What's Your Most Trusted Semi-auto for Self Defense

[bradsteen]

The only firearms I own that I would not completely trust for personal protection are my semi auto .22s, and that's more an issue of ammo than anything else. If it isn't reliable, I don't keep it.

 

[JuglansRegia]

If l can't trust it l don't keep it, good riddance mini 14

 

[TTSX]

Giving it some actual thought beyond "hurr durr all mah gunz is reliable" I'd have to say my Glock 21 gen 4 as it's fired some very questionable reloads I chronographed at about 600ft/second instead of 850 and it's the only gun that would. It's also fired plenty of +p defensive loads, lead reloads and some that were too long to fully chamber in other .45 pistols. When I take it all into consideration, that particular pistol has operated just fine with the least consistent and most varied ammo selections of any gun I own so if I really REALLY needed a gun to go bang for a full mag, that's the one I'd pick up.

 

[joken]

I will not own a gun that is not reliable.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I've been wondering what semi-automatic firearm is your most trusted choice for a self defense weapon whether it be for carry, home, car/truck, whatever. A gun that you have NO DOUBT that will fire a full magazine without a malfunction of any kind.

And capacity & caliber NOT being a factor.

I no longer own guns where there is any doubt on reliability. Getting proven designs on older guns, and bulletproof designs on new guns, make that a thing of the past for me. Only exception is any 22s, where of course there is always some doubt due to rimfire ammo, but not due to the gun. I wouldn't use 22s for self defense though.

 

[nwslopoke]

All, but I carry my most inexpensive Bersa BP9 the most. Under $300 if I recall. Maybe 7 yrs. Could be more. I forget I have it on half the time. Very accurate, reliable, comfortable and light weight.

 

[Alexx1401]

Only thing I would be "cautious" of is if I had something new to me I had not had time to shake out good. Other than my .22 auto's that are for fun and they are even fine when clean. Only time I seem to have trouble with them is if I try some crap ammo, or after a good range session and they get dirty.
If I get my hands on something that does not work and I can't get it to work, I do not keep it.

 

[No_Regerts]

I have owned and had great results with;

Glock 17/21/22
M&P 2.0 9/40/45 and compact variants
Sig P220/226/229

I am down to two "legacy" pistols that I trust (not all models, just these two specific guns):

Series 70 Colt 1911
Browning Hi Power

 

[JustSomeGuy]

Any of my 1911's and/or my Glock 21.

 

[JohnnyMac]

My G19 has never failed me. I'd trust it over everything else, but would carry most everything else I have and not worry about it. I might think twice about my Lorcin .25 but it actually has never given me a problem either...

 

[solv3nt]

All my guns were lost in a tragic boating accident.

 

[Hueco]

Giving it some actual thought beyond "hurr durr all mah gunz is reliable"

Fair Enough.

First purchase when getting back into pews: Dan Wesson Guardian, commander sized 1911, in 9mm.
- Ate everything I threw at it with 1 exception: Hornady Critical Defense. That squishy plastic nubbin they put in the bullet would stick on the feed ramp causing a catastrophic malfunction (for a defense pistol) - a round that hadn't been scooped by the extractor and that was stuck halfway in the mag pushing up against the feed ramp. Solution: use any JHP without a plastic nubbin. Fortunately, HSTs were aplenty back then and I stacked them deep.

Wife's Glock 43, home brewed by yours truly with mostly after market parts.
- Eats everything, including low recoil power Hornady.

Kimber Evo SP
- Eats everything I've sent down range - which admittedly is not much. ~20 rounds of FMJs and another 50 HSTs. No malfunctions though.

Kimber Micro .380ACP
- Again, eats everything (haven't tested Hornady Crit Defense with this one - sticking with standard JHPs). I will re-test after swapping the recoil spring for something stiffer, as my carry ammo is Buffalo Bore hollow points and a few cast flat nose as well, both +P, and boy are they snappy. But, the gun in its stock configuration is great.

P365 in an Icarus XL frame
- I've only had the chance to run FMJs and a few JHPs through it. It ate up FMJs at range day (~300) and then ate up 50 HSTs with no issue. I'm going to be running this gun for USPSA though...not sure about carry right now. May swap the FCG into a smaller frame and carry but it isn't a high priority.

Taurus TX22 standard slide
- Unreliable cycling with standard velocity ammo. Could be that it's just not "broken in" yet or that my recoil spring is just a tad stiff. Either way, the standard slide doesn't live on the gun anymore.

Taurus TX22 competition slide
- This slide lives full time on the gun, as its my Speed Steel plinker. It also cycles standard velocity ammo. I compete using high velocity ammo and have run a full brick at a time through the gun without a hiccup. For defense loads, I've run 200 CCI Velocitors through with no issue and, though I wouldn't like to use a .22LR for defense...if it came down to it, I'd pick this up and use it.

Aero EPC-9 w/ Glock Mags, home assembly
- Some of you will have read my trigger saga on this weapon. It is now a humming machine with a 500FMJ + 100HST range day under its belt. No issues with that weapon, which is why it sits ready with a Happy Stick™ full of HSTs at home.

Aero AR-15, home assembly
- Multiple range days of ~500 rounds. Started life having cycling problems - that has been addressed. It now hums like a good AR should. It stays loaded at the ready as well.

As stated in my first post - all of my semi-autos are reliable. They may not have started life that way but any issues were resolved to get them to a good place - one where I'd pick up any of them in a life or death scenario.

That being said, the Kimber Micro spends the most time in my pocket - it's just too easy to carry. It's followed by the Evo SP or Guardian...though that spot may soon go to the Sig P365 or a Glock of similar design.

At home, I am reaching first for my AR and, if my wife is home, she would be grabbing the AR-9. I have a .300BLK AR in the build stage now and fully expect the home load out to shift to it being the primary with the AR-15 (5.56) being secondary (and AR-9 tertiary I suppose) once completed.

If I had to grab a pistol, I'd grab the Guardian and my wife would grab the P365XL. They both work, I've just sent ~10k rounds downrange with the Guardian and feel very proficient with it. 10 rounds on tap (+1) with Wilson Combat mags. My wife loathes pistols but, again if we have to choose, would grab the P365XL because red dot and capacity.

Again, though, my point is: they all work. If an angry omnipotent being were to toss me into the arena with a gun, he'd struggle to pick one of mine that I wouldn't be happy with. Sure, I've got preferences - but those preferences are not based on reliability...because they all...just...work.

 

[ALapping]

Primary for home is a .300blk shorty loaded with 115gr controlled chaos, with a light and an Eotech on top.
Secondary being my Arex Zero 1T with an RMR, it's a lesser known brand but with nearly 1k rounds, and 0 malfunctions I trust it just fine.

Carry gun is a p365x

 

[Dr Prepper]

If l can't trust it l don't keep it, good riddance mini 14

Your mini wasn't reliable? Did you have factory mags for it?
I know a friend who had a rough time finding actual 30rnd mags for his and the pro mags were crap. I like the old wood and steel combos and that thing was insanely handy for some reason the balance was just about perfect.

He also had a Bersa, I think i heard my grandpa had a Bersa as well and both of them had parts breakages on theirs. (2 for 2 I can't trust it!) I had to fix my buddies for him I want to say it was for the safety lever. Bersa CS was great though got a new out fast and no problems. Easy fix but my buddy sold it right after that due to lack of trust.

 

[oa98pistol512]

3rd gen smiths

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I don't have any firearms that aren't reliable, I have no qualms with my Glocks, Beretta 92F, Ruger revolvers, Mossberg shotguns, or any of my "evil" semi-auto rifles.

I definitely have a couple that are finicky. Mostly they are ones that need some TLC. Also tend to be very antique ones. More collectors items if you will, or builds that have not gotten the kinks ironed out yet.

 

[clanhanson]

HK USP. It was designed to withstand a round fired into a squib and keep on trucking. The Germans know how to make a reliable firearm. However, I'd probably choose my P30 LEM due to familiarity and better trigger in the end.

 

[The Heretic]

SIG 226/Mk25

 

[Dr Prepper]

SIG 226/Mk25

Oh! Only a mk25?? Is this hope and dream land or are you really that lucky?
Also, Single?

 

[The Heretic]

Oh! Only a mk25?? Is this hope and dream land or are you really that lucky?
Also, Single?

View attachment 1243545

No - I have three SIG P226s. One is a Mk25, the others are 226s for which I also have Mk25 uppers but the lowers are P226 (with SIG rail instead of a Pic rail, and the internals are probably not phosphate coated). I also have .40 uppers and a .22LR upper.

So hence, the designation I used - whichever way you want to configure them, they are a P226, a Mk25 or a P226/Mk25 hybrid (it would actually be a Mk24 in that configuration).