Here's why:
(These stats were tested on frozen bots in Local Play)
-> Makarov: Pretty damn good considering the cost of the gun (aka nothing). The equivalent of the Security Tariq. It three-shots unarmored targets, which kinda sucks, but it also three-shots Light and Heavy Armor, putting it on-par with most 9mm pistols. I'd say it's balanced for the most part, but it used to four-shot Heavy Armor before the patch, which probably makes more sense.
-> Hi-Power: Honestly just kinda shit. The Hi-Power is the Insurgent's equivalent to the Security Glock 17, and for the same supply cost is much worse by comparison. The Glock 17 (M003 in-game), with an extended magazine, can get eleven kills per magazine in CQB on Heavy-Armor targets (3 shots per kill) while the Hi-Power can get only seven with an extended mag. Actually more balanced after the patch. Before the armor nerf it also required four shots to down a Heavy Armor player, making the Hi-Power a glorified Makarov. Still, the worse sights with a suppressor equipped, lower damage and lower mag capacity make this gun mediocre at best, especially considering the Glock 17 is better in every single regard.
-> M1911: Pretty good. The Insurgent equivalent of the Security M45, and post-patch is pretty much the same gun. That being said, it also has worse iron sights and a more expensive suppressor at three supply instead of two (the cost of a suppressor on a primary weapon). Still better post-patch as before it took three shots against Heavy Armor, making the weapon useless compared to the M9, but still pretty unbalanced now as the Security M45 is the same gun but better, for the same supply cost.
-> M9: The best Insurgent pistol, in my opinion. It's the Insurgent "equivalent" of the Security L106A1, although the M9 is a joke compared to the L106 (I'll explain later). The M9 has the best range of any pistol, and the second-best damage rivaled only by the M1911. The M9 has arguably the best sights of all the Insurgent pistols and the only pistol that has readable sights with a suppressor equipped. With limited attachments (no ext. mags) it's my go-to sidearm if I want to carry something without feeling like I have to buy a modification for it (except the QuickDraw, of course, because that mod is god-tier).
I'll get into more detail about the L106A1. After the Sept. 6th, patch, the L106A1 can two-shot Heavy Armor in CQB like the M45, effectively making the M45 completely useless. An M45 /w an Extended mag costs the same as an L106A1, and can only get five kills on players without reloading. The L106A1 can kill eight targets with torso shots without reloading (supposing an extra shot in the chamber; the Ext. Mag attachment allows for up to ten kills), and the Glock 17 can kill eleven as mentioned before; slightly more killing potential but two shots is faster to shoot off than three.
The M9 is debatably the best Insurgent pistol; it's the most useful all-around and can be used in almost any situation. That being said, it is slightly, and I mean slightly, better than the Glock 17, with an extra 2 meters of effective range. The M9 lacks an extended mag attachment, so you can only get five kills per mag in CQB against players with Heavy Armor. Meanwhile, the Glock 17 and L106A1 has double the killing potential per magazine.
-> The M45 suppressor costs less than the M1911 and the pistol has better sights, not really a huge deal, though.
-> The Glock 17 is better than both the Hi-Power in damage, range, sights, and mag capacity, and when fully-kitted out is basically an Uzi on semi-auto fire (with debatably better ironsights), with more ammunition per mag than an Uzi /w Extended Mags and more manageable recoil (since the Uzi now has fucktons of horiz. kick iirc).
-> The L106A1 at this point is a joke; in CQB it hits with the power of a SCAR-H. The M45 is completely useless and in Coop is just the best pistol to grab along with the G17.
Some possible fixes to all of this, assuming two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Armor stays where it is in terms of protection (which hopefully won't happen, since I think armor is currently garbage):
-> Nerf the ever-living fuck out of the L106A1 and put it on-par with the M9. Remove extended mags or make them Coop-only. Make the pistol cost two supply.
-> Buff the M9 a bit so it's at least noticeably better than the Glock 17. Maybe clean the sight picture, too, since it's a bit strange IMO (I made another post about the M9 sights here: https://forums.focus-home.com/topic/30197/m9-model-sights). Maybe add a 20-round Ext Mag for the M9 (if one actually exists) for Coop-only.
-> Just make the M1911 suppressor two supply and don't limit the suppressor to certain classes, even though most classes normally allow for pistol suppressors.
-> The Hi-Power (in this model) is fine as-is.
-> Make the Makarov four-shot Heavy Armor.
-> Remove the 33-round Extended Mag for the Glock or make it Coop-only. If the Ext Mag is kept in-game, possibly make it cost three supply as it gives a +16 boost to mag capacity. +20 and above is three supply while +10 is two, but +16 is closer to 20; it is a pistol at the end of the day and if it's coop-only two supply is fine, though. Maybe even add an ability (only for Coop) to put a Doctor Sight on the Glock 17 (Glocks can be modded to have a red dot sight; Gen 5 Glocks also come with the ability to attach a pistol RDS by default).
-> Maybe remove the risen-up sights on the M45 to balance the M1911 but I'm not really sure if that makes sense or is even possible.
Scenario 2: Armor gets buffed back to the model before the Sept. 6th Patch (NWI PLZ I BEG YOU)
-> Either buff the Hi-Power so it can three-shot Heavy Armor or lower the supply cost to one supply point.
-> Buff the M9 so it's noticeably better than the Glock 17. Again the thing about the sight picture lol, as well as a possible 20-round mag for Coop.
-> Make the L106A1 cost two supply. Coop-only extended mags.
-> Make the Glock 17's extended mags Coop-only. Possibly allow a Red Dot Sight on the G17 for Coop only.
-> Makarov is fine as-is as it now four-shots heavy Armor.
-> Make the M1911's suppressor two supply instead of three and don't further restrict the suppressor between classes that normally get suppressors. Also, make this goddamn pistol two-shot Heavy Armor plz.
-> Nerf the M45 sights again, if possible. Sights aren't the biggest deal with pistols, anyway (and if you're sniping with a pistol firing .45 ACP you're not doing something right).
Just some suggestions from an avid pistol user. Good job with the updates NWI!