Easiest Semi-Auto To Operate

["DoubleAction"]

For me, the easiest pistol to pickup and shoot for the first time has been the 1911. Reason being : Crossman pellet pistols. Because I spent time with the pellet guns as a child, the 1911 was a no brainer when deactivating the thumb safety. The 1911 has always been the model for many toy gun platforms, including dart pistols, cap pistols, and squirt pistols.
Sigs are easy if one doesn't go nuts in trying to find a manually operated safety before firing it.

[TMan]

I guess I can't think of any semi-auto that is harder than another to operate. Now clearing the Seecamp can be a little challenging.

Actually the only gun I ever had problems operating was my friends Ruger 10/22. We had swapped rifles and I tried to shoot his, but couldn't pull the trigger. I operated the bolt to no avail. Checked the safety - no deal. Finally had to ask him for help. He said "it has a real hard trigger pull". Yup, 7 lbs.

The real question is what is the easiest and most difficult to field-strip. I always try to do it without looking in the manual. On some occasions I actually succeed. It keeps me humble.

I remember the RO at Bass Pro trying to field-strip a PPK. It was before I bought one, and I didn't know either. (You pull down on the trigger guard).

I'll tell you, the striker-fired pistols are impressively easy to take down with the exception being the S&W M&P.

[MLB]

I can't think of anything easier to operate than a glock. Any DAO semiauto without a saftey would be just as easy too. Point and shoot.

As far as field stripping, (I think we did a thread about this not too long ago,) I'm thinking perhaps a Ruger Mark II.

["DoubleAction"]

Manual safeties seem to hinder one's ability to just pick up a pistol and begin shooting it. I've seen many who cannot decipher the safety on a 1911, including cops. My reasonable amount of time to pickup a gun in order to fire it, for the first time, would be the same as expected as if I were reaching for a double action revolver.
I once reached for another person's pistol, which I thought I might have to use, only to find a safety incorporated onto it's slide. First thing I had to do was to decipher the color code on the safety. in the dark, in order to have a reliable weapon.

[g19]

glock 17 or 19 is a fool proof weapon to master quick and easy ;D

[MLB]

Hey there G19. Welcome Aboard.

[ikiddp5]

There's no handgun easier to operate than the Walther P-5 9mm. No safety, the same button to close the slide and decock safer than a glock to carry with one in the pipe, just Point and shoot. Soft to shoot almost as a .22 and very easy to disassembly.

[TMan]

You got me thinking about this, and I have to throw another one into the ring: the H&K P7xxx. I have two: the P7M8 and the P7PSP, which I shoot (the other is the Jubilee version in the nice presentation box).

One of the coolest things about the P7 is that you finish shooting a magazine and the slide locks open. Drop the empty magazine, insert a new one and then squeeze the cocker; the slide goes forward. You can then squeeze the trigger, or release the cocker, which will decock the gun.

My brother loves shooting it, but I've never shot all that well with it in spite of the delayed blow-back and inherent precision of the gun. My problem is that I normally have a very loose grip with the right hand, and then I grip tightly with the left hand. This gives me better control over my trigger finger, and I shoot more accurately. With the P7, I have to squeeze with my right hand to operate the cocker.

That reminds me, since I have to make out a new will (added another grand-daughter), I think I'll leave the P7 PSP to my brother. On second thought - while I was in Vietnam he trashed my English racer that was in mint condition when I left. I'll leave him one of the Jennings - not the engraved one either.

[MLB]

I'd like to try one of those out sometime. The squeeze cocker gives it an odd look, but it's otherwise a clean looking design.

[ikiddp5]

TMan you're right! The HK P7 is very easy to operate!