I can't seam to find the perfect carry gun "for me".  Currently carry a sig p938. Love the gun carries great  and holds 7+1 so not bad. However I think I want to carry more rounds etc.  I have a g19 so I'm thinking that's probably my best bet all around.
   I would like more rounds than what I currently have but yet thin enough to carry owb and still conceal well.
  And of course reliable etc etc.

Thanks!!

My perfect carry gun is a Glock 26. Size, weight, capacity, shoot-ability, holster selection, full size reloads, aftermarket support, etc. 

I chose the M&P9c....but my answer is the same as the above.

Compact double stack is without question the way to go.

I carry my XDS in hot weather when I just can't conceal the 9c.....but that always leaves me feeling out gunned.

Given the choice, I'll take a 9c, 26, etc....every day of the week and twice on Sunday

This.

It isn't pretty to look at or fun to shoot IMO, but it is reliable and accurate, and carries a lot of firepower for such a little gun.

This is 100% truth! I carried a G27 (.40 cal version) every day for 5+ years. Then I switched to an M&P40c and carried it for another 5 years before finally finding my perfect carry piece, a CZ P-01... I've since sold everything Polymer I've ever had Except that M&P40c... I've had it up for sale multiple times only to pull it off the table and keep it. I just can't part with that one, almost perfect polymer carry pistol. It will probably be the gun I send my daughter off to college with!

I like the 938.  I can't believe how accurate I am with that little weapon.  Works for me.

G19 for me

S&W Shield 9mm w/MagGuts +2 mag conversion for 10+1 rds.

Single stack Ruger lc9s with the 9 round mags http://grabagun.com/ruger-90404-lc9-ext-mag-9rd-ext.html

Double stack glock 26L ( thats a 19 with the grip choped to 26 length).

If you're stuck on OWB, you're gonna have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Either the way you dress or the size you carry.

A Compact (G19 size) disappears on me IWB. But OWB it gets difficult. Which is why I do IWB.

same here I have 3 8 round mags that are now 10 round Mags :)
I alternate between my shield and my 9C, depends on which one I'm in the mood to carry on any given day
both IWB and OWB

Love my 26, although its no thinner than the 19.  I simply cannot conceal OWB well enough to be comfortable, so IWB it is for me.  The 19 is barely noticeable then, and the 26 straight up disappears.  26 would be 10+1 and thats damn good in my book, and thats what we are limited to here anyway

Thanks for the replies. I agree the 26 is great. I had one at one point actually. But when I laid it ontop of my 19 I realized it was barely any smaller. Also since such a short barrel in a heavy grip it felt like it always wanted to tip out away of the holster.  Obviously it never did. It i soldnit after realizing the size difference wasn't that much compared to the 19.

I carry a Glock 17 OWB because I eventually realized that it isn't any harder to conceal than a 19. Most of the time, our belief that certain guns are hard to conceal is based on perception and not reality. We "feel" like they are visible. It's similar to how you felt the first time you carried a gun. You thought for sure everybody could see it.

Since you already have the G19 so many holster and accessories exist for it and in general it is a great size pistol.  Full grip compared to other compacts, full magazine capacity of 15 rounds that compares to most full sizes, light enough and small enough to carry concealed, and it is just a great pistol all around for a carry.

I would keep both the pistols you have just so you have option for something small and something of the full size class.

Since you already own and really like the P938, how about just figuring out how to carry an additional magazine for it

Probably the cheapest option! But then I don't get a new gun lol.
My buddy has a cz that he says is same size as the g19. I'll probably shoot that soon just to see.

You can always get a new gun why do you not have a full size pistol?  G19 is a great carry pistol but you could pick up a G17 or G34 and have a great range pistol or a do anything pistol.  Also if you want a CZ the P10c is gaining popularity or the P-09/07 are pretty tits pistol I really like my P09.

Oh I have a lot of handguns etc.
glocks I currently have 19,17,34. Sold the 26 and the 43.
Used the 34 for idpa for number of years till switched to 1911. Now it's a bedside gun and glock is a spare home defense gun in a different part of house.
  That's another reason why I like the 938. Same controls as my competition gun.
  Wish I could find a 9+1 slim gun though.

I've been carrying a LW Commander OWB for 20+ years.
No reason to change.  Using either a Galco Concealable or Uncle Mike's kydex paddle holster.
Not so light but a good belt keeps everything up where it's supposed to be.

I think the challenge is the length of the handle.  About the only thin 6-8+1 thin pistols I own are the discontinued S&W 3913, Kahr CW9, Springfield XDs 9mm (which have a 9 round magazine extension), S&W Shield (only an 8 rd. magazine extension), Sig P239 (only 8 rd. magazines), the same P938 and the Sig P290 (also an 8rd mag option).  The XDs is my son's now, but even he doesn't care for the 9rd mags as much since they stick out so far.  Once you start looking at 8-9 rounds, your grip length becomes more obtrusive than the width of a double stack.  Most single stack 9mm's with an 8-round capacity are falling in the compact-size range.  

My primary carry around town is my Sig P938, and I always have an extra mag on body and two extra in my truck or nearby.  If traveling out of town, I almost exclusively go with my Glock 26.

ROCK6

I have been full circle with carry gun size, the more I carry, the larger the gun I can carry without notice. When I first switched to IWB, bigger guns drove me crazy, I could never get comfortable. I changed to the tiny Kahr CM-40, still bothered me for a couple weeks, then I would forget I had it on. Moved up in size to a Taurus G2, then a G-23, G-27... Now I can carry a Sig 229 and not notice the size, I do notice the weight, but it carries well enough.

This is true. A Shield with an 8 round mag is the same height as a Glock 19.

This is full of truth.

I started with a full size M&P and went to a G19, hit some steel guns, Sig P228, BHP, down to a Kahr, G26, G43, and landed back in double stack land with a M&p9c.

Find the gun you shoot well, find a way to carry it, profit.

A G19 really is a great all around gun, from HD to Carry and to range/fun gun.

This isn't complete, it's not everything that is out there, other people's measurements may vary, a good holster goes a long way for bigger guns if you can conceal them... but FWIW, I like to see stuff side by side and compare, so here is a spreadsheet with some popular options that I have put together. (I will say while Kahr is on the list for comparison, I do not endorse purchasing one.)

Attached File


Notably missing that I really like, and is very similar in size and weight to the G26, is the Walther P99c AS.  Sweet gun.

Also of note, by the numbers, the P-11 ticks a lot of boxes.  Picked one up recently just for the history behind it, then a SCCY because it was so stupid cheap.  The SCCY looked better out of the box and was cheaper but the P-11 did better/felt better at the range for me. And the P-11 has an optional 12 round flush fit magazine too.  The trigger is absolutely horrible in the P-11, but if you are looking for the most compact with the most rounds, hard to beat.  You can get a better trigger if you care to invest in it.

I am not plugging the P-11 by any means, just pointing out where it falls in the numbers game.  It may suffice as a FU gun, but the G26 or P99c are much more enjoyable to shoot for regular use.

I will say I used to be in the school of thought of why bother with the G26 when a G19 is so close, but I can fit a G26 in my pants pockets and not the G19.  There isn't a lot of difference, but there is a difference in size between the G19 and G26 that could make all the difference depending on how you are carrying it.

I hate this chart i somehow missed th sig 290 now i want one

Its on my short list too if I come across one for the right price locally.

I think they discontinued that model?

It had such good potential but then you feel the trigger and it is a total let down.  Had it came out with a better trigger it would have been a hit.

From all I've seen the P290RS has not been discontinued.  To be honest, I picked this up on a whim as it was a decent deal and I was shopping around for some smaller, single-stack sub-compacts.  The only two "downsides" are the trigger and weight.  The trigger is very similar to a J-Frame, so just understand what it is as a DAO.  The weight is deceptive considering its size, but it really makes this little gun a joy to shoot on the range and you can shoot a couple hundred rounds without the typical fatigue from most smaller pistols.  It's not my first choice as a pocket gun in light pants or shorts, but for a jacket, I really like it.  I've pretty much considered this a dedicated truck gun with a quickly accessible holster/mount.  

The sights are excellent; full size.  Accuracy, once you master the trigger stacking, is excellent.  It is a deceptively compact handgun that shoots like a much larger one.  It's definitely a niche handgun, but for some reason it continues to be one of my favorite as a range gun.  I just prefer carrying the lighter P938, but love shooting the P290 despite the trigger.

ROCK6

Whats the trigger issue if you don't mind?

I'm just looking at the size. The lc9s is the biggest i can get in my pocket that still conceals.

1/2" each way would be substantial.


I went to get coffee and you posted thank you sir !

I grew up on revolvers so that's Probably ok with me. Carried a j frame a bunch shot them a bunch.

I don't know if i want to buy into something thats been discontinued / short production life.

Still looks to be available to me

I concour, I had a Shield and I actually think the 26 carries better.

Attached File

No disrespect, but half of that list I consider not suitable for carry.

I'm totally with the guy that worked up from pocket/subcompact to Compact, though he lost me carrying a Taurus. People make way too big of a deal about 1/3". Buy a pair of pants that are 1-2 sizes too big, a proper belt and holster and you're fine.

It is like comparing the LC9 to the LC9s.  The s model has a nice trigger compared to the LC9.  The 290 has a long double action heavy trigger similar to the LC9 when comparing it to other SS9 pistol it ranks low on the trigger in my book.

Gotcha i still have to check one out.

None taken. List wasn't made for you and I don't actually carry any of them on there, so I have no skin in it. Op was asking about "thin" and I had a list of "popular" 9mm options with widths listed. Thought it might be of interest for comparison, see where things fall.  


However I must disagree with you regarding people making "too big of a deal about 1/3"."  Depending on how and where one is carrying, it can be a big deal.  

Not everyone has the luxury to "buy a pair of pants that are 1-2 sizes too big" and just making IWB work.  If I bought dress pants 1-2 sizes too big for work, that would just look frumpy and unprofessional.  Also, IWB isn't for everyone. Some have tactical muffins making IWB difficult.  Or, some just think it is uncomfortable, or too buried if ever actually needed. Or, or, or.  

Thicker often means bigger in other dimensions as well.  With a compact like a G19, the width isn't even as big of a deal as the accompanying length and height for many people.  



Back on topic, if we are just talking Glock, I know the G19 is a popular option, but having spent more time with our G26 and using the Magpul mags, I would take that over the G19 every time.  As others have mentioned, it works just as well (for us at least), only holds a few rounds less, yet smaller and lighter, so why not?  Butt sticks out less than a G19, so may carry better OWB.  If I were to carry one or the other, I would have more options in where I carried the G26 too.  (While my wife is a Glock Girl and we therefore have both, I am not into Glock so I choose not to carry either.)  Might be worth considering again Op if you like the Glocks.


As to the comments on the availability of the P290, IIRC, it was available first in .380, then they added the 9mm, and now it looks like maybe Sig dropped the .380 and are only doing the 9mm?  I too seem to recall there was a change in the line up, but don't recall the specifics.  I wish I could find one gently used for sub $300 since it will just sit in the safe.  Seems like all of them that I come across, the person selling thinks they have the Holy Grail and that it is worth at least $400 (new I could get one for about $350).

The only CC I did OWB was with a S&W Model 60. I never knew it was there. After years alternating between a G19, M&P9c, and a CZ P07, I finally settled on a CZ75 Compact for IWB with an Aliengear holster. Extremely comfortable, and with the MECGAR mags they are 14+1.

It is heavier, but the Aliengear helps to spread out the weight.

Get a very good pancake holster for the G19 is my advice.

If you have to carry the sig, aim very carefully!

I carry a G19 in a OWB leather holster.  You can't even tell I have it on.  I carry that 99% of the time.  For other times where the OWB is not an option, I have a G42 I throw in my pocket with a pocket holster.

I wish Glock would make a single stack 9mm that is the same size as the Glock 19.