As far as the 92 goes, they aren't nearly as heavy as a 5906, because those things are damn heavy. Has he thought about any of the other older S&W 9's out there? Many can be had for a really decent price. Heck my dad got himself a cherry 39-2 a couple months back for less that $400, and he got...
I agree that a shotgun, or even an AR carbine set-up is stronger than any pistol round that you might find, even a big beefy one like a .454 casull or the like. However, if you are looking for a bed-side table type of pistol, your options are limitless. You don't need to consider size, for...
I think it comes down to a matter of preference. Meaning, do you like striker fired handguns, or do you like a SA/DA setup? Do you like polymer or steel? As far a quality goes, both are superb. Some would say that the Glock 30 is too bulky, so if that's an issue, you could always go with the 30...
I like the Glock 23, and Glocks in general. I've had a 19, a 26, and a 36, so I've never owned a 40 cal Glock. I've shot them, particularly the 27. I like the idea of the Glock 23 as the ultimate pistol, however, Like you said, it's a pretty nice size, big enough to get your hands on it, but...
My first handgun was a Heritage Rough Rider with the case hardened frame. I loved it despite being superbly inaccurate. And I shot it to death, literally. One day, my pops and I were shooting it and the cocking arm broke.