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Ideas on a Compact Polymer CC Gun

6K views 30 replies 22 participants last post by  Bud White 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I got the bug for a new pistol and am interested in a small polymer frame gun, such as a Glock?, XD SubCompact, HK but have no experience with any of these guns. I dont want anything smaller than a 9mm and I do like the smaller guns. I also want to put a light on it. What are you guys favorite small frame polymer frame pistols? Thanks
 
#2 ·
Should be plenty of feedback on these from folks here.

I might throw in also - the P99 - I have the Smith version, SW99, tho same animal really. I don't use it for carry often but it is for me a surprisingly nice gun to shoot, even tho ergonomics take some getting used to. It ain't exactly pretty either but that does not concern me :smile: .


 
#4 ·
I am really leaning towards a Springfield XD Subcompact 40, unless somebody can sway me away from one. Like I said, I dont know much about these polymer guns. Oh Yeah....I had a Kel-Tec 380, and didnt think much of it at all. Just looking for some opinions I guess.
 
#5 ·
The XD comp. 40 I shot was really nice. I would feel comfortable with 1 as my carry gun. Never got to try a subcomp.
 
#6 ·
H&K USP Compact in .357 Sig or .40

I frequently carry my full size USP. I have absolutely no worries about it not going "bang" when I want it to. Very reliable pistol.

Matt
 
#8 ·
IMO, the Taurus PT140 I owned had snappy recoil, I don't know if it was just the gun or most are like it. Between the snappy recoil, DAO trigger and short sight radius I didn't shoot it nearly as well as any of the subcompact designs I have shot.
 
#9 ·
Hivoltage said:
I am really leaning towards a Springfield XD Subcompact 40, unless somebody can sway me away from one. Like I said, I dont know much about these polymer guns. Oh Yeah....I had a Kel-Tec 380, and didnt think much of it at all. Just looking for some opinions I guess.
My buddy has one and carries as a PI down in Florida, he really likes the gun and it has been reliable but the only thing that he said he didn't like was that the slide when touching his body throughout the day will surface rust quickly and he has to clean it up a couple times a week. He is used to Glocks and he said they never did that before, only thing he would change on it was he would get the stainless slide instead.

Oh, I am not a Plastic gun guy and have no experiance with them, I avoid them like the plauge. :biggrin:

Just though I would share (his) my buddies experance with the XD.

Ti.
 
#10 ·
I've have the USP Compact, in 40 cal, G19, 23, 29, SA, Colt, Kimber in the shorter BBLs in 45 cal....and quite a few others....The 40 cal is snappy. The 9MM might be slightly underguned in ome situations. The 45 is a manstopper, BUT, it ALL depends on your situation, and/or type of weapon YOU feel most comfortable with in your hands. :biggrin:
Simple test... Take several handguns.. hold rach one of them up, in a shooting stance position, while having your EYES CLOSED as you bring the weapon up to your prospective "target" As you bring the weapon into a position where you're about to fire it, OPEN your eyes, and see where your sights are pointed, and the weapon is sighted on. I have them perform this test, because if they're in a low light, night shooting situation, they basically know that they're weapon is pretty much dead on their target :biggrin:
This simple test will help you make your decision, based on what feels, or fits best in your hands. I do this with prospective buyers, and they are amazed with the results they find. :biggrin:
Most find the Glocks point high. The H&Ks, Rugers, SA XDs, and 1911s point dead on, and the rest vary to a certain degree. Try it....you'll like it :biggrin: Let us ( the forumites ) know how you make out with my simple test. :biggrin:
 
#11 ·
My current compact polymer inventory includes my two favorites (both Kahrs), a P9 Covert and PM9. They are small, wonderfully thin and accurate, with very nice DAO trigger pulls. I'm quickly becoming enamored with their "big brother", a Kahr P45 which I reviewed and posted on this website. It's compact (for a .45 ACP), but not as much as the 9mm Kahrs. It is also accurate but has a longer DAO trigger pull and reset that takes getting use to.

My other favorite compact polymer guns are my Steyr S40 and S9....they are smaller than the Glock 19/23, but larger than the Glock 26/27. They are also hard to come by NIB since they have been discontinued...but they are superb guns.

Lastly, on those days that even my small Kahr PM9 is too big, my tiny Kel Tec P3AT .380 ACP semi automatic makes it appearance out of the safe and into a kydex pocket holster....but then again, it is smaller than a 9mm.
 
#12 ·
If you REALLY want to go small, check out Kel-Tec. Their P-3AT (a .380 for those who haven't figured it out yet) is probably THE pocket gun for the near future. It's not a long distance target gun. It's a weapon designed for up close and personal use. IF you can live with a somewhat marginal caliber, the P-3AT is as concealable as they come and costs just over $200. Talk about bang for the buck!!
 
#13 ·
I HAD A Kel-Tek 3PAT and got rid of thet little piece of crap real fast. Right out of the box....when I would shoot it the magazine would drop out on the ground!!!! Sure, it could have probably been fixed, but it just ticked me off and left a bad taste in my mouth for the gun. What did I expect for $229.00 I guess!!!!
 
#16 ·
Kahr P-9; accurate, reliable, light, flat, recoil is nothing bad, aside from the price being a little high, what's not to like?

Only had one experience with a Kel-tec and it was bad. Might just have been one bad example, but still.

Not fond of the Glocks or XD's, they are just to chunky for CCW (though I prefer the XD's on the whole). Like the ergonomics of the H&K USPc, but still too big for CCW.
 
#17 ·
The xd's Sub compacts are nice i have one in 9mm the compact glock are ok if the fingergrooves fit you hand the 9 and 40 wont mine but the 10mm and 45 will.

Then ya got the Hk whihc reall isnt that all compact the p2000 hk is better

Then the line of Kahr's then seem to be the smallest on the market right now besides keltecj which i havent hear a lot of good things about..


Basically ya need to go out and foendel and see what you like
 
#18 ·
you mentioned Glocks

I have 2 Glock 21s that have proven totally reliable. I went Glock because I really like the simplicity of the "safe action system": no external safety, and 2 internal safeties (functioning to prevent discharge if the pistol is dropped) that are released by pulling the trigger.

The smallest subcompact versions are the G26 9mm (capacity 12+1), the G27 .40 (11+1), and the G33 .357 (11+1). These have slide length of 160mm, compared to the 193mm of the full size G21 .45ACP. Pretty good capacity for minis.

There are compacts too, available in the USA in all calibers except .380. These are 172mm or 174mm in slide length.
 
#19 ·
Another vote for the Kahr line, and in particular, the P9. I have one and simply love it. Trigger is smooth and long on purpose becasue it's for self defense, not target shooting. Theres no external controls except a mag release and a slide release. It's has to be about the thinnest gun out there; less than an inch wide, which makes it easier to conceal than anything I own. I got the one with a blackened stainless slide and night sights. It was pricey but shoots anything I put in it and has never failed, ever. The ergonomics are the best I've every felt. It's a perfect three finger grip for me. Many like the higher capacity pistols but I find their grip a bit fat for my hand and the bulk heavy and more difficult to conceal.

If you want a shorter grip so the gun will fit in a large pants pocket, the PM models fit the bill.

My P9 is super accurate, cutting a single ragged hole at 10 yards.

I'd put them up against glocks any day from what I've read and shot for my self. I like glocks on the whole but they're thick and I don't care of the angle of the grip.

Anyway, enjoy whatever you end up purchasing!

Gideon
 
#20 ·
Hivoltage--
It sounds like you have issues with Kel Tec. Did you have a generation 1or 2? I've read there were a number of problems with the original gun that seem to have been corrected in the new models. Most of the posts I've seen concerning first generation 3AT's said a quick trip back to the factory (usually returned in a week or so) cured the problems. As for price, don't make the mistake of equating price with quality. Got to any forum on Glock, Springer, Kimber, S&W or other upper end gun maker and you'll see they all have their share of problems, often more than their less expensive cousins. Good example, Walther's PPK and the Bersa 380. Walther is usually known for it's craftsmanship (and cost), but in every newsgroup, forum or chat room where they’re discussed, there is a constant complaint about feeding problems, FTF an other issues. Check out the Bersa and they are universally praised for their value and reliability. The two gun's are almost clones, visually at least, and the Bersa sells for about 1/3 the price of the Walther. Anyway, to paraphrase an old saying, you DON'T always get what you pay for.
 
#21 ·
I have a Bersa 380 and it is a heck of a deal on a gun...I love mine. The Kel-Tec just seemed cheap to me, and having to pick up the magazine every time I fired it made me trade it in real fast. As a matter of fact.....I traded it in for the Bersa!!!!
 
#22 ·
Bersa's are an excellent value for the money, I have four of them! As for the Kel Tec, I've only had mine for about a month and put a little over a hundred rounds thru it. So far, so good though. No problems other than figuring out the most comfortable way to hold it. As a side note, I even did a bit of cross breeding between my Bersa 380 and the KT. I have four mags for the Bersa and two for the Kel Tec. I took the base plate off a Bersa mag (the ones with the pinky extension) and put it on a KT mag. The Bersa plate fits like it was made for the KT and gives me a better grip on the KT. :fing02: The only drawback is the KT plate won't work on the Bersa, so I'm using it for parts, at least for now or until I get another base plate.
 
#23 ·
rachilders is correct. There is a big difference between the 1st gen and 2nd gen P3ATs. The 2nd gen has a beefier slide, better sights, and a much improved extractor. My 2nd gen has been 100% reliable. It is so accurate i can make head shots on an IDPA target from 10 yds, no problem! Try the extra round mag extension available from Kel-Tec. It gives your pinkie something to wrap around and adds one round! Or just order a spare mag with the extension already installed!
 
#25 ·
My personal ccw sidearm is

A Taurus PT145, I have found it to be very reliable, very controllable (the .45acp has more of a "push-shove" recoil vs a "snap") and more accurate than one would expect. The lockup on this gun is very tight which contributes to the accuracy, yes the sight radius is a bit short, but with practice 1.75"-2" groups at 15 yds are easy with slow fire. Head shots at 20yds (IPSC target) with deliberate aiming are very doo-able. Rapid fire at 7yds or so gives douple taps and triple taps in the 3"-5" range.

One reason I went with the PT145 is that I can get all of my fingers on the grip and don't have a pinky without a place to go.

In addition the newer models have a light rail and will accept the new shorty lights intended for such pistols.

Be sure and get a "Millenium Pro" if you go the Taurus route as the older "milleniums" were reported to have some problems.

One thing to be aware of is the mag springs are HEAVY when new and mayl cause some misfeeds at first. Leave them loaded for a week or so and they'll be fine. I have not had a misfeed since about the 100th round thru mine. (450ish rounds thru it now)

The links will show my rig with an IWB and an SOB which I make.

http://crossbreedholsters.com/files/PICT0084.JPG

http://crossbreedholsters.com/files/PICT0098.JPG

thanks

Mark
http://www.crossbreedholsters.com

A friend asked me why I carry a .45, .....
I replied "'cuz I can't fit a .50 in my pants.":blink:
 
#26 ·
The Little Chopped Baby GLOCK 36

Check out the GLOCK 36 in 45acp. It's a really compact special carry firearm.
You'll either love it or...you'll hate it depending on if it fits your hand or not.
 
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