When the U.S. Air Force (USAF) began the Joint Service Small Arms Program, Beretta entered the competition. The Beretta 92SB (92S-1) won, but the Army contested the Air Force's methods. There would be several more competitions, and Beretta refined the design of the Beretta 92SB into the Beretta 92SB-F and in slightly modified form the Beretta 92G. These designs were ultimately selected by the United States (Beretta 92F, U.S. Military designation of M9 Pistol) and France (Beretta 92G, French military designation of "PAMAS"). The M9 Pistol was intended to replace the M1911A1 and .38-caliber revolvers and pistols. Over 500,000 M9 pistols were made and the switch-over was largely achieved.
To keep in line with the introduction of laws in some locations restricting magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, Beretta now manufactures magazines that hold less than the factory standard 15 rounds. These magazines have heavier crimping (deeper indentations in the side) to reduce the available space while still keeping the same external dimensions and ensuring that these magazines can be used on existing firearms.Italian magazine manufacturer Mec-Gar now produces magazines in blue and nickel finishes with a 17 round capacity, which fit flush in the magazine well on the 92 series. Mec-Gar also produces an extended 20 round blued magazine that protrudes below the frame by a couple of inches. These magazines provide users in unrestricted states with an even higher capacity.
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The Desert Eagle
The Desert Eagle is a large caliber gas-operated semi-automatic pistol manufactured primarily in Israel by IMI (Israel Military Industries, now Israel Weapon Industries) for Magnum Research, Inc. Magnum Research has marketed various versions of the short recoil Jericho 941 pistol under the Baby Eagle name; these have no functional relationship to the Desert Eagle and bear only a moderate cosmetic resemblance.
Magnum Research, based in the U.S., developed and patented the original Desert Eagle design, and built the first prototypes of the gun, but manufacturing was contracted out to Israel, who made the final refinements to the design and put the gun into production. Manufacturing was moved to Saco Defense in the state of Maine from 1996 to 2000 which carried the XIX designation, but shifted back to Israel when Saco was acquired by General Dynamics
Due to its easily recognizable silhouette and large-caliber cartridge, the Desert Eagle has become a popular weapon in both films and games. Although it hasn't been a plot device in a popular novel or film the way the .44 Magnum was in Taxi Driver, it can be spotted in the hands of various characters, such as the agents in The Matrix. In first-person shooter video games such as Counter-Strike, the Desert Eagle is often a weapon available to the player. Though it is not always referred to by its proper name, the weapon has become recognizable to video game players everywhere, since it is typically represented as an accurate and powerful weapon.
The Desert Eagle is sometimes referred to as a "Deagle", particularly on internet forums. It has been theorized that this practice began with Rainbow Six kill messages shortening the name, possibly for the sake of space.
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 The Colt Python
The Colt Python is a double action, handgun chambered for the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge built on Colt's large I-frame. Pythons have a reputation for superior fit & finish, accuracy, smooth trigger pull and a tight cylinder lock-up. If there is a downside to all this precision, it is the Python's tendency to go "out of time" with continued heavy shooting. This is a condition in which the cylinder is no longer turning into exact alignment with the forcing cone, so a shooter may be sprayed with tiny bits of hot gun powder when the gun is fired, or the gun may not fire when used as a double-action. When this happens, the lockwork needs to be re-timed.
The Python was originally available in two finishes: Royal Blue and Bright Nickel. The Bright Nickel model was discontinued with the introduction of the more durable satin stainless and mirror-polished Ultimate Stainless models. The stainless steel and Royal Blue finishes were offered until 2003 by Colt on the Python "Elite" model.
Pythons were available with 2.5 inch, 4 inch, 6 inch, and 8 inch barrels. The six-inch model was the most popular generally and the 8 inch model was intended for hunting. A rare 3 inch barrel version is very collectible, although not all 3 inch barrel variants are rare.
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 The Smith & Wesson Model 629
The Smith & Wesson Model 629 is ( one of the best pistols) a powerful, six-shot, double-action revolver chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge, manufactured by the U.S. company Smith & Wesson. It was made famous by and is still most often associated with the Dirty Harry series of films starring Clint Eastwood.
The Model 629 was offered with 4", 5", 6-1/2", 8-3/8". and, later, 10 5/8" barrel lengths as standard models. Other barrel lengths were available either by special order from Smith & Wesson's Custom Shop or custom built by gunsmiths. The 5" barreled variant had a full length underlug. Finish options available included a highly polished blued or nickel-plated surface.
The Model 629, based on S&W's N (large) revolver frame, was first introduced in 1955. It remained primarily the province of handgun enthusiasts, some law enforcement personnel and hunters until 1971, when Clint Eastwood reportedly made it famous as "the most powerful handgun in the world" in the movie Dirty Harry. It was also mentioned in the popular film Taxi Driver in 1974 and James Bond film, Live and Let Die in 1973. Although the Model 629 has never been the most powerful handgun in the world as stated in the movie, the Model 629 was among the most powerful at the time, at least as far as commercially available weapons go. Whether the phrase from the movie is an accurate statement when it was made is subjective to several factors such as overall terminal ballistics, external ballistics, or some combination of other factors. After the movie's release Smith & Wesson could not keep up with the demand for the Model 629.
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SIG P226
The P226 was designed for entry into the XM9 Service Pistol Trials, which were held by the US Army in 1984 on behalf of the US armed forces to find a replacement for the M1911A1. Only the Beretta 92F and the SIG P226 satisfactorily completed the trials. According to a GAO report, Beretta was awarded the M9 contract for the 92F due to better durability during endurance testing and a lower total package price. During the endurance testing none of the 92Fs broke, while two of the P226s cracked frames between six and seven thousand rounds. The minimum endurance requirement was five thousand rounds, so the P226s were considered acceptable.
The P226 cost less per pistol than the 92F, but SIG's package price with magazines and spare parts was higher than Beretta's. The Navy SEALs, however, chose to adopt the P226 later after several catastrophic slide failures with issued Beretta M9s.
The original P226 was manufactured in West Germany, featured a mandrel-stamped steel slide, and was available in blued, nickel, and two-tone finishes.Though ergonomically sound, there were some minor concerns with the reliability of the pistol when using after-market grips.Early versions fitted with after-market or replacement grip panels occasionally (albeit rarely) developed reliability issues because the inside of the grip panel put pressure on (and thereby interfered with) the firing mechanism. OEM and later quality replacement panels, coupled with keeping the grip screws tight, resolved this issue.
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These maybe are not best pistols but are in top 10 for sure...
