reasonable price, reliable conceal 9mm

[TarDevil]

Ruger SR9. My opinion. Ymmv.

I love mine, but can't argue the logistics of carrying any of the newer 9mm's that hold as many rounds in a smaller package.
I'm only giving up one round in carrying my Shield Plus with a spare mag.

I'm also a little down on Ruger for abandoning product lines like the SR series. I like commonality between my carry pistols and you just can't do that with Ruger. I'm now a S&W MP man.

 

[jstert]

o.p.: must your choice be limited to a 9mm semiauto pistol?

 

[C0untZer0]

I wouldn't get a Taurus G2 or G3. The magazine catch falls out of some of the G2 and G3 guns and they drop the mag and basically the gun is disabled. Taurus never acknowledged the problem, never bothered to try to find out which batch of guns were affected, and never did a recall. If your mag catch falls out, you can send your gun in and they will fix it, but if your mag catch falls out when you're fighting for your life, you won't care about the Taurus warranty.

Grandsons Taurus G3C failed today. Magazine button & spring fell out. Dropped the magazine. Put in service 1/19/21. Was shot very little. About 150 rounds total.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/taurus-g3c-9mm.885145/page-2#post-12155867

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/taurus-g3c-magazine-release-fail-repair.899895/

The Stoeger STR-9C 9mm Compact is on sale and a much better gun that the G2 or G3 and Stoeger is a much better company.

https://gun.deals/product/stoeger-str-9c-9mm-compact-1-mag-1-backstrap-31730-298

The Beretta APX is nice too. If it comes with 2 magazines - that is something to think about since the Stoeger only comes with 1. Either is much better than Taurus.

 

[unclenunzie]

Here's my take. You'll spend a lot of money on ammo proving the reliability of your chosen pistol. If you have a malfunction you'll want to start again after figuring out and correcting what was wrong and spend yet more money on ammo doing that. After all that you will have a tested pistol but it will still be whatever you chose in the beginning. I'd rather pay up front more for a top tier pistol and spend less on ammo to prove it's reliability. For this reason I would budget more money on the gun and less on ammo and get a Glock, Sig, Smith, Springfield. All have good customer service but you'll be less likely to need it. There is a reason why you see police departments authorize back up weapons of the top brands and you don't see them authorize others.

 

[Armored farmer]

I don't own a glock, but it would be a disservice to not suggest one because of their commonality across the whole gambit of pistols.....like @TarDevil said.
M&P pistols also.

 

[borrowedtime69]

I HIGHLY recommend a Glock 43X (not so much the small 43) with Sheild Arms metal mag release and the Sheild Arms 15 round steel mags! These are easily consealed, full size grip with that option to go from the 10 +1 round to 15+1 round capacity. Mine shoots well and is accurate.

 

[entropy]

Gx4 TORO. Taurus haters gonna hate, but I have 4 Taurus pistols, all 4 are reliable, no problems with mag releases. The triggers on the PT145 and the G2c aren't great, but they are serviceable.

 

[FL-NC]

Yes, you will lose your gun, at least temporarily, if you end up using it in such a fashion. Very unlikely you will need to use it statistically speaking, but regardless, you want a reliable gun that you can use effectively. So while I wouldn't spend a fortune on some high-end Salient or Wilson combat pistol, I wouldn't want to rely in a piece of trash made in South Florida in the 70's either. As for me, I carry a S&W shield 9. It conceals well, I shoot it well, it is a quality pistol from a legit manufacturer, and it didn't cost me a fortune.

 

[Hookeye]

I understand economics, been through some rough times.
But a carry gun is life insurance.
NEVER understood the concept of going cheap there.
Don't think the Sig P365 to be an expensive or cheap rig, is in the middle maybe.
Love mine.
Lots lighter and smaller than the Colt Commander I had for 30 yrs.

Not thrilled w 9mm but with todays crazy stuff, higher capacity makes sense to me.
My full size carry rig costs a little more but still isn't crazy (not a Wilson or Nighthawk LOL).

Think the P365 for summer carry has been the best money Ive spent in a long while.

 

[HighRoadRover]

P365 is an excellent choice. Glock Model 43 has a good reputation too. The S&W Shields are everywhere for a reason.

On these little guns, since they are lighter and sometimes a bit ammo-sensitive, the best bet is a good quality one from a company that backs up their work (Sig-Sauer, Glock, S&W).

I wouldn't mess with a bargain gun -- I won't mention brand names -- but if it is cheap, it's probably cheap.

If you go to a local gun store or a Cabelas you can put your hands on the pistols you are interested in and see how they feel for you. One overlooked factor is the controls: some little pistols have strong springs and can be hard to rack, others have slippery slide serrations, etc. So make sure the one you are going to buy is easy for you to handle, that you can see the sights well, etc.

And some additional advice: Whatever you buy, get some good self-defense ammo and shoot a couple of boxes of the type you select through the pistol you purchase. You need to be sure that ammo works in that pistol with 100% reliability. I think 100 rounds shot with total reliability is a good start.

Good luck! Be safe.

 

[CapnMac]

"What ifs" are like halving halves, you will never get to zero (all you wind up with is a never-ending fractal "fuzz").

If it comes to cases you want reliability above all else, getting through a dire situation is the first priority. Everything else is secondary.

So, the budget constraint probably ought not be one, unless you are worried enough to insist on buying two matching sidearms.

The real problem is that there is no one perfect solution.

That's because each of us is an individual. With specific situations and circumstances. My work situation does not require a suit--and I'm happy for that. It's 101°F at 1452 here in Arlington, with a Feels like of 104°F (around 41°C for you international readers) which is also not "suit" weather in the slightest.

Now, were I inclined to venture out into the inferno called Texas in July, I'd take my SIG 365X as it rides nicely under a loose-fitting guyabarra shirt (also ideal for this weather).

Now, if a person were going to insist on economy, the PSA Dagger (a Gen 3 Glock 19 clone) is worth a look. The AREX (similar size) is also worth a look. Both of those are available with RDS sight cuts (as hitting the target, if needed ranks up there with "goes bang Every Single Time").

That ARX is also a good choice, too.

Now, which of those is your Goldilocks is a different question. Which is like "best BBQ?" That depends on many things.

 

[5-SHOTS]

I would go for a gun that is durable and reliable and that you can practice with often.
Remember that the smaller the pistol, the more difficult and unpleasant it is to shoot.
In my opinion the best choice is a pistol in the same size and weight category as the Glock 26.
If you are considering the Taurus you should choose between the G2 and the G3C. As for Ruger, I would definitely choose the Security 9 Compact instead of the LC9.
I have the Taurus G3 and it's a great pistol for the price. I have no doubt that the G3C is equally good with the plus of the all steel Glock-compatible sights .

 

[jar]

As I understand it you have and are familiar with the 45acp in the 1911 platform.

Have you considered the many 1911 like smaller 9mm versions that are available today?

That would maintain the same manual of arms you currently follow but in a smaller more easily carried format.

 

[5-SHOTS]

I wouldn't get a Taurus G2 or G3. The magazine catch falls out of some of the G2 and G3 guns and they drop the mag and basically the gun is disabled. Taurus never acknowledged the problem, never bothered to try to find out which batch of guns were affected, and never did a recall. If your mag catch falls out, you can send your gun in and they will fix it, but if your mag catch falls out when you're fighting for your life, you won't care about the Taurus warranty.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/taurus-g3c-9mm.885145/page-2#post-12155867

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/taurus-g3c-magazine-release-fail-repair.899895/

The Stoeger STR-9C 9mm Compact is on sale and a much better gun that the G2 or G3 and Stoeger is a much better company.

https://gun.deals/product/stoeger-str-9c-9mm-compact-1-mag-1-backstrap-31730-298

The Beretta APX is nice too. If it comes with 2 magazines - that is something to think about since the Stoeger only comes with 1. Either is much better than Taurus.

Stoeger had also alot of problems with their STR-9. There are alot of youtube videos that prove it.
Some months ago the italian Banco Nazionale di Prova (National Proof Bench) rejected the second entire lot of STR-9.
Three lots of Taurus G3 (several undreds of units) passed the proof test.

A guy on youtube shows you how to fix the Taurus potential problem, easily and permanently if someone really want to be sure:

On the contrary there's nothing you can do when a pistol doesn't pass the proof test...

My Taurus G3 never showed the potential problem and I shot several undreds rounds with it with alot of magazine releases (I usually shot with five or ten rounds in the magazine; I shot very few times with a full magazine). When I knew about the potential problem I also tried to push the magazine release as deep as I could to duplicate the problem and nothing strange happened.

 

[WVsig]

What do I know I carry this.... Custom Alloy BHP from Don Williams of The Action Works

 

[C0untZer0]

I've owned the Taurus Millennium G2 PT111 since 2016 and I've said repeatedly over the years that I've never had a malfunction with it. It doesn't have a very high round count but I haven't had any problems with it. That is the truth of my experience with Taurus.

It is also the truth though that some G2 and the G3 guns have a known defect that instantly disables the gun. If someone wants to spend $199.99 and proactively put a shim in the frame to keep the mag catch and mag spring (and magazine) from falling out, then they're free to do that. It seems though that their money would be better spent on a different firearm.

 

[12Bravo20]

I have and carry 1911's and Glocks. The only Glock models I don't have is the G43X and G48.

While I do shoot Glocks well, they don't really fit me hands well, especially the Gen 3 and 4 Glocks with finger grooves. I recently purchased a Canik TP9 Elite SC and really like it. It has the same slide length as a G19 and the grip is only slightly longer than a G26. It also holds 12 rounds versus 10 round in the G26. The grip is also a bit smaller overall than the Glocks I grew up shooting single action pistols and the Canik has one of the better triggers for a striker fired pistol that I have shot.

If you want to stay with a single action, look at one of the micro 9mm pistols from Kimber or Sig. Yes they have limited mag capacity but the manual of arms will be very similar to the 1911. Plus they conceal easily. I have a Sig P938 and it is smaller and lighter than the Glock 43. The P938 is only 2.5 ounces heavier than the Kel-Tec PF9.

 

[Atavar]

I would try the trigger before buying. If you are used to a 1911 the APX is going to have a mile long pull and reset in comparison.

It does not matter how good a deal it is if you can’t shoot it well.

A long trigger pull on a carry pistol with no manual safety is not necessarily a bad thing. In an SD situation you won’t notice it.

 

[Ignition Override]

My CZ PCR.

I have carried Only DA/SA handguns, and it’s sometimes a coincidence that they happen to be 9mm compacts.

This CZ has an alloy frame.

My first CZs were the 82 (in 9x18 Mak. chambering) and a very Used P-O1 with over 10,000 rds. through it, the seller’s Exact Words….still totally reliable.

Sig 365?
Tried one owned by a buddy and really liked it.
I would consider it an excellent choice based on its ergos and so many satisfied customers, plus - it’s a Sig.

 

[1911 guy]

I carry a full size 1911 all the time, even with just a loose fitting T-shirt. You already own one or more, so spend your money on a good gun belt and IWB holster. That will be cheaper than a new pistol and more familiar.

 

[hso]

I've always been told if you do use one the police will take it for evidence and may be a while before you get it back, if you do get it back, so I dont want to spend a fortune. Any advice

Economizing on a life-saving device doesn't seem to make sense. I'd go as far as you can afford for a handgun that may save your life, not pinch a penny because you plan to loose it if you use it.

That said, I'd buy a compact version of whatever it is that you make the most accurate hits with at speed instead of letting price drive your choice. We are talking about putting rounds on a threat after all.

 

[Tallball]

If someone can't find a reliable 9mm CC pistol for $300, the problem is with the shopper, not with the pistols that are available.

 

[Spats McGee]

....I am leaning towards a Ruger LC9s or the new low priced Taurus G2 and G3....

I've never owned any of those, but from what I have read on the internet (so it must be true, right?), any of those should serve you pretty well. Just be sure to shoot them enough to be confident in function.

 

[Craig_AR]

General things to think about on selecting an EDC CCW gun:
1. Can you wear it comfortably all day, every day?
This criterion tends to lead to smaller, lighter, plastic guns, such as ultra compact, and having to try multiple holsters until you find the "right" one for you.
2. Is it comfortable enough to shoot that you will practice with it regularly (monthly?).
This criterion tends to lead you larger, heavier guns, like compact or full size models and possibly all metal instead of plastic, since the small light weight plastic ultra compacts can have rather uncomfortable recoil.
3. Can you shoot it accurately enough for defensive shooting, that is, all rounds in an 8" circle at 7 yards, drawing from concealment under pressure?
This criterion tends to lead to longer barrel models, such compact or full size models.

As you can see, you have to trade off competing criteria. Further, many experienced CCW folks report they have learned to carry full size all metal guns comfortably by careful selection of holster, clothing, and carry position. If you experiment with holsters and carry modes, you may find your existing guns just fine for EDC.

Next suggestions:
1. Consider buying two identical guns, one for EDC and the other for training and practice. Further, separate carry magazines and training magazines. Do not use your carry magazines for training and practice.
2. About once a year shoot the HP defense rounds from your EDC gun and replace them with fresh ammunition. This reminds you of the different feel of the HP rounds from the FMJ training ammunition, and makes sure you have reliable HP in the EDC gun.

And if you have never had SD training involving holster draw and defensive shooting as compared to range based marksmanship training, find an instructor for that SD class.

Good luck

 

[kerreckt]

I have found the G2C to be very reliable nd accurate. My son and I each have one. We have put 5K +/- through the two of them with no failures at all. NONE.