Here are five of the best performing pistols out there.
All gun owners shopping for a new handgun want to know, and they ask themselves the question all the time. What is the best one out there?
Well, that's a pretty subjective question. Are you looking for something to use as a self-defense carry gun or is it for competition target shooting? Do you want a single-stack or double-stack, and what sort of magazine capacity? Steel or polymer frame?
The questions get complicated in a hurry. Which is why, for our purposes, we're going to focus just on top-performing handguns.
When it comes to quality construction and reliability, these are some of the best handguns you can own.
Sig Sauer P220
Just a few years ago, the U.S. Army chose Sig Sauer as the maker of their new standard-issue combat pistol. Who knows performance better than our Armed Services?
You can't really go wrong with a full-size P220 which you can get chambered in .45 or 10mm; you'll have plenty of stopping power. The frame and slide are stainless steel, and the P220 features front and rear fiber optic sights and an 8+1 magazine capacity.
The P220 gets rave reviews for its accuracy and handling thanks to a 5-inch, match-grade barrel, which makes this a great option if you're looking for a high-quality, semi-automatic hunting handgun.
Heckler & Koch P2000
There are a variety of options one can pick from when purchasing a P2000. The handgun is available in two of the most popular home defense rounds, .45 and 9mm, and comes with a single action/double action trigger mode.
It holds between 10 and 13 rounds depending on which model you buy, and features a 3.66-inch barrel length. It is also great for concealed carry. Another unique feature is the paddle magazine release.
The P2000 is most lauded for its performance. This gun has been put through some serious torture tests by both citizens and law enforcement agencies. Many have shot thousands and thousands of rounds with most owners never reporting a problem. I saw one video where one of these jammed up multiple times on a guy, but ONLY after he threw it in a mud puddle and stomped on it a few times. Pretty impressive.
Glock 19
I know a lot of people still think of Glocks as ugly. It's something I still don't quite understand, especially considering there are much uglier polymer frame firearms out there.
But you can't deny the reliability of Glock, especially the 19, one of the most popular 9mm pistols ever.
This handgun features a 4.02-inch barrel length, weighs just 30 ounces when fully loaded and is highly concealable. It comes with interchangeable backstraps to fit a variety of hand sizes.
One big thing I loved when I bought my 19 was the fact that Glock throws in two extra 15-round magazines standard. There's no need to purchase a spare right off the bat. The fact that it has a trigger safety and no manual safety does take some getting used to, but the 19 is a very reliable firearm and I have yet to have a single issue with this handgun. I use it as my everyday concealed carry firearm.
CZ 75
This handgun is an older, but proven design. It comes with a 4.5-inch barrel, dot sights standard and magazine capacities between 16 and 21 rounds. They're also moderately priced too, in the $600-700 range.
There are many 9mm handguns out there, but one of the reasons the CZ 75 has become so popular is because it isn't a picky eater. This gun will fire just about any round that you feed it.
But this gun also surprises many people with its accuracy. This is a good option for first-time shooters who are looking for something reliable, accurate and ergonomically comfortable.
Beretta 92
This gun replaced the iconic Colt 1911 as the service pistol of choice for many American Armed Forces. And, the Beretta 92's reputation has not really faltered much in the years since then.
This is another double/single-action pistol. It has a unique empty shell casing ejection system, making stove pipe malfunctions a rarity with Beretta 92s. The trigger guard is designed for combat situations and the manual safety is fast and ambidextrous for left and right-handed shooters. There is also a red chamber indicator to let you know if there's one in the pipe making this a great option for shooters concerned with safety. These handguns are a bit heavier, but that leads to greater accuracy, making this a great option for newer shooters.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis Youtube channels.
NEXT: .308 vs. .30-06: WHAT'S BETTER AND FOR WHAT USES?
WATCH
