Shooting Some Classic Wonder 9s
We took some classics out to the range recently. We always try to run stuff outside of our normal rotation, as customers run all sorts of gear and we make all kinds of holsters. We can fit check holsters at HQ all day long, but we try to make it out to the range and run our gear every week.
The Sig P226 and HK USP 9 are up there when it comes to iconic classics that have still remained relevant despite Glocks taking the market by storm. We still get MIL/LEO orders for both of these firearms, so we decided to give them a run through some drills.
The Sig P226 still gets the job done and is easily one of our favorites. Reliability is probably where the P226 shines brightest. It's hard getting them to choke up despite being based off a design dated back to 1975 (P220.) Not to mention the vast aftermarket for them as well.
If you do pick up a P226 or any of its variants we think the Short Reset Trigger kit is a must have. You can get it right from Sig for $50. It's well worth it and turns a decent trigger into a great one. The best part is it really doesn't require a professional to install.
The USP series of pistols one of the early polymer frame handguns While the USP 45 seems to resonate as the classic, the USP 9 actually came out first. Ergonomically it's a great gun with a very intuitive safety/decocker and a slide stop that's pretty easy to get ahold of. The downside, as with many guns from this era, is the slide being very tall. The USP feels like a tower in your hands.
Both of these guns are a little harder to control than your off the shelf striker fired handgun. The bore axis is tall on both guns and you'll feel that in the recoil impulse. It isn't something that should deter you from running either of these guns, but it does require some extra diligence on your part.
If you carry either of them, you've got a solid gun that will serve you well. However if you're a new shooter, spend some time looking at all of the H&K and Sig offerings. Both companies have a long track record of making great firearms and ergonomics have come a long way since these were introduced.