With C21 and the incoming handgun ban (freeze), many RPAL owners are looking to get in before the lock and buy their first handgun. But with scant availability and unknown timelines, what would be the best single handgun to own in Canada? **updated Aug 16 2022: We’re getting to the only the worst options available, see bottom of article**
Realities of owning a handgun in Canada & goals
- Handguns must have long-ish barrels
- Handguns go to the range and back, that’s it
Since handguns in Canada can only legally go to the range and back, weight and concealability aren’t really a factor to look at. Instead, if you were to own one handgun, you’d probably get the most enjoyment out of it if:
- It’s appropriate for common handgun competitions (even if you’re not into now, maybe you will be later)
- It’s available in a common, inexpensive cartridge like 9mm
- It’s high quality and will never need frame repairs (shipping your handgun out of country for warranty may be a 1 way trip in the future)
- It has huge aftermarket support
In my opinion, the best single handguns to own in the future Canada are (in no order)
- Glock
- 1911
- CZ Shadow 1 or 2 or CZ75
- Sig P320
Glock
The most popular Glock, and the one you want if you want to compete in IPSC is the Glock 17, which is in 9mm. No matter if it’s a Gen5, Gen4, or Gen3, there are PILES of parts out there for them, reliability is excellent, and durability is incredible as well.
1911
The 1911 has the most options for aftermarket support. If you want to swap parts out, change the look, the 1911 has it made. I’d recommend blaspheming the old timers and getting a 9mm 1911 so you’ve got cheap ammo on tap.
CZ Shadow 1/2/CZ75
The Shadow 1 and 2 are easily the most popular handguns in production division in IPSC. They’re soft shooting and have great single action and double action triggers. Lots of aftermarket available, highly recommended.
Sig P320
The Sig P320 doesn’t have nearly the support and aftermarket that these other pistols do yet BUT. . .it’s now the US army pistol of choice and it’s going to be the one for Canada too, so it’s staying power is all but guaranteed. There are gamer versions available like the P320 X10 if you wanna go fast.
OK, but those are all sold out. What else? (prices and availability updated Aug 16)
I’ve updated this list in order of how desirable I find these handguns at these prices.
- $900 CZ P10F: probably the best all around shooting handgun you can get for this kind of money right now (you can also find the odd P07 and P09)
- $550 Jericho 941: There are plenty of surplus ones available in stainless or blued. Mostly SA only left now.
- $200 Norinco Olympia: Cheap target 22LR. A good second or third gun.
- $1600 Shadow Systems XR920: a gucci Glock that’s one of the last options for IPSC. For $700 more than a stock G17 I’d get one of these.
- $900 Glock 17: Getting up there in price for a basic handgun.
- $740 CZ75 surplus: could be the base for a pimped out gun. Plenty of aftermarket availability
- $1500 Sig P320 Legion: great trigger press, high bore axis, kinda expensive, great aftermarket support
- $790 Glock 48: Getting up there in price for a basic handgun
- $1050 Ruger 57: Ammo is kind of pricey. Good third or fourth pistol
- $550 Beretta 92S: Heel button magazine release, so you won’t be shooting IPSC with this. Great trigger though
- $500 Girsan MC28 or MC9: hard to recommend with Jericho’s still on the market in the same price range. Still a solid handgun
- $250 TT33 or Tokarev variant: Cheap, some collectors value, uses cheap ammo, but a pretty bad shooting gun. A good second or third gun, not first. There are Chinese, Romanian, and Yugo versions available. I like the M57 because it has a bit of a longer grip.
- $500 Beretta M1951: kind of a weird gun
- $950 S&W M&P: Don’t buy one of these over a Glock. They’re good, but not at this price.
Shit choices (in my opinion)
- Springfield XD9. GRIP ZONE
What about revolvers?
If you could only own 1, why buy outdated tech? OK fine, here’s what I found accidentally while I wasn’t looking for revolvers:
- $350 Heritage Rough Rider: These are a hoot
- $1400 Ruger Vaquero
- $1100 Bond Arms Snake Slayer