Battle of The Budget

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Ok so my buddy throws down the challenge-
Gun has to be a brand new 9mm semi-auto with a red dot, sight new or used, but the maximum budget is $500. Whatever you want, but agreed that it/you will be tested at the range without mercy.
He bought a mid size Dagger, (I don't know exactly which one but it comes with 400 mags) and a cheap dot. $495
I was shopping but hadn't committed. This is tougher than it sounds.
I chose the Tisas PX-9 Night Stalker with that Holosun 407 that psa sells. $498.
Both of us agreed one was the clear winner....
IMG_0958 - Copy (2) .17.jpg
 
Just as an aside, you can assemble that same dagger. Watching sales can net the non-solar holosun 507 psa (had?) for $200, slide sans included optic closer to $200(on sale), frames for $50/$60. Leaving you with left over for mags if needed, and having the overall better choice optic, and subjective best choice mag compatability.

However, it is cool that the px-9 is p226 mag compatible. And I do prefer a trigger digus out of the box over a hinge system personally, but not sure they sways me to the Tisas.

I think the better choice comes down to which platform you already possess  more mags for, or can source reliable spare mags at a reasonable price.

This is a great comparison here.
 
Style points to the Tisas for having HK P30/VP9 grip modularity and Sig P226 compatible mags.
 
Both of us agreed one was the clear winner....
View attachment 772034

giphy.gif
 
Boom.

Add a $90 CVLife shake awake.
 
Both of us shot each gun repeatedly with various ammo. Neither gun had any hiccups, spit the empties at 4:00 and accuracy was really good. Honestly they both shot very well, with each of us trying to get them to malfunction. Guns are so good now, and these two are pretty much the same just different.
The sights didn't really make that much of a difference. They both did the same thing. His CV cheapie worked fine and had some cool features but I'm more confident in the Holosun.

But the winner for both of us was the Tisas. It just out-handled the Dagger. It fit/felt better and was more fun and accommodating to shoot.
-As @gc70 notes, the grip modularity is excellent. It has 3 backstraps and 6 side panels. I use the med. backstrap, small left panel and large right panel. You have to take the magwell off to change any of them though.
-The trigger on the Tisas is outstanding. Flat, steel trigger shoe. Fully cocked striker with a 4lb pull and it's getting better. It'll be under 4lbs soon. It mimics the Canik/Walther/HK, but has far less free travel than the others do before you hit the wall. That was surprising. The break is clean, not quite as sharp as a Walther or a Canik, but it's still very good.
-Racking the slide is easier on the Tisas. Much easier.
-All the controls...trigger, mag release, slide stop, takedown lever are steel. The slide release and takedown lever have a ledge that allows positive thumb-ing. (really nice slide release)
-Optional flared magwell. It fits great and allows my pinky to aid in support. Mags eject sharply from the grip.
-Steel iron sights, black serrated rear and tritium front. Allows 1/3rd lower co-witness with the dot.
-The ejector on the Tisas is a monster.
-The case that it comes in is awesome and I plan on using it. That might be a first for me, I usually use something else besides the factory shipping container which are often garbage. His Dagger came with a nice soft bag.
-Both are cut for a high-hold grip, but the Tisas feels better at the beavertail.
-The rmr cut for the sight is superb. If you don't have the sight exactly level it won't go in. The cut is very tight, no slop, I love it. But it's rmr or nothing, no adaptor plates.
-The pic rail is better.
-It comes with a decent minimalistic holster that fits good and can be iwb/owb or appendix. Those aren't my style I probably won't ever use it, but it gets a newbie started I guess.

-The Dagger wins with the threaded barrel and multiple mags. It also wins with aftermarket accessories since it's all Glock stuff.

Both field strip like all these plastics do. The Tisas lever is easier to use, but the internals and what-not hold no surprises.
Both have ambi mag release.
Accuracy with both was almost identical, a draw.

This is my first Tisas, I don't owe them anything, and I like the Daggers. But between these two anyway the Tisas is the easy winner.
My buddy agrees. Both of us are really surprised by the Tisas, especially for what it (doesn't) cost and how well it performs. He's ordering the same one but with the lightened slide and threaded barrel. This would have put me over the $500 though, so a nod to the Daggers included threaded barrel.
But seriously, Dagger wins due to Glock mag compatibility.
The Tisas uses blue steel P226 Checkmate mags which (I think) are nicer than the Mec Gar's that usually come with the 226. Comes with one 18rd and one extended 20rd. I picked up another 18rd for $26. It also takes Glock pattern sights.
They do give you a bunch of pmags with the Dagger though. I got two mags, he got ten.
Boom.

Add a $90 CVLife shake awake.
This is exactly what I want people to do in this thread. Put em up and lets compare. I considered the CZ, and initially was favoring the Caniks.
That CV sight is the one my buddy had on the Dagger and honestly, it worked pretty good.

One of you Dagger guys is gonna have to put up a similar pic but here's what the Tisas looks like with it's full compliment.
IMG_0898 - Copy .17.jpg
 
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Awesome all around, as a part time cheap pistol enthusiast, this is a fantastic thread.

I saw folks of Reddit saying the PX-9 is compatible with kydex IWB XDM 4.5" holsters, some brands just needing retention screws adjusted for precise fit...good info to have!
 
The Tisas uses blue steel P226 Checkmate mags which (I think) are nicer than the Mec Gar's that usually come with the 226.

Careful there - you might ruffle feathers on both sides of that discussion. Mec-Gar was the OEM supplier of P226 mags for a couple of decades. Then Sig gave an OEM contract to Checkmate, although I don't know whether it was exclusive or in addition to Mec-Gar. I haven't kept up with the status of Sig mags, but the last I heard you could get mags from either company with new Sigs.
 
I have a Tisas 1911 and love it. I want to get a dagger and a mess of magazines since they interchange with the 43MOS and 48. One of the dumbest things Glock did was miss out on the 1.5 stack magazine craze when it came out.

I appreciate the reviews. I sell a lot of handguns to first timers and it’s nice to see what good options are out there
 
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