Thin 9mm

[wally]

IMHO Kahr CM9 or CM40 is definitely worth a look, amoung the best buys in sub-compact single stack pistols at ~$370, although figure more like $400 if you want a spare mag, shipping with only one is part of how they get to the lower price point. Blows away the PF9 for only about $100 more.

SIG 938 is very nice but you are looking $650+ and SIG gouges a bit more for spare mags than Kahr does

 

[rodinal220]

H&K P7 series.BHP thin for a full size hi-cap pistol IMHO.

 

[exavid]

Been carrying and shooting my LC9 for over a year now and am still very happy with it. It's small, light, slim and very easily concealable. Mine's been totally reliable with various 9mm ammo including Critical Defense, Cor Bon, and Gold Dot as well as WWB and my handloads of various strength and bullet types. I regularly shoot pop cans out to 25yds which is good for a gun of this type and plenty accurate for what it's intended for. Add to that a decent low price and American made and you've got a winner.

 

[Skribs]

Good breakdown CountZero. I'm starting to think I want a small 9 to replace my LCP. Problem is the LC9 is way bigger and has a manual safety. It would be specifically for pocket carry in shorts not designed for carry, which means light and small. Unfortunately it's on the back burner for now.

 

[exavid]

Go for what you like but the LC9 has been a good carry gun for me including the summer when wearing shorts though I prefer the LCP for that. The LC9 is quite easy to conceal, I carry it most of the time IWB at the appendix position. That works for me because the holster (Ace Case tuckable) is comfortable standing, sitting, and driving a vehicle, with the gun very easy to draw.
As for the safety on the pistol, it's not needed but apparently was put on the gun to make it possible to sell in some states. There's no need for it, it has the same action as the LCP, DAO with a long pull like a revolver in DA. I've always carried my LC9 with complete confidence sans safety. I agree it's a bit large for pocket carry but though I orignally carried my LCP in a DiSantis Nemesis pocket holster over time I've become convinced that's a poor method. Basically because it's harder to get the pistol out of a pocket not to mention it takes away a pocket on your strong side that you may want for change, keys, pocket knife or whatever. I no longer carry the LCP that way but use a DiSantis Summer Heat holster. It works much better than pocket carry and is much more discreet.
The LC9 is not as small as some compact 9mms but to me it's about as small and light as a real shootable nine can be. It has well designed recoil response, you can shoot 50-100rds at a range session comfortably and accurately. I regularly shoot and hit at pop cans at 25yds with it. Which is more accuracy than really needed for self defense but gives me confidence in the pistol.

 

[C0untZer0]

In Illinois we're duking it out with the most hard core socialist anti-gun politicians in the U.S. But we will win and I got a Rohrbaugh R9 and a Nemesis holster for that day (should be June 10th if not sooner unless Lisa Madigan appeals to SCOTUS).

I like the way the R9 just drops into my pocket, doesn't weigh down my pants, poke me or get in the way. I can sit down, drive, put on my seatbelt, stand up, walk, bend over to get something - it doesn't matter the R9 is unobtrusive.

The gun is not hard to get out of the pocket either but I am experiencing it coming out still wearing the holster. I may be able to get in the habit of brushing it off on the draw. if not, I'll be purchasing one of those really fine leather pocket holsters that I've seen.

 

[CPshooter]

That R9 is certainly small and "unobtrusive," but a gun isn't worth much if you can't hit your target and I personally don't find those little guns to be very shootable. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Skribs]

Exavid, my post was from the perspective of wanting a gun specifically for when I'm not wearing carry gear. In cargo shorts I wear my M&P compact, I have OWB and pocket holsters for it. I do not like the manual safety because I think having one and not using it is inviting disaster when the safety is accidentally switched on and you're not practiced to switch it off.

CountZero, the one issue (aside from price) I think I'd have with the R9 is where the mag release is located. How intuitive is that to use?
As to the problems drawing, try to draw so the leg of the holster catches on your pocket. I've had no problems with my LCP coming out of the holster when needed, and I have a DeSantis Nemesis for that.

CPshooter, these guns aren't very shootable. They're designed to be the ones you have on you, and at contact distance you can hit your target with them.

 

[C0untZer0]

Everyone has different ideas of what constitutes accuracy, and generally speaking there is point where an assailant is so far away from you that maybe it no longer constitutes "self defense distance" I'm not going to define what that is in feet or meters because it changes depending on if you have someone actively shooting at you, moving away from you, advancing on you or whatever.

So far I'm able to create 5 shot groups which measure 2" or less doing off hand slow fire at 15 yards. I am happy with that kind of accuracy fr this little gun.

Again, generally speaking, DGUs outside the home are close distances and not a lot of shots fired. I know that's no iron clad garauntee that if I ever get attacked it will be close up and it will all be resolved with just a few shots and very quickly at that. I know that, but I'm playing the odds that if I ever need to defend myself with a pistol outside of my home - it will probably fall into the category of a few shots at very close range.

But y'know - we're talking about thin Nines on this thread and there's only so much a thin 9mm can do...

 

[JellyJar]

I have the Nano. I bought it over the Shield because I wanted to be able to pocket carry if necessary and although I have never seen a Shield from the specs it appears to be too big to pocket carry.

The Nano is designed for +P ammo and will not work well with cheap Wallyworld ammo.

The only malfunctions, failure to extract, have been with cheap Federal ammo bought from Wallyworld.

Either choice should be great for a belt pistol.

BTY, have you ever seen or checked out the Sig P290RS?

 

[Atbat82]

+1 for the PPS. Only had mine a few weeks, but it shoots great and is easy to carry.

 

[C0untZer0]

The heel mag release on the R9 isn't easy to use at all - it's not like the HK PSP or a Ruger standard - MK III.

1) It's tiny, only a little over a ¼" across or not quite 7mm.

2) The magazine exerts downward pressure on it making it very difficult to move back.

Not intuitive at all, but I work at home and along with dry firing it I practice mag changes.

To drop the mag I slide the ring finger of my right hand under the mag and exert upward pressure on the magazine while using my left index finger to move the mag release back. The mag doesn't fall free, so I have to pull the magazine out with my left hand. magazine don't just go straight in the magazine well either, it's a little like a AK in that you have to hook the magazine behind the mag release and then push the new magazine in.

having said all that it's not as impossible as I initially though it was. I'm getting faster at it by practicing every day.

 

[C0untZer0]

This is a picture of how I get upward pressure on the magazine:

And here is a shot of me getting in there with my left index finger and thumb to pull that lever back:

 

[C0untZer0]

And here is what I meant about angling the magazine in. You have to use the magazine to move that heel lever back:

 

[C0untZer0]

I'll just throw this one in there too, it's sometimes hard to see how small this nine is when you just take a pictue of it standing alone.

 

[Soldiernurse]

For a thin 9mm <$400.00 NIB
Bersa BP9cc...
Width: 0.94"
Barrel Length: 3.2"
Overall Length: 6.35"
Height: 4.8"
Weight: 21.5oz
Capacity: 8+1
Finish: Matte Black

 

[BLB68]

My Shield was <$400 NiB.

I'd considered the Bersa, too. They just weren't available at the time to compare.

I'm happy with the Shield. It'll do pocket carry in a big enough pocket, but it's best IWB. Sights are nothing to write home about. The front sight is smaller and duller than the rear sights, so it makes it a bit difficult for me to focus on. Plan to replace them with XS sights at some point. It's been reliable and accurate enough.

 

[Skribs]

Well CZ, that pretty much kills the Rorbaugh for me. Guess it's a decision between Boberg, Kahr, and DB9 then.

 

[C0untZer0]

Ya, well Nasty has posted that the additional third trigger pin has improved the durability of the DB9.

I think the Kahrs are solid.

I think the XR9-S is high quality and great form factor, and a great carry piece for a lot of people. it was a little heavier than what I wanted is all...

 

[Skribs]

A whoops, forgot that tidbit. Thought it was lighter for some reason. Lot's of stats and I didn't check to verify my memory.

DB9 vs. Kahr for me, then.