Help me decide on a compact carry 9mm auto
- Thread starter CortJestir
- Start date
I would go with a revolver myself, but if you want a semi-auto, then I'd suggest a CZ P01. http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=28
HuntAndFish
New member
Other: Another vote for the Glock 26.
CortJestir
New member
Is that to say that the countless folks out there, including the multitude of LEOs, military, and legally armed citizens, who carry anything other than a 357 revolver are not serious about protecting themselves?
I figured you were joking... Now to get back OT, revolvers are certainly not out of the question, but I do worry about the cylinder width. I haven't ruled out a pocket J-Frame. I just have yet to see how they would work for concealment and level of comfort.
Detective_Special
New member
compact 9mm
Another vote for the S&W 3914/3913 series. Single stack compact 9mm pistol, reliable and accurate. It just doesn't get better than that.
Another vote for the S&W 3914/3913 series. Single stack compact 9mm pistol, reliable and accurate. It just doesn't get better than that.
passintime
New member
EMP!
CorJstr - Maybe there is someone in your geographic area on TFL who would be willing to let you try out there smallish carry guns? You'd buy the ammo and maybe take him for lunch. Then, even if you don't try the exact guns you're considering, you'd have some very good ideas of what you like and don't like.
Any volunteers from the New Haven, CT area to help a brother out?
Any volunteers from the New Haven, CT area to help a brother out?
JMOfartO:
Well, in compact 9mm cc type pistols I've had the Glock26, Sig P239, Bersa Thunder 9/UC, Star BM, KelTec P11, Walther P99c/AS, Walther PPS, HK P7, and the S&W 3913.
The S&W 3913 was the first of it's type, and I bought it new in 1995. It never failed one time in any respect and was 100% reliable and certainly more than self defense accurate.. In fact of all of my firearms it's the one pistol my Son wants, and I've put it away for him.
My last compact 9mm was the desirable Walther PPS. My first PPS was an early production model (in the 14XX range) and worked perfectly, until it didn't. At around 200 rounds it started having ejector problems. I sent it back to S&W for warranty repair and they didn't fix it. They sent it back "repaired", but it wasn't "repaired" at all.... I sent it back and told them to fix it right, send me a new one, or give me a refund. They sent me a new pistol in the 4XXX range and it functioned perfectly, until it didn't. (I like the Customer Service end of the S&W Customer Service/warranty REPAIR division). The "repair" end didn't show me too much on this deal.
The 2nd PPS burped once and I washed my hands of it. I honestly believe the malfunction was probably ammo related as I was using the Winchester White Box Value pack and that ammo has caused me problems in many of my other 9mm pistols in the past. Apparently the WWWB is good, or not so good, depending on the lot you get your box from. But my total loss of confidence in the first PPS and the one malfunction in the 2nd simply just killed my desire for the PPS.
I sold the PPS to a nice gentleman for $500.00, and before he paid for it we took it out back and shot it together and it functioned perfectly, and was quite accurate. I think the second PPS was fine and it fed 115 grain jhp DoubleTaps like corn through a goose, but if you have no confidence in your cc self defense firearm it's time for a change.:barf:
Here's where $499.99 of that $500.00 I got for the PPS went.
Here I am 13 years down the road and I find myself once again with a 3913.. This time it's the "LS" version vs my original 3913, but I've always liked the looks of the Lady Smith models, and I'm well pleased with replacing the Walther PPS with the 3rd generation Smith..
Third gen Smiths have a long time reputation for absolute reliability (as much as any pistol can be such) and it's very accurate.
Truthfully it's not quite as accurate as the PPS, not nearly as accurate as the HK P7, but MORE than self defense accurate. We're talking just the size of the groups in the X ring, the LS WILL put 'em in the X ring but all of my pistols are capable of grouping in the X ring IF I can do my part.
I have full confidence in that every time I pull the trigger the little "LS" will indeed send a round down range, and that's a feeling of confidence I simply never had with my PPS.
Third generation Smiths seem to be only be appreciated by folks who actually own them.... But they are extremely well built, extremely reliable, certainly self defense accurate, and come with a lifetime warranty backed by Smith & Wesson.
Just another choice, and one I'm very happy I made.
Just personal opinion, no offense.
Best Wishes,
Jesse
Well, in compact 9mm cc type pistols I've had the Glock26, Sig P239, Bersa Thunder 9/UC, Star BM, KelTec P11, Walther P99c/AS, Walther PPS, HK P7, and the S&W 3913.
The S&W 3913 was the first of it's type, and I bought it new in 1995. It never failed one time in any respect and was 100% reliable and certainly more than self defense accurate.. In fact of all of my firearms it's the one pistol my Son wants, and I've put it away for him.
My last compact 9mm was the desirable Walther PPS. My first PPS was an early production model (in the 14XX range) and worked perfectly, until it didn't. At around 200 rounds it started having ejector problems. I sent it back to S&W for warranty repair and they didn't fix it. They sent it back "repaired", but it wasn't "repaired" at all.... I sent it back and told them to fix it right, send me a new one, or give me a refund. They sent me a new pistol in the 4XXX range and it functioned perfectly, until it didn't. (I like the Customer Service end of the S&W Customer Service/warranty REPAIR division). The "repair" end didn't show me too much on this deal.
The 2nd PPS burped once and I washed my hands of it. I honestly believe the malfunction was probably ammo related as I was using the Winchester White Box Value pack and that ammo has caused me problems in many of my other 9mm pistols in the past. Apparently the WWWB is good, or not so good, depending on the lot you get your box from. But my total loss of confidence in the first PPS and the one malfunction in the 2nd simply just killed my desire for the PPS.
I sold the PPS to a nice gentleman for $500.00, and before he paid for it we took it out back and shot it together and it functioned perfectly, and was quite accurate. I think the second PPS was fine and it fed 115 grain jhp DoubleTaps like corn through a goose, but if you have no confidence in your cc self defense firearm it's time for a change.:barf:
Here's where $499.99 of that $500.00 I got for the PPS went.
Here I am 13 years down the road and I find myself once again with a 3913.. This time it's the "LS" version vs my original 3913, but I've always liked the looks of the Lady Smith models, and I'm well pleased with replacing the Walther PPS with the 3rd generation Smith..
Third gen Smiths have a long time reputation for absolute reliability (as much as any pistol can be such) and it's very accurate.
Truthfully it's not quite as accurate as the PPS, not nearly as accurate as the HK P7, but MORE than self defense accurate. We're talking just the size of the groups in the X ring, the LS WILL put 'em in the X ring but all of my pistols are capable of grouping in the X ring IF I can do my part.
I have full confidence in that every time I pull the trigger the little "LS" will indeed send a round down range, and that's a feeling of confidence I simply never had with my PPS.
Third generation Smiths seem to be only be appreciated by folks who actually own them.... But they are extremely well built, extremely reliable, certainly self defense accurate, and come with a lifetime warranty backed by Smith & Wesson.
Just another choice, and one I'm very happy I made.
Just personal opinion, no offense.
Best Wishes,
Jesse
FairWarning
New member
1) HK P7M8
2) CZ 75 P-01
Either of these are very fine weapons, with the HK being rare and much more expensive, but check one out in person. Slim, low bore axis, could easily fit inside the pants, known for being very accurate, has a 4.1" barrel cleverly packaged into a very short gun. And speaking of clever, the squeeze cocker is great! Constrast this to a XD or Sig with a taller slide/higher bore axis, and it's obvious which would be easier to conceal. If you just won the lottery, you could consider the HK P7M13, but then you'd also lose some of the concealability.
The CZ is a more traditional design with a hammer and decocker. It is more than enough to get the job done and MUCH more affordable, which is probably why I'll go this route.
2) CZ 75 P-01
Either of these are very fine weapons, with the HK being rare and much more expensive, but check one out in person. Slim, low bore axis, could easily fit inside the pants, known for being very accurate, has a 4.1" barrel cleverly packaged into a very short gun. And speaking of clever, the squeeze cocker is great! Constrast this to a XD or Sig with a taller slide/higher bore axis, and it's obvious which would be easier to conceal. If you just won the lottery, you could consider the HK P7M13, but then you'd also lose some of the concealability.
The CZ is a more traditional design with a hammer and decocker. It is more than enough to get the job done and MUCH more affordable, which is probably why I'll go this route.
OK, I am breaking your rules here, but I think you should hear this. I considered a G26, having shot one and liking it. So, I ordered one from my FFL. A week or two later, he was not able to get one. Some kind of shortage. So, he let me try his personal G27. I was very impressed with it. Same size, etc. as the G26, but much more power in the .40 S&W.
Bottom line, unless you want something much smaller, I think you get the maximum value, reliability and power in the G27. It's butt-ugly, but effective.
Bottom line, unless you want something much smaller, I think you get the maximum value, reliability and power in the G27. It's butt-ugly, but effective.
jdavis6576
New member
You may also want to look at the Kahr P9:
http://www.kahr.com/PA-1_9mm_p.html
It's a little larger than the PM9 but not huge by any means. I bought one for my wife but she didn't like it because "the trigger was so smooth I couldn't tell when it was going to fire". I enjoyed shooting it but traded it for a revolver for her. No reason to keep it if she wasn't going to shoot or carry it. We had zero problems with the gun.
http://www.kahr.com/PA-1_9mm_p.html
It's a little larger than the PM9 but not huge by any means. I bought one for my wife but she didn't like it because "the trigger was so smooth I couldn't tell when it was going to fire". I enjoyed shooting it but traded it for a revolver for her. No reason to keep it if she wasn't going to shoot or carry it. We had zero problems with the gun.
CortJestir
New member
And the search continues! Half the fun is the journey, I tell ya...
Smaug, thanks for the shout out for help. Anybody in the Greater New Haven area with some single stack carry 9's, PM me.
I've added the CZ 75 and Rami, the Kahr P9 and the SW 3913 to the running. Just need to check 'em out...
Had the day off so I visited a bunch of gun stores today. I fondled an S&W AirLight revolver in .38 Special just for s%$!s and giggles. So amazingly light. How a gun that light doesn't shatter after you fire it is beyond me! But, despite the weight, I couldn't get over the thickness of the cylinder. So sorry, wheel gun folks, I won't be looking at a revolver for IWB carry. However, I do see an S&W Model 617 4" in my near future to add to my collection....hehehehe.
No one had a used P7M8 to look at (not surprisingly) today, but from what I hear from everyone, I won't consider my journey complete until I see and hold one.
Smaug, thanks for the shout out for help. Anybody in the Greater New Haven area with some single stack carry 9's, PM me.
I've added the CZ 75 and Rami, the Kahr P9 and the SW 3913 to the running. Just need to check 'em out...
Had the day off so I visited a bunch of gun stores today. I fondled an S&W AirLight revolver in .38 Special just for s%$!s and giggles. So amazingly light. How a gun that light doesn't shatter after you fire it is beyond me! But, despite the weight, I couldn't get over the thickness of the cylinder. So sorry, wheel gun folks, I won't be looking at a revolver for IWB carry. However, I do see an S&W Model 617 4" in my near future to add to my collection....hehehehe.
No one had a used P7M8 to look at (not surprisingly) today, but from what I hear from everyone, I won't consider my journey complete until I see and hold one.
orionengnr
New member
Three more words
No double stacks
No double stacks
CortJestir
New member
^^ I swear I was about to post the exact same thing, word for word...
You're quicker on the draw, Orion.
You're quicker on the draw, Orion.