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Your profile doesn't show where you live. If you're in the Austin area, I have a Kahr CW9, Ruger LC9, and a Diamondback DB9 you can put in your hands to see how they feel.

glock 19, big enough to fight with; small enough to conceal,,,,,just wish it fit my hands better,,,,,selling the last of my glocks,,,,great guns, just not for me.....

carry m&p's now,,,,,FS and Compact 9's or Mid 45 and now the shield,,,,,just depends on my mood......

Best thing I could recommend is find a store/range with gun rental and try several of the ones mentioned,,,,,now realize this, it will probably not be your last purchase,,,,,thought I was done and then M&P Shield came out,,,,,really nice for deep cover...

M&P 9c is my daily carry. It felt GREAT in my hand at the LGS, and the first magazine I put through it was a decent group at 7 yards. Like you, I decided 9mm ammo is cheaper than .40 (but we buy and shoot both at the range.). The M&P is very easy to field strip, couldn't be more pleased.

There are a lot of options out there, depth of pocket book is the limit. I carry a Sig p 225 , P-6 for the military model. They don't make them any more but you can still find them. It shoots real real well and fits my small hand. A Smith and Wesson 3913 would be another to look at, they also aren't made anymore but still turn up from time to time. Both are single stack nines so they tend to fit the hand better if you suffer from smaller hands as I do.

As long as you're not looking at a 9mm kurz.

gras wrote:As long as you're not looking at a 9mm kurz.

Of course, there are those that call the .40 S&W a 10mm kurz

gguess66 wrote:I'm looking to purchase my first semi auto pistol, I was originally looking at a .40s&w caliber but because of cost of ammo changed to a 9mm. I was wondering what compact or sub compact is good for example you have champion shoes then Nike, Adidas and so on. What are the level to guns, is a glock the same as a Springfield or a sig? I know you have die hards for each brand. So go, thanks.

Let me suggest that In the long run deciding on the brand or even caliber may be less important than deciding on the form factor and fit. I find it helpful to walk through the following questions to help new shooters decide on a gun.

1) What do you plan to do with it? Will it be a collectible, for recreation, for hunting, for home defense, or for carry. Let's assume carry for this forum.

2) How are you planning on carrying it? You may find appendix carry is easier with a short barrel (if you want to sit down) but a longer grip may be fine, while many people feel that a longer slide will actually help anchor the gun when carried conventionally (3:00-5:00), but there a short grip will help prevent printing . For example, if I were recommending an XD, I would go for the 3" XD9sc for appendix, the 3.8 XDM compact (short grip) for conventional carry. Different shapes/thicknesses (single/double stack) are suited to ankle carry, pocket carry, shoulder holsters, fanny packs, etc...

3) Are there any features you want/don't want? For example, you may feel a safety is unnecessary and will cause you problems under stress - or you may not feel comfortable without one. You may want the consistent pull of a striker fired gun, the glass break trigger of a nice 1911, or you might like a DA/SA with second strike and an external hammer.

[Aside: Appendix carry is dangerous enough as is, I just can't wrap my head around holstering a striker fired gun pointed at my femoral artery. With an external hammer I can rest my thumb on the hammer, and feel confident that a stray bit of clothing won't snag the trigger and make a mess. I don't have a problem with striker fired for conventional carry. I realize that's a bit crazy, but it works for me.]

4) Once you figure all that out, go to a range and borrow or rent some different calibers in the form factor you've chosen. Choose a caliber that you are comfortable with in the size/weight you've chosen (doesn't have to be the exact gun, just something about the same size/weight).

5) Finally, I'd head to a good gun shop or a gun show, and wrap your hands around as many different guns in the form factor you have chosen as possible. Pick the one that fits your hand and feels good to you. As long as you stay with name brands like Sig, Glock, S&W, CZ, Ruger, H&K, Kimber, Beretta, and Springfield (usually above $400 for a new semi auto), you will be fine.

Happy hunting!

My two favorite compact 9mm's: Springfield EMP and Kahr CM9. Love both of these guns. The Kahr is super compact and light and carries VERY well. The EMP is the most accurate small gun I've ever owned and is a joy to shoot.

Another happy M&P 9c owner here. Fits my hands perfectly, super accurate and reliable, accepts full size mags, and made in the USA. It conceals nice and comfortably too, though not as easily as my CM9.

I primaraly carry a springfeild xd9sc. Love the gun. conceals easy, shoots great. Best option as many have stated. Get to a range and try several of them out. Many great brands avalible. I will also at times carry my keltech p11 if I need to pocket carry, but has a very long heavy trigger pull. Glocks are also a great gun, I don't care for them because they don't fit my hands as well as I like.

Sig P-239. I don't have one but I sure do want one.

My current EDC is the S&W M&P Shield 9. If you try one of those, you won't like it, you'll love it!

OldCannon wrote:

gras wrote:As long as you're not looking at a 9mm kurz.

Of course, there are those that call the .40 S&W a 10mm kurz

That's why they named it short & wimpy.

I am leaning towards a glock 19 or 26 & a Springfield xd9 compact or sub. I like the safety of the Springfield and kind of nervous of " Glock" leg.

gguess66 wrote:kind of nervous of " Glock" leg.

I don't blame you!