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Sidearms & Scatterguns High End 9MM Concealed Carry

What are some options for a higher end 9MM concealed carry handgun sub $1300? My thought is essentially what is a competitor for a Sig Legion P229. I know people shit on them for their marketing which I get but it does seem like a very nice well kitted out handgun. I know a Glock can be tuned up a million ways and a CZ 75 P)1 can be sent to Cajun Gun works but I mean straight out the box. Thanks!
If you want to look at something that you might find very interesting and save some $'s, then take a look at the Beretta PX Storm Compact Carry, Earnest Langdon edition (JXC9GEL) $899 MSRP). It's a double/single action with a rail, a 3.2 inch barrel, weighing only 27.3 oz., has a trigger job, night sights, full grip, double stack 15+ 1 9mm, low-profile slide stop, and a safety. Also, it has a rotating barrel for inline feeding (reduced muzzle rise and unparalleled reliability). This checks a lot of the boxes for an excellent carry gun. Just my thoughts, because I'm interested in one for appendix carry.
Good luck finding one!
Kind regards,
Bruce
 
HK P30sk. I always thought grip panels were cheesy marketing without real value. Probably because of a gen 1 M&P I used to carry. P30/VP9/40 series ergonomics are perfect for me, made me a fan.

P30 is hammer fired, and can be had with a manual safety if desired.
 
Ive carried Glocks all my life as well as about 10 that I owned.I got rid of all my Glocks.I do have a Hi power but dont carry it.I only carry 1911 5",4",3".I got a CZ 75B S/A for competition and that is the greatest 9mm Ive ever shot.I would love to get a more compact CZ either polymer or steel.
 
What are some options for a higher end 9MM concealed carry handgun sub $1300? My thought is essentially what is a competitor for a Sig Legion P229. I know people shit on them for their marketing which I get but it does seem like a very nice well kitted out handgun. I know a Glock can be tuned up a million ways and a CZ 75 P)1 can be sent to Cajun Gun works but I mean straight out the box. Thanks!

I have a HK VP9. they make these in several sizes. Love mine, check them out.
 
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HK P30sk. I always thought grip panels were cheesy marketing without real value. Probably because of a gen 1 M&P I used to carry. P30/VP9/40 series ergonomics are perfect for me, made me a fan.

P30 is hammer fired, and can be had with a manual safety if desired.

I have a P30 as well. Wonderful pistol!
 
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If you need to actually use it, you may never see it again. Advantage, plastic fantastic...
 
Go CZ! You cannot go wrong with these. I CCW my S2 on my off days. This will be my duty gun pending approval once it gets back from an optic milling job from CGW.

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Getting back to OP's budget.
I have 8K rounds collectively for the VP9 & P30, about equal use for each. Some good carry holster choices; the olive drab 6378 ALS is a limited edition for Border Patrol agency.
The Walther seems to be a better value, maybe the best production striker fired trigger.

The Sig P229C is one of my favorite carries. Full size (3.9" barrel) 229 frame with the shorter (3.5" barrel) 224 size slide, available in usual desired calibers. You have to look but you can get one for the OP's budget.

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$1300 or $300 gun doesn't matter, what matters is shoot what you shoot well and what you have confidence in. I have carried a sidearm for a living for 23 years and confidence that it is going to go bang when I pull the trigger and the projectile is going to hit where I intend it to are all that matters. I started off carrying a Glock and then my agency switched to a Sig. When that happened my qual scores went down from an average of 245-250 out of 250 to 225-235. The weapon was just not a good fit for me and as result I had more malfunctions and less confidence in it. I carried it for 7 years until they let us carry personally owned Glocks and my scores immediately went back up. Early in my career in adverse field conditions, a Glock save my life. If it had been a Sig, maybe I would be carrying a Sig. Point is carry what you have confidence in.

On the subject of striker vs hammer: I carry concealed daily, sometimes in a holster on my hip, but most often IWB appendix in a kydex holster with an untucked shirt. Your mileage my vary, but the amount of fuzz, gunk, sweat and grime that gets into the hammer area is substantially more than gets into the back of a striker fired gun. Does it matter, I don't know, but I always tried to keep that area clean on my Sig. DA/SA vs striker fired from a safety aspect is a wash for me. I have never felt unsafe holstering a striker fired gun.

Several people mentioned evidence and the fact that it is going to go away for a while. My agency puts it in a nice cardboard box, securely zip tied and it stays protected in a climate controlled evidence room. I have been in other evidence rooms where the weapons are literally stacked on shelves in piles. Those guns get scratched and dinged. Others I have seen put them in sealed plastic bags after the CSI people get done with them, so any moisture in the air gets sealed into the bag. After several months or longer, depending on how fast justice moves in your area, you get no billed by the Grand Jury. You think you're going to get your gun back, but wait, the Plaintiff's Attorney in the civil suit that was brought against you has requested the gun be examined by a firearms expert where it is going to be disassembled, fired, and otherwise fat fingered. Every aftermarket part you put on the gun is going to be scrutinized and that punisher emblem you stippled into the grip is going to get photographed and displayed in court. Be prepared to wait a while.
 
What are some options for a higher end 9MM concealed carry handgun sub $1300? My thought is essentially what is a competitor for a Sig Legion P229. I know people shit on them for their marketing which I get but it does seem like a very nice well kitted out handgun. I know a Glock can be tuned up a million ways and a CZ 75 P)1 can be sent to Cajun Gun works but I mean straight out the box. Thanks!
I recently purchased a Wilson Combat Sig P-320 for $1350.00. It's a great looking pistol that shoots a lot better than I do. I'll send you a photo if you want.
 
I carry full size all year long . With that in mind , CZ75 Omega . Put on some tritium fiber optic sights and voila . HK VP9 is to snappy . Glocks suck . And most importantly Glocks suck . If everyone bought Highpoints it wouldn't magically make it a great gun . It would make it a greatly proliferated crap gun like a Glock . 😈
 
I started this P320 X-VTAC (Vicker's Tactical) journey last Fall. Now have 8500 rnds thru it. Trialing various grip frame / module sizes, I now own every P320 frame modules/ grip size variants; found the "extended "beaver tail on all way too big to acquire a fast grip index. Factory flat trigger was rough 7+ pounds, which is okay if you are not shooting support hand only, which is 1/3 of the rounds down range for my training.

Made the modifications
Gray Guns fat guide rod and 15# 1911 recoil guide rod flat spring (which allows easy different spring testing; currently using 12# spring)
Leupold Delta Point Pro
Leupold adjustable rear sight
Dawson .455" suppressor sight
Factory updated slide stop assembly
Cut down beaver tail on every module trialed
Gray Guns curved trigger system (also replaces sear spring) reducing trigger pull to a smooth 4.5 lbs.

including the Wilson Combat grip module (which unlike factory grips, only comes in one grip size diameter). Run this on a Safariland drop leg QLS mount rig in Safariland GLS holster only because Safariland has been lying more than a year about offering a "optic ready ALS holster" for the P320; so the optic is exposed. Still with the exception of optic, mods would fit in OP's budget.
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A few comments on the Sig P365. I have 1325 flawless rounds thru it. This Jan 2019 model was mfg. after Sig corrected some issues (failure to go into full battery and light primer strikes) that plagued the model legacy early on. Gray Guns flat trigger installed just for fun; factory X-ray sights are very good. Lots of magazine options. Safariland ALS holster fits the G43 as well; front pocket carry with Elite Survival holster works well.

I consider it a very good substitute for the Glock 43; profiles almost identical; 2150 rounds thru this one.

Lots of other small non-revolvers to consider; revolvers should absolutely be considered by the OP!

All easy to conceal carry in hot Florida weather and well within OP's budget.

The old adage "the best carry gun is the one you have on you". Pick one you can shoot well and is easy to fit on your person most days.
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Holstering and unholstering a concealed striker fire in a daily setting is just more of a risk than I want to take.

Why are you taking your gun out of the holster? I carry a striker gun every day, it doesn't come out of the holster. The whole holster/gun comes stays together whenever I'm carrying or storing it. I grab the holster by the clip, not the gun grip.

"High end" and sub-$1300 aren't in the same ballpark to me. That money gets you a used Staccato C if you want a 2011. I don't know what gun is worth owning that's sub-$1300 that isn't just a tuned up $600 gun. I have a CZ SP-01T with the full Cajun kit, and I just don't use it, I carry my Glock. I'd sell it to you if you're interested. Great trigger, LOK grips, nice weight, shoots well. I just stuck with my Glock because I have the holsters for it and I like it.

Legion's are cool if you like Sig. Don't know what else I would carry that is a factory gun.
 
Wilson Combat Remington 870, 12Ga, Professional, 14" barrel, EO Tech forend
Robar customized Springfield 1911, 45acp


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I had one..mine was a hot piece of shit.

never made it through a box of any type of ammo without jams...rarely made it through a mag without a jam.

then I found out that it’s pretty typical for this gun to do that.

traded it in and got a zev oz9 hyper-port.

bench
I had one..mine was a hot piece of shit.

never made it through a box of any type of ammo without jams...rarely made it through a mag without a jam.

then I found out that it’s pretty typical for this gun to do that.

traded it in and got a zev oz9 hyper-port.

bench
Why didn't you send the pistol back to Wilson Combat? I have 1000+ rounds thru mine without any malfunctions.
 
How the fuck do you carry that?

CCW: IWB at 4 o'clock. Will have a new OWB holster from Red Hill Tactical soonish to compliment the IWB holster.

Overt Carry: RHT level 2 holster on a QLS is used on the range belt.

Is it as comfortable as my G26 or P226 (when I must carry something smaller)? No. That said, if I have to use it to defend life, I have higher confidence in the handgun and by abilities with it to do good work than with any other handgun I've owned or fired. Like @Sixwhiskey said above, carry what you feel confident in. A weapon you enjoy is one you'll reach to every time you go to the range and shoot most often. The Shadow 2 is that handgun for me.
 
A few comments on the Sig P365. I have 1325 flawless rounds thru it. This Jan 2019 model was mfg. after Sig corrected some issues (failure to go into full battery and light primer strikes) that plagued the model legacy early on. Gray Guns flat trigger installed just for fun; factory X-ray sights are very good. Lots of magazine options. Safariland ALS holster fits the G43 as well; front pocket carry with Elite Survival holster works well.

I consider it a very good substitute for the Glock 43; profiles almost identical; 2150 rounds thru this one.

Lots of other small non-revolvers to consider; revolvers should absolutely be considered by the OP!

All easy to conceal carry in hot Florida weather and well within OP's budget.

The old adage "the best carry gun is the one you have on you". Pick one you can shoot well and is easy to fit on your person most days.
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Any pics of the back of the holsters?

Did you put the straight trigger on the 365? How had was it if you did?
 
The straight trigger is an easy installation.
Some 2018 Update information.
GrayGuns recommends this video for flat trigger install.


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For the G43 , depending on whether the laser/light module is attached, I have a number of different configurations with Safariland and Elite Survival holsters. When ever possible I like to configure the holster package as a grab-and-go item; extra magazine, LED flashlight all assembled with firearm-holster to be picked up in one motion so as not to forget or have to fumble around for critical extra kit. Adding an ELS unit multiples the modularity of this "system". Target identification with a deadly weapon-flashlight is not always a particularly clever situation to find oneself in particularly in States with liberal zealous district attorneys.. Hard to improve on the Elite Survival pocket holster.

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HK p2000SK lem for a hammer gun and LANTAC Razorback Glock 19 for a striker gun.
 
SIG 239 is also a great option if you want something smaller for concealed carry. I have both the 229 and 239 (non-Legion) in SIG .357 and they are stock reliable.
 
A few photos for size reference. The Sig P365 is demonstrably smaller. The HKP200SK, Sig P339 and Sig P229C (3.5" barrel) are almost
identical for carry profiles.
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I would check out the Shadow systems MR920. It is below your $1300 budget which means you can add a light and buy some glock OEM mags for it. I haven't had issues with it and it comes with some nice features for a $800-900 gun.

To save some money you can buy the magpul mags to practice/target shoot and only buy a few glock OEM mags for carry purposes.

Other than that what other people have mentioned will are great options as well.
 
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92G Elite LTT might be of interest, it's one smooth shooter.........
 
My stock trigger CZ P07 with red dot gets me quicker, more accurate hits than my P09 with Cajun Pro package. My stock VP9 with a $69 CT laser (Dvor special), gets me even quicker hits. (But laser is near useless beyond 15yrds on a dark target in sunlight)...I’m halfway decent, occasionally someone with a stock 19 will blaze me because they practice more and are just a better shooter.
I guess my point is:what specific benefit are you hoping to gain by spending the extra money?
For me red dot > trigger work > frou-frou slide cutouts and fancy mag plates.
Money on ammo +practice >everything
 
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Oh yeah, and the right platform- Ditching my Glocks for CZs- felt better, pointed better =more confidence, less unnatural wrist adjustment, better accuracy and speed.
Glocks May be perfect for you, or Sig or whatever, but if that foundational gun isn’t optimal, then spending $$$$ on fancying it up is a waste. So find the platform that’s best for you first. If you're asking the internet how to spend $1300, you may as well have your dog point at pictures too.

Some of the guns I've spent time properly carrying: missing are G19, G26, Walther PPK, other flavors of 1911 and BHP....
None of these are shite. But some are better.
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What are some options for a higher end 9MM concealed carry handgun sub $1300? My thought is essentially what is a competitor for a Sig Legion P229. I know people shit on them for their marketing which I get but it does seem like a very nice well kitted out handgun. I know a Glock can be tuned up a million ways and a CZ 75 P)1 can be sent to Cajun Gun works but I mean straight out the box. Thanks!
Check out the MR920 from shadow systems. Runs off the glock blueprint and has two different models to choose from. Not a bad handgun for what you're looking for.
 
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I was at my gunsmith's shop today and he showed me his - Glock model 45!
 
Springfield Armory EMP. It is a SA 1911 style that can be had with G10 scales, ambi safety, nite sights and 9+1 capacity
 
I have a few guns that meet the OP process range...from 1911s, browning HP, full Lonewolf light g17, sig 229, hk... and the gun I always return to carrying is my CZ75 PCR. The SA/DA trigger is so much better than any striker fired pistol, and is on par with plastic guns in weight.
 
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I have a HK VP9. they make these in several sizes. Love mine, check them out.
Best Service pistol you can buy IMO. I am up to 8 of them. With a RMR they are laser beams.

The Wilson Berretas are also super nice around 1100-1300. LT has a verison as well. I don't think you can find a better pistol for the money.