Which small auto?

[chaim]

OK, I may change my mind but I'm probably going to buy a second handgun at the same time from the guys I'm transfering my new S&W 57 to (in MD we have the one a month law for handguns, but you can do two at once if you do the paperwork at the same time and are willing to wait 60 days instead of the usual 30 days before you buy again). Anyway, I might go with something different (.22lr snub, airweight snub or Taurus in aluminum, .357 or .44mag lever gun) but most likely I'm going to get a pocket gun or small CCW type gun (possibly "pocketable").

The dealer still has (or did a week ago when I was last there) a NAA Guardian in .32 for just around $400, a Beretta Tomcat for around $380, a couple Kahr P40 Coverts in the mid $500 range, a Kahr MK 9 (mid $500s), I think I remember a Kahr PM40 (though I might be wrong) in the $550-600 range, and a Taurus PT940 (a bit bigger but a nice gun, I didn't catch the price though).

I live in MD so for now it will primarily be for fun and to round out the "collection" a bit. I am getting an FL non-resident permit so it will occasionally come with me when out of state, and I still think I'll probably be leaving MD before too long (though it is possible I'll be staying). I don't currently have a pocket gun or a full-caliber "pocketable" auto (my only pocketable guns are a Taurus 85 and a Bersa .380). In addition to the snub I have two good carry revolvers (3" S&W 65LS and Colt PPS), but in autos I only have the Bersa (in .380) or full-size (though the CZ 75 and 1911 are certainly carriable during all but the summer). Something that is a true pocket gun would be nice and a service caliber gun that is "tuckable" would be nice as well.

Out of these choices which would you advise and why?

 

[Cableman]

Kahr PM9 - if it is available in MD otherwise the Kahr MK9

I carry the PM9 exclusively now, it is just the best CCW weapon I have found.

Or a Taurus 450 Titanium 45 Colt snubby. - edit I guess you said auto, so the Taurus is out.

 

[chaim]

I haven't seen a PM9 here in ages, and since they don't have a built-in lock no new ones can be brought in (any gun made after Jan 1, 2003 must have a built-in lock to be MD legal). There is at least that one MK 9 left, and there was a couple P40 Coverts. I'd like a Kahr, but I may just wait until (if?) I leave MD. I'm not a huge .40S&W fan, and out of the polymer P40 Covert it might be a bit tough anyway, and the MK9, while nice, is a bit heavy for its size.

 

[Cableman]

I didn't know the MK9 had a lock on it. If it does, where is it?

 

[10-Ring]

I would go w/ either of the Kahrs. The trade off you have in weight is that you will have a real defensive caliber in a pocketable firearm.

 

[loveipos1234]

Colt Magnum Carry.

 

[chaim]

I didn't know the MK9 had a lock on it. If it does, where is it?

No lock, that is why no new ones, made after 1/1/03, can be brought into the state. The only ones legal for sale here were made prior to 1/1/03.

 

[chaim]

I would go w/ either of the Kahrs.

Which one? I prefer 9mm, and my best friends MK9 is quite nice. However, it is heavy. The P40 Covert would be lighter, though a tad bigger and in .40 it might be too light. Darn I hate this state, anywhere else I could just get what i want- both a K9 and a PM9.

Oh, not on my first list, I can still find K9s in the state as well. Should I just live with the extra size and weight right now and go with that and just get a pocket or pocketable gun later when (if?) I leave MD?

 

[PCRCCW]

Chaim...I carried my K40 in pocket for a LOONGG time. If you have a good holster and have the right pockets...it works nicely.

Shoot well

 

[Marko Kloos]

I just upgraded my pocket gun from a Kel-Tec P32 to a Kahr P9 Covert, the P9-sized slide and barrel on the short PM9-sized frame. Despite the longer slide, it carries very well in my front pocket. I've been carrying it 24/7 for the last couple of days, and it really isn't much more of a burden than the P32.

For a true service-caliber pocket gun, the ploymer Kahrs are very hard to beat at the moment.

 

[hansolo]

Chaim,

I fired my friend's S&W Airweight snub....NOT ultralight, but lighter than a M60. Surprisingly, even .38+P's weren't bad on recoil...Hogue rubber saves the web of the hand....or, how 'bout a .50 AE Desert Eagle?

 

[denfoote]

Hey Chaim,
Why don't you get the heck out of Moscow??
AZ is nice this time of year!!

 

[longeyes]

"but
most likely I'm going to get a pocket gun or small CCW type gun (possibly
"pocketable")."

If it doesn't have to be per se "pocketable," get a Glock 26. It can be
the last gun you ever "need" (not that you won't get others).

 

[chaim]

I fired my friend's S&W Airweight snub

That is an option I'm thinking about, but it seems here in MD most dealers think that we don't have access to the internet and thus don't know about the S&W fall sale on the 637 and 642. Most dealers still have their regular prices (or I hope they are) on them (from $450-550). One doesn't ($379 for the 637, $399 for the 642), but this purchase would be at the same time as a transfer. This dealer with the good price on the 642 charges $75 for a transfer so that would eat up a good deal of the savings. I guess I could always order a Taurus 85 or 850 in aluminium or titanium in which case I won't have to worry about the dealer taking the factory discount for himself (there is no fall sale on Taurus), but as much as I love Taurus I'd hate to spend as much as, or a bit more than, the equivelent S&W for a Taurus (the aluminium and Titanium Taurus wheelguns usually go for $370-450 here).

Why don't you get the heck out of Moscow??

I still might leave MD (I'd love to) but there are many things that make it tough. Family, friends, potential network of potential jobs, lack of money to move, and most importantly religion. Orthodox Judaism is a communal religion (sort of anyway). It is very community oriented. It is virtually impossible to properly practice Judaism without a Jewish community. Kosher food needs to be available, you need people to learn Torah with, you need a minyan (a quorum of 10 men) for prayers ideally 3 times a day (some prayers can't be said alone so you want a minyan so the entire prayer service can be said and not just the parts that can be done alone), someday (hopefully not too far off) when I'm finally married and have kids there must be religious Jewish schools nearby (Orthodox Jews absolutely do not send their kids to public schools and expose their kids to the immorality found therein), shabbos (the sabbath) loses much of its beauty if you try to do it alone (and you can't drive on shabbos so you need a synagogue in walking distance of housing), etc. Many parts of the country don't have one Orthodox synagogue within a days drive. The Orthodox community in Baltimore is now the second biggest in the US (if you count the entire NY area as one community). It is one of the strongest certainly. There aren't many areas like it that are as good or close (Miami, LA, Chicago, maybe Cleveland) and most are in areas that are as bad or worse on guns (LA, Chicago, NYC and surrounding area). There are a few acceptable regional communities that are decidedly smaller (Jewish wise) with fewer options but that are at least within the minimums needed religiously and that are in areas that are decidedly better gun wise (Dallas, Pittsburgh, Philidelphia, Atlanta, Mineapolis, Milwaulkee, Memphis, maybe Nashville). So it is possible, in fact it is likely, that I'll eventually leave, but it isn't necessarily easy.

If it doesn't have to be per se "pocketable," get a Glock 26.

I'm not that big a Glock fan. I'm honestly trying to like them, and I'll probably eventually own one, but not right now.




Right now I think my leanings are to get either the P40 Covert (I'd prefer 9mm, but what can you do) or just waiting for now and not buying anything (sure, I'll probably have to wait until/if I leave MD for some of these, but then I'll have more options and I'll probably have better prices). However, I am still strongly considering the other options as well so I can possibly still be convinced.