Recommended Compact 9?

[shadow6492]

i'd say check out the new XDM 9 compact or the Sig p290.

 

[one more]

Personally my top 5 would be.

Glock 26
Smith & Wesson M&P 9C
Walther P99 AS compact
Kahr K9
Kahr CW9 - if you are on a budget or prefer polymer over steel.

for the Kahr K9,
A good Sig P228, 13 rounds and will take the P226 15 round mags. You can get a base for the 15 round P226 mags that will fit the P228 very nice. (will take the 20 rounders also) But the P228 is not as small as some out there.
But one thing about SIG is if they are in your Price range you can not go wrong!

And that is just one more from one more.

 

[Fenway]

Glock 19 or 26

 

[darngolf]

The smallest 9mm I have is the Kahr PM 9 and mine has been completely reliable thru about 500 rounds. I have put about 200 hollowpoints thru it of varius makes and it gobbles them up. Redcoil is not bad even with +p rounds.

I also have a XD9 compact and it is fairly small but thick. It has been flawless also and is probably easier to shoot than the Kahr..

The last fairly small nine I have is the sig 239 and it is easy to shoot and extremely accurate and feeds everything.

All three of these are easy to conceal with the right holster, but so is my hi-power and sig 226. For pocket carry the Kahr is the only one in my opinion.

Hope this helps.

 

[bk1330]

Beretta 9000s , Smith & Wesson M&Pc , Star bm. All good carry guns. Also Springfield EMP, just pricey.

 

[sadclownwp]

+1 for the Kel Tec P11. You will find a whole punch of P11 fanboys on this site. I have 400+ rounds down my P11's pipe. Never a single jam. Its just about the sweetest sub compact for the price there is.

 

[dsom2006]

I have the XD40SC and I want to trade is as soon as possible for a G26. the XD40SC is a fantastic gun and the G26 is better.

 

[ret]

I have a Kahr PM9 and a baby Glock. Kahr is more concealable...far less capacity, just as reliable as the Glock. But I sure like the G capacity and carry high cap mags for a HUGE amt available.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

My Kahr P9 has been boringly reliable and is easy to conceal and carry. Less felt recoil and muzzle flip than a Keltec P11 and easier to grip and control. Every so often, I will see a used P9 or a CW9 for sale in the $300 range.

 

[barrelmaker_2002]

The Glock 26 is a terrible choice. There, I have said it. And used to own and carry one. Then I got rid of it.

Why?

Because I started thinking about putting and extended base plate on the mag so I could "get my pinky" on it. And once you have done this, you have spent more money on a gun that is essentially no more concealable than a gun that is just as reliable as a G26, has less recoil than a G26 and has better practical accuracy than a G26.

This is because Glock already makes such a G26-ish sized pistol with a longer grip: The Glock 19.

The issue here is that, given guns of similar weight, how concealable a gun is depends mostly on its thickness and grip length. Barrel length is a distant, distant third unless the barrel is longer than 5 inches.

However, how well you shoot two otherwise similar guns is dependent on sight radius, grip, and recoil. Buying a Glock 26 and slapping an extended mag on it is the equivalent of buying a G19 and cutting an inch off the barrel with a hacksaw - and once you pay for the base plate extensions or longer mags to add to your G26, you will have spent more money. And since the gun has a shorter sight radius, you will not be able to shoot it as well as you could shoot a G19 with the same amount of practice.

Pleas, I beg of you, if you are going to buy a G26 and then add longer mags or extended base plates, spend less money and buy a G19. I did and it is no less concealable than my old G26, holds more ammo and is far easier to shoot well. Plus, the longer barrel even makes it a bit more stable in my IWB holster.

That being said, if you want a truly subcompact gun, then thickness will likely be the primary determinant of how concealable it is. So for something really compact, a single stack gun is probably the best choice. Since you want reasonable felt recoil, the Kel-Tec PF9 is probably out, since its propensity for recoil is well known.

Thus, I think a Kahr pistol might fit the bill for your situation. They have three different sizes, from really tiny (the MK9 or PM9), to a bit bigger (the P9 or K9), to what would be closer to a mid-size (the T9 or TP9). They offer each size with steel or polymer frames, various finishes and night sights. They even have a the CW9, which is the same size as a P9 and their value leader in price.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. I do hope you find a gun that fits in your hand and is good to shoot. Good luck!

Note that if you buy a Kahr, you should immediately put at least 200 (or even 500) rounds through it to break it in. They are fitted rather tightly.

Finally, I will say that having sold my G26 and bought a G19, I will never again recommend a double stack sub-compact gun (Glock or otherwise), because I think you give up too much and gain way too little.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

A 9? My choice'd be Springer EMP or the Para Hawg 9.....jus' don' care for the plastics........

 

[Ervin]

G - 26 or the Para compact 9. both sweet.

 

[Hookfish]

I would definitely recommend the Kel-Tec P11. I really like it a lot and it is an easy gun to conceal.

 

[TheDude]

Glock 26 and the Kel-Tecs are good .

 

[Chris-B]

The Glock 26 is nice for all of that: It's recoil is minimal with it's twin spring system, compact, VERY accurate and ergonomically accurate as well. With extended magazines and extensions, it can be very comfortable to shoot.

I agree with this. I carry my 26 everywhere. It can be a little bulky IWB, but I think it is a fair trade off with the magazine capacity.

 

[RobbLG]

M&P9c

M&P9c and the price is right if you can come up with a good INGO pic...

 

[88E30M50]

The Keltec PF-9 is the smallest 9mm I've shot and it was not bad in terms of recoil. It's about the size of a Bersa 380 but thinner. It's also pretty accurate. My favorite 9mm compact is the Bersa 9UC. It's a lot heavier than the PF-9, but has a lot less recoil.

 

[Glock Lover]

M&P9c and the price is right if you can come up with a good INGO pic...

Another vote for the mp9c, love mine.

 

[brotherbill3]

Ok - throw out an update and a definite vote on my end ... Springfield XD-3" 9mm SC ... it shoots great, it is very concealable, and comes with a 'CC' short magazine and an extended full sized magazine.

 

[blake2981]

I would definately have to second the Glock 26. You just cant go wrong with a Glock.