This is truth. My last three brand new handgun purchases in the last five years had issues:

Sig P220, extraction and magazine issues, sold.
NAA 22mag, keyholing after 100 rounds, went back, didn't get fixed, was worse, sold.
Ruger LC9s, has been back for dropping mags and the RSA went tits up after 500 rounds. Still have because it's went 200 rounds without issue lately

By contrast my last three used older gun purchases, flawless:

1991 Beretta 21 25acp, no issues.
1996 P239 357Sig, flawless.
2008 G19, perfect, (no brass to face either)


I see a trend here or I'm unlucky also.

Haven't products always been made for maximum profitability?  

Now of course, there are different models.  I'm sure the profit margin is much higher on a Bentley (Wilson Combat), than a Honda Civic (Glock).

Nevertheless, both fine products with the continuing possibility of getting a lemon in either rcase.

HK

Nuff said

I have 2 of them, a USP9 and USP TACTICAL 45

I've just completely removed the idea from my head that a gun should be trouble free right out of the box.  It's less frustrating and more realistic that way.

I've received some messed up guns from people who should really know better...  BCM sent me a BCG with an unstaked gas key, a crooked extractor, an upper that barely ejected cases, and a bolt with a dent in the cam pin slot.  All of this over the course of several uppers I bought.  They were great about fixing everything though.  

That's not meant to bash BCM, as lots of people have great experiences with them from the get go, and everyone makes mistakes (sometimes several major ones... in a row... that should have been caught ).  But there's something going on in the firearms manufacturing world that leads to a lot of product with significant early mortality.

I'm gonna try a brand new CZ 75BD and we'll see what happens.

Millions of people also have safe queens.

Sig, Glock, Colt, no need to worry about customer service.

Buy a Gen3 Glock 26. Most reliable subcompact available. Put it in a good IWB holster, load it with good ammo, maybe put a 12 round mag in it if you like the extension/finger rest.

I've been carrying mine for 15 years; it has digested about 10,000 rounds and has never malfunctioned. Not once. Never. I carry it every single day, I keep it clean - lube every couple weeks, full cleaning every 500 rounds or so.

My old firestorm 1911 ran thousands of rounds 100%.

Just bought an xd45 this spring. Been great so far.


I have only sent a gun back once. It was a savage ,223 varmint rifle. Turns out they installed the mag spring backwards. Ran about 9 k rounds perfectly after that, then I sold it for a Taurus 357 that has been flawless.

You have every right to wonder what the hell is going on.  Everyone does EVERYTHING on the cheap anymore.  They aren't being "economical"; they are being CHEAP!  ....and it sucks.....



However, it also seems, in the same breath, that you are having a serious spat of bad luck.



I have been there recently.  For almost 40 years I have almost no issues with firearms....maybe, out of 80 or so guns....I had one lemon and two that just sucked.  Oddly, a gorgeous Smith 29 that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn ( never firgured that out ) and one 1970s Dan Wesson .357 that was the most incredible piece of shit you could imagine.....and then there was....



THE BITCH:



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An early 2000s Springfield Loaded.  yeah...it was loaded alright.  This gun broke parts and fucked up more than all of the other guns put together.  What a hunk of garbage this thing was.  I will NEVER own another Springfield 1911....and for a long time I made it my mission that I would spread the word far and wide as to how AWFUL their 1911s could be.  I got tired....now I don't care....but I tell you this...I ONLY buy Colt now.  Not saying you won't get a lemon from them either....but ywhich workforce do you want to pick from....a bunch of neckbeard kids and nephews of so and so's grandpas brother's dog?  ...or a bunch of crank old folks who have been doing it for 50 years?



Anyhow....other than those guns.....I had nearly 100 that were trouble free.



Until about three years ago.  Out of the ten or so guns I have bought in the last few years.....only TWO have given me no issues:  My Colt Delta Elite and ( get read to laugh ) my Walther HK MP5 22 clone.  How's THAT for Social Justice????  A gun that should be a piece of shit but kicks the ass of BOTH newer 10/22s that I have bought recently.  ( though my 1980s Sig P230 has been promising so far )



Maybe the odds have turned against me after 40 years......



Maybe, if you are lucky...you will be the opposite of me and luck will smile upon you.



I hope so!!!



 

Products used to made to last, and that is a reason to maximize  profitability.  Now, everything is made as cheap as possible, while cutting as many corners as possible, while still trying to maximize profitability.  There is a difference.

It is just like to trying to get a decent paying job these days.  Hiring managers will take a chance on a shittier applicant because they are asking $5K to $10K less than a superbly qualified applicant.  They know they won't have problems out of the proven better worker, but they would rather throw the lower paid guy at the wall and see if he sticks.  Shitty product, but more money to funnel to the top.

HK still makes quality, reliable pistols.  I bought my USP used and it has been accurate, reliable, fun to shoot and good for hunting backup, HD and carry.  They just don't make 'em like they used to.  Might as well give up on Glock, you will eventually.  

Don't forget to lock that wrist.

What I was going to say.  But to be honest all my pistols run fine, not just the HKs.  Also have a browning HP and a Ruger rimfire

 

I have bought about 175 firearms since 1996.  I have had to send 8 back that I can think of, 4 of those were in the past couple of years and 3 of the 4 were Rugers.  2 more firearms, in the past couple of years, would have needed to go back but I sold them before I got the recall notices.

H&K has not been without its problems.  A few years back, a widow won a multi-million dollar lawsuit because the firing pin broke on her LEO husband when he was in a firefight.

Purchase any of the below and you should be GTG!

I have had zero issues with xd40 subcompact

ETA:  I have had zero issues with xdm 45

I have had zero issues with Kahr P40

I have had zero issues with gen 4 g19

I have had zero issues with gen 3 g22

I have had zero issues with gen 2 g22

I have had zero issues with bulgie Makarov

I have had zero issues with SIG P220, P226, P239

I have had zero issues with Ruger GP100

I have had zero issues with Beretta 92FS inox

I have had zero issues with Walther P99 - 9

I have had zero issues with Walther P99-40

I do have a Ruger MK II that had to be sent back around ten years ago because of difficulty in disassemble so you should avoid that one.  (They took care of the issue though).

All of the above would be great choices!

Good luck with yours!

Sig Sauer's reputation for quality control  has been well checkered for the last decade or so, and they have a reputation for terrible customer service.

Around the time Glock introduced the Gen4 guns, they changed something, and they've had ejection issues ever since. I've sent two guns back to them, a Gen3 G19 and a Gen4 G17. The G19, they were able to repair, the G17, they had to replace. The existence of the 30274 ejector is physical proof from Glock that this problem is real. The good news is that Glock's customer service is good.

My advice to anyone buying a firearm that they intend to put into any kind of defensive or utility purpose is that they test it before they put it to use. Don't just buy a gun and trust that it will work as intended.

Darn right.  No less than two hundred rounds before you carry.  I like letting newbies or people unfamiliar with a model shoot them, too.  Gives me an external perspective.



My OLD ( NIB ) P230 had only one failure to lock ( on the older mags that I have for it ) but after letting a newb shoot it, it would also malf on the last round of that particular mag.  I could not duplicate that malf...but I bought new mag springs anyhow.  More testing this week.  More mag springs on the way, too!!!



 

I'm not doubting anything you're saying.  I still think HK tops the pile for overall reliability.  Keep in mind I'm young and haven't owned near what you have.    

 

I've almost never had to send guns in for repair.  Maybe 3 times in the past 10 years, and this is from someone who is constantly buying guns.

1. Olympic 9mm AR was doubling, they fixed it.  Good deal.
2. Remington 1911 had an overcut barrel seat in the frame, but was functional.  Remington didn't do anything about that, but at least didn't charge me to fix.
3. SIG P320 was 100% functional but had a wicked trigger slap.  They replaced the trigger, fixing the problem.   Shipping both ways was on their dime.   I count myself a satisfied customer there.

IMO I'd extend that further and say that ~1000 rounds trouble free is where you should consider a gun reliable enough for defensive use.  

I had a Gen3 G19 with ejection issues that would fail to eject every 200-300 rounds.  Just enough to be an issue, but not frequent enough to have an easy fix.  If I did what 95% of gun owners do (buy a gun, take it out once then call it good) I would never have caught the problem.  

OP get an HK and let us know how it goes for you.

Never had issues with HKs (and my Glocks have been great too).

Very sad. It's also why Wilson combat 1911s are so expensive. They are made essentially by hand with attention to detail.

I feel your pain OP.  I've had my share of issues as well.  No company is immune it seems.  I say buy what you want and hope for the best.  Your chances of getting a lemon are fairly small at the end of the day.  FWIW I've had better luck with slightly older guns, 3rd Gen Smiths for example.  Some of my issues:
Brand new M&P, crack in frame:

Another new M&P, metal chips Melonited onto the barrel

Glock crown cut crooked:

Heckler and Koch.

I would look at FN. The FNS is a sweet shooter and they have compacts out now. I would second HK although if you do have to deal with the company after, they're not very easy to deal with. I have a few and all but 1 has been trouble free through thousands of rounds and years of carry on duty and off. I have a dig 290rs that I love. No issues at all, but I know a few guys that have had a few issues with sig lately. Good luck.

I bought 5 SIGS that were all manufactured between 7 years ago to the present and all have been superb.

P220 Carry Equinox, P220 Super Match, P226 X5 Competition, X-FIVE Classic, 1911 Super Target Nitron.

I'm at the range 2-3 times every week.

Checkout CZ
New to CZ myself but liking what im seeing so far.

I must be one of those rare gun people that can pick up any gun I have held and not had had any major issues with it my first gun was a semiautomatic pt24/7pro by Taurus everyone told me they are crap well 2500 hundred rounds later I had yet to find a problem other than my bank account didn't like the cost of the .45 acp it was chambered in so I sold it told the new buyer how many rounds I had in it.he was cool with it so far as I know he only replaced the main recoil spring.2000 rounds on my .40 xd and 0 issues at all 750 rounds out of my 357 mag Taurus tracker 4 inch barrel after a trigger job (breaks like glass now) 0 issues and several hot reloads from a long time reloading friend a work out for the hand after oh say 100 of those but the gun was just fine every trip home they all get the same attention to detail field strip and clean the crap out of every nook and cranny.one key thing to always remember when buying a new gun also and forgive me if this has already been brought up is when new u must clean it throughly before u attempt to fire it not saying that u didn't just saying it's that attention to detail that can sometimes influence how the gun looks and feels and responds.hope this helps what I'm getting at is if u will notice the all my guns (taurus)outside the Springfield xd on most fourms are considered low quality or crap but they never failed on me so would I carry one to protect my life dam right after the wepon has proven it self at the range no less than 500 rounds down the tube no cleaning is my standard for all weapons if they cant meet that standard they don't ride with me. I sure hope u don't give up on those brands of firearms because outside of s&w I'm not a fan of there revolvers at least the ones ive fired a revolver should never fail in my humble opinion!! My next few weapons are rugar gp100 in ss 4inch,s&wmp9. And the most under rated guns in the whole gun world
Is cz going to be a cz75 in 9mm and I'm going to pick up a cz  p-09