help me choose a compact semiauto

[meat]

I currently own 6 handguns (2 .45's, 3 9mm's, and 1 .357 Mag). It's a race for me to add some things to my collection because of the internal lock laws that are coming to Maryland and because I plan on getting married soon (read between the lines here ). All kidding aside, I do want to beat the new handgun law before it'll be to late to add any more lock free guns. I'd really like to add a compact semiauto to my collection. The guns I'm currently looking at (and have rented) are:

1) Glock 26 - Pros- very reliable and surprisingly accurate. No failures to feed. Very Small and conceals comfortably. Tenifer finish. Cons - unfamiliar, short grip was somewhat uncomfortable for me (I have large hands). Shooting it actually hurt my middle finger because it would rub under the trigger guard from recoil.

2) kahr K9 - Pros - Great trigger and very accurate for a small gun! Stainless finish. Fit in my hand was much more comfortable than the glock.
Cons - Takedown for cleaning is a pain (you need a hammer and screwdriver to take it apart). Customer service and recent production quality leave me skeptical (according to posts here). Future longevity of the company and parts availibility make me skeptical about purchasing and investing in the weapon.

3) Sig 239 - Pros - Good trigger. Accuracy was on par w/ other sigs. Cons - Single action trigger pull was in an awkward position (probably because of my large hand size). The gun was the largest and seemed, at least to me, to be the hardest to conceal.

Does anyone have any opinions, suggestions, reactions to what I have said? I'd really like to have one of these guns for future for concealed carry. I dunno maybe I'd be better off w/ a small revolver like the SP-101. But I really favor semiautos. Thanks in advance.

 

[70-101]

239 hard to conceal?

Trust me the 239 is very easy to conceal. It's my favorite summer [t-shirts and shorts] carry weapon. I have owned my 239 in 9mm for three years and love it. I put Hogue soft rubber grips on it and love the overall effect. The 239 is extreamly reliable, I never had a FTF with it. I normally carry my 239 in a highnoon "Skyhigh" holster. Perhaps if you tried a different holster, that might help you. Also the 239 was designed especially for large caliber concealed carry,check out. http://www.highnoonholsters.com

 

[Kahrma from Shooters]

Well the 26 is a flawless powerhouse and you can put the finger extentions on the mags so you have more room. It hold 10 +1, 15, 17, and 32 rounds.

The Kahr doesn't need any tools to take down and is a good gun.

Ever think about a compact 1911?

If your laws are changing go for the auto NOW!

 

[Traithe]

All three are great guns.

The Glock 26 holds ten rounds, and is a Glock. Totally reliable and very functional. I sold mine though because I ended up carrying my Kahr P9 instead. I love my P9 and don't ever plan on getting rid of it. The K9 is about the same only a little heavier. Both guns have a really low bore axis. This is the only negative I see in the SIG. It has a very high bore axis which means harder flet recoil, (not that a 9mm has much) This becomes mre of an issue if you are using +P and +P+ loads. Try to handle each one and see which one fits you best. Then buy that one.

 

[meat]

I have shot all 3,Traithe. The most important thing about these guns is their reliability and durability. If I were to honestly pick, it would probably be in the following order: kahr k9 - because it felt the best, the Glock 26 2nd for it's reliability and durability, and last the Sig 239 just because it was the largest (certainly not any less relaible thatn the others - Sig has great quality!). But the thing that concerns me the most is the fact that the Kahr seems to have spotty customer service and I don't want to invest in a gun that it may be hard to get parts for and may not be around in the future. Kahr is a small company and I don't know the volume of business that they have. But I can only imagine that it's not anywhere near what glock and sig have. This is what makes the decision so difficult. If I knew that kahr was going to be around in the future and that spare parts were no problem, it'd probably be a no brainer.

 

[Eric Larsen]

I mirror meats thoughts mostly. The Kahr is a given with me...even though I dont own one anymore ....hmmmmm
Anyway...they are killer guns. Kahrs rule, everything else sucks! BA HA HA HA HA HA...sorry...I couldnt help it.
The glock is another stellar weapon and between the two Id have to give the nod to which ever "feels" the best to you.
The Sig is no doubt an excellent gun...just bigger than the others and only holds one more round that the Kahr....still a good choice.
Id go K, G and S.....Shoot well

 

[Dfariswheel]

I don't think you need to worry about kahr's being around. Many years ago, the "Gold Standard" of CCW guns was the Colt Detective Special. Then the Walther PPK was the standard. Today, Kahr is well on the way to being the new "Gold Standard" of CCW guns.

A number of police departments now authorize the kahr as an off duty gun, and I think some are allowing it as on duty carry for detectives. When as consertive an outfit as the NYPD Ok's something like the Kahr, you know it's ARRIVED.

I suspect Kahr may be getting ready to challenge Glock in the police market, with a full sized, double stack mag Kahr. If anybody could cut into Glock's market share, I thing it may be Kahr.

I know the slide stop on the Kahr is sometimes difficult to remove, but a light tap with the butt of a screwdriver will pop it out. I would certainly NOT buy a gun based on this, since there are many other, more important issues that determine what I will carry.

BTW: I carry a Kahr K-9 stainless. Accurate, reliable, concealable, comfortable, and comforting.

 

[fivepaknh]

Two thumbs up on the Kahr. At work and in warm weather the K9 is my primary CCW. The only pistol that feels better in my hand is my CZ-75. though, I don't think you'd be disappointed if you chose any of the 3 guns you mentioned.

 

[Drjones]

Glock 27. Same size as the 26, bigger bullet.

Sure, a 9mm will expand, but a .40 won't shrink!

 

[EOD Guy in VA]

The only one of those I own is the SIG P239. It is without question my favorite for CCW. I find it very easy to conceal with a Blade-Tech UCH, even under just a T-shirt in the summer. Its accuracy and quality are excellent. Most importantly it has NEVER FTF.