I would like a 9mm concealable pistol, what to consider?

[TWD]

I`m not a glock or springfield hater... In fact I have both, and enjoy shooting them maybe more than the revolver.

When it comes time for protection I want to know when I pull the trigger something will go bang and if not I can pull it again and it will go to the next round.

 

[Jimbrown]

Well i will put my glock 19 and SW MP40 up against any revolver for reliability. neither have ever failed to feed or failed to fire and both will spit em out as fast as you can pull the trigger and I can have a second magazine before the first one hits the ground.

 

[nwbearcat]

If I was routinely hiking where bear or cougar or whatever, oh my was a possibility, I would echo Dargo's sentiments. I would want a heavy caliber (.357 magnum minimum) revolver or semi-auto AND a hand cannon...something akin to the Model 500 he mentioned. But that's just me....

I've never been eaten by a bear or cougar, but my reading of accounts of those that have suggest that you probably don't have much of a chance to have a need for more than a couple of shots let alone 2 guns, but you do what you want, especially if it's your way of justifying another gun purchase.

To the OP, need to figure out for sure if wanting to carry concealed in public, or just to carry in the field for critter protection or both. For field a simple .38 or .357 revolver in a Taurus, S&W or Ruger would be a great fit, a smaller frame revolver would do double duty, though the airweights tend to have a pretty sharp recoil, or a .380 3AT/LCP/TCP/.380 Kahr would work for deep conceal, or a PF9/709 slim/PM9 would conceal and do most of what he's doing.

Most folks won't venture far enough from the pavement to run into the monster grizzly's, and few can shoot a .500/.460/.454 whoominboomer well enough to accomplish anything. A beginning shooter would be best advised to pickup a smaller caliber, learn to shoot it well, learn to be very comfortable with its capabilities, and with the gun that shoots it.

I dislike heavy recoil, but I work with what I have. I shoot a .357 out of a Ruger Sec. 6, but rarely do, I carry it with .357's but usually shoot .38's. I've also got a Mark1 .22lr that will ring a 12" gong at 100 yards 7 out of 10. I won't claim to be able to kill a charging grizzly with it, but I don't need to, not sure our guy here needs to either.

Most encounters, the flash and roar of any gun shot would likely deter many large cat/small bear types, and if a bullet were well placed, would finish any motivation to eat the individual. I'll take well placed over big and loud MOST of the time.

 

[BruceWard]

These guys make some of the best

Kahr Arms / 9mm Models / PM9 Series

In my experience they are extremely accurate and reliable.

I like Springfield XDs.

If I knew I was going to need a gun I would have something bigger than a 9. But a 9 or 380 or 32 or even 22 on you is a whole lot better than a cannon you left at home or in your vehicle

 

[nybirdman]

I friend of mine recently bought a Kahr 9MM,very nice well made but he paid as much for it as I did for TWO XD's.I shot it well but didn't like the trigger pull compared to the XD's.

 

[mcd176]

As both a Deputy Sheriff and a firearms dealer, I agree with some of the others on here, Go to a gun store that has a wide variety of handguns that you can handle, Purchase one that feels right to you, as far as a 9mm goes it is a good caliber, load it up with Speer gold dot, remington golden saber ammo and you will be good to go.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Where I am, the California brown bear petty much wants your ready to eat packaged food, there are exceptions, but all in all, that's the easy pickens they go after. A mountain lion with 5 of us together may be more than he would want to mess with. A human, you just never know. As was mentioned, if its big and heavy, you may just opt not to lug that thing up the very steep climbs we have here. We will be doing +12,000' passes climbing as little as 2000' and going as much as 3000' each day. We have to limit ourselves now that we past the century mark. I will comb over these comments and think about it.

Just to set your mind at ease, the Brown Bear appears on the California state flag, and that it the only place you will find it outside of a zoo. The last wild brown bear in California was shot in 1922. Any bears you encounter will be black bears. The cinnamon bears you will find east of the Cascades are actually black bears genetically.

Their maximum size will be about 300 lbs., and they are generally pretty shy. The only time they are really dangerous is in the early spring when they are very hungry. Unlike grizzlies,when a black bear attacks you it intends to kill and eat you. While black bears have been known to attack a group (killed and ate three teenagers fishing in Yellowstone), a cougar will not. A cougar will wait until you are separated from the group and try to pick you off. Once again, it either has to be really hungry, or just young and stupid.

You may also wish to shoot the occasional porcupine when it decides to chew up your boots.

 

[nwbearcat]

Yeah, I've been looking hard at the Kahr PM9...trying to decide that, the Kahr 380, or the Taurus 738.

 

[Wooddust]

I have a Glock 19 as well as Beretta 92 in 9mm. Neither has ever had a ejection problem. But I also don't shoot crap like Wolf ammo that has many times been reported as having issues. I also have a Sig P220 in 45 that is a nice gun to shoot in small doses. The Glock is the most fun, the Berettta will shoot smaller groups from a rest but I have little hope a bad guy will let me find a rest.....All 3 will put two in chest and one in the head time after time if I do my job.

The key to any handgun use is practice. Practice consistently. And practice situationally. Can you draw? Can you clear holster cleanly? Can you extend and fire effectively? Low light? with a flashlight? left hand? right hand? Under a barrier, left side barrier, right side barrier? Kneeling? prone? On your back?

For the vast majority of handgun owners the answer to those questions are I don't know, never tried, I think so.....ponder than then look into a high quality shooting school. Its worth every penny and fun as well.

 

[hawkeye08]

I can't pass up a good gun discussion.

First, like others have said, figure out what your use will be. that said, figure out your budget (remember practice ammo, accessories, etc), then shop. Internet is fine for pricing, but you're gonna need to handle and shoot some guns. One of my daughters took a class. In 3-4 hours, they shot up to 10 different guns, from revolvers to semi autos. Spend a little to make the right choice for you.

I personally like the 9mm, but am not opposed to others. My choice came down to cost of ammo (both to practice and carry) and since the current administration, the availability of ammo. Even the Walmart shelves were slim picking for quick a period (improving now)...

Bottom line is, just like a tractor, you need something that YOU can afford and are comfortable with. You will have to practice too if you want to be prepared.

BTW, even though I shoot mostly 9mm and I like S&W, my daughter decided on .45 model 1911. She did all the things I said above and has selected a gun that she will have a lifetime. She is saving up for the .22 slide conversion for it so she can shoot .22lr for practice to build muscle memory, but she really likes shooting off a clip of .45 at a target.

One of the accessories you will want to look at if you are nearing or over 50 is a laser site (eyesight changes around that age for many, I don't wear my glasses to bed and like the laser if I need to aim at something). Practice mostly without it, but it is sure handy. My wife loves the laser.