After years of carrying pistols, or in some cases not carrying them because they just get too heavy after a day on my hip, it's time for a new carry gun. I want something lightweight and slim, but with a decent punch. So I'm thinking polymer framed single-stack in either 9mm or .45ACP. I'm not interested in the .40 at all. I prefer hammer-fired over striker-fired, but I can live with a striker. I know there aren't a lot of hammer-fired polymer guns out there.
Glock 43? Springfield XD-s? Springfield XD-e? S&W Shield?
I've handled a couple of XD-s's and didn't like them. Blocky feeling grips and the triggers were horrible. I'm going to go and look at the XD-s Mod 2 and the Shield 2.0 soon; they're supposed to improve some of the grip and trigger issues the first gen versions have. I've never been a Glock guy, but I could live with one if it's the best option. I'm here looking for first hand experiences with any of the above, or even a Walther.
Posts: 7510 | Location: Idaho | Registered: February 12, 2007
I carry a Shield 1.0 with the 8 round magazine. They are reliable, shoot really well and very inexpensive. I want to talk myself into the 365 but the more rational side of me keeps asking why?
IWB or pocket? If pocket then my vote is the PM9 which is what is normally in my front pocket. If IWB the G43 and Shield seem to be the popular choices along with the 365. I bought a Shield thinking I could pocket carry it - spoiler alert its too big. So if I'm going IWB its something somewhat larger than the Shield, but its a solid choice for sure.
Glock 43, it’s reliable, it’s stupidly easy to carry and conceal and with a new trigger and sights it’s a decent shooter. And it’s not going to potentially get you killed because sig wants the customer to be the beta tester. I’d rather have a couple less rounds for peace of mind that my gun will at least fire the whole magazine no matter what.
Originally posted by 94hokie: IWB or pocket? If pocket then my vote is the PM9 which is what is normally in my front pocket. If IWB the G43 and Shield seem to be the popular choices along with the 365. I bought a Shield thinking I could pocket carry it - spoiler alert its too big. So if I'm going IWB its something somewhat larger than the Shield, but its a solid choice for sure.
+1 on the Kahr PM9.
__________ "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy."
Posts: 3631 | Location: Lehigh Valley, PA | Registered: March 27, 2007
Originally posted by abnmacv: Glock 43 trigger is the worst of any gun I own.
Is yours one of the early ones? Those before the “-“ connector were introduced were pretty bad. I find the current G43 trigger to be on par with other Glocks.
Posts: 1638 | Location: South Carolina | Registered: February 27, 2003
I've had alot of bugs to include a shield, p365, the only diamondback DB9 that worked according to the internet and a G43. Of them I'd recommend the G43 or the Shield. Both have good aftermarket support and are RELIABLE. I sold off my shield for my G43 but they are both great.
The DB9 I had was actually a great gun but I was made an offer I couldn't refuse for it. It's the runner up but I'll say it hurts to run more than a box through it. About as small as you can reliably go. Fits in a dress shirt pocket. It was very accurate and ran great for me. I live with full synthetic mobil 1. It's cured alot of guns I've heard problems about.
I'm going to jump all over a p365 as soon as I hear about a year of no issues with them. I don't like the idea of a gun that can die on me out of the blue. When Sig gets it right I'll say this gun will be amazing but I sold my old one off.
Posts: 3131 | Location: Pnw | Registered: March 21, 2009
Originally posted by Expert308: After years of carrying pistols, or in some cases not carrying them because they just get too heavy after a day on my hip, it's time for a new carry gun. I want something lightweight and slim, but with a decent punch....I prefer hammer-fired over striker-fired, but I can live with a striker....
If you want something noticeably lighter, thinner, reliable and hammer fired, then I'd pick the Sig P938. For IWB, I like using the extended mag. For the pocket, the flush mag. For striker-fired choices, again concentrating on slim, lightweight guns, I like the Kahr PM9, Glock 43 and Ruger LC9S in that order. The Kahr PM9 is the only one I consider suitable for pocket carry out of those three, but a lot of people have bigger pockets than me. There are a lot of other good single-stack guns out there nowadays, my favorite being the Walther PPS M2, but they are all noticeably heavier than the guns mentioned earlier, at least to me. With that said, I still prefer just to deal with the added weight and carry guns that I enjoy shooting more at the range like the Glock 26, HK P2000SK or P2000, etc, but I do notice the P938, PM9 and guns of that size are more comfortable to carry.
"But, as luck would have it, he stood up. He caught that chunk of lead." Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock "If there's one thing this last week has taught me, it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it." Clarence Worley
This will be IWB, not pocket carry. I have a S&W snubbie and a CM9 for that. I don't really like the CM9, it's too small to get a good grip on, it takes a gorilla to rack it, and the trigger is on the heavy side. All in all not easy to shoot very well. I want something with a more or less full size grip, and if that means using an extended mag with a spacer then that's OK. I hate shooting with my pinky out there flapping in the breeze.
My ideal would be polymer framed 1911 Commander, but nobody makes one of those. I'm looking for compact, not sub-compact or micro-compact. So the P938 is out. I'm thinking the G43 would be too short in the grip, but I'll go fondle one to be sure. The XD-e is looking good at the moment. But when I get some time next week or next month I'm going to go hit the LGS and play will all of them.
Posts: 7510 | Location: Idaho | Registered: February 12, 2007
