Need opinions on my Concealed Carry choices.

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epijunkie67

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OK, I'm looking for a new concealed carry pistol. I currently have a Kahr PM9, K40, and PM45 and they are all very nice. However, I have decided that I would like a weapon with more capacity than those. This is complicated by the fact that my hands are on the small side.

So my criteria is 9mm, small grip size, and 12 or more rounds in the weapon. Yes, I have considered .380 and decided I would prefer 9mm. Yes, I have considered .40 and have decided on 9mm. Yes, I have considered smaller guns that hold less than 12 rounds and have decided on 12 or more.

I shot a Glock and a Springfield XD at my rental range and didn't particularly like either of them. The grips just weren't comfortable in my hand.

Today I went to a local store that has a great selection and handled several that were on my short list.
FN FNP....A little too big. Off the list.
Keltec P11...Loved the weapon size, grip size was pretty good, had the worst trigger of everything I've shot before. Ever.
Taurus Millennium...Perfect grip size, trigger was "OK". On my short list of possible buys.
Sig P250 compact...Grip was a little on the big side but had an amazing trigger. I mean I was totally WOWed. If the grip had fit my hand better I would have walked out with one today. On my short list.
Smith and Wesson M&P 9c....With the small grip insert it was "almost" perfect. Still not as good as the Taurus, but close. Crisp, short trigger. Great all around compromise on features. On my short list.

The two I haven't handled yet are the Bersa UC Pro 9 and a CZ 75 compact, P01, and Rami compact.

If I could get a gun the size of the P11 with a grip like the Taurus and a trigger like the Sig it would be the perfect gun. lol. Notice I didn't factor in price. I'll buy a $600 gun as quickly as a $300 gun if I like it better.

Thoughts on the above guns? Suggestions I may have missed?
 
You should have tried the XDm rather than the XD. You could have used the smallest insert as you did with the M&P. The XDm compact also allows you to use the full size 19 round magazine with grip extension.;)
 
Curious, which range did you go to, and which shop? I'd like to go shooting w/ my dad next time I'm in town (near Knoxville), would enjoy recommendations.

(Sorry, no suggestions in your quest; I'm also looking at 9mm CCW guns, but in lower capacities / smaller size, which isn't what you want. Or I'd say look at Kahr -- and that wouldn't help you, eh? ;))

timothy
 
By too big on the FNP, did you mean the grip or the gun itself? They make a compact version, the FNP-9M, it isn't much smaller, a round ooff the grip, a fifth of an inch off the barrel, but it is really about the ideal compact service-type carry gun. Fits my hands extremely well, better than any gun I've ever held other than the CZ 75D PCR. It's one of the compact framed CZs, same exact frame as the P-01. They are both phenomenal carry guns.

The FNP's sights line up faster and more naturally, blindly even, than any other handgun I've tried out. I raise it, sights are aligned. That's it.

Did you try the Glock 19 or the 26? Personally I like the Subcompacts better than the compacts in Glocks, I think the subcompact Glocks are the best ones, the best pistols Glock makes and I think they define the subcompact service-type pistol. Accurate, reliable, durable, not too heavy, not too big. And they feel completely different from all the other Glocks as well. The way to go, i my opinion, based on my time with my 27, is to skip any extended magazine base and just stick with the stock 9-ten rounders. Shoot best that way, conceal way better than the 19/23, it's the way to go.

Oh yeah, the FNPs come with a curved and a flat backstrap, the new FNXs have a different attachment scheme and more backstrap options, but I like the backstrap attachment of the FNP better than anything. They slide on over grooves, slide on very securely, then they have a flat screw to secure it fully. I like the safety/decocker of the FNX better, but it isn't a big deal. I thought about grinding down the decocker on the -9M so it didn't protrude past the rest of the controls on the left side, and almost completely on the right side. I figure there is no situation where I will ever need to decock a pistol so fast I don't have time to do it right with any kind of lever.
 
Curious, which range did you go to, and which shop? I'd like to go shooting w/ my dad next time I'm in town (near Knoxville), would enjoy recommendations.

The range I shot at is Coal Creel Armory in Knoxville. They have a pretty nice indoor range and about one cabinets worth of rental firearms. http://coalcreekarmory.com/

The gun store I was in today is a little place in Tazewell called Mike's Gun Shop. It's a really small building but he has it totally crammed with a huge selection. It actually has more stuff than some places I've seen that are twice as big.
 
All I had to do was pick up and hold a CZ 75D PCR, it fit my hand like a glove. If the grips are not thin enough they can be changed to aluminum for a better fit. The PCR works everytime, has a loaded chamber indicator, Novak style sights and a 3.8" barrel, and can be used with flush fit 14 round magazines. It is my daily beater, I trust it completely and enjoy shooting it, no wonder these pistols have reached "cult status". http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-75-d-pcr-compact/ is CZ's webpage on the PCR.
 
If you liked the Millennium, try a Taurus 24/7 Compact. Roughly the same size as the Millennium (and the Compact uses the Millennium magazine as well as also accepting the higher-capacity full-size 24/7 mag) and some enhanced features.

Also, maybe look at a FN or Browning Hi-Power?
 
I would at least check out the budget Kahr CW9. Lower capacity than some of your other choices but very small with a very nice trigger.

I would also look at the Glock 19.
 
I would at least check out the budget Kahr CW9. Lower capacity than some of your other choices but very small with a very nice trigger.

I would also look at the Glock 19.

I already have a Kahr PM9. The CW9 isn't really an upgrade to that. I already shot a Glock and didn't care for it much. Now, to be fair I think it was a gen3 and not a gen 4. Some people say that makes difference and some people say it doesn't.

I am very interested in checking out the CZs. I've never shot one before and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

Any opinions on the Taurus Millennium? I know they cost a little less. Any reliability issues? The M&P I handled cost more and wasn't quite as comfortable but I know for a fact they work great because I have a full size one in .40.
 
In what way is the FNP too big?

All ways. It looked and felt a little bigger than I wanted as a carry gun and the grip was too big around to be comfortable in my hand. It seemed to be more of a midsize gun than a compact.
 
You'd be pleasantly surprised how well a gun like that carries IWB. And they shoot like champs.

So you felt the fullsize FNP I'm guessing, the -9M isn't all that common, what backstrap did it have on it? Curved I think is the one they come out of the factory wearing, the flat one makes a pretty big difference.
 
I own a an M&P 45c, Taurus Millenium, and Bersa UC9.

The m&p is a great gun, but a little big to conceal properly in the summer her in Florida.

The Millenium is ok... the only reason I own it is because a friend sold it to me like new for $125.

The Bersa uc9 (not pro) is the best carry gun out of all of them imo. It is very concealable, has a good trigger, points naturally, and has been 100% reliable after over 1500 rounds. Best kept secret in pistols.
 
I did the same shopping around about a month ago. I went with the Ruger SR9c. Great CC gun, no regrets. Love the option of having 10+1 or 17+1 rounds. I love CZ's so something like a P01, PCR or even smaller RAMI was a very close 2nd choice, but I really liked the thinness of the Ruger especially in the grip where it matters most.
 
Hello, if you are not adamant about 12+ Rounds, might want to try the Ruger LC9, I just picked mine up at Sport Academy for 359.00 nice small 9mm 8 rounds and like the sights on it. It fits my medium sized mitts well and it has had good reviews that I have found. A bit hard to find unless you are willing to pay 400+ right now. I will be taking mine to the range to see how well it shoots in the next couple of days. Regards Jefe
 
epijunkie67

Ah, thanks for the reply! I don't believe I've ever been to Mike's, but Coal Creek, I've been to a few times over the years. (Forget the old name ... I want to say "On Target," but that's a just a mental blocker, a different place in a different state ;)). They've always been polite and friendly enough.

Good luck in your quest. Maybe consider the LC9 like El-Jefe suggests, but also carry a spare mag? That gets you 16 rounds in a smaller package (OK, package-and-sidecar).

timothy
 
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