What say ya'll as to the best 9mm single stack on the market, or even discontinued?

I have several .45's, but have an itch for a smaller 9. Thinking Sig or maybe the new XD-S by Springfield.

I would like to hear of your experiences with yours both good and bad. Accuracy, ease of takedown and cleaning, ergos, etc...

Appreciate in advance all the help here on the Fire.

Don't know that it's the best, but the 9mm S&W M&P Shield is worth a look.

The S&W Shield runs away with the small single stack 9mm CCW niche in my opinion.

Springfield EMP, they are kinda spendy.

I want a Sig 938 myself.

But I'm a 1911 fan so...

There are some dandies and I like the XDs, Shield, and Walther PPS. Smaller perhaps the PM-9.

The issue I had with the Shield is that the safety magically engages when I carried it. I like the Shield but I cannot put up with the safety on it, just my personal issue.

On other handguns like my Glock 27 and others I've had the mag release get activated and the mag comes unlatched. No good.

Finally I have went to the overpriced Walther PPS and those issues are nonexistant as it has no safety, the paddle style mag release better retains the mag and there are no retention issues with it. The trigger guard is large and fits my larger style hands much better as does the large backstrap insert.

This is just my experiance from as an common joe type, and I'm certain others will have varying and different experiances.

Near perfect is the Kahr P9. Only possible drawback is that the mag release can be engaged accidentally under recoil due to the grip frame not possessing a raised section to guard against this. The S&W M&P Shield does have a frame with such a raised section, but it has the equally bad drawback of possessing a thumb safety that appears not to have been designed to be used, and shouldn't even be there, since it's not a single action auto pistol to start with, thus doesn't need a thumb safety. Just something else that can go wrong at the worst possible moment.

Consider the S&W 3913. The other recommendations are good too.

There are so many good single-stack compact 9mm's these days. But they vary a lot in trigger style and grip shape. The question is - what kind of trigger are you comfortable with and what fits your hand?

After all these years (mine was one of the first generation), I still have no complaints about the Kahr K9.

The Kahr 9 has excellent ergonomics and it's feather light.

I did have a Kahr 9, which I traded for a S&W J frame. Just never much cared for the trigger. Great gun otherwise, just not my cup of tea I suppose.

Been thinking hard on a Sig, but not sure if they have a single stack or not. Would love to see them do a P232 in 9mm one day.

They have the P239 that's single stack, but it's rather large for the type. It's also a traditional double action auto, which some don't like.

Gonna have to go to a shop and log some fondling time I suppose.

Think they will get pissy if I dry fire a half dozen guns or so?

I fnd that interesting, because I can go back and forth between the K9 and the J-frame without any real difference. The triggers are pretty similar in feel. What is it about the Kahr that you didn't like? Was it a micro?

BTW - any gun shop that won't let you dry-fire a centerfire handgun (using safe practices, of course) doesn't deserve your money. If you can't inspect the gun - including feeling the trigger - you might as well be buying online.

That's how I see it, too.

I remember trying a friends K9 that was one of the very first made. It was a blued version and the trigger was a little rough. By the time they brought out the electroless nickel version (which mine was), they had that fixed and it was "S&W smooth". All the newer versions I have tried have been the same or better.

Kahr fills the 9mm slot in my rotation.

Mine was a P9 as I remember it. Just a very heavy trigger, more so than my J-frames IMO.

Just never warmed to it, but I like 1911's and BHP's as well.

Now that Sig P239 looks interesting to me. Anyone have one and can speak about it?

The 239 I tried had a DA/Sa trigger (don't know if there are other options). I found the DA pull to be heavier than the Kahr, and I didn't care for the grip shape. They have a reputation for good accuracy and reliability though. I'd call it a personal preference, but I personally dislike DA/SA unless I can carry it C&L. I don't know if the 239 safety lends itself to that.

For the price range, if C&L is your cup of tea, I have heard good reports about the Springfield EMP.

Your Kahr must have been an odd one. I thought the P9 triggers I tried were a slight improvement over the original K-series (slightly shorter travel).

That is the one I would get if I was getting.

Frankly I would not limit myself to just single stack 9mm designs.

A Glock 19 is very rarely a wrong answer and very easy to shoot well, while still maintaining an ample amount of on board ammo.

There is a reason it is the overwhelmingly preferred choice of so many professionals.

Recent thread, same question; might be of some use.

9mm CCW Thread

MM

Kahr CW-9, a little over 300 bucks, reliable and very accurate. But, and there's always a but:

Take down is a tad clumsy and requires a little manipulation that takes some getting used to. It's not difficult, but makes one wonder where the guy's head was on the day it came to designing it. Considering how easy the SA XD-S takes down. A minor annoyance.

Thanks, did do a search in the Handguns sub-forum but found nothing in the last year. I am sure I did not use enough search parameters.

Yeah, if you can learn to like that trigger (and i'm sure that anyone properly motivated can do so). OTOH, I am now being reminded how easy it is to conceal a Hi-Power. OTOOH, if you're going to carry a single-stack, it isn't a stretch to bump up the caliber.

Different strokes...

Agreed... but it's soooooo easy to carry.

I had one when they first came out. Sold it only because I decided I didn't much like traditional double action autos. Another observation is that it has a high bore axis which increases felt recoil and "flip" vs a low bore axis.

i have a CM9, CW9, shield 9 and XDS 45. flip 2 coins, and go with any one of them. they are all fantastic.

1. CM9, so small and light and very easy to conceal. NO safety, just a nice longer trigger pull.
2. CW9 - same thing here just with a longer grip and barrel, not as easy to conceal but most people should be able too.
3. Shield, reliable, awesome gun with a manual safety. Hard to find mags right now for it however.
4. XDS 45- yah, mines a 45 and thats the reason i bought it. CUZ ITS A 45 IN A SMALL GUN! but the 9mm version is exactly the same. mine was reliable before the recall, and after and its also great. i wouldn't part with any of them.

they all fit into my rotation except for the Cw9 due to its size. One of the best features of the XDS is the grip safety. Some don't like it but i love passive safeties. nothing to turn off/on but works when you grip the gun meaning the gun will fire when you want it too. If the grip safety bothers you, then you aren't holding the firearm correctly. You have to almost try not to engage it on purpose from a shooting position. Its just a nicer feeling to reholster etc, knowing that that safety is there.

Not exactly what people think of when they say "9" but it's danged close.

If I was dead set on a single stack 9mm type of weapon and had the cash - the Les Baer Stinger in 38 Super would garner a lot of attention.

1911 controls, officer frame, commander slide. 8+1 IIRC and with da inanet, ammo is a click away if one doesn't reload. Buffalo Bore has a 124 grainer at 1390FPS. That should work....

A Sig 938 has been on my wish list since they came out. In the meantime a double-stack Browning BDM is what I use. 15 rounds in a slim package.

I find myself pacing my Sig 938 more than any 9mm I own.

I have and really like the EMP. It will see more carry after a few more testing sessions.

The Solo went down the road, nice to carry, just too hard to operate with my screwed up hands.

I like the 938. It's like a chopped up Star BM with Swiss quality. I'd live to play with one. I've cycled one magazine, that's it.

I don't know what my round count is to date. I put about 250 thru to test. I empty it and the 3 mags I carry into my backyard target after every 5 days of carry.

It is a habit I got into to keep up trigger time and upkeep on my carry pieces several years ago. Can't hurt, right?

Anywho, the 938 just keeps feeling better.

For it's size it is very accurate and controllable.

And roughly half the price of the EMP.

It's very helpful for me to hear you have both and choose to carry the 938.

I love my P238 and I've been looking real hard at the 938... I'm looking even harder now that SIG is introducing a .22 conversion unit for the 938

I know a shop that has a couple.

IMHO

3913 the lil tank
CW9
and
Glock 19 (double stack though)
all great choices

Hank

Agree on the 3913. If you like plastic guns the Shield is good, but the double stack M&P9C is simply not that much larger.

I like the Kahr pistols, they just fit my hand better

My S&W Titanium Just frame DAO revolver in a pocket holster is excellent for me. If I was in the market for a small 9x19mm semiautomatic my choice would probably be a SIG P239. YMMV...

I've tried just about ever Compact 9mm on the market. Sig 938 Glock 26, S&W Sheild, Springfields EMP. XDS, Ruger SR9, LC9, Kahr CM-9 Berertta Nano, ect.

That being said, I keep carrying and coming back to the same two handguns.
1st, i absolutely LOVE my Springfield EMP 1911 9mm. Its very Accurate, reliable, fairly light, and it's a 1911. So, of course so I carry cocked & locked, like when toting any of my 1911's that I'm so very familiar with. They are expensive, but worth every penny in my book.

2nd is my little cheap Kahr CM-9. It's also EXTREMELY reliable & plenty accurate for a pocket sized 9mm. Main thing I like is it has a decent carry trigger, no saftey, and it's small enough to fit in the pocket of my Wranglers and not too heavy for discrete carry. And it has much better sights than all the ultra small 9mm's like the Ruger LC9 & Keltec 9. And a better trigger.

I will throw the Glock 19 in there, as I much prefer it over the smaller Glock 26.
I can conceal the Model 19 just as easy as the Model 26, + it has a better grip that fts my hand much better than the 26.
Not to mention 16 rounds vs 11 rounds.

Again, Ultra Reliable, and very accurate. And pretty easy to shoot for all the new CHL shooters I've trained, especially the ones with minimum or no prior handgun experience. Also plenty safe to carry IMO, if you follow the #1 and #2 rule of gun saftey.
#1, ALWAYS treat it as its Loaded, and #2, keep your damn FINGER OFF the Trigger untill you are ready to shoot, and your ABSOLUTELY sure of your Target!

Hope this was helpful, JMHO, though. And it's what I generally recommend to new CHL holders, if they don't won't to carry a revolver, which I usually recommend for a first time handgun owner.

I use the Kahr cm9. Nice light gun, few controls, accurate. The only issue I have is fat fingers and a narrowly curved trigger. Got over that quickly.

I like the EMP and it functions perfectly.

The 938 just seems to fit my mode of carry very well.

The finish on the 938 is holding up with no signs of wear, so far.

I think I got it within 4 months of them first shipping to dealers.

I must have close to 700 rounds on it of several types of hps.

Not a great picture, but gives a rough idea of the size of a 9mm Shield to some other "carry" sized guns. The thing that doesn't show in the picture is how thin the Shield is. It completely disappears IWB on the belt and can be carried pretty much with any method that will hide a J-frame - with 3-4 rounds more rounds of ammo on board and much quicker reloads.

Clockwise from top:
- Browning Buckmark 5.5'' (for size reference)
- Glock 19 9mm
- S&W 642 .38 Special
- S&W Shield 9mm
- Glock 30SF .45acp

I carry a full size M&P in a Galco Skyops for an XD. It doesn't pose any problems for me. A compact may be a little easier. When I buy a pistol I want The whole gun so I don't buy compacts. Nothing against anyone who buys smaller pistols as they do carry easier I just prefer full sizes personally. I will admit to a Smith 49 (A pinned barrel nickle sweetheart too) when I feel lazy and just want to drop something in my pocket.

+1. The most noticeable difference is grip diameter. The Shield diameter is closer to a 1911, while the 9C is between that and a baby Glock.

IME the magazine extension in the 9c and the 8 rnd. mag in the Shield help controllability in both pistols.

Found one on GB at a more than fair price, got her headed my way now.

x2.

A bit out in left field, but I like my H&K P7 PSP the best - because it fits my hand better than any other 9mm I have ever tried. Low bore axis, light recoil, natural pointing, easy field stripping, excellent accuracy. Only down sides: is it is heavier than the plastic pistols, but a good holster and belt helps take care of that, and don't shoot lead bullets in it, they will clog the gas port.