Need a Carry Gun: 9mm, DA/SA, Single Stack

[Topspeed]

S&W 3913. Arguably the best single stack compact CCW ever. IMHO.

 

[Strahley]

SIG P239 or a SIG P225/P6 are going to be about your only option for these requirements

By DA/SA I assume you want a hammer, not striker fired

 

[Strahley]

Or the 3913. Forgot about that

 

[STL73]

Go with the Sig. I never understood the whole Sig thing until I had a chance to buy one at a good price. Can't say enough good things about my Sig.

 

[MCMXI]

Your best bet is a Sig P225 or P239. The P225 has much better balance, in my hand. Here's some in great shape, very hard to find:

http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig-sauer-p225-handguns/

Those NIB P225s are a good deal compared to some of the NIB (new old stock) ones on GB when you consider that the NIB ones from TGS have SIG night sights and a Nitron finish on the slide. I have a P225 and like it so much that I want to buy another. I've found a NIB one from '92 for $675 but it has the original finish and no night sights. SIG charges over $200 to refinish the slide and install night sights so the ones from TGS would be a better value.

I have to wonder why P225s with German Police Markings are cheaper than the non-police versions.

 

[Hawgone]

Several 3913's on Gunbroker site now

New member with a hello to all. Just getting back into handguns after a 30 year hiatus. Previouly revolver guy now a pistol convert. Packman several 3913's on Gunbroker now, most auction bid, but a couple "buy now".

 

[jhallrv4]

I can't say enough good things about my 3913NL. Hogue grips on mine, a tiny bit wider than the plastic-fantastic ones from factory, but much better feel. Mine has a carry melt treatment on the slide-release and saftey. Then again, I carry my PPS mostly. It's DAO, but it's rated for +P and fits on my ankle well.
I bought the 3913 a couple of years ago with 5 mags for about 550 as I recall. Smoking deal now.

 

[fastbolt]

3913's & 3913TSW's can still be found. Someone mentioned on one of the forums that S&W apparently released some overrun stock of some 3rd gen guns a while back, including some 3913TSW's and maybe some CS9's, to some distributor. They sometimes clean out their vaults and release some surprises onto the commercial market.

If you want something that feels like a single column magazine frame, but actually has a double column mag which holds 10 rounds, you might try to find a P99 AS compact chambered in 9mm. My SW999c feels as slim as my 3913 in my hands. The Anti-Stress (AS) offers something very close to a Traditional Double Action (DA/SA) when decocked, unlike the Quick-Action (QA) which is a something like the Glock constant (partially cocked) double action with the same trigger stroke each time. Personally, I tend to prefer the TDA models, myself.

If you eliminated the P239 for it's rather chunky grip profile, you might want to consider trying to rent one for test-fire before making your final decision. The Traditional Double Action P239 is a fine compact pistol and makes for a nice shooting compact 9mm. If I didn't already own a handful of excellent small 9's I'd have looked around to pick up a 239 for a decent price some time ago.

I generally don't like to make recommendations about guns unless I have the chance to gain some hands-on experience with someone and can gauge their knowledge, skillsets and experience, but the guns I've mentioned are ones which I've personally come to respect and feel are good examples of quality compact 9's. That obviously doesn't mean they'll suit everyone's needs and preferences, though.

 

[Zerodefect]

It's a couple of things. One, I have really slender hands. Single stack grips tend to fit me much better. Two, overall, single stacks have a greater reputation for reliability. Three, and of not insignificant importance, is that I have too much crap carried around with me as it is. Doublestack mags are hard to conceal.



True, but it still has a really long, pretty heavy trigger pull that didn't impress me one iota.

If you don't like the Kahr trigger then why would you want a far worse DA/SA trigger. My Ruger p95 and M9 have a worse DA pull on the first shot, and that is the most important and hardest shot to take, followed by lame floppy SA pulls. I'll take a Kahr over those any day.

Single stack mags are not more reliable than double. My Glock mags are the most reliable mags I've ever seen. (Current gen8) Alot of single stack mags don't hold the top round up very well when fully loaded, that top round can nose dive. 1911's do this, but are throated and ramped for it, so it's NBD.

I don't think this is a good time to buy based on those requirements. Better off waiting and learning more about different platforms. I started with a DA/SA, but will never recommend one ever again.

I'd recommend researching: Glock 19/23/17/22, S&W M&P, Walther, HK p9/p7.

 

[LawofThirds]

Most of the feed issues for doublestacks have pretty much gone the way of the dodo and other delicious animals.

My vote would probably go to either the M&P or a good look at the H&K P30 in the polymer section and the new SIG E2 offerings, CZ75 or 85 or S&W 3913/CS9 series for the metal frame options.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Walther P-1's with the hex nut can still be found for a reasonable price, leaving you a lot of money for ammo.

 

[DonRon]

Don't forget to look at the Kel Tec PF-9 and P-11. A lot of 9 mm pistol for the money. By the way, the PF-P fits in most of the Kahr CW 9/40 holsters and the P-11 fits in the Desantis Kahr CW 9/40 holsters.

 

[MCMXI]

I bought a SIG P239 SAS Gen 2 chambered in 9mm Luger last week. It's DA/SA (which is my preference) along with the short reset trigger (SRT) and night sights ... it's one heck of a nice pistol. It comes with one 8-round magazine but the grip is on the short side for me so I ordered five 10-round magazines for it. It's smaller and lighter than the P225 and should make for a really good carry gun.

 

[Trumac]

I have a feeling you won't like the pf9 if you don't like the Kahr trigger. I can't speak for the pull on the Kahr, but I have a pf9 and it is long, a little heavy and needs to be released fully for reset. If you decide you do like it, I'll sell you mine tho.

 

[ABTOMAT]

I went through the same thing as the OP, and went with a P6 for price and ergonomics reasons. Second choice was a 908 or 457.

P6's these days aren't the bargain they were in 2008, but replace the hammer spring and get the feed ramp machined and you basically get an ugly P225 for around $400+.

 

[usp9]

You can find a nice S&W 908 for $400 or less. It is a good size and certainly well made. It isn't my favorite by any means, but if I didn't have a better choice, it would serve well. Seen here as a comparison with a Kahr TP9.


Personally I opt for the Kahr, a P9 in particular, because they are so thin and easily concealed. I admit, I'd prefer a hammer on my Kahr if they made one.

 

[SpentCasing]

Go with the 908. A S&W 910 was my first pistol and i will never sell it. Very undervalued/rated line when being made new. Now either no one wants to sell or wants more than MSRP used but good ones do exist for far under your budget.

 

[BigNYMini]

Ruger SR9c

 

[Packman]

Thanks gentlemen,

I've already picked up my Smith and Wesson 3913NL.

I paid 325 for the gun with 1 mag, and then bought 3 extra mags at 10 each. So, I got the gun and 4 mags for 355, before tax.

It shoots great, and even though it's a used police trade-in, I was able to select from a number of them. The finish is decent, and the internals looks as though it was not shot very much. I'm very happy with it.

 

[rscalzo]

You can find a P7M8 for $1000, if you are willing to look around.

Surplus ones are available for less than $500.
Tons of 3913/14 for around $400. I wouldn't pay any more than than.

 

[ABTOMAT]

The $500 surplus P7s are PSPs. The P7M8's have a different mag release, a heat shield, and some other tweaks.