Ah yeesh. 'reliable', and no size.. I will assume full size. Well, the military is currently using the Beretta M9 (92FS for us civilians). I have one and have fired over two thousand rounds through it with three misfires (cartridge didn't discharge, forcing me to manually re-rack and fire on, a 1/2 second delay), which were most likely due to the fact that 90% of the rounds used were cheap reloaded-brass range-rounds. I never experienced a true jam. I give a huge thumbs up to the Beretta 92FS, all around, with the full package of safeties (trigger, hammer and safety/decock). The Heckler and Koch USP in 9mm has an equal record and is about as durable, same features as the 92. The Glock 9mm full-size is in full service with a large number of public safety organizations - police, guards, etc.. the internal hammer is a feature of this gun, but many people don't like the trigger pull in double-action. The Walther P99 in 9mm is a fantastic gun as well although I cannot vouch for its long-term reliance. I think the fact that the military adopted the M9 for its troops, due to the magazine capacity and reliability (admittedly at the expense of stopping power.. but then, if you lost your rifle, you're probably going to be double-tapping people in the neck at 2 meters, and you've got twice or more the capacity of the 1911 .45) should speak volumes. As always, try each at the range before contemplating a purchase. Reliable? Last time I was in Washington, the guards who handled the US Archives building, which houses the US Constitution were clearly armed with Smith and Wesson .357 revolvers. Very intimidating, and worth pondering 'reliable' and 'pistol' over.

For reliability I recommend the H and K USP also. The USP is the strongest polymer pistol. The reason I am pushing a polymer is the fact that they are very low maintanance.

I would recomend the Glock 9mm or for more fire power go with the 9mm micro uzi. while only being 9 inches long it unloads it's 20 round magazine in 0.96 seconds.

Personally I own a Beretta M92 Inox (Italian Made) so I can say that it is very accurate and reliable. Most of the problems you may have heard about regarding the Beretta M9 pistol used by the military (virtually identical to the M92) usually have to do with poor magazines and not the pistol itself. Buy good magazines, good hollowpoint ammo (a must for 9mm use in defense) and inspect the locking block every 3000 rounds or so for cracks (very rare but possible in this pistol), and you should be very pleased. Also, other excellent pistols are the Sig P228, P229 (newer version of the P228 and virtually the same gun) and the Sig P226. These are very solid pistols that I have also extensively used and they are absolutely reliable and accurate. Very good pistols worth a look. Try to rent or at least handle and field strip the pistol before you buy, and make sure it fits your hand well.

I love my Glock 9mm.

I've never had a problem with my S&W SW9VE (formerly known as the Sigma 9mm). It's almost exactly like a Glock (so much so that Glock sued S&W for infringement) except it points and balances better, costs about 1/2 as much, and is American-made. Uses 15-round mags.

:-) GLOCK

If you want a big gun;Beretta 92. Middle weight; Glock 19. CCW;Kahr P9. Beretta, Browning, Glock, Kahr, H&K, Para-Ord, Ruger, S&W M&P, Springfield Armory, Steyr, all good pistols, depending upon personal fit and need. Personally, my advice is that if you are NOT a "shooter" get a Stainless Steel Ruger or S&W .357 Revolver and load it with 158 gr +P LHP 38 Specials from Federal, Winchester or Remington. Load it, keep it dry and it WILL shoot 100 years from now on the first - sixth pull of the trigger. NO SEMI AUTO can claim that!

s&w m+p

s&w m+p

I've had SIGs, Walthers, Barettas, and Glocks, and any of those would be a fine choice, and the venerable Browning High Power--introduced in 1935-- remains one of history's best 9s, though it is ammo-sensitive. Personally, I prefer pistols from Heckler & Koch, as it has never made a firearm that was anything less than outstanding. The 9mm USP, and the newer P2000, are superb. Even so, my all-time favorite pistol--and I've owned many--is the H & K P7 Model 8, and I'll tell you why: Reliability - Mine has never failed with any type of ammo and will even feed empty cases. Safety - The squeeze-cocker device takes some getting used to, but when it's released, the gun will not fire under any circumstances. Accuracy - Having a fixed barrel with polygonal rifling, it is the most accurate out-of-the-box gun I've ever owned, shooting 2-inch groups at 25 yards off hand with inexpensive surplus NATO ammo, even better with match-grade rounds. Controlability - Gas action and a low slide retard recoil and enable extremely fast follow-on shots. Simplicity - There is no button safety or slide stop; the squeeze cocker does the job of both, so there's nothing to fiddle with. Just point, squeeze, and pull the trigger. Features - The P7M8 comes standard with ambidexterous magazine release; beveled mag well; excellent 3-dot sights (beta-lite if you prefer, which I don't); squared-off trigger guard large enough to accomodate a gloved hand in winter, with striations on the front edge for secure two-hand grip; and very small, deep striations along the top of the slide to deflect light. Concealability - Though of all-steel construction, a service-length barrel just over 4 in, and not cut down from some larger model, it's still just 34 oz fully loaded and only 1.1 thick at its widest point. Compact by design, it's flat, snag-free, and draws very fast. Grip - Is at an angle to the slide which gives the pistol natural "pointability" and is large enough for even a person with very big hands. Every pistol has some downsides, and this one has three: First, if you fire several clips in rapid succession, it heats up, so you have to be careful to keep your trigger finger either on the trigger or on the trigger guard pad--that's why those components are made of a heat-resistant composite. Second, the capacity is only 8 + 1 rounds. If firepower is that important to you, go with the P7M13 that's 13 + 1, but, in my opinion, the increased width of the double stack magazine and extra weight are not worth the trade-off. Third, it's difficult to find holsters for them. Finally, H & K is no longer making either the M8 or M13, but they are, of course, available used. These pistols are incredibly durable, so fretting over getting a worn-out one is a minor concern, and expect to pay around $700 for a M8, considerably more for the much rarer M13. Sounds like a lot? You get what you pay for.

Duplicate but more good discussion.. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/51504

I still have to go with the M9/92FS, very adaptable, decock, very easy to field strip and can handle +P+ all day long. Any criticism of stopping power lies in the 9mm round itself, not the gun. The only flaw is that at extremely close range, a skilled person can technically grab the slide release button on the side and disarm the weapon. I have never heard of this happening in real life aside from drill instructors showing greenhorns in the Marines why not to point a weapon into the body of an enemy.

The brands known for the best reliability are HK, Sig Sauer and Glock. There are plenty of other reliable brands, but those three are considered the most reliable by those in the know. MY HK USP has over 6,000 rounds without a malfunction, and no visible wear. Yes, you get what you pay for.

You're better off to go with a 38 cal. revolver.

top 2 1. Glock 2. Glock I use them swimming, and in very dirty situation. It still is the first choice of S.E.A.L. s when they have their own weapon.

Sig P226..All the way.They actually beat Beretta in the millitary trials,but did not have an American plant at the time & would not come down on price

there ar many...the 9mm is almost the same as .40 caliber. there are both autos and revolvers. any major name brand will have a fairly reliable one

If you want reliable, good looks, and easy on the wallet...there's only one way to go....the Ruger p95....glocks are great and reliable but they look like ass plus they are fairly expensive...same with berettas....glocks and berettas are however top notch for straight up reliability....but for the money the ruger p95 can't be beat....you can usually find a new p95 for a little over $300.

Best 9mm in my opinion is the Beretta.

All are highly reliable 9mm semi-autos: Glock 17/19 Beretta M9/92FS Sig P226/P229 HK P2000/P2000SK HK USP/USP compact I would still recommend .40SW if this is your only firearm, or if it's used for carry.

GLOCK I think they are the all around best.

Well i had the same original question and if the only downside with a berreta is that "all the attacker has to do is push back on the slide and it won't fire" then im all for the berreta. Seems like to me that if you already made a fatal mistake when you let your attacker get that close in the first place.

Beretta 92FS... there is nothing else, if there were the U S Military would be using it.

My law enforcement friends all use Glocks and they said this is the best gun ever! The price is average or lower than most and there are lots of add-on parts for it. I have several other friends that like the Springfield XDM, Ruger SR9 and the Smith&Wesson model M&P. The Kimber and Sig are good too, but everyone I talked to said they were way overpriced. My brand new S&W Sigma 9mm jams after the third shot. The low price of the S&W Sigma line is tempting, but don't buy one! Everyone I talked to sold their Sigma 9mm within the first year, so don't waste your money on one! If I were to do it all over again, I would buy the Glock 17. Law enforcement officers trust it with their life.

Browning and Springfield are my first two choices.

Beretta M9