read all of the previous thread re best 9mm carry. did web due diligence,also. got it down to glock 26,walther pps and shield (i am aware of the safety issue and how to check for it). the 3 are not exactly interchangable with the glock being higher cap,wider etc. anyone have direct experience with the 3? the extra $100 for the walther vs shield could matter,ammo being the way it is and needing to buy a bunch. glock mags,parts and custom work is much more prevalent.
Sidearms & Scatterguns 9mm carry gun
- Thread starter mosin46
- Start date
Don't overlook the Khars if you're looking for small/slim. I carry a G19 most of the time(in the summer anyway).
Shoot them if you can. Of the 3 you mentioned I would go with the Shield just because it shoots better and I get back on target is faster/easier. For me it just shoots better and if they were available in CA I would have the Shield over the Kahr. For carry I personally prefer the M&P 9c over the Kahr however it would be a much tougher choice between the 9c and the Shield.
Nothing wrong with your other choices....the Smiths just work better for me in the smaller frame sizes. Try them all if you can....you will know pretty quickly.
Nothing wrong with your other choices....the Smiths just work better for me in the smaller frame sizes. Try them all if you can....you will know pretty quickly.
I would recommend the Glock solely because I've used them as work guns and they can take a beating and still function. You also retain decent capacity with the Glock and the magazines from a 19 will work in a 26.
The Khar line of guns make for great pocket guns. The K9 in particular is very concealable and reliable.
The Khar line of guns make for great pocket guns. The K9 in particular is very concealable and reliable.
+1 for the Glock 19 ( I know it's not listed). I carried a S&W M&P 9c for a while. Something just wasn't right about it so I was goin to trade for a Shield. Then my buddy got a G19 and I tried it. Totally changed my direction. I have more rounds and conceals amazingly well considering that fact. However given your choices I would say Glock do to their reputation although S&W has a very similar (if not the same) reputation. Tough choice.
I have carried the G27, Kahr P9 and just recently switched to the M&P Shield (9mm). Out of the three I like the Shield the best. I did the Glock thing as a BUG/CCW and like Slapchop said the G22 mags would fit in the G27. I found myself not carrying a spare G22 mag anyway and the main detriment (for me) with the Glock is the thickness. The Kahr and the Shield are about the same exact size and for me the width of both was a real plus. I have smaller hands and can get a good full grip on both the Kahr and the Shield with the flush magazine, whereas I had to put the mag extension on the Glock to get my pinkie on it. The fact that the Kahr/Shield are very thin and I can utilize the flush mag and get a good grip aid in the concealability big time. You get more rounds in the Glock but that makes the gun thicker...
Between the Kahr and the Shield, I like pretty much everything better on the Shield except for the safety. I think the Shield shoots better/smoother and the trigger is much better. Follow up shots and multiple targets are faster with the Shield for me.
Between the Kahr and the Shield, I like pretty much everything better on the Shield except for the safety. I think the Shield shoots better/smoother and the trigger is much better. Follow up shots and multiple targets are faster with the Shield for me.
I carry a Taurus 24/7 pro.
I've shot it in several matches, qualified with it numerous times and have never had a failure of any type.
The Beretta Cougar is a nice option and comes with 3 mags
I've shot it in several matches, qualified with it numerous times and have never had a failure of any type.
The Beretta Cougar is a nice option and comes with 3 mags
I'm not a fan of the walther but I've had two g26 and both ran perfectly. Plus they're cheap. Only reason I quit on the 26 was I like the full size guns. Carry me a g17c now. Small guns are easier to carry but harder to shoot fast. When I'm forced to carry small or light I go to the pm9 in my pocket.
thanks. please,keep the thoughtful observations coming. my intent is to get down to 2 (maybe even 1) pistol. 1 caliber only. my "jobs" for them are: house,carry and car/glove box. house and carry could easily be the same. if one needs 15r in house,you're already screwed. most bad will happen from car-the convenience store holdup in prog,psycho in another car,car jack where more rounds might be a big plus. personal carry,for me,needs to be light and thin. i did forget about the kahr-owned them pervious-good product. just not sure on the 26-features near the top IMHO. my XDs is even such that i blow off taking it at times. it is currently at the springfield hospital. wring it out when returned and see. but,am leaning toward a move to 9mm. relative power issues: i believe that any high quality 9,40,45 HP would suffice. critters are very resilient targets and from what i have seen hunting and at work in the icu/er critters are somewhat hard to kill and,even more so,hard to stop (2 very different things).
I am a big believer is carrying something you shoot/practice with frequently and are very good with. Different guns can fit different people based upon hand size, grip, etc. so what may be best for one may not be for another. I have a 26 and a PPS but not a shield. Of the 2 I have I prefer the 26 but truth be told like others here, I like the 19 the best. May not be the smallest but can conceal effectively most of the time. Ideally it would be best to handle/shoot all 3 to help decide what would work best for you. Good luck!
I've owned the PPS and the Shield in 9mm.
The PPS didn't feel right but was a good gun. The Shield feels right for me.
That said, I still prefer the fit, finish and function of my HK p7 PSP.
The Kahr feels slimmest of the lot. It's hard to go wrong with any of these choices and basically comes down to your preference and fit.
The PPS didn't feel right but was a good gun. The Shield feels right for me.
That said, I still prefer the fit, finish and function of my HK p7 PSP.
The Kahr feels slimmest of the lot. It's hard to go wrong with any of these choices and basically comes down to your preference and fit.
I don't think any one gun will fit every need every day. That's why I have several depending on the occasion and somewhat on the clothing. I keep my pm9 in the vehicle so I have a gun I can easily slip in my pocket if I need to stop at the store on the way to and from work. I can easily slip it in my pocket where my g17 would probably stay in the console. If I was to carry a compact it would be small enough for pocket carry. The nice thing about pocket carry is you can have your hand on your gun without alarming anyone.
The shield is definitely easiest to carry. Very easy to shoot. I put over 1k rounds through one and it ate everything I put through it. Never had any safety problems with mine.
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I would recommend the G19/23 like stated above. I have a G27 and a G23 and with a crossbreed holster, I can carry either one. I usually end up carrying the G23. There really is not that much difference between the two. If you want the easiest one to conceal then I went with a XDS 45. You can say want you want about the recall but mine has been flawless and eats anything. I ended up buying a second one because the owner did not want to send it in. Was going through withdrawl while the one is in for the recall. Shields have also been recalled and the trigger on the Kahr is terrible.
I would also recommend the Glock 19 as an excellent all around pistol. Concealable, but large enough to shoot well. For a pocket pistol, perhaps a Sig P938 would work. 9mm, quite small, and only about 16 oz. I realize none of these are on your list.
The Shield is not a pocket pistol. It is quite thin and concealable, but not very small. The G26 has the advantage of having the same trigger as a G19.
The Shield is not a pocket pistol. It is quite thin and concealable, but not very small. The G26 has the advantage of having the same trigger as a G19.
I like Glocks, but don't do any custom work on one you are gonna carry. Definitely change sights, maybe put a +1 or +2 pinky extension on the small carry mags, but that's about it. They work best stock. Glock is also nice because you can use G17 mags for spares and just use the small ones for concealing the weapon. It's what I do with a G27, so basically the same thing in .40 --and I always carry the spare mags, mostly because it balances the weight on my hips better that way and it doesn't hurt to have 'em.
Milt Sparks VM2 is a GREAT IWB holster for (all) these pistols btw. Make sure to use a good gun belt with it though. It conceals very well in that rig (you can conceal the large frame pistols with those holsters pretty well too).
Just found an article that says all Shield pistols manufactured prior to August 19, 2013 have been recalled for a major safety concern and that all owners are to cease use immediately until it has been inspected and/or fixed:
Smith & Wesson Issues Safety Recall for M&P Shield Pistols - Guns & Ammo
PPS would be thinner for sure, and that's going to be easier to conceal, but you'll give up some in firepower if that's a concern.
Milt Sparks VM2 is a GREAT IWB holster for (all) these pistols btw. Make sure to use a good gun belt with it though. It conceals very well in that rig (you can conceal the large frame pistols with those holsters pretty well too).
Just found an article that says all Shield pistols manufactured prior to August 19, 2013 have been recalled for a major safety concern and that all owners are to cease use immediately until it has been inspected and/or fixed:
Smith & Wesson Issues Safety Recall for M&P Shield Pistols - Guns & Ammo
PPS would be thinner for sure, and that's going to be easier to conceal, but you'll give up some in firepower if that's a concern.
I have shot the Shield and have the M&P9c as well as the Kahr pm9. While with the trigger on the S&W's was odd at first I realized that it was just a matter of getting used to it. Now I actually like it a lot.....certainly more than the Kahr. I also thought the 9c was going to be too big to concel carry but its not for me. To be honest if the shield in a 9 was avail in CA I would buy one for those rare times that I wanted something smaller than the 9c.
Like Brabo I think I can back on target more quickly with the 9c or Shield than any of the others.
Like Brabo I think I can back on target more quickly with the 9c or Shield than any of the others.
I think a Glock 19 stuffed full of Federal 124 grain +P+ ammo makes a pretty decent carry piece.
Pester,
You can import the Shield into California using the single shot exemption. Basically the gun goes to a class 7 FFL, or possibly your local FFL. It is temporally converted to single shot. Once the gun is fully registered, you can legally convert it back into the original configuration. Total cost including extra shipping is about $125.
However when I checked on the Shield a year ago, the FFL I used did not have Shield conversion parts available. Mostly one needs an extra long barrel, plus something to keep a mag from inserting and staying in the grip.
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=383692
You can import the Shield into California using the single shot exemption. Basically the gun goes to a class 7 FFL, or possibly your local FFL. It is temporally converted to single shot. Once the gun is fully registered, you can legally convert it back into the original configuration. Total cost including extra shipping is about $125.
However when I checked on the Shield a year ago, the FFL I used did not have Shield conversion parts available. Mostly one needs an extra long barrel, plus something to keep a mag from inserting and staying in the grip.
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=383692
I have to say that I actually like it. I also have the M&P Pro Series and I think the trigger in the Shield is better than the full size Pro. I had an Apex duty/carry kit in my wish list at Brownells for both the FS and the Shield but deleted the one for the Shield the other day. Still probably gonna get the one for the full size...
I love my g27 in 40cal. Have you looked at the taurus709 slim. I know that Taurus gets beat up a lot but I've put 500 rounds and not one issue and with a crossbreed holster you'll forget you have it on. I put a crimson trace and use the civil defense 50gr. 9mm.Hope that helps
Currently using a glock 19.
Of the newer stuff, it's one of a couple I'd consider (SIG maybe).
I'm not small and my hands are kinda big so the grip on the 19 is really too small for me and I don't need or want anything smaller
Of the newer stuff, it's one of a couple I'd consider (SIG maybe).
I'm not small and my hands are kinda big so the grip on the 19 is really too small for me and I don't need or want anything smaller
The P938 is about the same size as a Shield and not great for pocket carry, plus it has the hammer and safety switches which could snag badly if you had a pocket big enough to conceal it in.
I agree with Kansas and would get 2 guns: A Glock 23/19 or an M&P Compact. The magazine capacity is decent, the weapons are still concealable, and you will be fairly well armed. Then get something smaller for the pocket like a PM9 or similar.
The guns like the P938, shield, and XDS are all skirting the line of not enough mag capacity and too big to pocket carry. They are fine weapons, easy to conceal IWB, and shoot well, but lack capacity which could be useful against multiple bad guys, getting pinned down, etc.
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