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by tesla
Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:24 pm
Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
Topic: Best .40 S&W to carry
Replies: 35
Views: 5850

Re: Best .40 S&W to carry

I have a Glock 23 and a Kahr PM40 and I carry both of them regularly since they have different strengths and weaknesses.

I love the Glock 23... It is super easy to shoot, reliable, and has a good magazine capacity. I carry it IWB in a Comp-Tac Minotaur holster. Although I find this combination very comfortable, the weapon is a bit thick so I tend to carry it in casual clothes where it is easier to conceal. I also don't carry it at work since I am *really* uninterested in being "outed" there and want deeper concealment than an IWB holster can offer.

My deep concealment carry is the Kahr PM40. The Kahr works for me both as a pocket carry with a Disantis superfly holster or in a Smartcarry holster when I need the greatest concealment. To be honest, the Kahr is probably not an ideal weapon for a first pistol... Recoil on the Kahr is snappy, although I found it easily manageable with a little practice. The recoil spring is also quite stiff, and a shooter with weaker hands might find it difficult to rack the slide. These haven't been issues for me, though, and I really love this little gun. After about 200 rounds "break in" (which are recommended by the manufacturer, and I highly recommend you take their advice), mine has been completely reliable. Magazine capacity is low compared to the Glock, but I usually carry a second magazine since they are so small anyway. The Glock is easier to shoot and carries more rounds, but if I didn't have the Kahr there would be plenty of days when it just wouldn't be feasible or prudent for me to carry a weapon at all, and 5 rounds of .40 beats throwing paperweights at the bad guy any day of the week.

I tested the Glock 27 and the Springfield XD40 subcompact and enjoyed shooting them, but the Kahr is much thinner with its single stack magazine and thus is much easier for me to conceal on my frame.

Bottom line, the Kahr is practically invisible, doesn't require any special cover garments, and is ideal when I need the highest level of concealment. When I can wear better cover garments and am not as concerned about being potentially "outed", I prefer the G23 with its larger magazine and lower recoil.

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