Best Single-Stack 9 for CCW?

[Kentucky Windage]

OK, here's the deal. I know scads more about rifles and shotguns than any human being should have stuffed into his brain, but I own only half a dozen or so handguns, including only two semiautos (a Kimber Eclipse .45 and an H&K P2000 .40 S&W). At the range the other day I noticed a fellow with some older S&W model 9 mm semiauto that looked PERFECT for CCW. Not too big, not too small and in the single-stack configuration I prefer for CCW. I didn't happen to catch the model of that pistol -- probably due to the fact that it was repeatedly choking on some cheap Norinko ammo at the time -- but it got me thinking about the perfect single-stack 9 mm for CCW, and all that implies.

What are your candidates, and your reasoning behind the choice????

 

[Girodin]

I don't really believe in bests to be honest. I believe that there are often a number of guns that are equally well suited to a task. If there is a best it is sure to be more because of personal tastes and the way gun feels to an individual. Those factors don't mean much when it comes time to recommend a gun to someone else.

That said there are two single stack 9mm that I am familiar with and believe are well suited to CC, the khar K9 (the P9 or even CW 9 are worthy of consideration as well) and the springfield EMP. Both in my experience are reliable, accurate and easy to carry. Despite having owned and shot a number of other handguns I continue to gravitate towards these two for CC. The Khar is less expensive than the EMP. They are fairly different platforms so personal tastes and preferences might incline one towards one over the other but the are both solid guns.

I have heard good things about the older single stack SWs. I was looking at a chiefs special once after being attracted by a very reasonable price tag. I don't have any experience with them though.

My next single stack 9mm will likely be another khar, the PM9.

 

[Girodin]

It should be noted as well that different people place differing amounts of importance on various aspects of a CCW. For example some place a premium on concealability. Naturally for them one of the tiny pocket 9mms would be best. Others might might place more value in other traits such as magazine capacity, accuracy, being comfortable to shoot, etc, etc.

Best really depends on what the specific criteria being used for the evaluation is.

 

[bikerdoc]

For me and me only, the CZ 75 Compact fits the bill. YMMV

 

[Kentucky Windage]

bikerdoc - Maybe my memory is faulty, but doesn't that CZ 75 Compact have a double-stack mag? I'm sure it's a fine gun, but I'm primarily interested in those with single-stack mags, with emphasis on THIN grips... something in the "almost" pocket sized category... or perhaps pocket sized if you happen to have large pockets... and (mostly) metal over polymer... and in DAO or DA/SA over SA.

Girodin - I hear the Kahr's have some less than stellar triggers, with extraordinarily long trigger pulls. Haven't handled one so I don't know if that's true...

 

[Kind of Blued]

Kahr's have, from my experience, extremely smooth triggers. Long-ish, but that's by design. They're DA and don't have a manual safety.

A dream gun of mine is a CCO Lightweight 1911 in 9mm. I might have Fusion make me one some day.

The HK P7 is another option if you want some weight to the gun. There are plenty of police buybacks floating around.

I also like the Sig Sauer P239 quite a bit.

 

[Dobe]

Th P7M8 to me is the best single stack 9mm, and possibly the best 9mm CCW ever produced. It is easy to carry, easy to shoot, very accurate, and extremely accurate.

 

[loneviking]

I carry the Sig P6/225, single stack 9. It meets the specs. of the O.P. perfectly.

 

[bikerdoc]

Kentucky Windage

Sorry bro.

My apology. I got a little senior moment

Like I said It works for me, and I really like it.

 

[jocko]

kahr--allthe way, cw series, P series, K series...

 

[AgentAdam]

If i had to carry a single stack only 9mm i would choose my Beretta 92 Compact Type-M. The Type-M not only has the shorter compact grip, but it is slimmer being an 8 shot single stack. The slide is basically the same as a Beretta 92 full size besides being 1/2" shorter and would actually fit on a regular 92 frame. I trust the Beretta 92 design second only to Glock and they don't offer a single stack. Don't know if i would warm up to it if they did. The single stack 92 Compacts are kinda rare and the mags are $50+ each if you can even find them. They have to be Type-M single stack not just Compact.

I also like my German Police Trade-In Sig p6 that is basically the same thing as the American version Sig P225 or is it the P226.

3rd in line would be a Compact 1911 Colt in 9mm. These are getting kinda rare also. Im not sure if they called them a Pocket Pony or what. I'm not a huge 1911 fan.

I cant think of any more "real" guns in single stack that aren't pocket pistols.

 

[Jed Carter]

S&W model 39 perhaps?

 

[JohnBT]

Rohrbaugh <= real gun

 

[whatnickname]

Best single stack 9 for CCW?

Sig 239

 

[Ash]

A newer SIG P6/225 is pretty slim.

Ash

 

[earlthegoat2]

Kahr, P7, Sig P230,

 

[Quoheleth]

The Smith you saw is all-metal. Excellent guns. Check CDNN - they sometimes have old, police-trade-ins come in. Might get lucky. A buddy has one - I believe marketed as "Lady Smith" that *is* nice.

That said, I just acquired a KelTec PF9 - a 7-shot, single-stack poly-framed semi. Weighs just under one pound fully loaded (per the website: http://www.kel-tec-cnc.com/pf9.htm). I'm on the hunt for a good pocket holster. It's slightly larger than the LCP/P3AT but not by much. I think it'll work.

Q

 

[benderx4]

HK P7M8

Thin, accurate, safe, compact, reliable

 

[freakshow10mm]

H&K P7
1911 Commander
Kahr CW9

 

[CJ]

+1 on the KelTec PF-9 mentioned above. The combination of light weight, compact size, and thin-ness makes it a 'don't-leave-home-without-it' 9mm.

 

[oneounceload]

Another vote for the P7 series, Kahr, and the small 1911 platforms (like the EMP)

 

[Striker]

Best? Depends on you.

For me it's the S&W 3913 and/or Sig 239 for concealed holster carry and the Keltec PF-9 for pocket carry.

 

[Fumbler]

I recently picked up a police trade in Sig 225. It's a single stacked version of the Sig 228 and, for me, it's the perfect compact concealed gun.

If I wanted to go smaller then the Sig 239 would be great...but I would probably pick up the Kahr PM9 over the 239 for the weight savings and it's a tiny bit more compact.

 

[Papaster]

Looks like based on your single-stack 9mm, non-polymer DA or DAO qualifications, the HK P7, Sig P239, or the Kahr K9 are filtering toward the top. Sig P6/225, while single-stack, isn't all that easy to conceal. It's a compact, but not as small as these others.

Originally posted by earlthegoat2:
Kahr, P7, Sig P230,

While the P230 was chambered in 9mm, it never was chambered in 9mm parabellum. It was a 9mm Police, a 9x18 cartridge.

 

[loneviking]

I have to emphatically disagree with the comment that the P6/225 is not easy to conceal. Find one and compare it to the p239 and the only difference is that the P6/225 grip is just a hair longer. Mine disappears under a loose T-Shirt in an IWB holster.