compact 9mm for Concealed Carry

I bought a used Glock 26 a few months ago. I carry it often and it really is a good dependable gun. But for CCW in a 9mm, I think I'm going to keep looking for something a bit slimmer and maybe lighter.

My favorite compact 9 would most definitely be a Glock 19. Relatively lightweight, well balanced, very good ammo capacity and can be concealed well with the right holsters.
My CW9 is an absolute dream to carry, but ammo capacity is limited. Under $400 brand new. Great deal!
A good friend of mine carries a Ruger LC9, and he swears by it. Replaced his Kimber Compact with it for every day carry. Great value and it has been very reliable with over 1000 rounds through her. Alot of good choices these days.

Nothing compact about a Glock 19. Maybe compact compared to a Desrt Eagle 50 caliber.
Kahr Cw9, Keltec PF9 examples of compact 9mm,s.

USAF_Vet said:

Probably getting my CCW later this year or early next year, and need suggestions on a decent 9mm that would fit the bill.

I want to spend no more than $350, prefer an autoloader (or else I'd be posting in revolvers) although a revolver is not totally out of the question.

I prefer 9mm for carry, in large part because I already have a bunch of 9mm laying around, it's abundant and inexpensive (so I'd be more likely to practice) and in general it's a round I like, and am confortable with if it comes to defending my life or those of my family.

So far, this is what I'm looking at, in no particular order:

Walther P1 or P38
Kel-Tec P11
Ruger P-95
Ruger LC-9
Glock 19
Sig P250 compact (despite it being a little more $)

I don't want something so tiny I feel like I'm weilding a kids toy. Something easily concealed IWB, OWB, or armpit/ shoulder. I don't forsee pocket carry, because I really don't want a gun that small. I'm not a fan of the sub compact micro pocket pistols.
I want something my wife could use also, but it would primarily be mine.

Also open to other suggestions as well, provided they fit into the above parameters.

I've considered some of thr 9x18 com-bloc mil surps, and while not out of the question, they just aren't in the cards right now. Want to stick with 9x19 only for this weapon.

Click to expand...

I have both the P-11 and the P95 and can highly recommend them both. Yet they serve different purposes IMO in that the P95 is a true tank and quite large and can be fired thousands of rounds exponentially whereas the P-11 is a great little compact (even pocket pistol) which is a great CCW piece but not something I would fire thousands of rounds at the range with.

So it really depends on how much you will be firing the gun (what's the major purpose).

-Cheers

two gun charlie said:

Another happy taurus customer , Jeff I just so happen to have the Taurus pt 111 , which I have been carrying concealed for the past 6 years , I wouldn't trade this little gun for any other , it is easy to carry , compact , durable and it doesn't complain about a little dirt. Only thing I can say negative about it is that you cant fire +p rounds through it , but all said , I havent seen any other pistol meant for day to day carry , that could make me wish I had bought it instead. and it never fails to go bang , the most important thing.

Click to expand...

Two gun & Jeff,

Totally agree--I have three Taurus', a 92, 25 and 24/7 Tactical in 9mm and they have all been great. I will say that the PT-25 is particular pertaining to ammo sensitivity (many guns are), but once I found the right load, it's been my BUG for a while (along with my Beretta 21A).

*edited just to add that last June I passed 10K rounds fired in my 92 which for me only my Ruger P-95 has matched.

-Cheers

SpaceExplorer31 said:

Nothing compact about a Glock 19. Maybe compact compared to a Desrt Eagle 50 caliber.
Kahr Cw9, Keltec PF9 examples of compact 9mm,s.

Click to expand...

My thoughts exacty.

wristtwister said:

I also like the Smith & Wesson M&P compacts, because you can feed them the full sized magazines if you find yourself in a "crowd" situation with multiple assailants. Smith doesn't have the grip adapters like the SR9's & 40's, but the mags still fit, even with the "rough grip" it creates.

Click to expand...

These work great.

Myself, I'm looking at either the Keltec pf9 or the Ruger lc9.

Still wondering why people love the G19 for carry. It is big and who needs 15 rounds if they have any skill at all? Most CCW engagements are near point blank and less than 4 bullets.

SpaceExplorer31 said:

Nothing compact about a Glock 19. Maybe compact compared to a Desrt Eagle 50 caliber.
Kahr Cw9, Keltec PF9 examples of compact 9mm,s.

Click to expand...

No those are sub compact or micro-compact guns. The Glock 19 is a compact hand gun since it is less than 7" long and right at 5" tall. Compact is meant as, "compact in comparision to a full size service pistol."

The Glock is smaller than my CZ P-07 which is considerred a compact. I carry my P-07 on a regular basis with no issue. So, a Glock 19 shouldn't be a problem to carry IWB for most males of average size.

Alex23 said:

Still wondering why people love the G19 for carry. It is big and who needs 15 rounds if they have any skill at all? Most CCW engagements are near point blank and less than 4 bullets.

Click to expand...

A Glock 19 is less than 2lbs. It is 6.85" long and 5" tall. That is not big. I carry a P-07 that is essentially the same size as a Glock 17 . (7.3" x 5.1")

I guess compact is all in the eye of the beholder. I grew up around people that carried 4" .44 specials, 1911s, 6" .357s, and such. To me a Glock 17, Glock 19, or CZ P-07 is a smaller gun. I have no trouble carrying a gun in their size range IWB.

Guns in that size class have a reassuring weight even in polymer. They have full size grips so there is no finger compression. You also avoid the dreaded two finger hold of some smaller 9mms. The recoil is much more managable. They are fun to shoot at the range. So, you get more practice with your carry piece.

There are a lot of things to love about a gun the size of a Glock 19 or a CZ P-07.

The reason for 15 rounds is stated most simply as, it is better to have and not need than to need and not have. The average self defense shooting involves four or less bullets. However, averages map out on a bell curve. Roughly an even number of people will fall on each side of the center. Do you really want to bet that you won't end up on the wrong side of the curve?

I've seen a lot of police reports lately that involve groups of three or more people beating and robbing random folks. When I say a lot I mean more than a dozen in three months. Some of these have involved the "gang" shooting the victim first to make the robbery easier. Other incidents have involved kidnapping, and pistol whipping. Some of them steal cars before going out to committ the crimes so that the cops have a harder time tracing them.

Robbers are also starting to work as duos more. I know of more than a dozen "duo" robberies in the last 45 days. They usually end up assaulting the victim as a form of intimidation. A couple of the victims have been stabbed as a "warning" about snitching.

A year ago I would have bet my life on a five shot revolver. Now I wouldn't carry anything less than nine or ten rounds.

PT92 said:

I will say that the PT-25 is particular pertaining to ammo sensitivity (many guns are*-Cheers

Click to expand...

@ pt 92 , you mention ammo sensitivity , How ammo sensitive is the 24/7 ?
Cause like I mentioned , my pt 111 can't fire +p , I have fired some in the past , no problem , but taurus has advised against it , so I stopped. Other than +p I have fired all types of ammo with absolutely no glitches , except once when the ammo was not properly loaded due to some experimenting we were doing. I am currently considering buying an extra pistol and the xdm 40 , springfield is a major contender , but the pt 24/7 has been in the back of my mind.

I'd definitely troll the LGS and (reasonable) pawn shops for a 3rd Gen S&W. Picked up both a 6904 and 3914 for under $400 each in the past year and am very pleased. The triggers are great (in the field of a TDA), they are accurate and very reliable.

I work part-time as a firearms instructor and in the range's shop (I'm not proud of it ) and get the "under $300" or "under $400" a lot. I try and guide the people into saving up their money as they rarely take into account the cost of the CCW class and license fee, a solid holster and belt, ammo, additional training, etc.

I get money is tight these days (heck, I'm back in college and vets weren't having the easiest time finding work when I got out in '09), but there are certain things one can do in order to get into the gun they want instead of the one they must settle on at a certain price point.

Regards and best of luck,
Lucky

Two Gun Charlie,

I have a PT 111 Mil Pro and I like it quite a bit as well. According to the Taurus manual, their recommended ammo for this weapon is 124 grain at 1250 fps. I think if you look at most +P specs, this falls right in line with that recommendation. I am curious, did you speak with someone with Taurus that told you not to use +P amm in the PT 111?

It is normally beleived that +P or +P+ ammo will accelerate wear on a pistol but if you shoot it in limited quantities it is not an issue.

FWIW - my carry ammo is 115 gr +P+ Winchester Ranger at 1330 fps. So far , the rounds I have shot have been fine. I just limit it to a couple mags per year then do my practice with normal pressure 115 gr rounds.

Jimbeaux

You might have to stretch the budget a bit but the S&W M&P 9 compact is a sweet CCW piece.

Click to expand...

+1 You won't be disappointed

My FIL used to have a KelTec P11. I thought the trigger was really bad. I have been carrying a KT PF9 (the single stack) for several years. It has never malfunctioned and is surprisingly accurate. Conceals a lot easier than the P11 also.

1) Don't get something too small for heavy practice. I think it's very desirable to shoot at least 100 rounds (preferably 1000 or more) through a carry gun for familiarization. If you need it, you need to not stop to think about what to do.

2) If you run across a Firestar or Firestar Plus, they're likely to be very cheap. They're good quality, and steel frame (so they're not too light). The doublestack version (the "Plus") holds 14+1 of 9mm, but they've also got single stack 9mm and 45 versions. There's a surplus batch being offered now at $339, but I've seen these at gun shows in good shape for 200 or less. They have a nice nickel finish ("Starvel"), which is a plus for some people, but also have a blued or parkerized version.

A Walther P1 or P38 for carry? Wow.

The P1, P38, and Ruger P-series are in no ways compact.

The Glock 19, Glock 26, S&W M&P9c, Springfield Armory XD subcompact, Ruger LC9, Kel-Tec PF9 and P11, and Kahr CW9 may all fit your bill. Also, the third-generation S&W metal 9mm guns may fit your bill if you can find them.

LC9 Fits the Bill

Considering your price range I would suggest a Ruger LC9. I think it is the best bang for the buck and a sweet pistol. I have a LCP also and it is a slick pocket carry, no muss no fuss everyday but it is 380, just don't use hollowpoints.

I also have a Bersa and I really like their guns. I think they are a good value and well made. The Bersa thunder 380 is their most popular maybe but they make compact 9mm that is sweet. It might be tough to find one for 350 but shurely used would be an option.

Jimbeaux , I have the old pt 111 not the millenium pro , and yes I e-mailed the guys at taurus who told me that with + P I risked getting fractures in the pistol frame. Like I said I have shot a few +p no problems , but for the sake of wear and tear I would rather avoid it.
Must say I am sorry that the millenium pro's came out just a few months after I bought my pt 111 , so much sleeker

I want to know where people are finding Ruger LC9s and Kahrs for $350 out the door. I want to move to their neighborhood. I haven't seen a used LC9 for sale yet and the cheapest Kahr I've seen locally is a used CW-9 for $390 + tax.

I had another idea for the OP. It isn't a 9mm but I think it might be worth a look. Check out surplus CZ-82s. They fire the 9x18 round. Basically it is a commie .380. However, you can get one in very good shape, plus an extra magazine, a mag pouch, and a ton of ammo for about $370 bucks.

Check CDNN for prices on the gun, mags, and mag pouch. Then check SG Ammo or Ammo To Go for the ammo. I worked up a price on all of it myself. It was $284.95 for the gun, magazine, and mag pouch with shipping and transfer fees. Then it was $83.95 for two boxes of Hornady Custom hollow points and 4 boxes of Silver Bear FMJ. That ammo combination gives you 200 rounds of range ammo and 50 rounds of hollow points. Use one box of 25 hps to test for function and the other 25 will be just enough to fill both mags and carry +1.

The only thing missing at that point is a cleaning kit and a holster. You can buy a BLACKHAWK! universal IWB holster for $14 and it will work fine until your money situation allows for a molded holster. A basic cleaning kit will cost you less than $15. You can hold off on the holster untill you actually get your CC permit.

What about the Kel-Tec PF-9? It's at my local gun shop for $250 ($272 with tax), I've seen prices as low as $213 on Bud's.

Jeff56 said:

But I brought home the Taurus (PT-145) for half the price of a good Glock and I have no regretted it one second.

Click to expand...

Great choice for your CCW piece. I went with the Kel-Tec P-11 as it has the same capacity, is quite a bit smaller as well as price friendly.

However, I love all of my Taurus pistols (in particular my 92 and 24/7 Tactical which are, of course, full size combat guns).

-Cheers

I carry a S&W 3913 and it is excellent. Never have had any issues whatsoever. It will eat any ammo I feed it. Any third generation S&W is a good bet. They are no longer made, but sought after. I would seriously look into one. All steel and great quality.

Hey, fellow AF Vet. I'd go with any 3rd Gen S&W. I carry a 3913 and it just plain reliable. Check out reviews online for them and I think you will see what I'm talking about. They are great guns. I use a CrossBreed Super Tuck holster and carry it all day without even being aware it's there. Good combo, the 3913 and CrossBreed.

MikeNice said:

I want to know where people are finding Ruger LC9s and Kahrs for $350 out the door. I want to move to their neighborhood. I haven't seen a used LC9 for sale yet and the cheapest Kahr I've seen locally is a used CW-9 for $390 + tax.

I had another idea for the OP. It isn't a 9mm but I think it might be worth a look. Check out surplus CZ-82s. They fire the 9x18 round. Basically it is a commie .380. However, you can get one in very good shape, plus an extra magazine, a mag pouch, and a ton of ammo for about $370 bucks.

Check CDNN for prices on the gun, mags, and mag pouch. Then check SG Ammo or Ammo To Go for the ammo. I worked up a price on all of it myself. It was $284.95 for the gun, magazine, and mag pouch with shipping and transfer fees. Then it was $83.95 for two boxes of Hornady Custom hollow points and 4 boxes of Silver Bear FMJ. That ammo combination gives you 200 rounds of range ammo and 50 rounds of hollow points. Use one box of 25 hps to test for function and the other 25 will be just enough to fill both mags and carry +1.

The only thing missing at that point is a cleaning kit and a holster. You can buy a BLACKHAWK! universal IWB holster for $14 and it will work fine until your money situation allows for a molded holster. A basic cleaning kit will cost you less than $15. You can hold off on the holster untill you actually get your CC permit.

Click to expand...

Mike, there has been a price drop on the LC9's. You can get them for less than 350 now. Bud's has not adjusted there price yet as of a few days ago. I bought mine at Kentucky Gun 350 out the door including shipping and credit card charge.

I love the gun, great for carry because of the thin design.

Thanks for the heads up Avid. I didn't know the LC9 price had dropped. They are still going for $379 (pre tax) around here. My local gun shop has taken to putting their prices at Bud's plus 3% on most stuff. So, when Bud's fixes the price my local guy might.