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We’ve already established that the two calibers you should be focusing on for your SHTF survival weapon are the 9mm and the .22.
If you are in law enforcement or, like me, has a best friend who’s a cop and feels the need to show you his new gun every time you go over to his house, you may already be familiar with a couple of these.
Here are the 10 best 9mm handguns of all time:
10. Heckler & Koch P7
The P7 is a semi-automatic pistol, designed by Helmut Weldle from Germany is produced by Heckler & Koch GmbH. It was seen and used for the first time in 1976 by the West Germany police force after the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre.
This was an advanced pistol for its time and was meant to fire 9mm Parabellum cartridges. There were many variations of the P7 produced. The newer models are still used by many police forces around the world.
9. Luger Pistole P08
Designed and patented by Gerog Luger himself, the Parabellum Pistole was a semi-automatic pistol that was recoil-operated.
This pistol was also produced in Germany by the weapon manufacturer DWM in 1908 and by many others as well. It was designed for the 9mm caliber by Luger, who also designed the 9x19mm Parabellum rounds.
It’s very familiar to us because of its use during both of the World Wars by the German army. This old pistol is now a collector’s gun by people who are interested in World War II period handguns.
200 pistols were reproduced in 1999 by the original manufacturer Mauser.
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8. SIG Sauer P226
The SIG P226 produced by the SIG Sauer company is a full sized handgun that, other than chambering 9mm rounds, also uses .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and .22 Long Rifle rounds.
The very successful SIG Sauer P226 is used by many police and military forces around the world along with its variants the P228 and P229. The current P226 model that is used by many has a stainless steel slide.
7. CZ 75
This semi-automatic pistol was produced for the first time in 1975 by CZUB in the Czech Republic and is one of the best 9mm handguns ever made. It is very reasonably priced for its steel body and its staggered-column magazine.
It’s one of the most popular pistols on the planet. You would be hard pressed to find a Czech weapon collector who doesn’t own a CZ 75 pistol. There were many variants of this pistol, and many more clones that are produced in other countries because of its high demand.
The US Delta Force, Turkish Police Force, and the Egypt Law Enforcement Force are just some of the official users of the original CZ 75 model.
Check out our in depth review of the CZ 75 too!
6. Glock 17
The famous Glock 17 pistol, produced by the Austrian company Glock Ges.m.b.H., was first introduced in 1980 by the Austrian Military.
The designer and engineer, Gaston Glock, was an expert in plastic manufacturing. He decided to make the pistol not out of complete metal but out of synthetic polymers that covered the metal parts and was anti-corrosive.
There was big hesitation for the production of the Glock, mainly because of the high risk that the metal detectors wouldn’t catch it, but it wasn’t long before the pistol got widespread around the world and is now the handgun used by more than 60% of the US Law Enforcement agencies.
Its widespread usage means finding Glock 17 holsters and accessories is particularly easy, especially useful when SHTF and ordering online isn’t an option.
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5. Beretta 92
This semi-automatic pistol that is manufactured in Italy by the arms company Beretta comes in many variants but the one that uses 9mm Parabellum rounds is the Beretta 92.
It was first produced in 1972 and got adopted by the United States Armed Forces in 1985, the variant that is used is called the Beretta 92F or the M9.
It was designed to be used by police forces and sport shooters but because of its quality and performance, many military and special police forces around the world use it: France, Brazil, and Albania, to name a few.
4. SIG P210
The Swiss made SIG P210, also known as the Pistole 49, is an all steel construction handgun that uses the 9x19mm as well as the 7.65×21mm Parabellum caliber.
It was first used by the Swiss army and police forces in 1949 until 1975. Denmark military adopted it as well and still uses the SIG P210. Because it is such a great handgun, the P210 can be expensive.
There is also a 2010 model named 210 Legend that is modified a bit and is sold in Germany. A great alternative to the P210 is the SIG 1911.
3. Glock 19
The Glock appears again in this list, this time its compact variation, the Glock 19.
Very popular among many security agencies in numerous countries around the world because of its size, this handgun is a favorite of regular civilians as well. A gun that makes you feel secure as soon as you grab it in your hand.
Just like the original Glock, the Glock 19 also uses the 9mm Parabellum cartridges and can use the same magazines as the 17 or the 18 models. It was first manufactured in 1988.
Also like its bigger brother, there are a number of holsters and accessories available for the Glock 19.
2. SIG P228
The SIG P228 is a compact version of the P226 variant, used by many law enforcement agencies around the world as well as the United States Military Force.
Also known as the M11 in the US, it can use 9x19mm cartridges. The P228 has a folded carbon steel slide instead of milled stainless steel. It’s a very popular gun among the handgun passionate community.
This variant is no longer in production, though. It was succeeded by the P238 and P229.
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1. Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power military pistol, thought of as the best 9mm handgun of all time by many collectors, is one of the most widespread weapons in the world, being used in over fifty countries.
Its design was started by John Browning, a firearm manufacturer, but not finished until Dieudonné Saive completed the design in Belgium in 1935. It was used a lot during World War II and is still in use by the military forces.
As one of the most influential small weapons of all time, there were many handgun models designed based on the Browning Hi-Power and many clones as well. It is produced in many countries with a license under a few variants but the original P35 handgun will always be the legendary handgun of all times.
Of course, it uses the 9mm Parabellum ammo.
Did we miss one? What’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments!