Suggestions for a BUG or LCP

[carlson1]

The Sig P290 would fit your criteria, but if you aren't opposed to .38 +P, a nice J frame or LCR would work really well for pocket carry.

I wanted a P290 and I read and heard they had a lot of issues.

[Vol Texan]

I'm looking for a small pocket-carry pistol, but I'm having difficulty finding what I'm looking for.

I'd like a 9mm, SA/DA, with no safety.

You should come see us. We have a few items that will fit your criteria.

P.S. Avoid the Sig P250.

When my favorite LGS gives me advice like that, I take it to heart. I'm heading out tonight, but I'll be back in-country in a couple weeks. I'll come see what you've got to offer!

[rbraughn]

I have a Kahr PM9. Not the smallest out there, and kinda pricey, but I love mine.

[TrackinPat]

Sig 938?

[The Annoyed Man]

I have a Kahr PM9. Not the smallest out there, and kinda pricey, but I love mine.

Ditto, but plenty small, and if price is an issue, you can get the CM9 for about half the price of a PM9, which is basically the same gun but with fewer refinements.

[mewalke]

I have a Kahr PM9. Not the smallest out there, and kinda pricey, but I love mine.

Ditto, but plenty small, and if price is an issue, you can get the CM9 for about half the price of a PM9, which is basically the same gun but with fewer refinements.

I love my CM9 and shooting right next to a PM9 I don't see any loss in accuracy due to the standard rifling.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have a Kahr PM9. Not the smallest out there, and kinda pricey, but I love mine.

Ditto, but plenty small, and if price is an issue, you can get the CM9 for about half the price of a PM9, which is basically the same gun but with fewer refinements.

I love my CM9 and shooting right next to a PM9 I don't see any loss in accuracy due to the standard rifling.

The main advantage of the polygonal rifling is allegedly slightly higher muzzle velocities, but I don't know that it makes much difference in a 3" barrel.

[mewalke]

I have a Kahr PM9. Not the smallest out there, and kinda pricey, but I love mine.

Ditto, but plenty small, and if price is an issue, you can get the CM9 for about half the price of a PM9, which is basically the same gun but with fewer refinements.

I love my CM9 and shooting right next to a PM9 I don't see any loss in accuracy due to the standard rifling.

The main advantage of the polygonal rifling is allegedly slightly higher muzzle velocities, but I don't know that it makes much difference in a 3" barrel.

Good to know, I thought it had to do with accuracy. Is it also correct that you can't use lead (unjacketed) bullets in a polygonal rifled barrel?

[Lano]

I know the OP stated no strikers. (Can't imagine why tho) I am a recent Kahr CM9 owner. Fantastic pocket gun in 9mm. You owe it to yourself to at least look at one. Note: The CM9 can be had very reasonable compared to other Kahrs. It is a great little gun with no external safety and no magazine disconnect.

[Vol Texan]

I know the OP stated no strikers. (Can't imagine why tho) I am a recent Kahr CM9 owner. Fantastic pocket gun in 9mm. You owe it to yourself to at least look at one. Note: The CM9 can be had very reasonable compared to other Kahrs. It is a great little gun with no external safety and no magazine disconnect.

Lano,

Thanks for taking the time to refocus this discussion on my original post. To be honest, I've seen enough 'off my spec' responses here that I've stopped checking this post except every couple of days.

Let me help explain my preferences...

For my first year or so of CHL carry, I carried a Glock 36. It was a GREAT gun, and I loved shooting it. It felt great in the hands, and I had good grouping with it. However, unlike a lot of CHL holders, I can't just 'strap it on and keep it on all day'. I have to holster and un-holster far too many times during the day (e.g. visiting clients in 30.06 posted buildings, dropping off or picking up my daughter at school), so my Glock was going in and out of the holster too often. Now, given that I carry IWB, and given that I'm a bit bigger around the middle than a lot of folks, this was not a trivial exercise. Sitting in the car, hiding the gun from the other parents picking up and dropping off, holstering discretely in the car, and I was concerned with the inevitable: shirt tail or something else gets caught in front of the trigger while holstering, causing an ND.

Would it happen today? Tomorrow? Probably not, but after doing it hundreds of times, the probability of occurrence increased beyond my level of tolerance. The problem was that there is no feedback mechanism telling me that something's going wrong (except for the big bang into my leg, seat, and/or floorboard).

So, I switched from the Glock to my SP2022. It's DA/SA, so I had two additional safety steps that I could add while holstering:

• I can slide my index finger behind the trigger during the first part of the holstering, so I can feel immediately if something is pushing on the trigger. This was not an option with the Glock, since the trigger was so far back.
• During the second half of the holstering (after the barrel has found its glide path), I can remove the finger, and feel the back of the exposed hammer with the webbing of my thumb, once again giving me tactile feedback if something is amiss.

Am I paranoid? No, not really, but I do like the additional level of safety that these two steps provide.

So how about a safety? I don't know if they make strikers with safetys, but if so, why not get one?
Nope, not going to happen. A (spinal) neck injury left me with pretty severe nerve damage in most of my right thumb. I simply cannot feel a safety lever at all, unless I press hard enough to hurt (imagine pressing hard if your hand had gone to sleep - eventually it hurts so bad that you feel it - that's my thumb all day, every day). So, I cannot feel if a safety is on or off, and I cannot flip it off (or confirm that I did it properly). Safeties are out. Not going to have one on my carry gun.

So now I carry the SP2022. 18 rounds inside (I use a +2 extension on the 15-round mag), no safety at all, and DA/SA. For me, it's a perfect fit, but there are times I'd like to carry a smaller gun. Even if I didn't have the challenges I mentioned above, I'd still like the little gun to have similar architecture and function as my 2022. Sure, other guns might be good to have in the safe, and for 'fun' shooting, but if I'm going to depend on it for my life and my family's life, I'm going to stick with the same type of draw. Muscle memory is a great thing.

So for me, no strikers, no safeties, no 1911's, etc. Simply put, I want a smaller version of what I carry every day. Perhaps I'm narrow-minded, but I'm patient enough to wait it out, and the exceptional folks on this board are sure to help point me in a good direction.

[xring]

Hi Vol Texan,
Do I perceive a Tennessee connection there?

I played the find the perfect gun for your use game, and the only DA/SA with hammer no safety in 9 mm that is smaller than the SP 2022 ( that I could find) is an HK P2000 SK. However I think that you pockets would still need to be pretty big to carry it there? I hate to admit it because I have always loved Sigs but H.K. makes products with the same high quality as Sig. Another possibility that has already been mentioned is Kahr. I have already tried placing my finger behind the trigger and mine fits fine although you wouldn't get the second point of feedback from the hammer. The added safety of the long smooth preloaded trigger might be enough of a increase in the safety margin over your old Glock to make it a contender. I never liked the brake on top of the accelerator concept that Glock popularized and I have heard more than a few stories about Police officers that shot themselves while re-holstering to make your concern valid.

Good luck on your search.

xring

[drjoker]

Since you have nerve damage on your thumb, I would not recommend any tiny mouse gun semi auto because it would be very difficult for you to take it apart for cleaning. Get a S&W J Frame Revolver. It is reliable, light, and accurate. You do not need to take a revolver apart for cleaning. Just wipe off, and bore snake it. In 10 seconds, you're finished cleaning it with no thumbs necessary. Keep it in your pocket in a pocket holster. Toss the entire package in your car (gun and holster) and lock it if entering a 30.06 locale. There is no need to unholster a pocket revolver for storage.

[Vol Texan]

Hi Vol Texan,
Do I perceive a Tennessee connection there?
xring

Indeed you do. I grew up in the far northeast corner, closer to Canada than to Memphis.

I love my life here in Texas, but I still bleed Tennessee Orange. I grew up thinking that Texas was just a suburb of Memphis. I now know better (apart from Graceland, Memphis isn't that great) - Texas is really a (very large) outpost of Knoxville.



I did visit my favorite LGS here in west Houston and the owner showed me a great little SCCY CPX-2 CB 9mm. I'd been asking him about some more expensive options, but he steered me toward this less expensive option instead (again, incredible service from Def. Con. Guns on Memorial - they focus on the customer need, not just on making the 'best' sale).

I'm a fan of Reagan's guidance, "Trust, but verify." I do trust Jaime's opinion, and I'll follow up with my own research before making a final decision, but it sure does look promising.

What an excellent forum this is...

[xring]

I went to the site, and I didn't even know these guys existed. After examining their specifications I noted a few limitations when compared to your original specifications. The CPX-2 CB 9mm is a DAO ( double action only ) with a 9 pound trigger Not the DA/SA configuration you requested. ( 9lbs seems like a lot to this 1911 shooter) The Hammer is listed as an internal hammer. If this is a true internal hammer and not just a bobbed hammer then your specification for a hammer that can be felt during re holstering will not be met. That puts it back in the same category with DAO striker fires pistols. MY Kahr CW 9 has a very smooth 5.5 lb trigger pull with a long take up ( like a slick revolver) and so far has been absolutely reliable. The CM 9 is a little smaller than the CPX-2 CB 9mm and the CW-9 is a little larger. I will look for on line reviews of the CPX-2 CB 9mm. On another note, My Daughter is attending grad school in Knoxville ( beautiful area) and I work in the Westchase District. If you would like to shoot my Kahr let me know and we can make that happen. I am a member of Pearland shooting club and can be there most weekends.

Try this link for an online review

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Some of the other you tube reviews are not as positive, look at them as well.

PS Sorry you are enduring the Football season provided by Tennessee and the Texans.

xring