HELP! need 9mm for combat course/CCW

[Lookn4Brass]

I favor single-stack guns, still love the 1911, and would like to know if anyone has had some experience with shooting a 9mm in an "El-Presidente" type course or other speed drills, advanced combat pistol course, etc. or similar excercise with a Sig P6/P225 or other mid-size or full-size 9mm.
I AM open to going with a double-stack, hi-capacity gun if it's still pretty concealable. I weigh about 205, 6-foot, have medium sized hands, and need to lose about 15-20 lbs so my guns fit/conceal a bit better in an inside pant or high-ride belt holster. Yes, I AM working on it!

So far I've only done a few drills with a full-size .45 acp 1911, a Sig P239, a Glock 17, a Hi-Power, and Beretta 92. No, I don't own all of these. Some were borrowed. The Beretta is much too big for me, but $&@t it's fast and very accurate! By the way, it's for sale if you like...("No animals were harmed in the making of this film.") Well, most of this blasting was several years ago. With the current times, I'm trading in my lazy butt for some serious practice and continuing "self-defense university", from now on. I hit what I aim at. Just want to do it better, and faster, and with the right equipment, finally.

And yes, it HAS to be realistically concealable, not just with a shoulder holster or something. I can't conceal a Beretta 92 or HK USP or other biggie-sized "9" very easily. Sig 239 is a little small, I think, for fast combat drills at distances over 7 to 10 yards. Yes, I want to hit something farther away, and fast. I buy mostly used, by the way. Not interested in custom stuff either, unless I do the work. Thanks!

 

[CPshooter]

Glock 19 Lightweight and small dimensions for a 15+1 9mm with a 4" barrel. The trigger is user-customizable and has a consistent pull (no transition from DA to SA). The reset is pretty short too, which allows for fast shooting. No safeties to deal with, and you know it will work every time. I don't even have my G19 anymore, but I wish I still did. IMO they are still the standard when it comes to versatile 9mm combat handguns.

Springfield XD9s and M&P 9mm are solid choices too, but they are heavier and bulkier. The Glock is much more suitable for concealed carry if you are talking IWB carry. You can get a sub-compact, but since you are looking at shooting accurately and rapidly I wouldn't buy a handgun with a 2-finger grip. Good luck!

 

[DZL HOG]

Single stacks are nice for CCW b/c they are slimmer. But in a class you will spend most of your time reloading mags. I took a level 1 Pistol class earlier this month, we didnt do a lot of high round count drills but did do a few on day 2. The 1911 guys were constantly reloading and the ones that werent carrying 4+ extra mags ran out a couple times before we finished that set of drills. That wasnt a big deal, they just dropped back and topped off their mags and returned.
I shot my XD with 16rd mags and my CZ SP01 with 19rd mags. I carried 4 xtras on me during the class +1 in the gun. At no point did I have more than 2 mags completely empty.
Its always nice when shooting 4-4shot sets in a row not to have to reload on the move.
Its really up to you what you carry, no instructor will make you carry a double stack gun. But have plenty of mags on hand if you go single stack. Im sure you wont be the only single stack guy in the class either. There was 3 or 4 guys out of 23 shooting 1911s in the class I took.

Im not a big Glock fan but they are good weapons that are easy to find. No experience with Sigs or Berettas.

 

[Rager]

A friend gave me a S&W 6946 he'd like to sell. It's a 9mm, double stack. It appears a little bigger than the Sig P239 you mention. Original mags are 12 rds, and there are tens. 3½ inch barrel, all metal, stainless over alloy.

I haven't shot it yet. It's a smooth DAO, has a nice feel with a beefy mag lip to pick up my pinky. I'm about the same size as you Lookn. It's an older gun but it looks like a good value.

 

[Jim Watson]

I took a class with my Colt 1991A1 9mm. I kept up ok but was doing more reloading than most.

If this is to be a carry weapon, get something light enough to carry.
My preference among the synthetic guns is the S&W Plastic M&P, but there is more support for Glocks. XDs aren't bad but they just look bigger to me.

P226 is nearly as bulky as Beretta. A P225 is a reasonably flat gun but the current crop of German surplus P6s tend toward tough trigger pulls, perhaps to be sure of ignition on the military hardball that is all their cops get. A P228 would be very fine... if you could find one.

CZ75 is a good shooter but is all steel and not as easy to hump around as plastic.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

S&w M3914.

 

[gwnorth]

Have you looked at a CZ 75D PCR? Alloy frame, steel slide, DA/SA decocker model, 14rnd capacity with a good reputation. I have not shot one, but had one in my hands a few weeks ago and it had good weight and feel to it.

I just mention it as the size is not bad at all and I see used ones going for $300-$400.

 

[NG VI]

Have you looked at a CZ 75D PCR? Alloy frame, steel slide, DA/SA decocker model, 14rnd capacity with a good reputation. I have not shot one, but had one in my hands a few weeks ago and it had good weight and feel to it.

I've got one, it is excellent. Not too heavy either, though if you really want a nice light compact 9mm then you should also check out the FNP9-M, mine is in an MTAC for the USP and it fits like a dream, just a little too short so the half shell is longer than it needs to be by close to an inch. It hugs my side and is all but invisible under a tshirt.

 

[Jayman]

I've been to several classes, and by far and away, the guns that fared best were Glocks. If you're looking for something concealable, the Glock 19 is your huckleberry. Small enough to conceal but still big enough to get a full grip on it.

The Smith M&P series seems to be doing well in competition, I see a lot of them. That said, I still see more Glocks, and they all run and run and run....

 

[Khyron]

Huh appears to be an identical thread. I posted a reply in the other but here goes again:

I took Fighting Pistol and Advanced Fighting Pistol at Tactical Response in TN in July. I wanted to use my single stack HK P7 PSP but only had 3 mags for it and the class required at least 5. Instead I used my HK USPc 9mm. I'm glad I did. With every round of shooting we did I usually about emptied the 3, 13 round mags I had on me before we stopped to top off. Sometimes I even had a 4th in my pocket. With only 8 shots in the PSP mag I would have had to have at least 5 or 6 on me. I guess if you got one of those quadrupple mag carriers it'd be doable but who actually walks around with those things? I find the USPc easy to conceal in colder weather when I can wear a cover garment like an untucked button down shirt. The class was great and the lessons transfer over to my P7 as well which I carry in the summer.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I would get something along the lines of a CZ-75, Browning Hi-Power, or Glock 17. They're all reliable and easy to carry in a good IWB holster. They also have thin grips, compared to something like a Sig P226 or HK USP which feel thicker to me.

 

[rellascout]

You cannot swing a dead cat a without hitting a combat 9mm

Pick the one that fit your hand and your budget.

 

[Lookn4Brass]

Thanks for the info fellas. By the way, does anyone have a shoulder holster for the dead cat model 9mm? I might need one LOL. Anybody else have some input? Much appreciated.

 

[rem2429]

glock 19
Probabally the modern gold standard for practical 9mm defensive handguns.
Even Clint Smith said "It is hard to go wrong with a Glock 19"
It doesn't stir my soul, but my brain screams its accolades.

 

[Khyron]

glock 19
Probabally the modern gold standard for practical 9mm defensive handguns. Even Clint Smith said "It is hard to go wrong with a Glock 19" It doesn't stir my soul, but my brain screams its accolades.

Most of my class used G19's with a mix of other Glock models in the mix. One guy used a Beretta 92 and another a USPc .40 however his was the decocker version so he had to deal with that long DA first shot. I prefer my version 1 so I can carry condition 1. Noone had any SA pistols though. No 1911's or HiPowers. The instructors were kinda surprised at that one.

 

[SigP229R]

Check the boards for----

Check the boards and gun auction sites for a sig P6 this is a used german version of the P225 and they are not only very reasonablely priced but very reliable. Most guys i talk to say they also conceal very well. I personally cc either a S&W 5903TSW or a Sig P229R the sig is my main carry. There are several P6's listed on www.gunsamerica.com

Good luck!!!!

 

[jjohnson]

Glock, 19 for smaller, 17 if you're a big dude.

Oh, same here.

I love the M1911, but yeah, you spend a lot of time reloading. The CCW course I took many years ago was my very lame excuse for buying my first Glock

Having teethed on 1911 and its copies, I was curious about that ugly plastic gun, so I bought a police trade-in M17 at a gun show.

I still love the 1911s, but I did learn to kinda like the boxy ugly, nasty trigger pull, Glock. Pretty ergonomic, utterly dependable... lots to be said good about it, not to mention the price was right 'cause at the time, police were dumping their 9mms for .40s.... the only down side of the M17 is that it's just about the size of the 1911 - 'big.' The 19 is not much compromise... but very handy.