3 Choices for CCW. Which one?

Which CCW pistol do you reccomend? Please explain why.

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If you mentioned your location, someone might volunteer some trigger time near you.
I haven't opened up the safe for anyone on the 'net, but I have opened it up for friends a few times to let them test-drive something in their category, or something I wanted to show off.
 
I own a CZ75 and it's a great pistol. It does fit the hand like a glove and is highly accurate. However, you probably wont be able to carry it all the time due to it's size. If you can, it's a great piece of work. If you can't, get the Kahr. You'll be surprised by it's absolute quality and (again) the trigger. It's a precision instrument and a joy to shoot AND i've not found a situation wherein I could not carry it in some fashion. If you really shed the clothing, you're probably talking LCP or something, but as long as you're wearing pants or a shirt, the Kahr is about perfect.
 
Why would anyone want a PPS when they can have a full power 9mm +P that's smaller, lighter, just as accurate? I chose Kel Tec because I have carried a P11 for 13 years and know how good this little auto is, but I can only argue against the PM9 on price. It's a capable gun, too.

They have an article in American Rifleman this month on the Rohrbaugh if money is no object. It's not +P rated, but it's small and light and in full 9x19.

I own a little .380, but I have more faith in the 9, especially in +P. The .380, I wonder about full penetration WITH expansion. The nine, I have no qualms. +P stuff from my KT pushes 410 ft lbs, 115 grain XTP/JHP. That rivals .357 magnum 2" snub ballistics and it's much easier to shoot than a 12 ounce .357 scandium snub.

I think it's a no brainer, Kel Tec or Kahr. The little subcompact 9s are by far the best CCWs on the market IMHO for pocket carry. I carry a .38 snub in preference to the .380.
 
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@searcher415 and bigfatdave - yeah, others have said the same thing about trying them out. I would like to shoot them first and a friend told me about a place where they have most of the firearms I want to try.
http://www.bullettrapinc.com/

They're missing the Walther PPS and the CZ75 D PCR, but they have the other three.

I like bigfatdave's idea: if anyone is in the Houston, TX area, I'll drive to meet you and bring/buy the ammo if you'd be willing to let me test out the firearms I'm considering.

@m2steven - mostly I want to be able to CCW it middle of back right side. I have the LCP's ugly older brother the P3AT :p which I like very much in terms of accuracy and reliability. It fills the pocket pistol roll very well.

@ MCgunner - I haven't shot +P for any of my calibers, and don't really plan to. It might be nice to have the option though, so I'll add it to the list of considerations.
As for the smaller Rohrbaugh, the price isn't really the problem as much as the fact that I already have a P3AT and don't need another pocket pistol. Mostly looking for a compact/sub-compact pistol for behind the back type of carry.
Good to know your Kel-Tec has served you well for so many years. I have been impressed with my P3AT as well. Kel-Tec is usually a simplistic firearm (not really a bad thing...less to break/go wrong) and often needs a little buffing of the plastic edges (at least on mine and on most of the ones I've looked at). But for the price, durability, accuracy, and ease of use, I'm more than willing to do a little fluff and buff to make it perfect.


*edit*
Just realized that the place my friend was telling me about is up in Dallas/Plano X_X
Which makes sense since that's where he lives.

Guess I won't be making the trip there this weekend. So back to trying to find a local place or someone willing to let me try them out.
 
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CZ P-01.

Daily carry.

Don't even notice it.

Pulls, points and shoots flawlessly.


isher
 
I carry a Kahr PM9 and love it.

There are many guys that claim to be able to conceal a Desert Eagle while wearing a thong and a feathered boa while doing Ty Bo on the hood of a moving car. I am NOT one of those guys.

Living in Texas I need a SMALL gun to conceal. The Kahr is reliable, small, easy to carry. It is not a range toy. It is just a darned good carry gun. I HIGHLY recommend it.
 
Well, if you want a IWB gun, your horizons do broaden a bit. :D However, my P11 carries real nice IWB, too, in its Mitch Rosen Workman tuckable. I just found that carpenter's jeans had more'n adequate pockets for the gun and switched to pocket carry several years ago.

Yeah, Texans and other deep southerners tend toward small guns for a reason. Heck, it's RARELY coat weather down here. I've heard we're in for a cold, wet winter. That would really be nice for a change. :D
 
It is not a range toy.
Click to expand...

Good point and I certainly don't expect it to be. I have range toys/home defense weapons.
Much like the P3AT, I expect my CCW choice to go to the range with me just enough to keep me proficient with it and cycle out my carry rounds every few months or so.

Also agree with you about living in Texas and carrying a smaller gun.
I really do hope we can get Open Carry passed some day. Of all places not to have it...I mean...come on, this is Texas!
 
Hey, I'd love to have open carry, but I carried for 25 years illegally before we could even carry a gun in the CAR! Had to be unloaded and locked in a trunk. :rolleyes: I carried a .25 ACP for many years til I got an NAA mini to carry due to their compactness. When legal CCW came along, all of a sudden all these little .380s and 9x19s were developed. What a great thing, REAL calibers for carry! LOL
 
I bought a PPS in .40 cal and absolutely love it. I CCW it in a GALCO pocket holster in the summer and bought it for that very reason. It is also more comfortable in IWB carry than my Glock 27.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how well I shot it at the range. There was very little muzzle flip, making it very easy to get back on target for a follow-up shot. I found it to be very accurate, too. Now I want to shoot it back-to-back with the G27 to compare them more closely.
 
I was very pleasantly surprised at how well I shot it at the range. There was very little muzzle flip, making it very easy to get back on target for a follow-up shot. I found it to be very accurate, too.
Click to expand...
I also found the PPS to be enjoyable and accurate at the range.
Boba Fett, do keep in mind that maintaining minimum skills is fine, but regular range time is better. One of the reasons I love my PPS is because I actually shoot it almost every range trip, and at further distances than just SD ranges. I've shot it at 3-7 yard point-shooting distances out to 50 yards from a bench (I'm no crack shot, but I kept the hits on a 2'x3' target at that distance just fine).
The Kahr would be about as good to shoot regularly, but the Kel-Tec may be a bit light for enjoyable shooting with hotter loads.
 
CZ 75D PCR is 1.7 lbs, on a belt holster I don't feel the weight, I'm a real estate investor and do much of the renovation work myself and keep this pistol on as I work. here is a link to CZ http://czusa.com it should give you complete specs on both the P01 and PCR. Of your choices I could only see the compact Kahr and CZ pistols getting much range time, Subcompact pistols are not so much fun to shoot, IMHO, they are more concealable, but compromise on performance. Whatever you decide ... start a new thread with pictures!
 
i know glocks are not fav. but look at the g36 it carries, conceals,shoots very well i sometimes forget its there!
 
Boba Fett,

Before you purchase, you should watch NutNFancy's videos on YouTube.

Here's his first gun review ever, of the Kahr PM-9. This review is somewhat tentative because it is a first outing, but he praises it consistently in other videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHqkQ3CP1HM

Here is his 2-part review of the Kel-Tec PF-9. He also does a lot of comparisons to the Kahr in these videos.

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNRbkOdUgms
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aLx1v2AY1M

Here is his review of the Walther PPS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8z5lq9XHg

I do not own any of these, but I've seriously considered the Karh and the Kel-Tec.

I would personally favor the Kahr. It seems to be a very high-quality product.

My problem with the Kel-Tec is consistency of quality. If you do go with the Kel-Tec, then you should DEFINITELY look up "fluff and buff," and set aside about 5 hours do do this before your first range trip. I have looked closely at several different Kel-Tecs of various models, and the quality varied widely. Most worked great, but some had serious problems out of the box. A little home smithing can usually make them reliable.

As folks have said, borrow each and shoot them all first. The choice is yours.

That said, my choice would be the Kahr. :)
 
Thanks ArthurDent, I actually am a huge fan of TNFP and subscribe to his videos. All excellent and all very informative.


As many have said, trying to find them to rent or borrow is a great idea. I've found one place that has the Kahr. Can't find any of the others yet.

Not too concerned with the Walther or the Kel-Tec or even the CZ. I've shot similar firearms from them so the performance should be similar to the one's I'm considering.
 
I have a CZ PCR and its my winter carry because it is a bit bulky even for a compact. It is my favorite pistol by far. The PF9 has been on my list, but I have a hard time justifying it when I have a sig p232 380acp which is just a bit heavier and wider because of the hougue grip. If I didn't already have the sig and a keltec p32, I'd have the PF9.
 
I voted for the PPS. Mine (9mm) has been 100% out of the box. It is accurate and recoil is surprisingly light for a gun of this size.
As bigfatdave said mags are pricey and hard to find, but that seems to be the deal with almost all Walther pistols.
 
If you can reasonably carry a CZ PCR the majority of the year, I'd recommend that. Otherwise the PM9 (or if you don't mind the weight and extra expense, the MK9).

jm
 
I started reading the replies to your question but it got slightly off topic. Of your choices, I have owned both the PF-9 and the PPS. To me, the PPS is a much better gun. Much more solid and even in .40 has less percieved recoil than my PF-9. I like Kel-tec as a company. They make decent quality firearms for cheap prices at the expence of quality control. They do back up their guns with industry leading customer service. 3 of my Kel-tecs had to go back at some point for work. All worked great once I got them back. My walther has been 100% since day one but I've only put a couple hundred rounds through it.

I do like the sights and ergos of the Walther better, it tends to point and shoot much more naturally than the Kel-tec did. In 9mm, I'd imagine its a pretty soft shooting gun just from my experience with it in .40.

I've heard good things about the Kahr but I just didnt like the trigger of the one I played with (dry fire only) and it did not point as well for me as the PPS.

I no longer own the Kel-tec but I do carry the PPS FWIW.

Good Luck
 
Of the choices you listed I voted for the CZs BUT I don't think anyone can go wrong with a M&P 9c, a Glock 26, or a XD 9. They are barely larger than the ones you listed, Carry more rounds, are superbly accurate and fit the hand well, and still have enough grip to allow fast and accurate shooting. I bought the M&P 9c as my primary carry piece and I LOVE it. I've fired several thousand rounds through it and carried it daily for about 3 years now. It still looks and shoots like its new. The other smaller nines aren't ENOUGH smaller for me to justify them. If I need smaller I carry my LCP, if I can carry larger its my M&P.
Of the ones you chose though, I highly suggest you try all three and see which on suits YOU. None of us can tell you that.
 
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