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Suggestions for Subcompact 9mm to replace lcr

3K views 39 replies 34 participants last post by  sensei2 
#1 ·
I have an LCR .38 spcl that I just cant seem to be as accurate with as I would like, despite several hundred rounds down range. I know this is a complaint of many in regards to snubbies, and I have been contemplating trading for a subcompact 9mm of similar size and weight. My first choice would be an M&P shield in 9mm , followed by a Beretta nano 9mm. Sigs are out of my pricerange, and taurus is not an option. I am trying to keep with a slim line gun, 1 inch or less, and less than 20 oz unloaded. Primary uses would be discreet carry and warm weather, occasional pocket carry. Any suggestions to other guns to look at ?

Also if anyone is interested in a trade and is local feel free to pm me.
 
#3 ·
I chose the Nano myself after looking at the Shield. The Nano is amazingly accurate, and well balanced. Little felt recoil, too.
I passed on the shield for several reasons. Far too many problems reported with them, versus a minor issue that was long ago corrected with the very first run of Nanos, and I dislike manual safties on my handguns.
 
#5 ·
I have no experience with the Nano, I own the shield I bought for wifey hoping she would like it so I could taker her custom 642.
No luck, but the shield actually shoots really well feels like full size shoots like full size. I got the Mitch Rosen Clipper for it an it conceals really well. Good luck
 
#7 ·
the break on the LC9 trigger is all the way back to the grip, too. There is a website that makes it's living selling trigger upgrades for the LC9
 
#9 · (Edited)
Contrary to what internet experts say, a snub nose gun is a gun for experienced shooters. It takes a lot of dedication to practice to become its master. It is intrinsically accurate if you put it into a Ransom Rest. The problem is that due to its short sight radius, it is unforgiving to anything but proper trigger control and today, too many are used to light triggers and cannot deal with a heavy DA revolver trigger. I have given my snub noses to many shooters and they all return it saying they cannot shoot it well, blaming crooked sights, too heavy trigger, etc.. That is the point where this old senior citizen takes the gun and puts 5 into COM at 25 yards or a few into the bullseye at 7 yards to demonstrate that the gun is not the problem. I have been shooting snubnose guns for 40 years so I am used to them but I have to practice a lot to shoot semi autos well because their triggers feel like hair triggers to me. The first time I shot a Glock, 3 years ago, it kept going off before I was ready. I ended up putting an 8lb trigger on it and then a 12 lb. one to duplicate my revolvers. :) It is all what you are used to. I have since become used to the lightweight semi auto triggers and like a batter who warms up with a heavier bat before his trip to the plate, my revolver skills make shooting a semi auto a breeze.

Now to your question. I have bought over 30 carry guns in the last 3 years. I had the LC9, M&P9c, XDs, Glock 26, Shield, Kahr PM9, Sig P290 and a few I cannot remember. The best of the lot is the Sig P938 which I just put away after coming home from the barber shop. It is slightly bigger than its .380 brother but shoots the 9mm. It conceals very well, is lightweight and absorbs recoil so that it feels less than an LCP. The best thing is that it has excellent night sights that allow you to hit targets at distance. It does favor 124 gr. ammo though but that is what I shoot anyway so I do not mind. It will shoot lighter ammo as long as it is hotter like most self defense rounds. I have shot Hornady FTX, Gold Dots plus others and currently carry 95 gr. DPX. It has a single action trigger and manual safety. If you are afraid to carry cocked and locked or do not think you can learn to use a manual safety (easier than learning to use a trigger or to remember turning on a laser, pushing off a pocket holsters, etc.) this is not the gun for you.

My second choice, as far as value and being a great gun, is the Kahr CM9. Best value out there as far as I am concerned. Small and lightweight with a smooth DA trigger with no creep, crawl, stacking, etc.. Out of all my pocket pistols, the CM9 fit the best in my pocket and on my belt it just disappears. All the other guns are either being recalled, are too heavy for a sub compact or have trigger pulls so long that you just about have to hit the back of the trigger guard before they go boom. Others are called sub compacts but they are large and heavy. The XDs is 23 oz. empty, the Glock is wide and heavy and the HK P2000SK, that I just sold, was bigger and heavier than the Glock 26 and it is called a sub compact.

This is my best advice and what I tell my students. Most do not listen and buy what their friends have or tell them to buy. Some buy what happens to be on sale or available on the day they want to buy. Others buy what is popular on their favorite gun forums so that they can be praised for their wise choices. I have seen this happen time and time again. They not only buy the gun but before they even shoot it they have already bought and received all the forum approved accessories without even knowing if they really need them yet. However, to a man, and despite stating that they can only afford to buy one gun, they all now own 2 or more guns because they are buying what they like and not what is best. :) It is amazing how buying an inexpensive gun turns out costing you a lot more. My friend did that by buying an LCP. He rarely carries it and hates it as a range gun. He did not want to spend even more money for a range gun so his second gun was a cheap .22 which he also hated because it jammed all the time. So he buys a Ruger SR9 but it is too big to carry despite it feeling good in the gun store stuffed in his belt for 3 minutes. Plus the price of 9mm is too much so he buys a Ruger SR22 to practice with but it is really not like his SR9 like he thought and it will not shoot cheap .22 without jamming and he does not want to spend the money for CC1. So his original an final $300 budget for a an all around gun has now cost him over $1000 which is $500 more than the gun he really wanted but did not want to spend the money on. :)

My point is to get the gun you want and if that means saving up a little longer, then do that. I have wasted a lot of money in asking people what gun should I buy and then listening to their advice, only to find out that what is good for them is not good for me. Then again, why would I ask strangers what is good for me in the first place?
 
#11 ·
Kahr PM9 (or CM9) fits what you are looking for. There will be lots of folks that will tell you horror stories about them, but mine has been flawless for 1K rounds and is very pleasant to shoot and way more accurate than I would have believed.
 
#14 ·
I bought the shield in 9mm and I have had absolutely no issues with the gun. A couple of failures to lock back but that's due to bad ammo. If you don't like manual safeties you can always leave it off. The shield may be too big for pocket carry. The nano would be better for pocket carry but I skipped the nano cuz I liked the Shield better but that is one man's opinion. You may also want to look at the Khar pm/cm9's. They are pretty small.
 
#15 ·
I had a kahr CM9 for a while, and while I liked it, my magazines left a lot to be desired. They would spill rounds occasionally and i couldnt trust them to carry a spare mag. The shield looks better and better honestly, its just a matter of finding one.
 
#17 ·
Before buying another gun I'd do a little test to find out what about the LCR is giving you problems. Practice staging the trigger - use the first crease in your finger to pull the trigger back until just before it breaks. You can probably use the tip of your trigger finger to index on the grip to get it just to the break point. Then when you have a good sight picture, finish the trigger squeeze. If you can't shoot well like that you're probably having issues with your sight alignment and moving to another gun the same size won't help.
 
#19 ·
I am fine with the trigger. I actually love the trigger on the LCR. I am just not accurate with it. The sights are minimal at best and I am not very good with a top strap noth and a shallow ramp. I have a hard time aligning them and keeping them aligned as I lose them easily. With the laser it is great but i dont want to depemnd on the laser. I have owned a Kah Cm9 and had no problems shooting it. The trigger was great as well, and it was plenty accurate.
 
#18 ·
I'd actually take another Shield, over a LC9 due to the long DAO.

Both were markedly heavier to carry that even my LCR Magnum.

A PPS might be another option and be in the same weight category
as the S&W, Ruger and even a Ruger SP-101.

My lowly LCP in .380 carries great and has a faster reload than a revolver.
 
#22 ·
Your desire to pocket carry is going to limit your choices. The only true pocket 9 mm pistols are the Boberg XR9s, the Rohrbaugh R9, and the Diamondback DB9.

If you shoot well with the laser, and OK with the iron sights, I would just keep the LCR.
 
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#23 ·
Accuracy? I keep expectations low and set limits wisely with small guns.

How close are your targets and how big are they? I'm wildly accurate on the broad side of a barn if it's within range with most any gun.
 
#24 ·
I've had 2 LCR's. Good guns. You want a small 9mm? Check out the CZ 2075 Rami 9mm in alloy if you can find one. It's actually smaller than the Glock 26, extremely accurate, is gorgeous, is DA/SA, but a little heavier than the 26. Or the Kahr PM/CM 9mm. I currently have a CM9 and have had 4 other Kahrs. I've never had an issue with their mags. I also have the CZ PCR D, but that's a little bigger. BOTH are easy to carry IWB or OWB. I usually carry between 1-2 o'clock IWB. These two CZ's are the most accurate guns I've had in 4+ yrs.....and I've had 28 handguns in that time.
 
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