Ideas on a Compact Polymer CC Gun

[Hivoltage]

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

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

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 .

[Phil Elmore]

They don't seem to excite some folks the way they used to, but you absolutely cannot go wrong with a Glock 19.

[Hivoltage]

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.

[rocky]

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.

[MattInFla]

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

[CLASS3NH]

any one of these will do you well.....

[rocky]

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.

[Ti Carry]

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.

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

Ti.

[CLASS3NH]

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.
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
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.
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 Let us ( the forumites ) know how you make out with my simple test.

[srfl]

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.

[rachilders]

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!!

[Hivoltage]

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!!!!

[Roadrunner]

Check out Kahr if you haven't already. I have a P9 on order, I'll do a write-up when it arrives.

[BenGoodLuck]

I had a SA XD 9 subcompact and it shot really well. However, for carry I prefer my Glock 30.