Tactical is a special word these days. It should mean “of tactics,” but we’ve seen it evolve and grow quite a bit in the gun and gear community.
Tactical has grown into a catch-all phrase for modern firearms and gear aimed at police, military, and self-defense use.
Today we are going to be about the best tactical pistols, which will undoubtedly lead someone to ask…what makes a pistol tactical?
Keep reading as we explain what a tactical pistol is and discuss some models we recommend if you’re interested in all the bells and whistles.
THE QUICK LIST
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Editor’s Pick
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Best Reliabilty
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Best Ergonomics
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Best for Suppressors
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Best .45 ACP
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Best DA/SA
Table of Contents
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How We Tested the Best Tactical Pistols
Input for this article came from the editorial and freelance writing team at Pew Pew Tactical. Every pistol on this list has spent hands-on time with someone on our staff, undergoing 500+ rounds of testing at various distances with FMJ and JHP ammunition.
The models listed below have been evaluated based on their ergonomics, features, accuracy, reliability, and value.
Our team comprises former military and law enforcement, competition shooters, and concealed carry instructors.
What’s a Tactical Pistol?
A tactical pistol or tactical handgun is a modern duty and defensive-oriented weapon that chambers a modern caliber suited for defensive and duty purposes.
Additionally, the weapon needs to have at least two of the three following features to make this list.
- Optics Ready
- Threaded Barrel
- Picatinny Rail
Those features, combined with a modern design, make a modern tactical pistol.
Best Tactical Pistols
1. Walther PDP – Editor’s Pick
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Great ergonomics
- Smooth shooter
- Looks great
Cons
- Can malfunction if you run it too dry
- May feel a little too big for smaller hands
Walther PDP
Specs
Features
Walther has always been a company that innovates and produces extremely well-made pistols, with some of the best triggers known to man.
The Walther PDP continues the PPQ’s legacy of featuring the world’s best stock striker-fired trigger combined with all the modern touches those seeking a tactical pistol would want.
Walther designed the gun around using red dot sights, which is a novel idea all around.
Besides that, they infused it with the brilliant ergonomics of the PPQ and the excellent Walther trigger we’ve all come to expect. On top of that, you can choose from various sizes for duty, home defense, and concealed carry.
Walther calls it RDS ergonomics and designed the PDP around the idea of using a red dot sight.
Those Teutonic engineers designed the ergonomics to make finding the red dot faster and more natural for shooters. It’s mostly tied to the grip angle, which allows for a natural acquisition of the red dot.
The grip is fantastic, thin, and fills the hand well. Walther used a new texture they call the Performance Duty texture. Long story short, it sticks to your hand without being abrasive and painful.
The PDP is modular and allows shooters to swap slides and frames around to fit their needs. I tend to be a fan of the short grip but long slide for concealed carry.
Walther uses a quasi-universal cut that relies on plates for mounting different pistol optics. Across the bottom sits a Picatinny rail for all your light needs. It’s robust, practical, and tactical.
What I don’t like is that I have to request the plate I want for my gun and optic from Walther. They don’t include it, so out of the box, it’s not red dot ready, and that’s annoying.
Walther’s PDP is a big step forward in the tactical pistol world, and seeing a pistol designed around red dot use is great.
We took the PDP for a whirl, so read up on our review here or catch the video below.
2. Glock Gen 5 MOS Series – Best Reliabilty
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Reliable
- Accurate
- Compatibility
Cons
- Ergonomics
- Optics plates sold separately
Glock 47 MOS
Specs
Features
Glock does innovation slowly, but they often do it well.
The Glock MOS series was one of the first stock guns to leave the factory with an optics cut and accommodation for all manner of optic plates. Glock has always had a firm hold on the tactical pistol world, and that’s not changed.
MOS stands for Modular Optics System, and it’s Glock’s way of saying bring your chosen optic to the table. Glock includes four plates with the MOS series, allowing you to mount a dozen different optics. Swapping plates and optics is easy, but don’t be too conservative with the Loc-Tite.
Glock’s plastic fantastic pistols have long proven themselves reliable and own the contracts of countless police and military forces.
Their popularity is fueled by reliability, durability, and the fact that they just work. For the average gun owner, they offer an excellent pistol with a proven track record of success.
The modern Gen 5 MOS guns improved ergonomics considerably by moving the finger grooves and including a slight beavertail at the rear of the gun. Its slide stop is now ambidextrous, and of course, the magazine release has been reversible for a few generations.
Glock makes all their popular calibers in the MOS series, including the G17 and G19 guns.
A rail at the bottom offers you all the necessary room to mount your favored goodies. Heck, get a Glock brand light, and it almost matches the frame.
What does suck about Glock and the MOS Series is the terrible sights they continue to stick with. They are cheap, plastic, and break easily. Once you swap the sights, you’ll have a very competent and reliable tactical pistol. Luckily finding new sights takes no effort.
What do you think of the Glock MOS series? Rate it below!
3. CZ P10C – Best Ergonomics
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Optics-ready versions available
- Good trigger for the price point
- Great ergonomics
- Proven track record
Cons
- Grip texture is very sharp and may be too aggressive for some.
- Front serrations are too shallow/short for some
- Slide catch tough to reach for smaller-handed shooters
CZ P10 C
Specs
Features
The CZ P10C series of pistols frustrates me. They are great guns, well made with amazing ergonomics, a great trigger, and an aggressive grip, and they could take the top spot on this list.
CZ makes optics-ready pistols, and they make suppressor-ready pistols. Both hit the nail on the heady for tactical pistols.
The downside is that CZ has never combined the two to make a top-tier tactical pistol. Give me an optics-ready gun with suppressor height sights and a threaded barrel, and they’ll be cooking with gas.
C’mon, CZ, I know you have the ability, so make it happen!
That said, the P10C shares a flat-faced trigger that’s ultra-smooth and consistent in its grit-free pull. Grip angle is fantastic, and the trigger guard undercut, and the slight beavertail at the rear provide a nice high grip on the gun.
Plus, the grip features one of the most aggressive grip textures on the market.
Both guns wear Picatinny rail systems that can fit both compact and full-sized lights. We also get rock solid metal sights designed for duty use, which are fantastic.
The optic’s ready model comes with plates for a Trijicon RMR or a Deltapoint Pro, so you have compatibility with several optics.
With the suppressor-ready model, we get suppressor height sights and a threaded barrel for suppressors and beyond.
4. FN 509 Tactical – Best for Suppressors
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Ambidextrous magazine catch
- Offers a low profile optics mounting system
- Threaded barrel
Cons
- Heavier trigger ~ 7lbs
FN 509 Tactical
Specs
Features
It has tactical in the name. It has to be on the list! Surely the 509 Tactical exemplifies the modern tactical pistol, right? Of course, it does!
We get a modern pistol with a modern design, paired with all the modern features we’ve come to know and love.
FN’s 509 Tactical was FN’s entry into the Army’s MHS contest, and while it didn’t win, FN knew it had a winner.
It’s a 9mm handgun with a polymer frame and striker-fired design. What the tactical does differently is add an optic’s ready slid complete with suppressor height sights and a threaded barrel. It exemplifies the tactical pistol through and through.
FN’s patented low-profile mounting system is compatible with 10 different optics that drop in without issue.
The suppressor height sights allow for co-witnessing with the optic or looking over a mounted suppressor. A threaded barrel makes it easy to mount a can, compensator, or whatever other accessories you want.
Those taller suppressor height sights even feature a set of wings that act as a guard to protect the sights from snagging. Yep, no surprise we have a rail, but what is a surprise is the included 24-round magazines for packing more ammo than most.
The FN 509 Tactical lives up to its name wholeheartedly.
We took the 509 Tactical for a test drive, so read the review or watch the video below for more details.
5. FN FNX 45 Tactical – Best .45 ACP
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Aggressive grip texture
- Threaded barrel ready for a suppressor
- Red dot capable
Cons
- Long and heavy trigger pull
- Lack of aftermarket support
- Hefty, only really suitable for duty, home defense, or range use
FNX-45 Tactical
Specs
Features
Yep, another FN with tactical in the name. In all fairness, the FN FNX Tactical is the OG of tactical pistols.
As far as I can tell, it was the first factory pistol to ship with an optic cut and several tactical features we weren’t seeing released back in the early 2000s. This was our proof of concept that likely helped propel what we picture as the modern pistol.
The FNX 45 Tactical is a .45 ACP pistol, and unlike most .45 ACP pistols, it doesn’t hold back in terms of capacity. We see 15 rounds, and the choice of .45 ACP was made to compete in the Army’s Joint Handgun Project.
This beefy beast features an optic cut across the top with two mounting plates to mount several different optics, including old hands like the Trijicon RMR, the Leupold DPP, and the Vortex Venom series of optics.
The front of the gun offers us a threaded barrel, which is great for the naturally subsonic .45 ACP cartridge. You’ll have no problems aiming the gun with the included suppressor height sights.
I can’t help but think every optic’s ready gun should have followed FN’s example and included suppressor height sights with their optic’s ready guns.
The FNX 45 is big, heavy, and thick, and that won’t appeal to everyone. It’s not a great choice for concealed carry, but it’s still a solid example of a tactical pistol.
It set the standard for modern tactical pistols. (Psst, check out our review here!)
6. Sig Sauer Legion P226 – Best DA/SA
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Excellent trigger
- Great ergonomics
- Night sights come standard
- Available in DA/SA or SAO
Cons
- Expensive
- Stock mag capacity is a bit low for its size
Sig Sauer P226 Legion
Specs
Features
The Legion P226 is an accurate, reliable, ergonomic, and stylish pistol that sports both an accessory rail and an optics cut ready for a red dot.
It brings an amazing trigger that really helps fine-tune those shots, in addition to fantastic sights that get you on target.
Ergonomically, it feels really good in the good…though the slide release feels a little crowded, and that might be a nuisance to some.
The backstrap molds to the palm, though, and its texturing keeps it locked tight in your hand.
Its only major downside is price. Coming in at over $1,299, it’s not an easy price tag to stomach for most, but if you have the extra cash, then it’s money well spent.
Interested in learning more? We have a full review of the Sig Legion P226!
Final Thoughts
The modern tactical pistol is versatile and can be used for various purposes. It can be a duty pistol, a defensive pistol, and even a concealed carry option. Heck, it can even be a solid competition pistol.
Versatility is the name of the game with modern gun design, and these guns check that box.
Do you own a tactical pistol? Let us know in the comments below. For more home defense-style pistols, check out our guide here!
Latest Updates
- June 20, 2024: Removed the Smith & Wesson 327 TRR8. Added section on how we tested and chose the best tactical pistols. Also included more supplemental data and media for each product.
- June 1, 2023: New models added
50 Leave a Reply
I own most of these but would put the Sar9 Socom above them all. The ergos & trigger are amazing; it has every tactical feature listed here; the price point is embarrassingly affordable; and it's one of the most rigorously tested (by Nato) pistols of all time. It's also downright sexy. If/when people discover what you get for what it costs, I predict this pistol will be huge!
Am surprised that you didn't rate the Sig as it was recently selected by the US Military to replace the Beretta...
The SIG P226 always is my choice, and few people know the rich history of it. It started in Switzerland with Swiss design that created the legendary P210 in .45 acp. The milled slides were phenomenal quality, highly coveted, and very expensive. SIG partnered with Sauer & sons of Germany to manufacture their guns, thus the landmark SIG/Sauer was formed. The P220 also in .45 acp came from the P210 and was used by the Swiss Army and Vatican Guard. The famous 1985 US Military Pistol trials prompted them to create the P226 in 9 mm. This particular gun was the same design as the P220, it was merely modified to accommodate the required caliber. I have owned most of the German made SIG's from that era and they were the favorite DA/SA semi-autos in my collection. In the last century, these guns proved to be the standard that everything else was measured to. Eventually Sauer of Germany stopped making their guns when production was shifted to the USA. I was skeptical at first, could the new USA company carry on the excellent German quality? Materials improved along with manufacturing, and soon I found the USA SIG's performing the same or even surpassing the German versions. The SIG Legion series was introduced as the premium versions of their line and I own most of them now. The accuracy, reliability, and quality is the best there ever was, although the high price tags made them exclusive acquisitions. I agree they are overpriced, but when you want the very best, you generally pay a lot more for it.
You don’t get the H&K SFP9 in the USA - you get the VP9. The SFP9 is issued to the German Police and military including their anti terror units the GSG9.
It’s every bit as good as the Walther PDP.
Everyone wants a red dot these days but in the training I take we are taught to shoot fast and instinctively without looking at any sights and an emphasis is placed on fast magazine changes. 5 rounds per magazine is the limit and a minimum of 4 magazines is required to shoot the course. Most guys carry 6 or more. Red dots and lasers are not allowed.
You’ll be surprised at how fast you can change a magazine when the pressure is really on. There’s no time to look at sights.
CZP10C SC OR has a version available on configurator as you mentioned they needed to be! :-)
I'll chip in my pick, Beretta M9 A4. Rail, optics ready, and threaded barrel. Rigorously tested too.
Why are the same brands reviewed. They are good, but so are Canik, Girsan, Tisas, Sarsilmaz, Bersa, Taurus and Tangfolio among other brands. These are quality, dependable brands that never come up in these "best of" lists.
Hey Jose, we love Canik and Tisas and they appear on some of our other lists! Unfortunately, if we listed everything we liked, the list would be quite long! But we do swap out recommendations from time to time based on testing and our experiences.
This was a very good article, and everyone has mentioned some very fine points in the comments. I am going to add the Springfield Echelon. It checks all the boxes for threaded barrel, mounting points for accessories, and optics. Just my .02 worth.
The best?
Really?
I’d be willing to wager that the performance of none of these pistols approaches that of the Staccato 2011 C2, which comes equipped with Holosun sight, Surefire X300U-A rail-mounted light, threaded barrel, ICE compensator: 25 ounces, 4-4.5 pound trigger. Optional bull barrel, hand-crafted and shaped for the C2. Works very well with a Rugged Obsidian9 suppressor (not included in the package). Quarter-sized groups at 25 yards. The closest on your list that approached the Staccato’s performance is the Walther PDP — which isn’t offered with either a threaded barrel or half of the features of the C2
Just one more recycled blog. Why destroy your credibility?
The Staccato was completely an oversight on my part when I was updating this article. You're right, it definitely deserves a spot on the list. Unfortunately, I'm human and sometimes I forget to add things I meant to. Thanks for the feedback!
These are all good guns with lots of cons spread
around. Check out Shadow Systems DR 920, MR 920, and CR 920. They are Glocks on steroids with everything on them you’ve mentioned right out of the box. Have been my CC for two years now. Outstanding company in Texas.
Seems that the Hellcat would fit somewhere in there, optics and a rail and dependable. Wife has hers with her all the time and dependable. For a lot less then some of these above!
Most of the comments are in 2023 and some in 2022. The best one is by Kelly B. I would not use tactical and defensive in the same context. Remember the KISS method? Find a pistol you can depend on and shoot easily and accurately. And by all means if you carry full time, look into insurance. If you are out at night in a highly populated town, one will invariably encounter a thug.
I have the IWI Masada Tactical. It’s great, optics ready, comes with several plates, threaded barrel, fully ambidextrous, and much cheaper than these.
Not sure how one discusses the tactical nature of the FN 509 Tactical and fails to mention the fact it is fully ambidextrous right out of the box. Yep, magazine release and slide release on both sides of the firearm. There’s a handful of other small details built right into it from the factory. It really is a fantastic weapon
Sorry but by definition Tactical and Defensive are polar opposites. For that end, I, and all my comrades, would never carry any pistol into battle that wasn't a Beretta 92 ! But your "defensive
choices are fine if your hiding behind furniture during a home invasion !
I like the article and I have some things to think on . BUT...equipment is never tactical. I know people are selling all kinds of things AS tactical but there is no such thing as tactical sunglasses or tactical flashlights or tactical watches. Or tactical pistols. Tactics, tactical is how you employ your equipment but isn't the equipment. Thank you for letting me vent.
Botach has the PDP on sale for $499 right now.. all models
You must add to cart to get that price
Unless you are current military or a serving LEO you 'probably' Do Not Need a 'tactical pistol' - stick to a reliable defensive pistol that likely costs a lot less than one with all of the whiz bang features touted in the article. Something that will go bang when you need it to should be more than sufficient. Just my opinion of course YMMV.
Four+ years of carrying a Colt 1911 in the USAF wouldn’t qualify as a tactical weapon…?
I’m not certain that I really know what a tactical weapon is, at least not according to this re-warmed Pew Pew blog. Must it have a threaded barrel? (None of those listed in the article do.) So what exactly qualifies it as “tactical” vs a non-tactical version! Having a 25-round double-stacked magazine? Tritium night sights? An optic? Laser? Threaded barrel? Light trigger? Flash hider? Do tell…
Are you kidding me!..NO suppressor/red dot ready 10mm yeet cannon! oh my gawd!
No H&K VP9 tactical or Staccato ??
Ridiculous. Both of those run circles
around ALL of the guns mentioned.
Absolutely!
While I’m not familiar with the H&K, I’ve put ~12,000 rounds through a Staccato 2911XC (marginally a duty gun), ~3200 rounds through a 2011P, and about 4000 through the 2011C2. In contrast, I’ve put about 2050 rounds through the Walther PDP — which is a nice pistol, but doesn’t handle nearly as well as any of the three Staccatos I own. Does a Picatinny rail make a pistol tactical? Does having a threaded barrrel make a pistol tactical? Is being optics-ready make a pistol tactical? No more than owning a grand piano makes someone a concert pianist.
Being truly a tactical weapon requires a number of fine-tuned options, all of which must work together in harmony.
Ask and ye shall receive! I wanted this gun too!
On Cz’s website they’re releasing a cz 10 or sr
Meaning optics ready, suppressor ready in the p10 F or C!
Just to confirm, how do we differentiate between a "tactical" pistol and a "competition" pistol? They both seem to occupy a similar size category, and a pistol set up to take a red dot, compensator, and muzzle weight seems equally ready to take a red dot, suppressor, and a weapon mounted light.
H&K has great tactical pistols, so why include 2 FN's?
Is Staccato not in the mix because of price ?
Probably because Staccato wouldn’t give them a pistol… and/or kickbacks.
We have several Staccato pistols. We also don't receive kickbacks for recommendations. All recommendations are our own.
The FNX Tactical has one more feature that no one seems to mention. The ambidextrous safety is a THREE-POSITION safety. When the hammer is cooked, the user has two options: push the safety lever down, and it acts like a normal DA/SA decocker. However, push the safety lever up, and it works like a 1911 safety, allowing the gun to be carried cocked-and-locked. Cool, no?
Staccato. You’ve been a phenomenal crowd, good night.
So, never heard of H&K then I see.
Best tactical pistol and no mention of an AR pistol with a pistol brace? What could be more tactical than that!
Not even sure how you could narrow this down without upsetting multiple people. Just off the top of my head I'm thinking the Zev P365XL fits the bill (rail and optic ready) and the entire updated Staccato line does as well (both the C and P series). Not to mention all the new Wilson Combats? Plus just about every standard pistol on the market has a threaded barrel option... either direct from the manufacturer or 3rd party (Lonewolf?). Maybe you should change your article name to "best tactical AND AFFORDABLE pistol under $800 MSRP" :)
An RDS is a huge advantage on a fighting pistol, but the caveat is; you MUST get training and learn how to run one. Take a class and practice. If you don’t then it is worthless. But you need to understand what it (RDS) does, doesn’t do and how to leverage the advantages while mitigating the potential downsides.
Best tactical pistol? CZ75 SP-01 TACTICAL , shoot its even in the guns name? I like the CZ P10 but it can't hold a candle to its big brother! I definitely agree about optic ready and threaded barrel. CZ Ned's to think about that with several of there pistol models.
I completely disagree with your definition. Optics are USELESS in a gun fight, period! Threaded barrel, what can you put on it that is not a suppressor? Which, by the way, are very expensive and NFA items. My definition of a "tactical" hand gun: ANY pistol you have, at the time you need it, and can shoot it well enough to hit your target!
Threaded barrels also support compensators.
I agree. I have Glocks, HKs and a CZ SP01 and when I’m firing at targets as though I’m in a gun fight, I don’t even notice the sights as it all happens so fast. I’m certainly not looking for a red dot.
It’s different if you are shooting slow and checking for accuracy.
My pocket pistols basically have no sights so those get the same treatment.
I hate to be a negative "Nate" but I was at the range the other day and another shooter had "optics" on his pistol that failed... one failure, in my book, means adios to that piece of equipment. Yes, he shoulda checked the battery, shoulda, coulda, woulda equates to a dire situation. I don't like flashlights on pistols, it is a target in the dark for a bad guy to aim at- same thing with a laser sight. The 357 magnum is a fantastic round and it was abandoned by law enforcement primarily due to the noise level followed by recoil. Shoot a 357 mag in a car or a small confined area and prepare to lose your hearing... possibly forever. As to threaded barrels, for most of us a silencer is a wish and a wet dream. All the pistols that you referenced are excellent choices for EDC and home defense. Learn how to shoot off of "iron sights", no batteries, no failures, basically, no F***ups! Keep your flashlight in your weak hand, preferably a foot or more away from your body. This means practice shooting with a one handed hold on your strong hand. If the recoil is too much, gear down to a smaller caliber that you can control. Just my opinion from 47 years of experience.
At 3-5 yards (maybe as much as 7 if you’re proficient), you don’t have to have a RDS, suppressor, picatinny rail, threaded barrel, etc. If you DO have the time, proficiency, situational awareness, and training, you might be able to pull a holstered and/or concealed weapon and get off a few rounds accurately, maybe even buy yourself an extra second to get off a fight-stopping head shot. So you need any of the items used to define a tactical weapon? NOT ONE.
But your pistol must be accurate, its magazines not prone to feed malfunctions, and the cycle times fast enough to allow you to deliver sub-second shots after drawing. (I’m amazed there wasn’t a corollary discussion about tactical holsters. Tactical gloves. Tactical shades. Tactical underwear. All in tactical black.)
With all due respect for some of those who write these articles, the definition of what defines “tactical” is ambiguous at best — and pure BRAVO SIERRA in general. This is a leftover blog that’s been updated — but the premise is pure folly.
Have the PDP C4 with a Holosun 509T, what a beautiful gun to shoot, even without the RDS. 25 yards right out of the box was easy, I regularly practice at 50-100 yards with the RDS.
Nice to see the FNX-45-Tactical make the list. This has been my bedside gun for a while now. Equipped with a Holosun 507-C and a Surefire X300 light, I'm fairly confident that it could sit idle for several weeks and I could still wake from a deep sleep in a dark house and quickly engage an intruder. Loaded with 45+P, it also doubles as a good backwoods/ camping gun...and if S ever HTF then it will likely be indispensable. Well worth the price tag, in my opinion.
Was hoping to see the new Beretta M9A4G on this list. Great article otherwise.
VP9
Agreed! I’ve got a threaded barrel on mine and often run it suppressed. I was surprised not to see it on this list. The Walther may have a slightly better trigger, but the difference is negligible, especially when compared to the Glock. Ergonomics are the best for me.
VP-9 all the way.
Agreed. I have the VP9L OR. HK also makes the VP9 Tactical OR. Long slide with suppresor-height sights and threaded muzzle.
Good article.