CCW - compact

[hellrazor]

Guys,

Anyone have a good review on a single stack compact ccw semi-auto. I prefer a grip safety but will settle for other options. I am primarily looking for a 9mm but will explore other options

This is just for hot weather/non-bulky clothes/etc situations. I already have larger frame semi's 5944 9mm, XD45 & XDM40.

I looked at the LC9 and Shield. LC9 has a so-so rating in reviews and the Shield had good reviews but I also saw a few reports of cracked frames on the 40.

 

[26NosFan]

Vince just went down this road and I have to give a vote to the sheild. It is super accurate with everything I have put in it. Comfortable and concealable, mine has a fantastic trigger for the type that it is. They do make it with or without the thumb safety as well. Mine is carried in an IWB and I hardly know it's there. White three dot sights are easy to pick up and reaquire. Comes with a flush 7 round and an extended 8 round. I installed the pierce grip extension on the flush one for a little extra grip. I bought it for my wife but I like it so much I kinds latched on to it. If you have a range that does rentals I would suggest shooting all the compact single stack offerings, glock, SA etc. It's worth knowing how you like it before you buy especially on a carry gun. Just my $.02.

 

[JD338]

LC9 Pro

JD338

 

[Vince]

LC9 Pro

JD338

That's what I bought.

I used to have a Kahr PM9, which I traded in a fit of stupidity, that was very good.

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[hellrazor]

There is a rental range I could take a road trip to. Its a 40-45min ride.

They have a special try before you buy deal:
$80/30 minutes & 4 firearms rentals of your choice
+10 per additional firearm
Sales associate present during the test for Q/A
Plus the cost of ammo
You get a $40 off coupon

The inventory list is showing a used 9mm shield for $350.

 

[26NosFan]

That is a great price on the shield, paid $367 for mine.

 

[rjm158]

Like 26NosFan, the Shield is my #1 choice and I carry it more than anything else. Mine is a 40 but my wife's is a 9mm and the 9 is much more pleasant to shoot. Accuracy, ergonomics, and reliability have proven second to none in my experience.

Ron

 

[Charlie-NY]

Kahr PM9 - All stainless & polymer so you don't have to worry about the finish when you sweat on a well stashed handgun. Mine has been going strong for many years. Its all but impossible to get this gun to jam/stovepipe etc.

 

[shoots_5]

I have recently picked up the glock 43 for my backup / off duty gun and I'm very happy with it. It is extremely accurate for its size and recoil is negligible. No malfunction issues and very lightweight. I carry it in an ankle holster as well as IWB and it is hardly noticeable.


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[Darkhorse]

I would go with the Shield in 9mm. I carry a M&P compact in .40, I installed a set of Ameriglo Straight 8 style night sights on mine. Shoots better both day and night for me. I've also polished trigger components to remove the gritty feel and now it is really smooth but is safe for deep cover.
All those things can be done at your workbench fairly cheap, and will make that shield shoot like a different gun.
I mainly like the fact that my M&P has not hiccuped once in hundreds of shots. Not only factory rounds but my reloads as well. Not one stovepipe or fail to feed or fail to fire. And the shield is basically a smaller version of the M&P so it should be dependable as well.

 

[Vince]

I've got no complaints with the LC9 Pro.

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[diverdown]

Hmmm, obviously everyone has their own likes. It's difficult to make a choice as there are so many good choices out there. My carry weapon for the last two years has been a Sig P938. Just ran a box of ammo through it two weeks ago and functioning was perfect. In Florida's warm weather it hides perfectly under a teashirt. My reason for the Sig purchase was it functions the same as my Kimber Pro carry which I carry during the winter months. My feeling is your carry gun should be of the same style as any other gun you shoot a lot. During the heat of an incident you don't need to be trying to make your semi auto work like a revolver or other style of handgun.

 

[Vince]

Hmmm, obviously everyone has their own likes. It's difficult to make a choice as there are so many good choices out there. My carry weapon for the last two years has been a Sig P938. Just ran a box of ammo through it two weeks ago and functioning was perfect. In Florida's warm weather it hides perfectly under a teashirt. My reason for the Sig purchase was it functions the same as my Kimber Pro carry which I carry during the winter months. My feeling is your carry gun should be of the same style as any other gun you shoot a lot. During the heat of an incident you don't need to be trying to make your semi auto work like a revolver or other style of handgun.

What you say makes perfect sense and is great advice.
I've learned over the years that in high stress moments I do best with a point and shoot tool. Hence my penchant for carrying a revolver or double action only bottomfeeder sans a safety.

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[Darkhorse]

Very good point about the safety Vince. That is why I never bought one of the earlier Shields, they all had this little Non ambidextrous tab of a safety that is very unfriendly to us Left Handers. Where as my M&P C doesn't even have an external safety to worry about. Just point and shoot.
Thankfully you can now get the Shield without a safety if you wish.
Yes, we all have our favorites. Over the years I have had a number of S&W revolvers which performed and shot very well for me. It is a name I learned to trust with my life decades ago. So after trying another brand of small auto for CCW that didn't work out, I naturally gravitated towards the S&W automatics.
It is a buyers market today as most of the pistols offered now by the legions of gunmakers will work quite well for anybody.

 

[hellrazor]

I settled on a Springfield XDS 9mm. It is 4 or 5 oz heavier than a shield but it is better balanced.

 

[Guy Miner]

Shooting well for you?

The Springfields that come through my class normally do very well. I greatly appreciate the value of a compact 9mm for carry duty - and won't be too surprised if I end up with one myself.

Mostly because that's the kind of gun so many of my student-shooters show up with, some sort of compact 9mm carry gun.

The Ruger LC9s was a huge improvement over the LC9, and I thought that original LC9 was a great value for the money.

Kahr has long been a favorite of mine. Simple. Accurate. Reliable.... American made. Appears to be a quality firearm.

New little single-stack Glock isn't bad either - it was funny - a lady student conned me into cleaning her gun as the cleaning demonstration for the class - then said "Thank You" when I handed her back the pistol, all nicely cleaned and lubed a few minutes later. She got me on that one!

Lots of choices out there anymore - the compact 9's have a lot going for them. And that's from a die-hard .45 1911 shooter... Sheesh...

Guy

 

[hellrazor]

I will find out this weekend. I drug my feet for a few weeks and just picked it up today on the way home from a work trip. I want to dial it in and find some good carry ammo.

The Shield was nice but it seemed like to much of the weight was too the back. I like having some forward weight to help control recoil and second shot placement. The shield with a laser was nicely balanced with the extra 2-3oz on the front. I might pick one of them up after Christmas with Cabelas points and test it out too.

I have a few choices but I just didn't have a compact to carry in the warmer months. I can carry my 5944 or XD45 when its colder. No way I will carry the XDM40 or the model 29 44mag.

 

[Guy Miner]

No .44 mag S&W revolver as a carry gun? :mrgreen: What?

I have carried mine, but only on occasion, like when I was headed out into the boonies for a while anyway, and just had some running around to do in town first.

Also carried it as a "spare" in my patrol car for a while. We were having to shoot a lot of injured mule deer in town for a couple of winters, and the .44 mag revolver did a better job than my .45 ACP 1911. Though, truth be told, the .45 wasn't at all bad at the chore.

Yeah - it can be tough dressing around a bigger gun in the summer.

Guy

 

[hellrazor]

I carry the 44mag at times during hunting season as a backup. But lately I carry the 5944 since they spanked the PGC and over ruled their anti-CCW stance.