5 Popular 9mm Pistols for Competition Shooting

Competition shooting is an incredibly fun sport that is grows with new shooters each year. When you first get started in competition shooting, there is a whole lot to learn. You need to pick a competition to be in, and then you need to learn all of its rules. Most of these rules revolve around what sort of firepower you are allowed to use.

A 9mm is a great caliber that often gets past any restrictions that many of these competitions have, so they are a great choice if you do not want to be pigeonholed into a single competition. Let’s take a look at a few popular 9mm handguns and see which one best suits your needs.

Glock 17

The Glock 17 is a standard-size Glock that handles the 9mm cartridge very smoothly. The Glock 17 features a double-stack 17 round flush fit magazine. It features a polymer frame that is sturdy, and reliable. The ergonomics leave a little to be desired, but it is nothing a Talon grip can’t fix.

These guns have been around for a long time and they have gotten better and better over the years. The Glock platform is really hard to beat. There are companies all over the country that specialize in tricking these guns out and with a relatively cheap base price, around $600,  you can get started in competition shooting.

Sig Sauer P320 XFIVE Legion

The Sig P320 is an extremely accurate gun that is fairly common around competitions. There are plenty of magazine options so that you can comply with any competition rules or local laws. Plus this gun is still in the sub one thousand category. These pistols typically run around $800.

The Sig p320 also weighs 43.5 ounces, which reduces the recoil and makes it easy to control. This gun also comes with adjustable fiber optic sights, so you can really dial it in to your style. Sig has always made great guns, and this one is no exception. The Sig Sauer P320 XFive Legion is a great choice for any competition shooter.

CZ-USA Shadow 1

The shadow 1 is a super popular pistol at competitions. This is an expensive pistol, coming in at $1,600,  but it comes competition ready out of the box. It features a smooth trigger, and the ergonomics of this firearm are excellent.

This is a very accurate gun. With it weighing over 41 ounces, the recoil is very manageable. The first time you hold this pistol you will immediately feel the overall quality of it. You really get what you pay for with the Shadow 1.

If you want to quickly get started into competition and have a bit of disposable income, the CZ-USA Shadow 1 is no doubt one of the best options out there. It is a quality firearm that you will struggle to beat by tricking out a cheaper gun.

Glock 34

The Glock 34 is a lot like the Glock 17, and every other Glock for that matter, but it does have a key feature that makes it stand out from the rest. The Glock 34 has a much longer barrel, and slide. This means it is going to be an even straighter shooter than its Glock 17 cousin.

Plus the added weight of the long slide and barrel will make the recoil even more manageable. In certain generations of the Glock 34 there is a cut out in the top of the slide to reduce weight, although, in the Gen 5, they did not include this cutout. 

The Glock 34 costs around $700. You use this gun out of the box in a competition, but there are a few modifications you would want to make later on when you get the funds.

Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0

The M&P is a classic pistol that has been around for quite a while. This pistol is a great all around pistol. It is on the cheaper side at around $600. So it does not have all the flashy and nice features as some of the more expensive guns, but it gets the job done.

If you are just starting out, it is not unheard of to shoot a competition with your everyday conceal carry pistol. This is a pistol that you can conceal carry, and it has everything you need to shoot in a competition. Plus these firearms are super reliable, and there is not much more you could ask from it at this price point.

Conclusion

Any one of the guns on this list would work great for a new competition shooter. There are hundreds of different guns that competition shooters use, but these are among the most popular for the 9mm category. When it comes to firearms, you get want you pay for, but you can still compete, and do well, with a second-hand Glock.

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