Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Opinions on 9mm Single Stack for CC

Ok, so I am getting a little heavier around the waist and thinking about a new 9mm Single Stack pistol to carry. (Could be just an excuse to buy another pistol) Opinions on what I should take a look at and why?

Kahr.

If for holster carry and you're a 1911 fan, the CCO, ECO or Guardian are impossible to beat for the money:

http://danwessonfirearms.com/products/

….if for pocket carry…..well, get bigger pockets and carry one of the above. :-)

My wife has a Shield and seems to like it alright although I'm certain that we'll end up with a Glock 43 just because. She also has a Kahr T9 which is too big for pocket carry IMO, but a well made gun. The problem with all Kahr's is that the trigger re-set is so uniquely long that if you shoot almost any other handgun with some regularity, the odds of you short-stroking the Kahr are very high. If the Kahr is the only gun you shoot, no problem.
JMO-YMMV.

BTW, I don't know where in northern Colorado you are, but if you haven't been to the Liberty Firearms Academy: https://www.libertyrange.com---you need to go there ASAP-----it is stupid-big and has the largest retail outlet of guns that I've seen anywhere. It's also plush but not too expensive. It's just off of I-25 at Loveland. Remarkably, the staff seems to actually know a little about guns too---maybe not as much as the employees at Jensen Arms in Loveland, but better than going to Cabela's, etc.

The best out there now is the Glock 43. The Ruger LC9S Pro, is also a good one. Slightly more compact, but not as good a shooter as the Glock. Clearly Glock has better aftermarket support, which should tilt you that way.

I have a Kahr P9, and it was the very first of this type on the market ... very innovative in its time, but at this time the cutting edge belongs to Glock on this type.

I don't have an S&W Shield, but it's a good one too, I understand.

I wear an extra large glove, and find the G43 to be a bit small for me in the grip. Wish I had gone with the G26. I had a Kahr K9, and the previously poster nailed it, the trigger pull is extremely long for a pistol.

CDNN has a sale on the Walther PPS both the original version and the M2. Supposed to be a really nice single stack in the M2 version, and CDNN has it for less than I paid for the G43.

Over the years I have carried several different single stack 9mm pistols to include SIG P6, P225, P239,Kahr CW9 and this past year I have been carrying a Walther PPS M2.
I really like the ergos of the Walther, it fits my hand better than the Glock. I keep it in a DARA IWB holster and it is my daily carry.
I like the Walther PPS M2 so much that I bought another one as a spare.

StarchedCover

S&W Shield...

Sig P225 is nice.

I really like my kahr cw9. it's accurate, and about the smallest gun I find easily "shootable". I don't pocket carry, I just don't see the need for it. I have a simple clip on Blackhawk iwb that is very comfortable to wear and a Mitch Rosen Belt slide.


to be honest I really don't carry it all that much though, much preferring my P226, and lately a P229 in 357 Sig

Another vote for the Kahr CW9. I carry mine in a galco IWB sto n go. Pretty shootable in my use of it. Carries pretty well.

Hunt41Ram,

FWIW,
Between my son and I, we own three M&P Shields, in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45acp. Barrel lengths are 3-3.3", weights are around 21-23 ounces, and they carry and shoot like a dream. Mine is the .45, and the trigger on it is exceptional for a striker fire handgun. I've been carrying mine in a N82 Tactical Pro holster, and hardly remember that it's there IWB. The 9mm is a tad shorter and lighter than the .45, but not by much.

Other than size, reliability is a major factor, and these Shields just work, period.

Over 1 million of the Shields have been sold since they came out, in 9mm, then .40 S&W, and now most recently, .45. S&W seems to be on its way to dominating this sector of the market, it would appear from sales.

Hard to go wrong with either the Glock 43 or the Shield. I had a Shield and also picked up a 43. For me, I am able to shoot the Glock better than I could the Shield and I have large hands also. I ended up trading the Shield.

Kahr CW9, S&W Shield, or Glock 43.
All are reliable; pick the one that suits you.

The Springfield XDs might also be worth a look but I have found those above a better fit for me.

Another vote for the Kahr CW9. Most of the single stack 9’s are fairly close in width so that point is moot but I like to have all three fingers on the grip. Everybody's hands are different so that may just be an issue for me. But that little bit of extra length in the grip really helps control the pistol and IMO it also gives a bit of extra help when you have to unlimber it from under the love handles – I must be getting lovelier since mine are getting bigger these days.

FWIW, I have a CW9 and a CM9 with the little two finger grip and these are the issues/differences I noted with them.

After handling the Shield and a Glock 43 I went with the 43. I find it ideal because it's small enough for pocket or holster carry, but is big enough for me to shoot as well as a full sized duty pistol. Over the years I've tried an M&P compact .40, a 642, and a Kahr PM40 for the little gun niche in my carry strategy and they've all been wanting in one way or another. This little Glock is perfect for me. I'd say handling both of these pistols would be a good starting point.

I'd throw the Ruger LC9s pro into the mix. A compact 9 with a spare mag is easy to carry and with 8+7 on tap decent firepower in a small package.

Thanks for all the input. I think I have a place to start....sounds like 3-4 good options for the most part. I will try the ones suggested and see what seems to fit my hands best.

Essentially identical to the P9, except it's like an economy version of it. I've had the P9 since it's first introduction, and it's been completely reliable after untold thousands of rounds. I've had two small parts breakages/wear-outs, but those parts were originally made of plastic, and Kahr switched to steel, and replaced them for the newer steel parts on mine.

I have nothing bad to say about mine, but a friend of mine had one that was a lemon and he finally (after a couple of trips back to the maker) dumped it at a gun show.

I personally like the trigger, as it reminds me of a nice double action S&W revolver. If you cut your teeth on such revolvers, you should be able to adapt well to the Kahr. If you cut your teeth on Glocks, then not so much.

Kahr TP9, Shield, and XD in that order. However, it's close enough that the current Springfield promotion for 4 free magazines, holster, and mag pouch would be tough to pass on (Springfield says $180 worth).

Glock model 43 or S&W shield.I have both in 9mm they have been flawless.