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Posted: 8/7/2011 11:22:34 PM EDT
ok now I'm going to apologize in advance for any wars I unintentionally start here by bringing this up but.....I obsess over things and always imagine nightmare scenarios where things fail and it drives me up a wall. because of this I'm going to ask 2 questions. 1.) what is the most reliable semi auto magazine fed pistol that would be appropriate for home defense 2.) because simplest is often the most reliable i.e. less parts that can fail, what semi auto magazine fed pistol is the simplest (fewest parts, moving pieces, internal mechanisms etc.)?

The last thing I want is to someday have to go see what went bump in the night have to squeeze off a couple rounds and have a magazine drop or have a jam or have an ejector that doesn't work or have a magazine floor plate fall off or (insert worst nightmare horror story here) so I'd like to do my best at putting my obsessive compulsive worrying to rest by finding a solid reliable pistol

Note: I already have a remington 870 as my go to gun but it takes a minute or so to "go to" it so I'm looking for something I can fit in a safe on my nightstand that would be ready in seconds
Link Posted: 8/7/2011 11:26:54 PM EDT
[#1]
Nearly all of the commonly available service class pistols are equally reliable.




Link Posted: 8/7/2011 11:49:20 PM EDT
[#2]
Stay away from cheap crap like Hi-Points and Taurus and you should be fine.  Also stay away from any 1911 shorter than 4".

But remember, any firearm is only as reliable as you have proven it to be. Any given pistol has the potential of being a lemon. So it is beholden upon you to verify reliability with various ammo, clean and lube properly, follow maintenance schedules and know how to use it properly.  

In other words, any major modern pistol will be reliable if the end user does their part.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 1:21:38 AM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
Nearly all of the commonly available service class pistols are equally reliable.



This.

Link Posted: 8/8/2011 6:25:22 AM EDT
[#4]
I have to agree with Glockreaper and Hero here.

Any of the "big name" service pistols will serve your needs reliably.

Try to rent as many as you can and buy the one that you shoot best, and meets your budget limitations.

And don't get all wrapped up in caliber choices/preferences either.  If you shoot caliber Y better than calibers X and Z, then get a pistol in caliber Y.

All the major service calibers are very very close in performance these days, so get the one that works for you.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 6:39:45 AM EDT
[#5]
i depend on glock and have several other sigs to choose from.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 6:55:59 AM EDT
[#6]
all high quality pistols are reliable
BUT any pistol for a multitude of reasons can possibly malfunction, often at the most inopportune time- that is why malfunction drills are taught- no pistol or feed device is immune.
you must accept this and move on.
the solution to a possible malfunction in a self defense situation is a "software" solution- the shooter training in malfunction clearing drills and having confidence in ability to correct the problem under pressure
not a "hardware"- this pistol x is more reliable than y so I need a new gun
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 7:07:12 AM EDT
[#7]
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 7:13:13 AM EDT
[#8]
While the above posters are right...on reliability alone YOU should choose a Glock.  That coming from a non-glock person!

I don't judge guns on one aspect...and the most important to me is which I shoot the best under stress.  But now I'm getting away from your question.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 7:49:18 AM EDT
[#9]
Look at:

HK
FN
Sig
S&W M&P
Glock
XD

and get the one that best fits you and your family.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 10:52:37 AM EDT
[#10]
Quoted:
Look at:

HK
FN
Sig
S&W M&P
Glock
XD

and get the one that best fits you and your family.


This M&P and 1911 fan is siding with the above HK fan. Pick the model you want from these manufacturers and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 1:10:57 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
Look at:

HK
FN
Sig
S&W M&P
Glock
XD

and get the one that best fits you and your family.


This is a good list. I would add to it Beretta 92fs/M9. I've run a lot of rounds through multiples of these flagship Beretta pistols and I've never ever had a malfunction (use factory or Mec-Gar magazines).
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 1:26:24 PM EDT
[#12]
What feels good in your hand? I'd start by going to a gun store and holding as many as possible. Once you find whats comfortable go from there. I carry my Kimber almost exclusively because it feels great in my hand plus it shoots really nice. Just my 2 cents. Let us know what you decide on!
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 1:57:05 PM EDT
[#13]
Make sure the one you pick likes the ammo you want to use for HD.
I never had a issue out of a glock, XD, or beretta 92.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 4:05:04 PM EDT
[#14]
Whatever you pick make sure you work it to the point the controls are secondary.
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 4:54:31 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
Whatever you pick make sure you work it to the point the controls are secondary.


+1...I wouldn't get into rush hour traffic on the first day I learned to drive a manual...just sayin
Link Posted: 8/8/2011 4:56:56 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Whatever you pick make sure you work it to the point the controls are secondary.


This statement cannot be repeated enough.

The firearm you own should be an extension of your hand; you should be able to do
ANYTHING to/with it before your conscious mind registers the need.

I personally don't care WHAT you buy, OP, just get REALLY good with it.

Link Posted: 8/8/2011 11:17:45 PM EDT
[#17]
I was considering an fnx40 but I heard a few times that they tend to drop magazines and I was thinking glock but the trigger seems a lil complex (i.e. more pieces that could get fucked up) plus I'm a fan of a visible hammer not striker fired guns, I've wanted a sig 229 since I laid eyes on it for the first time but when I held it it seems for some reason a little odd in my hand, I was thinking about a 1911 because I mean how many guns can boast a 100 year legacy but I've read that it has an ungodly number of parts in it which again lends itself to my irrational "more pieces easier to break" paranoia.....so many choices....
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 1:48:26 AM EDT
[#18]
There is nothing complex about a Glock trigger.

You're over-thinking this and you really need to defer this matter to people who know what they're talking about. As mentioned before, any service pistol will suit your needs 100%.

Sig 226/228/229
HK USP
Any Glock
Beretta 92 series

All of those are proven platforms with years, and in some cases, decades of reliable service. Pick one from the list and you'll be GTG.

XDs, FNs, etc. are all relatively new designs, which are no doubt reliable, but they do not have the proven track record of the aforementioned pistols.
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 2:58:07 AM EDT
[#19]



Quoted:




I was thinking glock but the trigger seems a lil complex (i.e. more pieces that could get fucked up) ...


The Glock trigger is as simple as it gets.



The trigger bar connects directly to the firing pin.



 
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 8:14:31 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
Note: I already have a remington 870 as my go to gun but it takes a minute or so to "go to" it so I'm looking for something I can fit in a safe on my nightstand that would be ready in seconds


Why not improvise? Not saying to not get a reliable handgun but also fix the issue of getting the 870 closer? I seen them bedside gun racks advertised. I might make something like this out in the shop but I could see this being a issue with children in the home or the trying to arrange the bed so the 870 hanging off the edge of the bed is not in site to the entry door. Of course I have mine currently in a closet and chambered ready to go and its 10ft away. My newly purcashed xdm 45 now lies less then 6 inches from my head in the headboard with extra mag and light.

http://www.the-backup.com/

Link Posted: 8/9/2011 8:28:49 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
ok now I'm going to apologize in advance for any wars I unintentionally start here by bringing this up but.....I obsess over things and always imagine nightmare scenarios where things fail and it drives me up a wall. because of this I'm going to ask 2 questions. 1.) what is the most reliable semi auto magazine fed pistol that would be appropriate for home defense 2.) because simplest is often the most reliable i.e. less parts that can fail, what semi auto magazine fed pistol is the simplest (fewest parts, moving pieces, internal mechanisms etc.)?

The last thing I want is to someday have to go see what went bump in the night have to squeeze off a couple rounds and have a magazine drop or have a jam or have an ejector that doesn't work or have a magazine floor plate fall off or (insert worst nightmare horror story here) so I'd like to do my best at putting my obsessive compulsive worrying to rest by finding a solid reliable pistol

Note: I already have a remington 870 as my go to gun but it takes a minute or so to "go to" it so I'm looking for something I can fit in a safe on my nightstand that would be ready in seconds

The Makarov is probably one of the simplest  autoloading pistols out there. Simplier then a Glock. Doesn't really have much to go wrong on it. With that said though, while a Glock has more parts, it rarely ever breaks and is perfectly reliable for self defense.

Link Posted: 8/9/2011 8:50:17 AM EDT
[#22]
I've owned an SR9, XDm, CZ75, M&P9 and now a Glock.. The Glock by FAR has the most basic trigger design and is the easiest to work on. That being said, the M&P is my HD weapon.
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 10:43:35 AM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Look at:

HK
FN
Sig
S&W M&P
Glock
XD

and get the one that best fits you and your family.


Ill add a Walther P99 to that list.
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 11:09:34 AM EDT
[#24]
Take the worry out of it and spend the extra money for an HK .Most pistols have some problem with different things , but I think the Hk models are more safe to count on to go bang. When you look at the models people recommend ,and add in concerns like limp wristing jams under adverse conditions , oil in the striker, weak MIM parts, poorly designed mags, and other factors ––-then I vote HK.
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 7:43:09 PM EDT
[#25]
I have a Gen4 Glock 17. It has not been reliable. I've had several stove pipes and FTE's. It doesn't eject the spent cartridges with authority like it should. I don't think the new Glocks, at least in 9 mm, are the best choice for reliability. Otherwise, I like the Glock, and plan to keep it, but I don't trust it 100%.

My carry gun is an H&K P30.
Link Posted: 8/9/2011 8:32:21 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
I have a Gen4 Glock 17. It has not been reliable. I've had several stove pipes and FTE's. It doesn't eject the spent cartridges with authority like it should. I don't think the new Glocks, at least in 9 mm, are the best choice for reliability. Otherwise, I like the Glock, and plan to keep it, but I don't trust it 100%.

My carry gun is an H&K P30.


That's an extractor problem unique to the new "dip" type extractor.  Get a LWD Extractor and your issues will disappear.
Link Posted: 8/10/2011 3:19:23 PM EDT
[#27]
Consider the following:

Beretta 92-series.  Any of them, regardless of barrel-length.  Spare "pre-ban" 15rd Factory magazines can also be found in your state without going broke.

Glock 17
or Glock 19, as made prior to the 4th Generation models.  See above regarding the access and availability of spare Factory magazines.

FN/Browning Hi-Power Mk.III
in 9mm.  Ditto above.

Smith and Wesson Third Generation Series
guns in 9mm.  Repeating myself.....

Any or all of them have EARNED a reputation for almost total reliability for the average example of each.  Real world parts breakage isn't going to be a problem with any of them, yes, even the Beretta.  And if they do ever need a spare spring or part, it can be obtained directly from the manufacturer or other source for a reasonable price.  Good luck.  

Link Posted: 8/11/2011 11:03:27 AM EDT
[#28]
the more I think about it the more I'm leaning toward getting a 1911 for my home defense gun. I have two questions for everyone one, who makes a good quality 1911 with a rail built in and two, does anyone reputable make a double stack 1911 with a rail? So far I'm leaning toward a Colt with rails or a springfield operator but neither is double stack. Double stack isn't a requirement as I can only have 10 rounds in a pistol in NY state but it might be nice to have 10+1 instead of 7+1. Regardless of all of this recommendations for a quality 1911 from a reputable company thats approx. 1000 dollars or less would be very welcome. Thanks in advance guys
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