Having previously been "a Glock guy," it took a little adjustment to transition from the Glock's single action only, to the M9s' double/single action. But with practice these issues are long gone. It's a pistol that is easy to shoot, and easy to shoot well with, very accurate right out of the box.
It's very well put together, and i have had no issues with this gun in terms of malfunctions/feeding problems. To be a 9mm it's a little on the heavy side, it's a "big framed pistol," which might not make it suited for some shooters.
I was a little skeptical to the plastic guide rod pin, guess i would have preferred a steel one,said that, thus far, after more than a thousand rounds, it has held up very well.
The M9A1 and its sibling the M9, has been in service now with the US Armed forces for many years. This is a gun that truly is built to take a beating and see prolonged use under harsh conditions, so for civilian target use this gun should last you a lifetime.