9mm hand gun for Concealed Carry?

[rebs]

I appreciate all your replies.

 

[klamathsteel]

Cant go wrong with the S&W Shield. Been carrying one for many years.

 

[David Milisock]

Could you guys recommend a 9 MM hand gun for concealed carry ?

I'm old meaning that I've survived. For pocket carry I prefer something with a safety that locks up the trigger, hammer if it has one and the slide. If not then a pocket holster that covers the trigger. Sooner or later you'll find yourself in a situation where you put something in the pocket with the firearm. Inside the pants carry leans the same way for me.
Outside the pants options are wide open, I have a Glock 19, a Glock 31 and a Makarov in 9mm Makarov but only the Mak goes in the pocket.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

S&W Shield 9 was my go to but recently upgraded to Sig P365XL which is the best of both worlds.

 

[Hohn]

Walther CCP. This is just one of many good ones out there. Seems like the manufacturers have really got this concealed carry figured out.

They must have improved it since the one I tried that had an awful spongy trigger and gritty slide. Nowhere near ppq in refinement or finish; very disappointing to me as someone who planned to buy it.

 

[INTJ]

Ruger LC9s. Has a manual safety, feeds hardball and numerous factory and hand loaded hollow points without a problem. (judged by the one I am familiar with)

And are accurate and have a very thin profile.

 

[brokeasajoke]

My CW9

 

[Dub]

My absolute favorite EDC gun is the sig 938. small, yet powerful. easy, intuitive function.

 

[Buzz]

For me, it's not the grip or barrel length that's hard to hide and carry, it's the width. I'd take a full size 1911 over a double stack compact Glock or a SW J frame. Just make sure it's comfortable for you or you'll wind up leaving it at home or in the truck more often than you carry it.

I've tried several over the years, but the only one that I found myself consistently carrying is a Kahr MK9. It's easy to conceal in any weather and I don't notice it for most of the day. It is a little heavier than the polymer version, but I don't mind it. If I hadn't gotten a deal on a used MK9 I probably would have gone with the CM9 for the weight savings.

 

[jackieschmidt]

My wife bought herself a 9mm Glock 43 three years ago as her carry weapon. She has had her carry permit since 2000.

She is one of those sweet little things that just knows how to shoot.

 

[elee3]

I’m a huge Glock fan. I have a G22, G23 and G27. I carried the 23 exclusively for a while ( my wife claims the 27). Last year, I went to the gun shop intending to buy a G43. The guy hands me a P365 and a G43 at the same time and tells me the P365 holds 10 or 12 while the G43 only holds 7. I’m already not happy to be going from .40 to 9mm, so I’m thinking more capacity is my friend. I left that day with nothing, because I needed to do some research. Two weeks later, I ended up with a P365 and I love it. The most surprising thing is that I really enjoy shooting it and I can hit stuff with it. It’s really one heck of a good combination of size, magazine capacity, shootability and a pretty good trigger.

I’m surprised that more people aren’t talking about the Hellcat. I haven’t shot one, but it sure looks good on paper.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

P365/365xl

Thanks for bringing this up. The P365XL with manual safety option looks great!

 

[JB10]

G43, P365

I have both and like the p365 better

 

[shoobe01]

My first recommendation when asked is usually: a better belt and better holster (or, a gun you can get good holsters for easily). Here's my two carry pieces (of many things in the safe) from earlier today at the range, as it happens.



I mostly, and for the last 15.5 hours, have been carrying (IWB) the one on the left (M&P 9 CORE + X300 + J-Point). Sitting, standing, driving, dog walking, lifting, toddler chasing, everything. No problem.

I carry the small one (Kahr P9...) mostly in a fannypack, when doing stuff where in the waist won't work. More about position than gun size, but moving to the external carry method makes a big gun that much less acceptable. For me, exercise, mostly, but I have done it for not-entirely-permissive workplaces where it was easier to conceal or stuff other places. It is now the least gun I'll want on me if I have a gun. It is small, light, 6+1 but you can get 8 round extended for the reload, and still has a light (LOTS of shootings happen in low light) and a dot so my old eyes can hit things fast, and accurately with the very few rounds I have on tap.

So I add to the system-to-carry requirements: a gun that will work in all environments (light), and which solves the problem (ideally 9, good sights for me). That gives plenty of options, many of the compacts others have listed above do that, or can be made to. TLR-6 light goes on lots of things and if they don't come RDS cut that can be added. I got mine done at Galloway Precision, who specializes in compact gun parts and work like slide cuts.

These days, I probably wouldn't get a Kahr new as they aren't so supported as the finally-small-enough Glocks, or the Shield. When I get older, I expect I'll have to downgrade to a Shield-EZ (or whatever is around then) for recoil reduction and easier manipulation, so happy that's come about.

 

[Forum Boss]

I have owned multiple Glocks, Sigs, HKs, CZs, Smith & Wessons, with various frames -- polymer, steel, and aluminum. The best 9mm carry gun I have ever owned is a Heckler & Koch P7m8. I will never sell it.

Extremely low bore axis, very accurate, outstanding trigger, and the unique squeeze-cocker system is really an advantage in my opinion. Very safe to carry with round in chamber. You can pull the trigger with a round in the chamber and the gun won't fire if you are not squeezing the handle. It is also very thin, albeit pretty heavy as it is all metal.


Shown with custom wood grips -- not my gun (I just liked the photo).

I used to shoot IDPA matches with this and it almost felt like cheating because it was so accurate and there was minimal muzzle flip. Negatives? It is fairly heavy, and you need to keep a good protectant on the slide and frame because they can rust. NOTE: HK also produced a 13-round P7M13 and an early version with heel mag release.

 

[JBT47]

HK VP9sk.

Good trigger for for a striker fired pistol.

 

[jps2486]

S&W Shield or M&P 9C

 

[Dgd6mm]

Taurus G3c

 

[SongdogHunter]

i carry a G43/ G48/ G26/ SA EMP/ Sig 320/ Ruger LCR All in 9 mm

 

[Hohn]

Skip a leather holster if you get a striker gun. Kydex is what you need. A good belt can be had from daltech force. No affiliation, just a happy customer.