Slim 9mm carry semi autos

[Guest carbonarcher]

Hello All!

I am a PROUD NEW RESIDENT OF THE GREAT STATE OF TENNESSEE! Just moved down from the peoples republic of New Jersey! It is good to be a part of the United States of America! With that being said, I am getting ready to get my CCW permit, being that I am from New Jersey, and I am ignorant to all of the laws of Tennessee, I need all of your wisdom!

I was looking at a Walther PPS being that it is very thin and easy to carry and conceal. Does anyone have any experience with them? I would also be greatful for other suggestions!

Thankyou for all of your Help!

This is my first post.

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did not see anything in the history.

Thank you all again!

[Erik88]

Welcome to this fine state!! I think you will really enjoy your time here.

I hear good things about the PPS and I find them appealing myself. I bit too expensive for my taste but I wouldn't mine having one.

Just a couple things about TN

1) In TN it's called a Handgun Carry Permit(HCP). It is not a CCW permit because you can carry either openly or concealed. Your choice.

2) To obtain a permit you must take a class, you should have plenty of options near Clarksville. The class usually ranges from $65-80 depending on where you go. Then you must go to the DMV and pay $115. After that you must go get fingerprinted which is included in the cost of the permit, and then you must pass the background check.

Wait times are currently very short. You could probably get your permit within a month after being printed. I'm not sure what your options are in Clarksville but you can probably go get printed at UPS if there is one near you.

3) This is a great group of people on here and most would bend over backwards to help you out. Enjoy your stay and don't be afraid to ask questions!

Welcome!

[graydw1]

Take a look at this page for the laws.

http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/TNSL.pdf

Check out the Taurus 709 slim for a very slim 9mm.

[Guest buttonhook]

I LOVE my PPS!! and if you left handed I have a crossbreed holster I'll make a deal on!! might offset some of the cost of the gun.......BTW did I say I love my PPS

[daddyo]

Don't have one myself, but I know several who have the Kel Tec PF9 and love it for either belt or pocket carry.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

There are several slim guns nowadays.

All the Kahr 9mm pistols seem to be about 0.9" width.

Kahr Arms / 9 mm Models

I have a P9 which seems much easier to conceal than a fat snub-nose revolver.

Used to carry a little NAA .380 that is only about 0.85" wide, but for some reason it FELT less concealable than the bigger P9. Possibly because the little NAA .380 is small and heavy as a brick, making a small heavy lump swinging around in a pocket.

In addition, I couldn't shoot the little NAA worth a squat even after years of practice, even after adding a laser grip. Am guessing I wouldn't develop enough talent to shoot any tiny gun. The larger P9 is reasonably accurate in my hand.

[Oh Shoot]

Welcome to TN and TGO. You are fortunate to have your NJ sentence commuted.

Nothing is slimmer than a Kahr.

PM9 if you want the slimmest and smallest. Pricey though.

CW9 just as thin, little larger and less pricey.

- OS

[Guest carbonarcher]

Thank you all for your input and kind words!!

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I read that Taurus and some others make slim guns, but dunno about them.

Here are three comparison pages from the Kahr site--

KAHR KP9093 / Walther vs Kahr

KAHR KP9093 / Glock vs Kahr

KAHR CW9093 vs P9093

The CW is essentially a less-expensive P. It appears that you don't lose anything "essential" for a carry gun in the CW.

I had XS Big Dots put on my P9 and really like them. I bought one that was already in stock, but if you have to order one from a store, I think you can order with the Big Dots already installed, which may save a few bucks. OTOH, the Big Dots were not real expensive and the gun store only charged something like $20 to install em.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Lester Weevils

[McAllyn]

FWIW, the Kahr CW9 is very thin and easily concealed. The Glock 26 isn't nearly as thin, but also very easily concealed with the advantage of a little more firepower.

I love my CW9, and the price is really hard to beat.

Mac

[A.J. Holst]

Welcome to TN and the forum!

How big the exit tax you had to pay for the privilege of moving from NJ?

I can't help on your question other than my wife has a Walther P22 and so far we have been pleased with the overall quality and reliability of the brand.

[Chris]

I have a PPS for my EDC gun. Disappears under almost anything.

Shoots great as well. I'm not a big fan of the mag release, but that is the only complaint I can come up with.

[gotigers]

You can't go wrong with the Walther PPS 9. I've had mine 6-7 months with about 1500 rounds. It is clearly my favorite gun out of the 6 hand guns i own. Reliable, accurate, easy to break down, great trigger, thin 1", small, light but just heavy enough to shoot all day.

My next favorite carry is my S&W 642.

Others that i have shot but dont own. I liked both. The Kahr PM9 and the keltec PF9. I like them, but they were to light for my taste.

Edited October 7, 2010 by gotigers

[peejman]

The Ruger SR9c is wider than the Kahr, but similar to the PPS.

[True Grit]

Welcome to TGO! I have a Walther PPS .40S&W and I carry it daily in a Comptac holster. It fires great and 100% reliable. The 40 has a bit more recoil and if you are recoil sensitive I would go with the 9mm.

[Guest The Highlander]

Walther makes good stuff, although I don't own a PPS. They look nice.

I LOVE my Ruger SR9, the full-size version. It is the most comfortable gun to carry that I own except for a S&W 342 Ti that weighs about 12 ounces loaded. Very accurate, dead-nuts reliable. And very well priced.

I got a Ruger SR9, Viridian Green Laser, Blackhawk! holster, all for around $600 out the door. Can't beat that.

Welcome to Tennessee, and please enjoy yourself, but do not under any circumstances utter the words..."well, in Joisey, we did it this way..." We honestly don't care!

[xRUSTYx]

if you have money burning a hole in your pocket, I'd go with this

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/firearms-classifieds/47188-wts-sa-emp-9mm.html

[bubbadavis]

One of the slimmest semi-auto's I've shot is the HK P7. Now, they are expensive and rather heavy. But they are slim and accurate!

[wipfel]

Welcome to TN and TGO. You are fortunate to have your NJ sentence commuted.

Nothing is slimmer than a Kahr.

PM9 if you want the slimmest and smallest. Pricey though.

CW9 just as thin, little larger and less pricey.

- OS

shot a Kahr CW9 a couple of weekends ago and though it was a nice choice. it had a very long, but smooth DA-only trigger and was easy to shoot. hurt the hand a little, though....maybe b/c it's so slim.

been considering a PM9 for the wife.

[Guest The Highlander]

Forgot to mention the SIG P239. Great gun.

[Guest carbonarcher]

Trust me! You won't hear me "utter" those words! Only the influcks from New York do! New Jerseyans don't! LOL! I know, I know, you all watched the sorprananos! Lol!

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

The Ruger SR9c is wider than the Kahr, but similar to the PPS.

There is only 5/8" difference in the barrel length of a full size SR9 and the "c" version. Both are wider than the PPS or the Kahr but still very concealable. And while very similar the biggest difference in the SR9 series and the PPS is that the Rugers have 17 round mags and come with two while the PPS-9 ships with one 7 round mag. They do make an 8 round mag for it but I spent nearly a year trying to find them available or even another 7 for that matter.

I carried the PPS for a while and only had the one 7 round mag. I messed around and put my hands around the SR9 and its 17+1 capacity and have been a huge fan since, I have also since picked up the "c" version and that is the one I carry most of the time. The Full Size ships with 2 17 round mags and the "c" ships with a 10 and a 17.

IMO they can not be beaten when one looks at price, dependability, concealabilty and capacity. Being an American Made product only makes it better IMO

But for your original question; The PPS and the Kahr are the slimmest that I have held but I am just a noob myself. Most others here have much more experience than I. I do also love the SIGs but slim is not a word I would use to describe them at all.

Welcome to TN and TGO, and as has been said this is one heck of a group and I am glad you survived living in NJ, I could not imagine such a thing myself.

[bubbadavis]

Forgot to mention the SIG P239. Great gun.

Well said. I carry a 239 in .40 short and weak most of the time. Its a great carry piece - if you are comfortable with only 8 rounds of ammo or carrying a spare mag.

[Guest CK1]

First, welcome, I'm a transplant from back east myself.

Had a PPS, neat gun, wasn't real reliable though...

IMO reliability is about the single most important thing on the checklist for a carry gun, and to get that, the sad truth is that there aren't many contenders that are both bombproof and also happen to be small and thin... the fact of the matter is you most likely will never need it, but on the off chance that you do, if it f's up it's going be bad.

So that said, consider what small guns are out there that really work, guns that go to work day-in-day-out, guns that go to war, and consider the fact that carrying a gun that's fatter by an 1/4-1/2" but goes bang every time is better than being caught with something small and thin that ends up being as useful as a rock. Get a cheap Kel-Tec for the rare occasions where you just can't get away with anything else. Most importantly, get a good holster.

JMHO don't want to hurt any feelings, but I'd think G26 or G19, M&Pc, H&K compacts, CZ compacts... no PPS, avoid mini-1911's like the plague, Kahr's are out, Taurus' are out, in any size.

[Guest buttonhook]

I dont know what the problem was with your PPS but mine has been completly reliable and I've fired many many 100's of mixed rounds through it. Never once did it fail to fire or load. Can shoot it all day long. I've fired a couple of 100 rounds at a time with out my hand hurting (because it is a little heavier the keltec and kahr are just too light to be comfortable for long IMHO). It was high(bud's) but my life is worth it. The mags were hard to find for awhile but they are easier now even if you have to order them. I was carrying mine today even with my shirt tucked in (riding a sport bike)you could never know it's there.

BTW IF you want the night sights the walther sights for the P99 works perfectly