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Best Slim Conceal Carry Gun in Mass Options , subcompact only.
- Thread starter shootr25
- Start date
GJH86
NES Member
Anything that is comfortable enough to wear daily...otherwise you'll find yourself not carrying and that is not acceptable. With my frame (6'3" 220) in the Summer = G27 or G30S. In the Winter = G23 or G19. Those are worn iwb with a white hat max tuck holster (great stuff). Quite frankly the Seecamp .25 in your pocket is better than the (fill in the blank) in your safe.
Schoodic
NES Member
+1.
3913/14 with safety on one side helps to keep it slim. Have the hogues and love them but looking for set of factory grips to keep size down.
Thanks so much for your advice guys, so from what I've gathered so far I've narrowed it down to these as my best bet. Now how about accuracy, reliability, and quality on these? I definitely will try to handle them and figure it out myself, but if there is a well known issue with any of these I'd rather not find out the hard way:
S&W Shield with apex trigger..
Kahr PM9 minus MASS trigger..
Walther PPS
Ruger SR9C
I'm trying to keep it in the subcompact size category, I'm 6' 200 pounds so I'm in the medium/large frame group and I'm not really interested in revolvers just for reloading reasons(shall I ever have to in a rush).
S&W Shield with apex trigger..
Kahr PM9 minus MASS trigger..
Walther PPS
Ruger SR9C
I'm trying to keep it in the subcompact size category, I'm 6' 200 pounds so I'm in the medium/large frame group and I'm not really interested in revolvers just for reloading reasons(shall I ever have to in a rush).
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Just went through this myself, and ended up with a Shield 9mm. Here's why:
Walther PPS was my preferred choice since my regular carry gun is a P99c. I decided against it because they're extremely scarce right now and for the foreseeable future; the same applies to parts availability which means fixing the terrible MA trigger would be delayed for an unknown period of time. The mags are very expensive. On the other hand, back orders for the Shield are being slowly filled and Apex kits are readily available to improve the trigger. Factory parts can be easily ordered from S&W. Mags run about 30-50% less than the PPS.
The Kahr PM9/40 was another option I had considered but also eventually rejected. Ultimately I felt they are fairly expensive for a platform with mixed reliability; the need to break-in a carry gun for 250+ rounds to even approach consistent operation is unacceptable IMHO. I also feel that I can shoot more accurately with a gun that's closer to a full-size frame, and the PM series is closer in size to the pocket pistol category.
I walked into a shop this morning and purchased a Shield 9mm, and with respect to concealability and comfort, I'm very happy. My P99 is almost half an inch thicker and while it's a top-rate tack driver, it was very difficult to conceal convincingly on my small frame (5'6" 150lbs) with virtually all the holsters I tried in all but heavy winter clothing. The Shield in a DeSantis Cozy Partner is comfy and hard to spot, and virtually disappears in a DeSantis Insider or Pro Stealth.
On Friday, I'll put a few hundred rounds through it and decide if its a keeper.
Walther PPS was my preferred choice since my regular carry gun is a P99c. I decided against it because they're extremely scarce right now and for the foreseeable future; the same applies to parts availability which means fixing the terrible MA trigger would be delayed for an unknown period of time. The mags are very expensive. On the other hand, back orders for the Shield are being slowly filled and Apex kits are readily available to improve the trigger. Factory parts can be easily ordered from S&W. Mags run about 30-50% less than the PPS.
The Kahr PM9/40 was another option I had considered but also eventually rejected. Ultimately I felt they are fairly expensive for a platform with mixed reliability; the need to break-in a carry gun for 250+ rounds to even approach consistent operation is unacceptable IMHO. I also feel that I can shoot more accurately with a gun that's closer to a full-size frame, and the PM series is closer in size to the pocket pistol category.
I walked into a shop this morning and purchased a Shield 9mm, and with respect to concealability and comfort, I'm very happy. My P99 is almost half an inch thicker and while it's a top-rate tack driver, it was very difficult to conceal convincingly on my small frame (5'6" 150lbs) with virtually all the holsters I tried in all but heavy winter clothing. The Shield in a DeSantis Cozy Partner is comfy and hard to spot, and virtually disappears in a DeSantis Insider or Pro Stealth.
On Friday, I'll put a few hundred rounds through it and decide if its a keeper.
But isn't there a shitty external safety on the MA version?
I wouldn't say it's "shitty" because you just ignore it and it ignores you. It's just there... the illusion of a safety, when the real safety is Mr Trigger Finger.
And I vote PM9.
+1 ^ THIS
Yeah I checked one out at Four Seasons a while ago. The saftey seemed really hard to engage as well as disengage, leaving it alone would be great but I'd be paranoid that it could get engaged somehow by accident and then have to worry about turning it off in a hypothetical life or death situation. I'd try and buy a non MA version or have the safety removed by a smith.
after reading all replies I'm really leaning towards a s&w shield, I stopped by Northshore Firearms in Middleton on the way home to check one out today but they didn't have any in store. They did however have target 115grain PMC bronze 9mm in stock for $18 a box which nowadays is a good price. But only 1 box per customer so if you're local it might be worth a look.
I am relatively new myself but I wanted to just say this price isn't great. Yes it is better than most forum and store online prices, if you are near Woburn you are close enough to NH where most stores sell for $16 a box with no tax of course. Or if your luckier and in mass/NH a Dicks Sporting Goods for $15 a box of 50 and Walmart around $12 for a box of 50. If your in no rush just wait a couple days, make some calls nearby to those stores and you will pay less than $18 a box, that's just my cut off...
My chiropractor said it was my fat wallet causing my back pain, not the gun. I thinned the wallet down to one of those business card type wallets and no more problems.
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I agree with this line of thinking which is why I will train with and use the safety on any gun I will carry if it is equipped with one. I don't like the safety on the PM9 personally, so I would opt for a free state version of that gun, or remove it on a MA version. I find the ambi safety on my SR9c to be very natural to disengage on the draw similar to a 1911.
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I actually switched to a front pocket wallet which was designed for front carry and will never go back because not only does it help with the pelvic shift, but security - wise it is 1000 times better. My only gripe with the one I have (Oakley) is that it is frustrating to get cards out because they go in deeply and my damn fingers are too big to get into the pocket very well. I solved that by just keeping my most used ones in the front License slot.
EMTDAD
NES Member
+1. really digging my wallet/money clip combo.
and you don't get that wallet imprint in the back pocket of your jeans anymore.
yeah I've been dealing with back pain for a while (college football). I narrowed it down to the gun, I dont carry a wallet in my back pocket because I realized it caused back pain, I bought a very good gun belt which did help with the pain after prolonged carry but none the less the pain would still occur. I bought a 5.11 Holster shirt and carried that way for a while, no back pain but very hard to get to in a rush and I wouldn't keep one in the chamber while in the 5.11 shirt if you paid me. My buddy suggested I stop being such a Glock head and try a lighter slimmer single stack which makes sense to me, plus the more concealable pistol will help with my occasional "print paranoia".
Hooper
NES Member
Here's another Idea
Alternative Idea - Not a 9mm but you can't get smaller than this! Truly a masterpiece of design, form and function. Seecamp LSW .32! Love this gun. And yes, with Silvertip hollow points it will do what it needs to. Perfect with those who have a bad back or can't carry OWB. 6 in the magazine, one in the spout.
Alternative Idea - Not a 9mm but you can't get smaller than this! Truly a masterpiece of design, form and function. Seecamp LSW .32! Love this gun. And yes, with Silvertip hollow points it will do what it needs to. Perfect with those who have a bad back or can't carry OWB. 6 in the magazine, one in the spout.
+1 for the PM9
I carry IWB and don't even know its there. Good belt and holster and your on the way. I have a galico belt and a cross breed holster.
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JGreen
NES Member
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If your belly allows it, try appendix. I bet your pain will go away.
I have been doing this lately with a Desantis Sof-Tuck and it works out very nicely for lose or tucked in shirts for both my Kahr PM45 and my Taurus TCP.
Walther PPS
