Best of the 9mm micros

[JerkyFreak]

Its a pity the CZ RAMI is no longer in production. It fits right in for those that want hammer-fired DA/SA in an alloy frame.

 

[SterlingBullet]

The smallest and thinnest is probably the DB9.
I talked to the mechanical engineer/machinist who designed it. He was very proud of his creation.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I own a Micro 9, P365XL, P30SK and a Shield Plus. All great guns but...I acquired a CSX last year that I have found to be the holy grail pistol for me. It checks all the boxes in what I want in a micro pistol.

Glad they seem to have gotten the bugs worked out on the CSX- but Im also glad I wasnt an early adopter. I really like my P938 and the CSX feels alot like a double stack SIG.
I may very well grab one in the near future.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Its a pity the CZ RAMI is no longer in production. It fits right in for those that want hammer-fired DA/SA in an alloy frame.

As a CZ fan boy, the rami IMO is a kinda a pointless gun. In reality it's not much smaller than a pcr and weighs darn near the same as one.
Most people that carry the rami use the 14rd mag, now the grip length is the same as the pcr/p01.

I had a P365, it got sold quickly. A shield plus replaced it.

 

[InTheSwamp]

As a CZ fan boy, the rami IMO is a kinda a pointless gun. In reality it's not much smaller than a pcr and weighs darn near the same as one.
Most people that carry the rami use the 14rd mag, now the grip length is the same as the pcr/p01.

I had a P365, it got sold quickly. A shield plus replaced it.

Defeats the purpose, don't it.

 

[zaitcev]

Its a pity the CZ RAMI is no longer in production. It fits right in for those that want hammer-fired DA/SA in an alloy frame.

I knew someone who carried RAMI. Upgraded to a Hellcat. Also, bought a SP-01 for a CZ fix.

 

[Alllen Bundy]

That's how I would describe how I feel about the CSX. It's reputation was dinged pretty badly by YouTubers who got early defective models.

Sig, CSX, and others have well deserved complaints and damage to their reputation because they were using their customers as their beta testers instead of properly testing their products themselves.

Granted, I own a Sig P365, and a P365XL. But I'll NEVER take Sig's word on something. When I asked Sig if they had done ANY manual chambering testing they told me that they don't share their test results. WRONG ANSWER!

 

[The_Quartermaster]

My answer is something else. None on that list are small enough for me to pocket carry and are too small to shoot as effective with. Practically all of the micro 9's are like this with the possible exception being the Shield Plus. Same size as the Shield literally that they both can use and share the same holster. My Shield shoots like a compact but carries like a subcompact, one would think that the Plus can shoot just the same, haha. However the Shield is also too big to pocket carry.

My Shield has been long ago replaced by the G43X which it too was replaced by my current EDC, the G43X MOS. Too big to pocket carry but absolutely perfect to appendix carry inside of a Tulster Oath. And I know it's limitations so I use something else more purpose centric for pocket carrying, like my Colt Mustang XSP. Probably the only dedicated pocket carry gun I own that doesn't have a backup for it to use in case of issues deadlining it for any reason. Probably will be picking up an LCP2 just for this role maybe.

I have shot the 365 alongside it's 365 counterpart in 380 and will say that the 365 in 9 is a bit much for that size because the 380 version shoots polar opposites and is smooth like butter and faster more accurate. It reaffirmed to me that 9's sized to be guns typically reserved for 380 should stay that way. Even the smaller G42 shoots more accurately and operates smoother than the G43 but both are also too big to pocket carry. I already have a 43X for the subcompact role though and very unsure of what role it should be for.

I think that it may end up being the wife's new daily carry appendix or will become our kitchen gun.

YMMV

 

[Mike J]

I've been carrying the Ruger Max-9 the last few weeks. I have no idea which of the micro 9's is best. I did have an issue with the slide locking back with ammunition still in the magazine initially but with some help from here I figured out I was pushing up on the slide lock with my thumb. I have the safety version so I have trained myself to take the safety off when coming up on target. I swipe it off with the knuckle of my strong hand thumb then I rest the side of my thumb knuckle against the safety. It keeps me from engaging the slide lock. Other than that & 1 stovepipe jam about 30 rounds in I haven't had any difficulty. I have about 300 rounds through it now. I do have to work more to shoot decently with a gun this size then with a compact or traditional subcompact. Shorter sight radius & less to hold on to. That is okay though. It encourages me to practice more live & dry.

 

[Tallball]

After owning a bunch of others, for single-stack I prefer the Kahrs. I like their triggers. They're small and light and fit my hands well.

My only small double-stack is a Taurus GX4. I like it just fine and it's given me no problems.

They're virtually the same height and width, but the double-stack is thicker and heavier. The double-stack is fine for carry involving the waistband or a belt. The loaded single-stack is significantly lighter than the fully loaded double-stack, and thus better for pocket carry.

 

[Buckeye63]

I own a GX4 and a GX4XL
I have the GX4 on my side as I tap this out

Great little pistols

 

[WheelGunMan]

Glad they seem to have gotten the bugs worked out on the CSX- but Im also glad I wasnt an early adopter. I really like my P938 and the CSX feels alot like a double stack SIG.
I may very well grab one in the near future.

For me it felt just right the first time I picked it up..it just FITS me..and with the other likable features I was hooked.
I have Kimber Micro 9 Rapide that I really like except for the oversized safeties that that are easily flipped on by my support hand thumb from the recoil.

 

[JerkyFreak]

Defeats the purpose, don't it.

Totally agree. Can't blame the platform for that one though.

Being an alloy frame it is heavier than the plastic variants with the trade-off being easier handling recoil.

I carry the 10 round with the 14 as the spare mag.

 

[Old Dog]

Yeah, still gonna go with the SIG P-365. The 938 comes in a close second...Although I've a bit of experience with the SA Hellcat, and I do like its sights, I'll go with the best trigger and ergonomics of all the micro 9s.

 

[kevincallahan]

When I retired from law enforcement after 33 years, I purchased a new Sig 290rs. It is heavy as others have said, but it is thin and I can hit with it out to 25 yards. It is dead nuts reliable, had a heavy enough trigger pull to not require a safety and acts very much like a double action revolver. It also had sig full sights. I have not really found any other 9 I like as much for daily concealed carry . If I did not have it I probably would look at one of the 1911 single actions.

 

[bluetopper]

The Ruger EC9s and it's not even close. Since they came out with the "S" model and lightened the trigger 500% it's a superb carry and shooting sidearm and very concealable and dependable. All for $250

 

[starling]

The Ruger EC9s and it's not even close. Since they came out with the "S" model and lightened the trigger 500% it's a superb carry and shooting sidearm and very concealable and dependable. All for $250

Im with you on the Ruger LC9 and all its variants. Ive played around with most of these subcompacts now and nothing has really ever impressed me more than the LC9. Very thin and streamlined so its easy to conceal even deep concealment. No worries about printing either. Feels like a bar of soap when carrying compared to most of the blockier offerings. The Inexpensive EC9s are great because of the striker trigger and theres something to be said for basic fixed sights on a small pistol even though I have no trouble using them at a distance. All the bugs were worked out of the design long ago and they just work well and hold up now. I Still like all the variations of this design even though some of the earlier versions LC9/LC380 Hammer fired have a couple delicate areas you have to keep an eye on. LC9s and EC9s took care of all that and gave us a wonderful trigger. Ruger took a step back with the blocky Max 9 IMO. Ruger may have copied Keltec with the LC9 but they did it right and took the design to another level with the LC9s/EC9s. I like a lot of these pocket 9mms on the market and own my fair share of them but the LC9 series as a CCW pistol has remained my favorite in its size range. The others out there are nice pistols but if I am going the blocky double stack route I just carry a mid size....preferably in a larger caliber (40 or 357sig).

The hype for the LC9/EC9 series is long past. I didnt understand why they were so popular until I started playing around with them and carrying concealed in different ways but they are just as good as they ever were. No surprises now either so this whole notion of beta testing for manufacturers with a carry piece is a non issue. They get overlooked now because the market is so flooded and people jump to fad of the month pistols a lot but the LC9/EC9 design checks all the boxes for an ultra concealable and comfortable 9mm that is a joy to carry.

 

[CajunBass]

I guess they sort of surprised me, but I have become very fond of my Taurus G3, and especially my G2C. I got the G3 originally as sort of a grins and giggles gun...see how bad it really is, and by George that gun just chugs along. Never malfunctions, hits where I'm shooting and so on. Pretty much the same thing about the G2C that I got afterward except it's smaller, and has adjustable sights. Came with two 12 round mags for about $300. I thought I had sworn off polymer guns, but darned if they didn't bring me back. The G2C is my everyday carry gun now. Heck, I even broke down and got a Kydex holster for it.

Since we're talking about compacts I'll show the G2C. The G3 looks like it, but is more the size of a Glock 19.



I couldn't tell you if it's the "best" or not, but it's pretty high up for me.

Forgot to mention. They do have a thumb safety that you can use, or ignore.

 

[Average Joe]

Sig P365 with the 12 round mag works for me as my EDC.