just getting a revolver instead of semi-auto pistol, but I normally prefer the grip/recoil of pistols I guess, but less moving parts to a revolver and usually pretty good fit from the few I've handled. Around 6" barrel would be kinda ideal I think.

Thanks

 

[USMCPOP]

The SIG SAUER P210 is pretty nice at about $2,500. I'd like to have a version of the CZ-75 made by Sphinx in Switzerland. HK USP compact is pretty nice. You can pretty much get any level of fit and finish you want domestically in a 1911A1 gun.

My Browning Hi-Powers suit me just fine, but they were only $400. back when I bought them new. The 6" Smith & Wesson 686 is fun to shoot.

 

[220swift]

One of the finest is Freedom Arms out of Wyoming.
Fit and finish is nothing but the best.
American Rifleman mag did a test on one of their .22's and it shot the best of ANY .22 they have ever tested...

Hal

 

[S_W_Bausch]

If you want to freak out the range officer, affect a Russian accent and bring a CZ-75.

First choice of the KGB.

 

[toolingking]

how about wilson combat!!!! they make super fine handguns. kenny

 

[ronan]

It depends on what you mean by best , i had a glock 17 and although i hated it, it never missed a beat , my personal favourite was a sig sauer p226 x5 in .40 s+w, it was absolutely beautiful , the machining was top class , the fit and finish excellent and every part had an indentation from hardness testing. Mind you you pay a price to match that quality , i had to sell it to return to college.
I have a webley .22 target revolver now thats about 45 years old but has been in storage for over 30 of those years so its like new. I love it.

 

[USMCPOP]

Don't know if they still do, but Korth had some nice handguns in the $4,000-$6,500. price range. The deluxe models were, of course, a good bit pricier.

 

[flathead4]

The question is unanswerable. All of your criteria are subjective. I assume you are just looking for opinions. I have several best handguns depending on the application.

Tom

 

[SND]

It's mostly manufacturing related, but I guess throwing a price range would have been helpful, hadn't thought of the custom made $6000 ones... So lets say the under $1200 range?
There's gotta be a couple on top that you can see the extra care in manufacturing, tighter tolerances on fit and how it works. I think Ronan might have answered that quite well, I never saw a Sig in person before but now doing a little more digging.

I guess it would have been easier to just ask if there's any known to be poorly made handguns or brands to really stay away from. Anything known to have more parts failure or early wear, shorter life.

 

[ronan]

I did see some armenius revolvers which were made in germany and i have to say they did not impress me in the least , they appeared to be almost like blank firers converted to live fire.

On the subject of quality i think some of the older (pre 1970) german and american firearms were much better quality then they are now, i seen a clubmate get his 9mm colt back after a period of confiscation ( long story , irish temporary pistol ban , supposed to be 2 weeks , lasted 35 years !) the fit , finish and blueing were superb.
I think globalisation has lead to corner cutting in an effort to remain competitive in gunmaking and things are just not what they were.

For my vote a pistol under 1200 would have to be a hk.

 

[Ox]

How many hoops doo y'all hafta jump through to git a permit for a handgun up there?

The morons in Ottawa even have the border patrol un-armed!

And yet there are other morons that still take the job even yet....
Just goes to show that we don't need border patrol at all - if all you can doo is keep the law abidding folks out. Of course they want to turn you around if you had a DUI in the past. While I have never experienced near the drunks at home as I have yonder. Nor ever had as white'a knuckles as I did when riding in a OPP car.


It gits better the further into the bush that you go tho...


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[Bruce Nelson]

I bought a new Colt King Cobra 6 inch barrel in stainless about 20 years ago. It is new in box. They quit making them shortly after I bought it. I don't know why they don't manufacture them anymore. I think that it is a beautiful gun.

Lord Byron

 

[SND]

How many hoops doo y'all hafta jump through to git a permit for a handgun up there?


------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Pretty much just a 10hr course for those who don't have it, passed mine in the 90's when it was all one course to cover both hunting, rifles, handguns. Just gotta be over 18(or 19?) to get the permit to buy them, but can still do the course at 12 I think, used to be able to buy ammo with that, not sure about these days I as I don't think they can sell it to anyone without the possession permit anymore, which is also 18+. Oh and have to be a club member to justify buying/owning/transporting handguns these days, so much for the days of going to a gravel pit and not feeling like a criminal.

So far the CZ75b seems to get nice reviews in regard to build quality, design, accuracy and price from what I could dig up, I guess at that price its one of those things if it ever broke you can buy another one and still be money ahead vs a few other models I looked into. Found a gun shop that appears to carry a few makes/models listed here, so I'll go check them out sometime. Should be easier to tell how its made in person...

 

[flathead4]

Oh and have to be a club member to justify buying/owning/transporting handguns these days

I'd always wondered where that requirement came from. Are there any statistics that show club membership decreases firearm related mayhem? If so, maybe you should be forced to belong to a car club before being allowed to purchase an automobile.

BTW - I belong to two gun clubs and see the value of having a place to practice. I'm not prohibited from shooting in my back yard but civilization has encroached and in respect for my neighbors, I limit myself to some occasional .22 practice there.

Back on topic - maybe not the best, but the nicest hangun I ever owned was a stainless Colt Gold Cup with black grips. Very nice trigger, looked good and shot good. I'm still not sure why I sold it.

 

[USMCPOP]

The CZ-75(b) is a fine pistol, as are clones like the Tanfoglio. I wish they fit my hand a bit better. I have one of the older (non-b) models.

 

[willbird]

North American Arms mini revolvers are very nicely made, I have not looked at any of their other guns (I think somebody else makes some of the semi for them?) but the little revolvers are extremely nice for the price point and market they aim for. And darn accurate, my 22 magnum with 1-1/8 barrel will keep 5 shots on 8-1/2 11 paper at 25 YARDS, and HP White labs did machine rest groups for them that proved they shoot as good as any other revolver really, the handicaps offhand are small front sight, no rear sight, and short sight radius on top of that. I just pretend there is an imaginary rear sight there and do decent that way.

 

[deltaenterprizes]

Kimber makes some nice 1911s.

 

[DobermanDave]

The CZ-75(b) is a fine pistol, as are clones like the Tanfoglio. I wish they fit my hand a bit better. I have one of the older (non-b) models.

I have a new CZ-83, very well made the fit & finish is great , also a Tanfoglo Witness with both barrels 9 mm & 22. The CZ-83 .380 is a all steel fixed barrel and is very accurate.

 

[ChipChaff]

The best made pistol I've had was a Feinwerkbau AW93 I bought used. They're silly expensive new and rarely come up for sale used. Fit and finish is like a Swiss watch and the most inherently accurate pistol I've fired. Even though it's "just" a .22, it has a built in recoil altering mechanism which suppresses muzzle rise. Cool gun, just couldn't justify having that much tied up in something I used only for plinking.

 

[CozInCowtown]

Kinda like who builds the best pickup, Ford, Chevy or Dodge?
There are many great manufacturers out there, more of what do you like that who is best.
JMO,
DC