Posted: 4/6/2026 4:52:39 PM EDT
[Last Edit: dmk0210][Edited]
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Help me pick my next new handgun. Maximum budget $800. Here's what I'm looking for. - Hammer fired. - Optic ready - Threaded barrel (either OEM or readily available). This will be shot suppressed 99% of the time. - chambered in 9mm - Not a CZ (I have too many and want something different) My first thought was M9A4 but I just got a 92Xi SAO at the beginning of the year and I don't want another 92 right now. Anything else out there? |
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How about a 1911 in 9mm with a treaded barrel for 586.99$? Tisas 1911 Night Stalker SF 9mm 5" - 5" Barrel | Iron Sights |
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It’s a sad world with how few options are available in this highly sought after combo. Beretta 92 is the most common go to. CZ’s not very good plastic guns. A P226 40SW trade in (if you can find one now days) with a 9mm optic ready slide. You also might be able to squeak by budget using a Matrix P226 frame and used or sale parts to finish. Up the cost to 1k and get a LTT HK P30. Turkish double stack 1911’s. Jericho had a pretty decent looking CZ Shadow competitor (941 F ORP) for a really good price but IWI has their head so far up their ass they think people want a plastic frame Jericho instead. I think I literally hate them for doing one production run of this gun and shutting it down. SDS has a tactical/race Hipower thing coming out that looks good, but no threaded barrels at launch. They usually do end up offering them though. Beretta has the market cornered because everyone else is incompetent or uninterested. |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:It’s a sad world with how few options are available in this highly sought after combo. Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:It’s a sad world with how few options are available in this highly sought after combo. Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:Beretta 92 is the most common go to. CZ’s not very good plastic guns. A P226 40SW trade in (if you can find one now days) with a 9mm optic ready slide. You also might be able to squeak by budget using a Matrix P226 frame and used or sale parts to finish. I've got Beretta 92s and CZs covered. I actually do have an LEO trade-in P229 and I have a threaded 9mm barrel for it. I could make a project gun out of it. Does anyone do a good job milling slides for RDS on these? Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:Up the cost to 1k and get a LTT HK P30. Turkish double stack 1911’s. Are the Turkish 2011 things any good? I don't want a problem child. I like reliability. |
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Originally Posted By Lost_Phil: How about a 1911 in 9mm with a treaded barrel for 586.99$? Tisas 1911 Night Stalker SF 9mm 5" - 5" Barrel | Iron Sights |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: Are the Turkish 2011 things any good? I don't want a problem child. I like reliability. Originally Posted By dmk0210: Are the Turkish 2011 things any good? I don't want a problem child. I like reliability. I have the second gen Tisas with the bull barrel and it runs grate and have had no issues with it. Originally Posted By dmk0210: I actually already have a Tisas 1911 that I picked up an optics ready slide and threaded barrel for. Fun gun! Yep, I have the optic cut Raider in 45 with the treaded barrel. Another option might be a HP35 and get a treaded barrel for it. This is one I might do once the Ingles 2035 is out. It supposed to have an optic cut and the pic rail for a light. |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:SDS has a tactical/race Hipower thing coming out that looks good, but no threaded barrels at launch. They usually do end up offering them though. Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:SDS has a tactical/race Hipower thing coming out that looks good, but no threaded barrels at launch. They usually do end up offering them though. Originally Posted By Lost_Phil:Another option might be a HP35 and get a treaded barrel for it. This is one I might do once the Ingles 2035 is out. It supposed to have an optic cut and the pic rail for a light. I'm not big on being an early adopter. But I'll keep an eye on that. Maybe later down the road once the market saturates a bit and there are some different varients. |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: I actually do have an LEO trade-in P229 and I have a threaded 9mm barrel for it. I could make a project gun out of it. Does anyone do a good job milling slides for RDS on these? This is the route that I would go. I had Robert Burke do my P239, but I think any decent shop should be able to handle a P229 slide. Purchasing a new optic ready slide might be a consideration as well. |
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Originally Posted By NonTypical361: This is the route that I would go. I had Robert Burke do my P239, but I think any decent shop should be able to handle a P229 slide. Purchasing a new optic ready slide might be a consideration as well. Originally Posted By NonTypical361: Originally Posted By dmk0210: I actually do have an LEO trade-in P229 and I have a threaded 9mm barrel for it. I could make a project gun out of it. Does anyone do a good job milling slides for RDS on these? This is the route that I would go. I had Robert Burke do my P239, but I think any decent shop should be able to handle a P229 slide. Purchasing a new optic ready slide might be a consideration as well. Definitely just mod your p229. Especially since you have the 9mm threaded barrel already. Mill the slide and have it cerakoted some cool color. It'll be like a new gun. Buy some fancy G10 grips or something as well. Profit. |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: H&K never made an optics ready P30 have they? A used P226 or the P229 you already have is your best bet IMO |
On going to war over religion: "You're basically killing each other to see who's got the better imaginary friend." - Richard Jeni
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Originally Posted By bullsi191145: https://www.czfirearms.com/en-us/products/pistols/cz-p-09-nocturne-series/cz-p-09-c-nocturne-sr I already have a P07. Great gun! 
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Originally Posted By NonTypical361:This is the route that I would go. I had Robert Burke do my P239, but I think any decent shop should be able to handle a P229 slide. Purchasing a new optic ready slide might be a consideration as well. Originally Posted By NonTypical361:This is the route that I would go. I had Robert Burke do my P239, but I think any decent shop should be able to handle a P229 slide. Purchasing a new optic ready slide might be a consideration as well. Originally Posted By airgunner:A used P226 or the P229 you already have is your best bet IMO Originally Posted By EncoreGolf:Definitely just mod your p229. Especially since you have the 9mm threaded barrel already. Mill the slide and have it cerakoted some cool color. It'll be like a new gun. Buy some fancy G10 grips or something as well. Profit. A already have the threaded barrel, good Hogue grips and a spare Holosun 507C x2 . I just need to find someone to mill the slide. Then I'll Cerakote or Gunkote it. I need to search the web for pics and refinish ideas. These guns are super easy to detail strip and work on. I think I may have actually replaced all the springs in it already. I also have an M11A1 that I'll keep all original, and a P226 with a threaded barrel and suppressor height iron sights, so that will give me a nice array of P series Sigs in various configurations. Thanks for the comments and advice everyone! |
| Just a thought about refinishing the slide. It’s really not necessary after you have it milled if it’s still in nice condition. The RDS is going to cover the entire area where it gets milled. You can also have it bead blasted for a two tone finish pretty cheap. Or Sig can also do a Nitron coat if you prefer the factory look. |
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Originally Posted By NonTypical361: Just a thought about refinishing the slide. It’s really not necessary after you have it milled if it’s still in nice condition. The RDS is going to cover the entire area where it gets milled. You can also have it bead blasted for a two tone finish pretty cheap. Or Sig can also do a Nitron coat if you prefer the factory look. I have a blast cabinet. Maybe I'll bead blast it and see how that comes out. It's pretty ratty right now. I do my own Gunkoting too so if the bead blasting doesn't work I can blast it with aluminum oxide grit and Gunkote it instead. I do plan to Gunkote the frame since it's also pretty rough looking. Thanks for the suggestions.  |
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The Tisas 2011 clones are outstanding for the money and they sell threaded barrels. However, they are currently changing importers, so they are a bit more difficult to find at the present time. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By Bravo_Six: The Tisas 2011 clones are outstanding for the money and they sell threaded barrels. However, they are currently changing importers, so they are a bit more difficult to find at the present time. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/128932/1000001647_jpg-3742739.JPG I need to do some research on how reliable these are, especially when suppressed. I have been impressed with their 1911s, for the price point. |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: This one wasn't on my radar. So like a High Power 2011. That's interesting. I'm not big on being an early adopter. But I'll keep an eye on that. Maybe later down the road once the market saturates a bit and there are some different varients. It’s just a standard Hipower with a different shaped slide and frame. Internals are all legacy. I haven’t seen many complaints about SDS’s HP’s but admittedly don’t look at them much. |
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Arex Zero 1 T? If you can find one... https://arex.us/arex-zero-1-t/ 
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Originally Posted By ken_mays: Arex Zero 1 T? If you can find one... https://arex.us/arex-zero-1-t/ https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/9714/AREX_RZ1_T_black_1-3744483.jpg I was just looking at a LTT P30 that's RMR cut. Really nice looking gun, but $1450. |
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Originally Posted By ken_mays: Arex Zero 1 T? If you can find one... https://arex.us/arex-zero-1-t/ https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/9714/AREX_RZ1_T_black_1-3744483.jpg This. I have one and it's a lot of fun to shoot. Carried it for a while. |
Andrôn gàr epiphanôn pâsa gê táphos - Pericles
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Originally Posted By ken_mays: Arex Zero 1 T? If you can find one... https://arex.us/arex-zero-1-t/ https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/9714/AREX_RZ1_T_black_1-3744483.jpg |
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Originally Posted By EncoreGolf: Show us the progress on your P229! I'm still researching optic cuts and I don't recognize any of the companies that have turned up in my searching, but I'm leaning towards having Gun Cuts or Vigilante Machine do it. They are the only companies that I've found that will put the rear sight in front of the optic (A Glock rear sight and they sell the sight set). The Mepro sights I have on there now will go on another Sig. I'm thinking about Gunkoting the frame and slide in Coyote or FDE, maybe a dual tone with a darker slide. All the controls, pins, screws and the barrel will be flat or semi-gloss black. 
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: Here's what I have so far. It has a Barsto 9mm barrel. Griffin EZLok suppressor mount, Meprolight sights and Hogue Contour Classic G10 grips. All the springs have been replaced with Wolff springs. The trigger is super smooth. I'm still researching optic cuts and I don't recognize any of the companies that have turned up in my searching, but I'm leaning towards having Gun Cuts or Vigilante Machine do it. They are the only companies that I've found that will put the rear sight in front of the optic (A Glock rear sight and they sell the sight set). The Mepro sights I have on there now will go on another Sig. I'm thinking about Gunkoting the frame and slide in Coyote or FDE, maybe a dual tone with a darker slide. All the controls, pins, screws and the barrel will be flat or semi-gloss black. https://i.imgur.com/IcaGJdv.jpeg There’s something about that 229 that screams don’t do it to me. That thing looks like a classic badass warhorse. Not sure how much the optic cut runs but I know the P229 optic ready slides were selling for $300 awhile back. I like FDE Sig P22X guns a lot though. Attached File |
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Well, because of the threaded barrel requirement the S&W CSX E-Series doesn't work. You could get a 3.6 barrel and cut and thread it down to a 3.1" threaded barrel, but that's not "commercially available" https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/s-w-csx-e-series-3-6-inch |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-:There’s something about that 229 that screams don’t do it to me. That thing looks like a classic badass warhorse. Not sure how much the optic cut runs but I know the P229 optic ready slides were selling for $300 awhile back. I like FDE Sig P22X guns a lot though. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/61399/Photoroom_20260114_141519_jpeg-3745762.JPG I agree about the classic look. I went back and forth on that. Originally my plan was to finish it all flat black with suppressor height iron sights. That's the reason it has the tall Meprolight adjustable sights. But three things are changing my mind. I later picked up an absolutely perfect M11A1 which has that classic Sig P-series warhorse profile (plus I also have a nice P226 with threaded barrel and suppressor height sights). I recently bought a Beretta 92Xi Tactical and just completed a suppressor ready 1911 build, both iron sight only guns. Plus I have very many hammer fired iron sighted handguns (a few suppressor ready), but I only have two hammer fired guns with RDS though, both CZs (P01 and P07). So I want to add more variety to the latter category. I'm looking at about $160ish to get the slide milled, including new sights, and the rear dovetail milled in front of the optic. So that's about half the cost of a replacement slide. I already own the Holsun 507C I plan to use. I'll Gunkote it myself (which I've done many times and am quite good at) so my only other cost is the need to buy fresh bottles of FDE and Kphos. So $250ish for everything and I've got this project done.    |
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Originally Posted By Novelty: Well, because of the threaded barrel requirement the S&W CSX E-Series doesn't work. You could get a 3.6 barrel and cut and thread it down to a 3.1" threaded barrel, but that's not "commercially available" https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/s-w-csx-e-series-3-6-inch I wonder who I could get to thread the barrel (probably would not even need to be cut shorter)? |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: You have excellent taste sir. Great looking P226! That's exactly the look I think I'm going with, except I'll have the black Hogue grips on there. I agree about the classic look. I went back and forth on that. Originally my plan was to finish it all flat black with suppressor height iron sights. That's the reason it has the tall Meprolight adjustable sights. But three things are changing my mind. I later picked up an absolutely perfect M11A1 which has that classic Sig P-series warhorse profile (plus I also have a nice P226 with threaded barrel and suppressor height sights). I recently bought a Beretta 92Xi Tactical and just completed a suppressor ready 1911 build, both iron sight only guns. Plus I have very many hammer fired iron sighted handguns (a few suppressor ready), but I only have two hammer fired guns with RDS though, both CZs (P01 and P07). So I want to add more variety to the latter category. I'm looking at about $160ish to get the slide milled, including new sights, and the rear dovetail milled in front of the optic. So that's about half the cost of a replacement slide. I already own the Holsun 507C I plan to use. I'll Gunkote it myself (which I've done many times and am quite good at) so my only other cost is the need to buy fresh bottles of FDE and Kphos. So $250ish for everything and I've got this project done. https://i.imgur.com/Zsdu8TJ.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/0JHMW2F.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/GGpifOj.jpeg In that case, I’d probably give the optic milling a try. That’s a pretty good price and you’re already a good bit of the way there. That’s 1911 is freaking awesome too. Extra slick set up. |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-: In that case, I’d probably give the optic milling a try. That’s a pretty good price and you’re already a good bit of the way there. That’s 1911 is freaking awesome too. Extra slick set up. The 1911 is a lot of fun to shoot and I have even had really good luck shooting it boosterless with a light suppressor (Fly 9 or TLX). I'm very happy with that build. |