My CCW Choices -- Let's See Yours!
Those of us who have the addiction know from experience that there is no such thing as the perfect ccw gun. Therefore, we try to equip ourselves with a pistol for every occasion.
Personally, after almost 60 years of experimentation and having gone through all the various "phases" of handgun ownership (the pistol phase, the revolver phase, the striker-fired phase, the 1911 phase, etc etc), I've distilled my choices down to these. I'm fully aware that all firearm choices are extremely personal and that there is no "best" choice. These are mine, and they likely would not work for anyone else. They all qualify as concealable, but each serves a specific purpose and each has something special about it. Starting from the lower right:
My Kahr PM9 (most carried):
At 14 ounces it's a tiny powerhouse, and incredibly accurate, even without its Crimson Trace red laser. Its specific purpose is to be the ultimate concealable pistol (it would conceal quite well in your right nostril if you wanted to carry that way). What's special about this particular pistol: It's the only PM9 in the entire universe to come WITH Kahr's factory-installed enhanced trigger and WITHOUT an external safety or LCI (how that came to be is a long story and NSFW). Suffice it to say that the trigger has the ideal combination of smoothness and travel.
Next we have my M&P Shield 9mm (most seen, always on nightstand):
This is my all-around pistol, suitable for every mission from concealed carry to home defense. Its green Crimson Trace laser is bright enough to light up a dark room, and can be seen 30' away in bright daylight. What makes it special is the degree of relatively inexpensive customization required to turn it into the nearly perfect pistol.
This one has, in addition to the Crimson Trace green laser, Trijicon HD night sights, an Apex trigger and duty kit, Apex LCI removal, a stainless steel guide rod, and Talon grips. The magazines have MagGuts springs and base plate extensions, making the 7-round mag good for 9 rounds. That, plus one in the chamber, should be enough.
It does have an external safety, which is engaged only when the pistol is off my body, and a magazine safety, which I don't care about one way or another. It's super-accurate, and is used more than any of the others.
Next up, upper right, the Kahr K9 Elite 03 (most fondled):
For sheer beauty among 9mm sub-compacts, this one's the winner IMHO. It's an all stainless steel gun -- no mim, no polymer -- with a polished slide. All I've done with this one is to add some Meprolight night sights. What makes it special, beyond its looks, is that as an all-steel gun it's a sheer pleasure to shoot, transmitting almost no recoil even using Buffalo Bore ammunition. Its grip is uniquely shaped to fit the hand, and it may be the most comfortable gun to shoot I've ever handled. The only knock some have against it is its weight. They say it's heavy. But compared to what? To my PM9, certainly. But not to, say, my Colt Defender, which is an ounce or two heavier. To me, once the basic requirements of reliability and accuracy are fulfilled, looks matter. And this is one gorgeous piece, inside and out.
And last but far from least, the classic carry piece: the .45 cal Colt Night Defender (most valued):
What can I say about this one, except: If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand.
So, those are my CCW choices. You may or may not agree and that's fine. But instead of telling me what's wrong with my choices, why not tell us what's right about yours and back it up with a picture or two.