From: watt-alan@net.yale.edu (Alan Watt)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: 9mm: Which *not* to buy?
Date: 30 Sep 92 01:58:07 GMT
Organization: Yale University, Computing & Information Systems


In article <1992Sep28.221436.11199@cs.rose-hulman.edu>, rayma@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu (Michael A Ray) writes:

|> I plan on using this for action/combat pistol shooting (not too  
|> serious; no compensators, optics, etc), casual target shooting, and  
|> home defense.  This seems to require higher capacity (12+) to compete  
|> in the combat matches (I saw my first this past Sunday!).   
|> Unfortunately, I have quite small hands.  As an aside, are adjustable  
|> sights a must for combat shooting?

Depends on the precise course of fire, but for anything that requires
accuracy better than 6" at 25 feet, or which will be used with widely
varying loads, yes adjustable sights are a must.  Fortunately, there
are a lot of after-market sights available for most popular guns.

|>                                    I would like to get a new 9mm for  
|> less than $400 at a gun show and have listed below what I think are  
|> contenders regardless of whether they are too big for me.

Good luck (on the less that $400 part).

|>                                                           I plan on  
|> going to the local store sometime soon and handling as many as  
|> possible.
|> 
|> AMT On Duty (reliable or not?)
|> Astra A-100 (someone said these were very accurate)
|> Browning BDM
|> Colt All American 2000
|> Glock 17/19
|> "Hi Power" clone
|> CZ-75 clone
|> Ruger P-89 (until evryone shoots it down again)
|> Springfield P-9
|> Star 30M
|> Taurus PT92/99
|> 
|> Which ones should I not bother considering because they are very  
|> unwieldy, inaccurate, or poorly made?  Thanks again for the help.
|> 
|> Michael Ray
|> 

You might also look into a Yugoslavian SIG clone (SIG-alike??  SIG-along??)
made by Zastava called the CZ-99. This is a SIG-P226 clone.  There is
also a model CZ-40 in .40 S&W.

This got a very good review in the September issue of Law and Order.  I
went and looked at one (CZ-99) and was disappointed in the trigger.  The DA pull
feels much longer and heaver then the SIG, and the SA pull requires you
pull the trigger much further to the rear than the SIG.  I suppose you
could get used to this, but I found it uncomfortable.

It looks very much like a SIG, and it will fit SIG holsters.  The slide
appears cast/milled instead of the SIG stamped/rolled/welded.  There
are other internal construction differences.

Operationally, the CZ-99 combines the decocker and slide release functions
into a single lever, and has these combination levers on both sides.
Except for the takedown lever, it is totally ambidextrous.

The bad news is, you won't pick one up for under $400.  I forget the
price on the one I saw, but I think it was under $600, including
tritium night sights (non-adjustable).  The price includes two
magazines.

I've never fired one, and only handled it briefly, so I won't make any
firm statements.  Just that you might check it out yourself before
deciding.

I guess I fall into tha category of those who want a SIG without paying
the full SIG price.

-- 
  Alan S. Watt
  Yale University			Computing and Information Systems
  Box 2112 Yale Station			(203) 432-6602
  New Haven, CT  06520-2112		Watt-Alan@Yale.Edu