Which 9mm for ccw?

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Girodin

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I have decided to buy a new pistol. Its primary purpose will be concealed carry. I have decided that I would like a 9mm. Although I prefer .45s I am after a nine primarily because of ammo cost. I will be able to shoot the 9mm more often. I am set up to hand load for 9mm and 9mm is the most plentiful brass I scrounge at the range. My line of reasoning is that the additional shooting including pistol courses will pay off more than the larger bullet.

I am after a smaller pistol. I need something fairly small for carry in the summer. Because I am looking to make another EBR purchase soon price is a significant factor. I am looking to spend $500 or less this time around. Any money I save will likely be used to purchase ammo or set a side for a pistol course I plan to take in the spring.

I have considered all of the following:

Kel tec pf9 or P11: I have concerns over the reliability and long term durability of these pistols. I know they have great warranties and a trip to the factory often gets them running great but a gun that is at the factory cannot be carried and is failing to fill its primary role. The price is attractive as is the size of the pf9.

Sig P6: I have only read positive reviews of these surplus pistols. I very very nearly bought one but didn’t because it came with only one mag. I could have picked it up for about 350 out the door. When I added two more mags at aprox $40 a pop it would run 430 or so. The P6 is not tiny and doesn’t have a huge mag capacity.

Glock 26: I am not a glock fan boy, nor a hater. I respect them for what they are. I am very impressed with the reliability of glocks. I keep coming back to the glock on that issue. For a defensive gun reliability is paramount for me. I like that I can go with the grip extension if desired and I like the mag capacity of the 26. I can get one for a bit under $500 out the door.

Khar cw9: I like the thin grip of this gun. It seems to conceal very well better than some of the wider pistols. The price on the cw9 is attractive I have a K9 which is not my favorite pistol but I am overall pleased with it. Why not just stick with the k9? Two reasons, it won’t chamber reloads and it is likely going to be used by another member of my family as a carry gun. What I don’t like about this gun is that is lacks night sights. I also worry that the polymer khars are not on par with the steel versions in terms of reliability.

Smith and Wesson M&P subcompact: Honestly I don’t know a ton about the M&Ps but the get great views which has sparked my interest. The ones I held didn’t feel great but I know the grip inserts can be changed.

XD subcompact: It is a bit bigger that the glock. I am curious as to reliability with high round counts, in excess of 5k or so, and hard use ie pistol classes and daily carry. I can get one for about $455 or so out the door.

Khar PM9: This one is a bit more expensive but if I decided I really wanted it I could afford it. I like the super small size but also worry that it may not be as enjoyable to shoot a lot. I have some of the same concerns over reliability as with the CW9. I know there will be people who say theres are flawless but there seem to be a fair number of reports of issues. One doesn’t see the split opinion on the glock.

Those are the pistol I am considering. Reliability and price are major factors. I plan to shoot this pistol regularly and after proving it reliable with my intended ammo and proven my self proficient with it I plan to carry it daily. The question is which small 9mm should I buy and why? I am open to suggestions not on the list as well.
 
Check out the Sig Sauer P229. Round count is 13+1 which is good if you are not restricted in your state. Price is $767 at Bud's Gun Shop.
 
The P229 is a nice gun but a bit more than i am looking to spend on this particular purchase.
 
I would look for a CPO Sig 228 or 229. They can be found around that price range.
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I will look into that option. Thanks for the suggestion. I must admit I am not terribly familar with sigs in general or the various models in particular. Might i ask what makes the 228 or 229 a better choice than say the glock.
 
My friend got a Sig 250 from her husband for Christmas. She lives and breaths Sigs. I know it's pricier than you'd like but it's a great shooter. A little bulky but still a good carry. The trigger was smooth but waaaay too long. Still, not problem for ccw.
Her husbands S&W MP9c is sweet. It's in your price range and, based on your list, should be on top (imo).
Avoid a Kahr. Yea, some folks love them but my PM9 was junk and probably 90% of the folks you talk to will say they are great.....if you get a good one. Why do they add that? One thing I will say, the PM9 is easy to shoot for what it is and it carries great. But then again, I was never able to string enough consecutive shots together without a failure to wear out my hand. Don't risk your life on this overpriced paperweight.
I have a Ruger SR9 and love it. Great price, decent trigger and accurate. It's just too big for ccw in most cases.
 
I would just keep the Kahr K9. That is what i carry and I love it. I don't understand why you can't shoot reloads i have put about 2000 thru mine since last spring. Not a problem and buyiing a set of meprosights from Kahrshop.com is cheaper than a new gun.
 
Sig or Glock. Only two ways to go for me, but you really can't go wrong with the Glock, given your price needs. The Glock will be great, maybe not the best from your list (probably Sig) but it's above and beyond adequate, for a great price, & reliability isn't an issue compared to other guns. Any gun from your list should be POA accurate at the ranges demanded from CC weapons.
 
You might look for a S&W 3913 or one of its variants (Ladysmith, 3953, etc.). Lightweight alloy frame, utterly reliable, accurate....good guns and should be well within your stated price range.

Another S&W option is the Sigma 9VE. High magazine capacity, slimmer grip than the Glock, utterly reliable, a S&W rebate (2 extras mags, I think), and also well within your stated price range. Not as small as some of the others, but lightweight enough to carry all day comfortably.

Best wishes in your decision.

Sam
 
Wow, no Glock 19? It's not much larger then the G26, but holds 50% more ammo (15 V. 10). JMHO. By the way, I have both.
 
For ccw the g26 hands down. Its a true subcompact, not quite a 642 revolver, but close.
 
If I could only have one 9mm, it would be a G19.

My most frequent carry gun is a G27 ... the .40 cal sub-compact. It's no bigger than the G26 and packs more punch.

I also have a Sig 229 in .357. A great shooter, but too heavy for me for an everyday carry gun.
 
my next gun purchase is going to be the little polymer Kahr.

I carry daily but have problems concealing anything of any size. Unless it is one of the 4 cold days in central Texas, I am usually carrying a Detective Special or an NAA Guardian.

The PM9 is barely larger than the Guardian and has a lot more punch.

As to all these guys who can carry full size guns....more power to ya. I can't get them hidden.
 
my "most carry" CCW weapon is a S&W 3914.I really can't picture a easier to carry or shoot 9mm out there. it may be a "fits me only deal" but I've tried lots of other "carry guns" and the 3914 is the winner. jwr
 
Take a look at the Bersa Thunder UC 9. Mine has been utterly reliable.
 
If you Kahr won't chamber your reloads then you are reloading them wrong. Proper reloads are no different than any factory ammo.
 
For the price I would say the G26. I might be biased because thats what I have. 10+1 in that size cant be beat.
 
I carry a G26 (12+1 9mm with +2 extension for a better grip) or a G36 6+1 .45ACP).
I like the consistent short smooth trigger.
I like the lack of knobs, dials, switched or other projections.
I do not like the plastic, but appreciate it's lightness.

Although I am a big 1911 fan, I can shoot the Glocks extremely well and the grip angle doesn't bother me.

A CC firearm is a very personal choice. I fired quite a few before deciding. The only trigger I could stand was a 1911 or a Glock...and my beloved 1911s are just too heavy and have too much to snag on clothing. >>For ME<<

Obviously, you are not me, you should do your own testing and decide what is best for you. The best we can do is tell you why we chose our own CCW.

Try as many different handguns as you can and you will fine "the" one for you.
 
I just ordered a KAHR CW 9 from buds for 369 actually 384 with a credit card and insurance.
Its only .900 wide and holds 7 +1
 
I don't understand why you can't shoot reloads i have put about 2000 thru mine since last spring.
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If you Kahr won't chamber your reloads then you are reloading them wrong. Proper reloads are no different than any factory ammo.
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This may well be true. I am not the only one that has had a problem on the early K9s however and it is the only firearm (and I own more a than a few) that I have ever experienced this issue in.

From what I researched the early K9 chambers were machined with very very tight tolerances and thus some reloaded ammo (about 80% in my case) wont chamber. the by the narrowest measurement wont go in. It is my only real issue with the K9.

I agree with those that say that the K9 is a good carry gun and I have been carrying it. As I said earlier though I will be passing it on to another member of my family to carry otherwise I would perhaps stick with it, but then I wouldn't get a new gun wither which is always fun.

If I could only have one 9mm, it would be a G19
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I have a G19 and think highly of it. It carries and shoots well but I am after something a bit smaller ( I know some will say it is small enough and I'm not inclined to debate them but will simply suggest that I have a better understanding of my build, my wardrobe, the depth of concealment I require and unlike them have strapped on my various pistols with my various cloths and looked in the mirror) for warm weather days when I wear jeans and a t-shirt. The G19 has me inclined to pick up the 26. I hesitate because i think the slimmer grip of the K9 is what gives it the advantage when earing such clothing over the G19. While the 26 is smaller it is no thinner.

So am I really after something smaller than G19. Thanks for all the input and suggestions thus far.
 
My two carry 9mm's are a Glock 19 and Kahr PM9. The PM9 is a FANTASTIC pistol for pocket carry. The G19 goes in an IWB holster. My PM9 has been very reliable and highly accurate for such a small pistol. Love it!

PM9 with G19.

DSC01801.jpg

PM9 and spare magazine pocket carry set up.

DSC01804.jpg

Even considerably smaller than my Walther PPK/s.

DSC01930.jpg
 
Well, I'd think that eliminating the G19 based on size would also eliminate the Sig P6. I'd probably go with the Kahr myself. I carry a Kahr K40 most of the time and I think its a great IWB carry gun. I find glocks too bulky and wide, and the same goes for the XD. I recently bought an XD-M 9mm and M&P 9mm, both full size and I'm impressed with the ergonomics and fit & finish of both. I haven't shot them yet. The XD-M is quite large and has a long grip which makes it unsuitable for CCW (to me), but the full size M&P is a little smaller and more streamlined. Based on my handling of the full size M&P, I'd like to check out the M&P compact as a CCW possibility at some point in the future. So, for me it would probably be down to the Kahr or a S&W Subcompact.
 
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