Sig P290 experience

[Kahr33556]

I am looking at a p290 now after looking for a shield.
I have now found the shield but the p290 caught my eye.
also looking at the Kahr CM9.
I have a CW9 but the but of the gun prints so looking for a tad bit shorter gun.
Any thoughts on the 3

shield 449
p290 504
CM9 ???

I carry my LCP everywhere (back pocket carry mostly, in a pocket holster)but wish I had my 9 more.
I live in Fl t shirts most of the time or button up shirts when dressing up.

 

[C0untZer0]

IMO the P290 is not a pocket pistol, IMO the PM9/CM9 is. The P290 is closer to the Kimber Solo than the CM9.

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

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

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

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

Rohrbaugh R9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.9 in
Length: 5.2 in
Height: 3.7 in
Weight: 13.5 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

 

[Kahr33556]

I do not want a pocket gun just a gun with a shorter grip that wont print as bad. The butt of the gun and end of the magazine is my problem with the CW9,bad mag design I.M.O.

 

[TennJed]

IMO the P290 is not a pocket pistol, IMO the PM9/CM9 is.

Why would you consider the PM9/CM9 a pocket gun but not the P290? They are basically identical in deminsions. The Sig is a little heavier, but only by 4oz.

 

[Fishbed77]

I own a CM9. It's a splendid little pistol. I have a few thousand rounds through mine and it's been 100% reliable. For the price (I spent only $327 out-the-door for mine when new thanks to a sale at PSA), I can't think of a better ultra-compact nine.

 

[Kahr33556]

Ya I have a cw9 and love it.just didnt want 2 guns almost the same.
I even considered buying a cm9 mag and cutting the but of my cw9 down but than I loose all value in the gun.

 

[Tomac]

I have both the CM9 & P290RS.
CM9 has been 100% (did the suggested prep & lube before firing the first time) and is more concealable than the P290RS but I needed a Hogue grip sleeve to tame the recoil w/hotter loads. Std mag w/pinky extension just barely gives me a full grip but it makes a big difference in shootability (YMMV). Excellent trigger & surprisingly accurate for such a small pistol.

P290RS' trigger isn't as good but it's true DAO and handles recoil better (the extra weight?). I need the 8rd mag w/extension to get a full grip but it handles/shoots like a larger pistol. Galloway Precision makes both a spring kit to reduce trigger pull & a 22lb recoil spring that has improved my followup shot time/accuracy. Note: I own two P290RS' and both get occasional misfires w/PMC ammo (even my P250 had a misfire w/PMC).

If deep concealment is the primary consideration then check out the CM9. If good concealment w/improved shooting/handling characteristics is more important then check out the P290RS.
I shoot the P290RS faster & more accurately than the CM9 so the P290RS has replaced the CM9 as my EDC.
Tomac

 

[Dogguy]

This turned out to be longer than I intended but maybe it will be of some help in the OP's decision. I mulled over the purchase of a pocket 9mm for at least 2 years before acting.

I recently bought a P290RS. I originally intended to buy a Kahr CM9 or a PM9 until I looked at the SIG. The P290RS with night sights sold for quite a bit less than the PM9 equipped the same, and only about $100 more than the CM9. It also seemed like a more substantially built pistol to me--just my initial impression which is what I went with. I passed on the Shield. Like my friend's Ruger LC9, it has a manual safety and is a little larger than I wanted for pocket carry.

I've only taken it to the range only once. The trigger was pretty ragged as it came from the box but it has smoothed out substantially and, maybe, lightened up a little. Maybe I'm just getting used to it. The short flat grip with the 6-round magazine has been a challenge for me. I put a Hogue Handall Jr. on it and it feels a lot better because it fills out the empty space under my palm and provides a better gripping surface than the rough texture SIG uses.

It fed everything I put through it (FMJ, JHP, standard and +P 9mm) although one round of Tula needed a second strike to get going. Recoil is manageable but after 175 rounds or so I was getting a mite fatigued. I think the Hogue rubber sock will improve this area. It seems to be accurate for an old guy like me with bad eyes and arthritis in the shoulders and arms.

Magazines are tight when new and I noticed a few times the gun balked at feeding the first round in the magazine. This never happened at the range when I was shooting but it did happen at home with dummy rounds and live ammo when first loading it. I think the magazines need to be broken in by leaving them loaded for a while. After a week or so of doing this, I've noticed the first round is now feeding okay in both original magazines.

Speaking of magazines, I bought some extra 6-rounders and one of them was defective. The spring was deformed--looked too long and twisted enough it was difficult to reassemble. It would lock the slide up too tight to release with the slide lock lever and it would only take 5 rounds no matter how hard I tried to load it with an Uplula loader. It has gone back for exchange.

I guess whether the P290RS is a pocket pistol or not is subjective. I've carried heavier and larger pistols in my pants pocket. The SIG certainly works for me whether it's in jeans, BDU/cargo pants or sweat pants. The weight is almost identical to the Walther PPK/S and it's actually smaller in size than the Walther. I've been carrying a S&W 642 for the last several years but I think the SIG will eventually prove itself worthy as a replacement.

 

[Storm]

Overall the P290 is marginally a pocket gun. It all depends how you carry it. With a DeSantis Nemesis pocket carry is very doable. Still on the heavy side, but I can almost forget the gun is in my pocket.

As to the trigger, the key is to use a long even steady pull. No staging.

 

[Penoe Hunter]

I have a Sig P290, never had a problem. Shot a 100 on qualifying course with it

 

[jmfc606]

Sold one to my neighbor. He loves it. No misfires or failures of any kind. I got to shoot it against a Ruger LC9. We both preferred the Sig over the Ruger. I do have another NIB P290-9-BSS-L for sale if anyone is interested.This is the black stainless (Nitron) slide, sig lite nite sites, and a removable factory laser. Comes with 2 clips and a sig holster. I am an FFL dealer. I got a good deal on them and am selling it $80 under wholesale.

 

[Rinspeed]

I bought my wife a 290 the first of the year and, truth be told, wasn't quite sure what I was getting into. I have a boatload of rounds through several classic Sigs but the early 290s don't have the greatest reputation and I've never been a big fan of smaller pistols to begin with. We only have around 500 rounds through it but it has been 100% reliable and shoots better than I expected out to 15 yards. I almost bought her a CM9 but she has been a big fan of my other Sigs so it was an easy sell.

 

[TennJed]

Sold one to my neighbor. He loves it. No misfires or failures of any kind. I got to shoot it against a Ruger LC9. We both preferred the Sig over the Ruger. I do have another NIB P290-9-BSS-L for sale if anyone is interested.This is the black stainless (Nitron) slide, sig lite nite sites, and a removable factory laser. Comes with 2 clips and a sig holster. I am an FFL dealer. I got a good deal on them and am selling it $80 under wholesale.

There is a classified section in case you didn't know

 

[jmfc606]

Tennjed,

Thank You!

 

[hariph creek]

I love my P290RS. It's the first semi auto to replace a snub, as my "always" gun.
If you like DAO triggers? It's great. If not? You won't like it. I don't mean precocked and/or striker fired, either. Think revolver, it's like a flat DAO revolver.

Other than weight, it's dimensions are virtually the same as the PM/CM 9's. That little bit of extra weight makes for a more substantial feeling gun. Plus it makes recoil quite manageable.
It looks bigger than it is, it shoots bigger than it is, it carries small.

I carry mine in a Remora, about 2:30-3:00, with a very strong forward cant.
You can't see it under a t-shirt. Now I know people say..."I carry a 5" 1911 or N-Frame under a t-shirt...blah blah blah"... But, with this setup I can go to the store, work in the yard, go to work, etc...all the while moving normally. I can even bend over to pick something up. Without that straight backed, crippled looking, "hope my gun isn't printing" ballet.

However this is true of all these little micro compact 9's. It's really a master of what you like best. For me it's the P290RS.


ETA: I do sometimes pocket carry it. It works just fine. Just as any in this class of gun. They're all a bit big but, doable. I don't really like pocket carry. If I must I prefer something in the .32/.380 size.

 

[TennJed]

Sig makes great DAO only guns. Both the P290 and P250 have great triggers. They are long but smooth. Some people complain about them, but I suspect most are not DAO people, which is fine. Like you said if you don't like double action triggers you want like it. But their triggers are as good as it gets in DAO