Compact Carry Is Still The Trend

We’re seeing a ton of buzz on compact carry guns. This has been a trend that has hung on longer than I anticipated. Some weapons go through cycles. An example would be the Bullpup rifle or carbine configuration. Somebody will bring one to the market place, and a bunch of writers will sing their virtues. Everyone wants to be the first kid on his block to run out and snag one as a result. What happens? The ‘new’ wears off and we realize the Bullpup is fun, but it lacks the ergonomics of a traditional weapon. We then forget and ten years later somebody brings another one out, and the cycle repeats itself.

In the case of carry guns, especially compacts, I think the trend is fueled by other forces. We’re seeing a divide between law enforcement and John Q. Public. We watch government continually over reaching its purpose. We feel no shortage of illegal aliens flowing into and staying in the country to cost shift their costs to the taxpayers. We learn of local crimes all around us. Our televisions are littered with crime dramas and spy thrillers. We, as a nation, as Iowans, are more interested in our self-defense and our preparedness than before. I applaud this response.

Carry guns are hot and have been for a couple years now. Some of our favorite manufacturers have brought some really interesting items to market for us to consider. The veteran companies like Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Colt, Springfield, and Beretta have all opted in to the feeding frenzy. Companies that haven’t been here for a hundred years are all over this market like stink on a monkey. Glock, Kahr, Kel-Tec, and Sig Sauer are in it to win it, let me tell you…

Most of the really interesting entries into the market have been semi-automatics. While I love a great wheel gun, they don’t always trip one’s trigger. As far as revolvers go, I find the timeless examples put forth by S&W to be some of my very favorites. If you’re going to use a small pocket style revolver as a carry weapon, you’d better eat your Wheaties. Most that we see are chambered in 357 Magnum or 38 Special. In a small handgun that’s a lot of powder. That translates into big power. While I’ll admit freely I’ve never enjoyed shooting a weapon chambered in 357 that weighs less than a can of pop, I’ll also concede quickly they are highly effective. Touch one of those off at point blank range and there will be no doubt you mean business. You might wet yourself, but it tends to matter little since the bad guy is expired or at least holding immediate concerns other than your freshly soiled pants.

Ruger, Taurus, and a few others have models that compete with S&W on this level, but other than the Ruger LCR (lightweight compact revolver) there hasn’t been much to crow about in terms of brand new and innovative entries to the market place. The lighter they are the more pleasant I think they are to carry. But you’ll not enjoy the experience of running 10 boxes of ammo through one at the range over a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon – I promise it.

The semi-auto market is bursting at the seams with fresh offerings in the last few years. For years it was double stack midsize polymer weapons that ruled the roost. The Glock 19 is still our biggest seller, and there are many reasons why. But I see a great deal of value in a slightly narrower weapon with a single stack magazine. Granted, the capacity drops to less than 7 or 8 rounds in many models, but statistically speaking that doesn’t matter a lot. Don’t misunderstand me, I prefer to have more than just a couple rounds of ammunition available for the unknown. Let’s face it, that’s what carry guns are for – the unknown. In most cases, according to FBI compiled data, very few rounds are expended in self-defense scenarios. From my personal experience when shooting at moving targets, my first shot or sometimes second tends to be the most accurate. From that point on, my accuracy diminishes, and hopefully the threat upon anyone of us would as well. That’s a bit of the reasoning I’ve used in the past when asked you may consider.

The Springfield XDS came out with smashing success. It was tough to get due to so much demand, and about the time it was really on a roll, there were some internal weapon issues Springfield dealt with. While Springfield had a genuine recall on the XDS, the subsequent changes have been solid and it really hasn’t detoured people from the product. Whether you’re a 9mm guy or a 45 gal, they’ve got you covered and the buyers are still asking for tons of them. As a typical polymer frame single stack weapon, it holds its own in terms of value, accuracy, and performance.

Ruger has a few different models that are enjoying continuing success. The LCP (lightweight compact pistol) chambered in 380 is among them. It is small, small, and did I mention it was small? While I’ve seen many inside or outside waistband holsters offered for it, most people I visit with are using some version of a front pocket holster. I do the same myself. Granted, I’m not hot on 380 as a chambering, but I’d rather see somebody carrying one of them than nothing at all.

Ruger’s other entry is the LC9 (lightweight compact 9mm) and is basically the LCP enlarged on the copy machine at about 20%. I like the 9mm chambering in pistols of this size and with great ammo choices on the market there is a trend back towards the 9mm in a big fashion over the last 15 or so years. The LC9 is a tad big for a pocket gun, but I’ve seen a few do it. Method of carry is a big consideration, but having a self-defense weapon won’t do you a lick of good if you can’t get to it. Consider how you’ll grasp and draw a carry pistol out of your front pocket while seated and you’ll start to see some drawbacks. There’s quite a bit to your method of carry, so the size and configuration of your pistol goes directly to the heart of the matter. The LC9 fits squarely into a good overall size and value for many customers, so check this one out.

Sig Sauer has jumped into the small concealment pistol movement in a big way. While they have many entries, I’ve been sporting a P290 on and off for about a year. This single stack polymer frame 9mm has been solid as a rock for me. I like the night sights that came on it, and the accuracy is really unbelievable for a small pistol with such a short structure. At 10 paces there are times I can keep every round from a box of ammo inside an orange. Many of you can shoot a lot better than I, so that may not mean much, but I’m tickled with how well I’m able to consistently perform with it. The downside for me is the trigger. It tends to be very long in overall travel and pretty hefty. This is a true DAO in a ‘restrike’ configuration, so the pull is long and heavy and there’s not much that one does about it. The magazines that come with it are a flush setting 6rd mag and another extended grip 8rd magazine. I’ve used both mags when carrying, and prefer the shorter magazine for concealment. However, I do like being able to get one more finger on the grip, so I see the value in the extended magazine as well. While this pistol is offered in 380 as well, I tend to lean towards the 9mm every chance I get, so I’ve not tested or carried this model in 380. I hear good things of course, but couldn’t offer you first hand feedback on it.

Man, do I love me some Kahr… Kahr has marketed for years that they are the true ‘carry pistol’ manufacturer and that’s their only market. I think they may be correct, or at least were. They have a history for sleek lines and rounded edges that don’t snag when drawn from concealment. They put this idea into nearly all of their models. It wasn’t until recently that they even ventured outside small frame pistols at all. The TP9 with a long slide, ported barrel, and red dot optics is a far cry from a carry gun, but we’ll see how the market reflects.

From the carry crowd perspective they have a couple of models that have been huge sellers over many years. Their CW series is a no frills polymer frame pistol you can buy in 380, 9, 40, or 45. I carried a CW9 for a long time. I liked the size, the ergonomics and fit for my hand size, and it was reliable. It never went ‘click’ instead of bang a single time I’ve used it. That’s a lot more than I can say for many out there. The K series is the other we see the most. The two weapons themselves are extremely similar. The K series is steel rather than polymer. It has a tad more heft and even though the contour is nearly identical, I prefer the ‘feel’ of the K series. I’m not sure how to explain it, but there’s just something about the metal in your hand like that of the 1911 that tells you this little sucker is all business.

Like many in this category I like everything but the trigger Kahr has designed. When it comes to carry weapons, the theory is a heavy trigger is less likely to be used inadvertently. From people I’ve spoken with that have used their weapons in self-defense, not a single one could tell me anything about the pull or feel of the trigger and whether it made an impact on their decision and performance. That said, if nearly no difference is made, you could argue for or against a heavier trigger and not establish a judgement. I appreciate a trigger I can manipulate with more consistency, and lower weights allow me that. Is a light crisp trigger a deal breaker for me? No. But I certainly can appreciate those manufacturers who manage to pull it off.

I’d come to worry about S&W a bit when I saw all the top brands making single stack carry guns, and S&W didn’t have much of an answer. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they were waiting on. About that time they unveiled the M&P Shield. What a great little gun. The lines of the polymer frame are a bit narrower than some, and the grip is noticeably more rounded as opposed to square unlike many in the market place. Like most it is striker fired, and contains a series of internal safeties as first made popular by Glock.

At first I was put off by the shape of the Shield. I wondered if S&W had really just slipped and fallen down. I’ll admit I was way off in my first impressions. After I spent a long day at the range shooting an M&P9 Shield, and rotating through some other carry guns, I found myself really performing well with it and it seemed to be very natural and comfortable for me to draw, acquire, and shoot. Much like the Ruger LC9 I supposed you could put it in your front pocket, but you’re going to have trouble I’d wager. I used an outside waistband polymer holster and just had my favorite button up shirt on over my t shirt.

Side story – this button up shirt is hideous. It literally looks like it was made from floral drapes out of the Bates motel. I only bought it because the look of horror my wife gave it when I held it up in the store and said “what do you think of this one?” Considering how much she hates it, I try to wear it routinely. Do I hate it? Yes, with a passion. When your wife looks at you and says “you look like a deranged tourist in that shirt” you know you have to buy it and wear it. After all, if you can’t walk down the streets in the east village of Des Moines holding hands with your sweetie and frequently hollering out “I’m with her” to which she turns red, then why are we all here?

I doubt my crappy shirt makes much difference in my shooting, but the Shield continues to impress. The trigger on this model isn’t too bad actually. It’s a tad mushier that I’d like, but significant improvements can be made to them with drop in parts and some stoning to smooth up the operation. Some folks shy away from modification of carry guns. There’s a long standing notion that an attorney will trip you up in court if you use your weapon in self-defense. I’ve talked with many 2A lawyers about this, and every single one says there are so many factors to each individual case unless a modification was purely unsafe it may matter very little. I’m not advocating for or against it either way. But I’d like to think, on merit alone, if you had to use your carry weapon as your true last resort, your pistol enhancement would be the least of your worries. Take this with a grain of salt of course. If you want to run the Shield as is, I’d bet most of you like it. Overall, the weapon itself is that good.

Glock. What can I say? While everyone on God’s green earth was designing and churning out single stack carry pistols and had answered the call to provide one in 9mm after the market clearly stepped away from the 380, you deliver the G42 in 380. It’s bigger than the Ruger LCP although it doesn’t have to be but is smaller than most of the 9mm pistols that are comparable. It has a pretty good feel, but I wish the grip area was slightly more filling to my hand. For smaller hands, I think this might do pretty well, but always make sure with tiny mitts you’re not rolling your hand somewhat to make full contact with the trigger shoe. Overall the G42 is a fine unit. The internals are similar to what you find in all the other Glock models, so I don’t anticipate troubles with reliability. However, I like to see a weapon withstand quite a bit of use in the real world before firing up the chorus and singing praises.

Shortly after the Glock fan club bled membership in droves over the introduction of the 380 instead of the 9mm they were asking for, Glock released the G43 which is in fact chambered in 9mm. It is just a tad larger than the G42 and seems to do everything Glock fans have requested for years. They’re still a bit tough to snag from time to time, but I was able to borrow one from a good friend and run the heck out of it. I tend to be a better shooter when I sport that angry tourist shirt, so I put it on and hit the range. While the utilization of that awful shirt didn’t help me a lick, I did enjoy the G43 and it performed and felt like a typical Glock. The trigger, again, isn’t up to my standards. This is odd, since I really like the standard Glock trigger in double stack models. They do have some take up, but the break is consistent for a striker fired weapon, the reset is short, positive, and audible, and each pull is the same no matter what. Once the disconnector is altered or replaced the G43 is better, but it is too bad that can’t be attained from the factory like it is on most all the other Glock models.

Am I tickled to see the Glock rolled out the G43 finally? You betcha. I have to wonder why it took so long though. While I’m a big Glock fan, I really think they’re late entry to the party has cost them some market share. I’ve seen a ton of Glock fans pick up Shields or XDS pistols while waiting. The G43 is a solid entry, but time will tell if they waited around too long.

The 1911 has been so popular for so many decades it is hard to envision a time without it. There is no shortage of compact genuine 1911s on the market, but one interesting genre that stemmed from the 1911 is picking up speed. The Colt Mustang, which looks like a 1911 that was shrunk has been around for quite some time. Today, we’re seeing a few people that have latched onto that concept and are selling a lot of compact carry guns as a result. Sig has offered their P238 which is a 380 version and now is selling their P938 in 9mm. A customer dropped off his P938 for some work not long ago and we ran it through the paces for an afternoon. What a gem. This genre of weapon has a lot of merit if you prefer a nice trigger, you like the 1911 style safety placement, and you’re ok with a tad more weight. There are others I’ve seen on the market that are similar, and retailers have sold them as fast as they can get them, so we’ll see if the trend continues. For now, if you dig a 1911 and want something smaller, this is as close as it gets, so try out a Colt Mustang or either of the two Sigs. I think you’ll dig them.

There are some really great offerings that have been brought to the market recently and a trip to the store and then to the range is in order. Interestingly, since coming off huge demand and sales years the market is soft in some places. We’re in the driver’s seat for a while, so take advantage of competitive pricing and attractive offerings as companies really work for your business during the lean sales cycle we’re experiencing. Maybe we should plan an “ugly shirt shoot” just to make all our spouses extra proud of us after we snag a new carry pistol? I’m in if you are. Have gun and awful shirt, will travel.

Aim small, miss small folks.