Concealed Carry

I'm not sure you could buy a R51 now if you tried.

I have a CM9 and it functions fine.

Here is the list:

Rohrbaugh R9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.9 in
Length: 5.2 in
Height: 3.7 in
Slide Width: .82 in
Width at thickest part of pistol: .95 in
Weight: 13.5 oz, magazine 1.6 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Boberg XR9-S (Shorty)
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.35 in
Length: 5.1 in
Height: 4.2 in
Width: .96 in
Weight: 17.5 oz
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds

Kahr MK9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.3 in
Height: 4.0 in
Slide Width: .90 in
Width at slide stop: 1.0 in
Weight: Pistol 22.1 oz, Magazine 1.9 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Kahr PM9 / CM9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.42 in
Height: 4.0 in
Slide Width: .90 in
Width at slide stop: 1.0 in
Weight: Pistol 14 oz, Magazine 1.9 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Double Tap Defense Douple Tap
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 0.665 in
Weight: 15 oz Titanium, 13 0z Aluminum
Capacity: 2

Kimber Solo
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.7 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 1.2 in
Weight: 17 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

SIG SAUER P290
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.9 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 0.9 in - 1.1" w/slide catch (roughly the same width as MK9, Kahr lists the width of the slide only)
Weight: 20.5 oz w/magazine
Capacity: 6+1

Diamondback DB9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.60 in
Height: 4.0 in
Width: 0.80 in
Weight: 11 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Kel Tec PF-11
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.6 in
Height: 4.3 in
Width: 1.0 in
Weight: 14 oz
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Beretta Nano
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.07 in
Length: 5.63 in
Height: 4.17 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 17.67 oz
Capacity: 6+1

SCCY CPX-2
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.7 in
Height: 4.0 in (without mag extensions)
Width: 1.0 in
Weight: 15.0 oz
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Kel Tec PF-9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.87 in
Height: 4.3 in
Width: .88 in
Weight: 12.7 oz
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds

SIG SAUER P938
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.9 in
Height: 3.9 in (not counting magazine w/extension)
Width: 1.1 in
Weight: 16.0 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Ruger LC9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.12 in
Length: 6.0 in
Height: 4.5 in
Slide Width: .90in
Weight: 17.10 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Remington R-51
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.4 in
Length: 6.0 in
Height: 4.5 in
Width: .96in
Weight: 20.0 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Smith & Wesson Shield
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 6.1 in
Height: 4.6 in
Width: .95in
Weight: 19.0 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Glock 26
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.46 in
Length: 6.29 in
Height: 4.17 in
Width: 1.18 in
Weight: 19.75 oz w/o magazine
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Walther PPS
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.2 in
Length: 6.3 in
Height: 4.4 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 20.0 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Springfield Armory XDs
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.3 in
Length: 6.3 in
Height: 4.4 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 23.0 oz w/empty 7rd magazine
Capacity: 7+1

Bersa BP9CC
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.3 in
Length: 6.35 in
Height: 4.8 in
Width: .94 in
Weight: 21.5 oz
Capacity: 8+1

Good list countzero.

I carry an XDs in 45 cal. I like mine and it carries well.

I was going to make a couple suggestions but countzero already covered them, namely the S&W Shield and Kel-Tec PF-9, not that there’s anything wrong the others

Best advice?

I see you are a new forum member. Welcome!

The best advice is to use the search function for past discussions on conceal carry handguns and particular handguns you are interested in and to watch the discussion forum as this topic along with best ammunition choices are frequently covered.

"Hey, what should I get?"....

Every now & again, a new forum member who wants a CCW asks what they should get.
If you are new or entry level to the shooting sports/guns, Id suggest renting or trying a few brands to see what meets your needs or budget.
What one person chooses, someone else may not like.
In general, for a 9x19mm(9mm) carry gun my first choice would be the new Shield 9mm(no thumb safety). It's safe, compact, comes with a lifetime service plan, is easy to field-strip/clean, and conceals well. Holsters, gear & after market parts are easy to find for the Shields too. Some say the .40S&W is better but I like the extra rounds of the 9mm & the lower recoil. The 9x19mm feeds/cycles better out of the smaller Shield too.
The Glock 27 .40S&W with a 9x19mm conversion barrel could do well too. The 27 is better than a 26 9mm IMO because you can buy after market barrels in 9mm, .40, .357sig or .22LR(with a special kit). That is practical if you want to carry or shoot different handgun calibers.
The Glock 26/27 has been around since the mid 1990s & has 1000s of loyal users. Some think it might be too small or compact. If you think it's not the proper size, move to the larger Glock 19/23. Id feel well armed with a Glock 23 & a 9mm conversion barrel.
The Bersa Concealed Carry 9mm is a slick little 9mm. I like the OD green frame style. They sell for approx $400.00. Id look for a pistol with the extra Davidson's lifetime warranty. It offers extra protection if the gun has any problems.
Note; the Bersa Compact & a few other brands like the Ruger SR line have magazine safety features. This means the pistol will not fire if the magazine is removed. Some gun owners & cops like this feature, others do not.
Just be aware that if your pistol has a mag safety you can't fire any rounds w/o a seated magazine.
Other well known 9mm models include; the SIG P290RS, the Beretta Nano, the Kahr CM9, the SIG P250 sub-compact, the Ruger LC9.
Whatever brand you decide to get, learn the local gun & use of force laws. Also read the owners manual & keep the firearm clean. There are many great cleaning & gun care items out there. Id suggest a simple CLP product like FrogLube, LPX, Gunzilla or Ballistol. Don't soak the firearm in oils or CLP either, .
Use light amounts of cleaner or oil. Take a safety class or tactics course too if you can. Some gun trainers are better than others. Save up if you can & go to a top rated program. Document your skill training & classes too.

Rusty
www.nra.org www.gunsamerica.com www.sigsauer.com www.froglube.com www.mpro7.com www.ruger.com www.glock.com www.glockstore.com www.storm-lake.com www.gunzilla.us www.midwayusa.com www.sgammo.com www.shopcorbon.com www.handgunlaw.us www.gunlawguide.com www.berettausa.com

Countzero gives great information. (That's a great post, Count, and I will keep it as a reference for the future.) I think you'd be well-served with anything on his list. For varying reasons I'd personally not consider the Rohrbaugh, Boberg, Diamondback or Double-Tap. I have the Shield in 9mm and am very happy with it. I'd also consider adding to his list a Sig 239, Sig 225/P6 and the S&W "3rd Generation" single-stack 9mm's namely the 3913/3953/3914/3954.

They are all pretty good choices. I don't think you'd go wrong choosing any of them, even the ones I've stated I wouldn't personally choose. All are relatively light, slim and carry-able. Any of them would likely be accurate and reliable. Most of them are in your price range. A few below your low-end but a couple higher than your top-end. There are quite a few choices that would allow you to buy a holster, extra mags and some ammo and still be under your $750 cap.

The key is to try and actually handle as many of them as possible for yourself. I'd bet one of them would "speak to you" and make your decision very clear.

Good list...I'd add the Glock 42 but yer cutoff is at 9mm.

Train first with a variety of pistols and choose second based on your skill level and training/shooting experience is my advice. What gun you choose is highly variable and there are a lot of good choices in 9mm...lot's of great choices in many calibers.

VooDoo

S&W third gen models.....

I too was going to suggest the S&W 3913 9mm but;
Smith and Wesson no longer makes or sells the 3rd gen line.
There are no lifetime warranty offers for used/out of production pistols.
It would be hard for a forum member to find or buy a new, unused S&W 3rd generation 9x19mm.
Id choose the M&P Shield 9mm & add Trijicon HD night sights. I like the orange/green style.

The obvious choice is the S&W J-frame series of revolvers; they are the archetypical CCW firearm. And if you can find one within your price range, the Colt Detective Special or Cobra give you an extra round of 38 Special in a slightly larger package.

A revolver is simpler to use, the original 'point and click' interface, and 38 Spl. has been planting bad guys for over a century.

9mm = .356", 38 spl. = .357" so the projectiles are about the same diameter. The 9mm generally uses a lighter, faster bullet while the 38 uses a slower, heaver projectile. Your choice.

Auto: S&W Shield or M&P9c

Revolver: Ruger LCR

My vote goes to the Kel Tec P11. It's on my belt right now. BTW, it is not 10+1, but 12+1. The biggest drawback is that if you can't shoot DA revolver well, you will hate the heavy trigger.

I had looked into the Rohrbaugh and Boberg but for that kind of money they don't offer the capacity of 12+1 nor do they weigh less than a P11.

Glock vs SIG Sauer.......

I was checking out a few newer 9x19mm & .40 pistols tonight.
The Walther CCP, the HK VP9, the SIG Sauer P320, the Ruger SR9 E model.
The new Walther CCP single stack 9mm is impressive but unless you plan to use holsters, I wouldn't use it for personal defense. The manual safety seems easy to flick on/off.
I couldn't see it being any better than a M&P Shield no thumb safety 9x19mm.
The SIG Sauer P320 Carry looks great. It's a striker fired 9x19mm that's compact. Models with factory night sights are out there.
The 320 Carry pistol could do great but for the $400-500.00 retail price you could buy a new Glock 23 .40S&W or sub compact 27 gen 04 & get extra 9mm barrels, magazines, etc.
I would not see a huge benefit of the SIG P320 Carry over a Glock 19 or 23 other than the name(QC).

The Ruger SR9 E model is a good budget 9x19mm but the S&W SD9VE is good too. I've seen new in box SD9VE models as low as $275.00. USD

I'm not sure what your knowledge/experience with pistols includes, but if you do end up considering the Glock 26 (and I would, if I had your search criteria), you owe it to yourself to get your hands on a G19 too. At the very least, use it as something to compare the G26 to. Many who shoot the G26 poorly find that they shoot very well with the G19 - that extra bit of grip length can make a big difference for some people.

I would make it a point to test fire any gun you find yourself liking, especially if it ends up being something smaller than the G26. Smaller, lightweight guns in 9mm can be unpleasant to shoot; and if it turns out you hate shooting it, you'll never practice, and it's very possible you would be better off unarmed and conscious of your limits, than armed and mentally unprepared.

Ruger's LC9, for example, is a fairly popular pocket pistol, due to it's low price and reasonably high quality. The thing is, it's reputed to kick like a mule, and many hate shooting it. New gun for carry, but it hurts so much to shoot it that you just don't want to? That's a crappy place to find yourself, IMO.

G26 and SW642

Many people find that they shoot the G26 ( the smaller one ) better than the larger G19. I have both. I admit that the smaller one doesn't feel as good in my hand but I do shoot it just as well if not slightly better. I think the poorer feel and the better shooting are both from the fact that my pinky finger is not on the grip but curled under.

I like my Glocks a lot. For practice and for IDPA they are fantastic. I also have a SW642 .38spl revolver. I carry the revolver a ton more because the Glocks feel like bricks in my holster. If I carried them everyday for awhile maybe I would get used to it. The 642 in a simple pocket holster slips into any slightly larger pocket easily.

That being said, if I every knew I was going into a questionable area, ( I would elect not to go ), but assuming I "had" to go there, I would rather have either of the Glocks and an extra mag!

In a 9mm. semi-auto I would go with a Kahr CM9. No reason not to consider a .38 Special snubby either. Something like a S&W Model 642 or 638, or a Ruger LCR, would serve you very well in the CCW role.

Wow, C0untZer0, great post! That's a keeper. Maybe stickie material. Thanks for a thorough list.

pitime said:

[If I] knew I was going into a questionable area, ( I would elect not to go ), but assuming I "had" to go there, I would rather have either of the Glocks and an extra mag!

Click to expand...

I'll echo the vote for a .38 snubby (or two). As for unavoidable questionable areas, there's the .45 revolver...

First off, welcome.
Lots of good advice here. The advice to rent or otherwise try as many as possible is the best of it. There are lots of good options in your price range.

As to the Remington R51: It is pretty much dead and burried. It was such a disaster that I doubt that even if Remington managed to fix all the problems that it would be marketable at this point. If you could somehow manage to find one, it is highly unlikely that you would be happy with it.

I did a ton of research and checked prices before I made a decision on what gun would best suit my needs for CCW. I like 9mm so I focused on guns in that caliber and eliminated the smaller offerings in .380.

What I settled on was a S&W Shield. Thin and light so they are easy to conceal under light clothes, they are also surprisingly accurate and easy to shoot. The price point was a selling point for me as they were about $400 when I bought mine. The only other compact that was in the running was a Glock 26 , but they are much thicker due to the double stack magazine and at $125+ more, they didn't add any where near enough extra value to be worth the extra money.

Ultimately you will have to try different guns to see what fits you the best. All you will get on these forums is personal opinions (like mine), and until you actually fire a gun you won't know if you will like it.

Shield with a PJ Holsters IWB right hand holster.


With the shorter 7 round magazine.


One more with a I phone for size comparison.

Onward Allusion said:

My vote goes to the Kel Tec P11. It's on my belt right now. BTW, it is not 10+1, but 12+1. The biggest drawback is that if you can't shoot DA revolver well, you will hate the heavy trigger.

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I do not like the feel of the Remington or the excessive felt recoil when there are so many better pistols available.

While I agree on Kel-Tec I can't agree with the P-11. It has a terrible trigger and I just can't like the feel. The newer PF-9 is a combination of the P-3AT and the P-11 taking the best of both. Add the single stack magazine and you have one very nice carry pistol. It's also very inexpensive leaving plenty in the budget for a good holster and practice ammo.

I'm also a fan of the S&W M&P line or pistols. Because the M&P Shield is a smaller version with all the controls in the same place it makes a very good choice for a lot of shooters. I have shot the Shield in 9mm and I do like it.

If you're 1911 fan I highly recommend the Sig P938, it's a GREAT pistol! Like it's slightly smaller brother the P238 it looks lie a 1911 shrunk down little. The few extra ounces of wright aid in reducing the felt recoil and the SA trigger is a dream.

Those are the 3 I would choose from.

The Ruger LC9s is about the same size as the Remington R51, (a little slimmer, and a little lighter). The trigger on the LC9s model is OK, the Rugers seem to function without many problems.

I have a CM9 and I haven't had any failures with it. It was breaking magazine followers but even still there were no FTF, FTE, light strikes or anything like that.

I sent the gun back and Kahr shortened the feed ramp and it is no longer breaking magazine followers.

Neat little gun and I got it for about $326

While I agree on Kel-Tec I can't agree with the P-11. It has a terrible trigger and I just can't like the feel. The newer PF-9 is a combination of the P-3AT and the P-11 taking the best of both. Add the single stack magazine and you have one very nice carry pistol. It's also very inexpensive leaving plenty in the budget for a good holster and practice ammo.

Click to expand...

Well, like I'd said...trigger's like a DA revolver's - in DA mode. I have the PF-9, P3AT, and P32...but I'm not a fanboy. I don't like the PF-9 because of capacity. Nice trigger and much prettier, but for almost the same size and weight, I rather have the extra 5 rounds. No biggie...different strokes and all.

Onward Allusion said:

Well, like I'd said...trigger's like a DA revolver's - in DA mode. I have the PF-9, P3AT, and P32...but I'm not a fanboy. I don't like the PF-9 because of capacity. Nice trigger and much prettier, but for almost the same size and weight, I rather have the extra 5 rounds. No biggie...different strokes and all.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear ya and wasn't calling you out, just commenting. Conceal carry is a whole bunch of trade-offs and considering I carry a J frame daily the "limited" ammo if the PF-9 doesn't bother me at all! lol