P85 or SD9VE

[Lefty Red]

I have an itch to get a genetic 9mm to keep around and feed. A beater truck/home pistol.

The S&W is NIB and the Ruger is like new.
Both have two magazines.
Both are within $30 of each with the Ruger being the cheaper of the two.
Both feel decent on hand.

I know the Ruger will be passed down to the grand kids, it's built like a tank. The SW looks about as well built as a Glock.

Suggestions?

[dragonrider]

I can't say much about the S&W but I have a P85 and it is absolutely a solid, and reliable shooter. It feeds anything I have put in it. However I do find it to be a bulky firearm. It is not made for discrete carry but will do very well for what you have in mind.

[Lefty Red]

Yeah, it's isn't a deep cover weapon! LOL
But I always liked the P series. Friend and Conservational Police Officer had a P 94 in 40SW and it was a big pistol but shot great.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm going to catch a lot a grief for this but here goes.

I love S&W revolvers but there are only a few S&W semi-auto pistols that I care for and none of them are new.
The Ruger is a solid gun and given only those two choices, the P85 would get the nod.

Personal opinion here, please don't go crazy - To me: all polymer framed, striker fired, high-capacity semi-auto pistols with a square cross section slide are Glock knock-offs. If you're considering one of those just buy a Glock and be done with it.

OK, let the bashing begin, I'm ready for it.

[c1skout]

I know this wasn't a choice...... but why not a Hi-point. You could put the extra money towards ammo. My nephew bought a used one recently on a lark (just over 100$ out the door), and other than being butt-ugly it is a good shooting gun with a decent trigger. I'd pick the Ruger over the Smith, but I've got a soft spot for the P series guns too.

[Lefty Red]

I'm going to catch a lot a grief for this but here goes.

I love S&W revolvers but there are only a few S&W semi-auto pistols that I care for and none of them are new.
The Ruger is a solid gun and given only those two choices, the P85 would get the nod.

Personal opinion here, please don't go crazy - To me: all polymer framed, striker fired, high-capacity semi-auto pistols with a square cross section slide are Glock knock-offs. If you're considering one of those just buy a Glock and be done with it.

OK, let the bashing begin, I'm ready for it.

I like the steel frame 2nd and 3rd generation S&W autos too. But they are nowhere to be found.
You are very correct about the Glock want-a-bes.
I would get a good used Glock, if I could find one for the same price. Then there is the cost of an LW barrel for cast.

And the P series is a DA auto, not a striker fire. I like the DAs over the strikers. But it really doesn't matter, just want a kick around pistol.

Jerry

[Lefty Red]

I know this wasn't a choice...... but why not a Hi-point. You could put the extra money towards ammo. My nephew bought a used one recently on a lark (just over 100$ out the door), and other than being butt-ugly it is a good shooting gun with a decent trigger. I'd pick the Ruger over the Smith, but I've got a soft spot for the P series guns too.

I have never seen a Hi Point pistol in 9mm that shot good. But then I haven't shot one in 8 years. I love the 995 carbine, and the 40S&W and 45ACP pistols they make.

I found an older P89! They wanted too much for it, but that there is a tank of a pistol.

Jerry

[rintinglen]

I'd buy the Ruger and never look back. I've owned both guns and the Sigma is one of the few that I had to send back to the factory. The P-85 was not pretty, but was much the better gun.

[wrench man]

The Ruger P series are hard to beat!, I've had my P-91 for 17 years, they are tanks!! and they hold up like them too!

[Petrol & Powder]

I like the steel frame 2nd and 3rd generation S&W autos too. But they are nowhere to be found.
You are very correct about the Glock want-a-bes.
I would get a good used Glock, if I could find one for the same price. Then there is the cost of an LW barrel for cast.

And the P series is a DA auto, not a striker fire. I like the DAs over the strikers. But it really doesn't matter, just want a kick around pistol.

Jerry

10-4 on the Ruger being a DA pistol with a hammer and not striker fired, not that there's anything wrong with either. The P-series guns are pretty tough and for your plans, the Ruger would be where I was leaning. In fact, between a S&W and Ruger, probably more than just leaning .

Around here I could probably find a used Glock at a competitive price and be just as happy with that. Don't know what your handgun supply situation is like out there. It's pretty good here so one can be a little picky for that style of pistol.

[FergusonTO35]

Be careful, some early P85's use a mag that is not interchangeable with the later ones. If it says "P85 Mk. II" on the slide you should be good to go. A word of caution: Ruger is running out of parts for many of their older guns, including the metal frame P-series. According to the Ruger forum if they can't fix it they will offer to replace it with an SR9 at a significant discount.

Myself I would just handle each gun and dry fire with a snap cap if they let you, and choose the one that feels right.

[Lefty Red]

Oops! Its s P95 not the first series 85! My fault!

[kungfustyle]

I had a P95 in 9mm,fantastic gun ate anything you could put into the mag. Shot cast very well. and if you run out of ammo you can beat the rest of the enemy with it. Its heavy more like a police carry gun. If you can live with that its made to be shot and shot and shot. I don't think you can go wrong with either. The P95 was going for about 295 on gunbroker.com.

[osteodoc08]

My P89 was the first handgun I ever bought. Have 5-6000 trouble free rounds down the pipe. I expect it to go much much further. Great range gun.

FIL has the SD40VE. It's not bad, the Ruger is better.

[Pinsnscrews]

I have the Sigma (S&W) in .40sw

It is good for what it is. I have the last generation of the trigger system, so I can not comment on whether they really did improve it or not. It is a very easy fix for about $20 and turns it into an awesome "Stock" Semi-Auto. Mine sports the Laserlyte Rear sight laser sight.

That said...If it had not been a $120 difference at the time I bought the Sigma, I would have bought the Ruger.

[roberts1]

I vote Ruger but then again im a bit biased. got a P-89 myself. Its been 100% reliable. Even if it did jam it would make quite a menacing club!

[Lefty Red]

I vote Ruger but then again im a bit biased. got a P-89 myself. Its been 100% reliable. Even if it did jam it would make quite a menacing club!

That is so true! LOL

[FergusonTO35]

Personally I think the SD is a fantastic deal. It is largely a Glock copy as the Sigma was, but in this case that is a good thing. Around here they go for $320.00 or so. Where else are you going to get a name brand 16 round pistol new for that price?