foreverpsycotic;1012720 said:
Ok guys, I am going to get the CCW this summer, and I am looking for a good reliable gun that wont cost an arm and a leg. I wont be carrying all the time (cant carry into work or school). Has to be a semi, preferably not a 9mm (do NOT want anything going through). Anyone have any ideas?
In my experience there two things that matter in CCW: Size and weight, in that order. Regarding size, make sure you go thin (single stack!) then look for a short grip. Most good smaller pistols have mag/grip extensions that make range shooting much more fun. Don't worry about high cap; you won't carry a fat, heavy pistol, and you won't likely need more than a round or two against a bad guy. If you're worried about it, you can carry a spare mag.
Granted it's 9mm and fairly heavy, but I bought my Kahr MK9 at a show for ~$450 slightly used, and it should serve me for decades. I LOVE this gun! It points so naturally and fits my hand so well, I can completely outshoot my full sized Cougar 8000. And the trigger is the best I have ever experienced.
I don't know if that's out of your range, but stick with me because I have a couple of good (and lighter weight) suggestions from Kahr:
PM40, which matches the dimension of my MK9, but is 40 cal, polymer and only 15oz ($600 NIB from gunbroker.com & maybe $400 to $500 used at the gun show):
The PM45 is slightly larger if you like the big bore.
If that's too pricey, Kahr has put together some
slightly larger budget minded carry pieces in 40 and 45 (CW40 & CW45, respectively). Both are about $400 nib at gunbroker and who knows what you could do at a show, which should fit most budgets pretty well. Here it is...
I have had NO regrets with my Kahr at all. American made, and top quality. It conceals like a gem, shoots like nothing else, and if I buy another semi auto, it will definitely be from their catalogue.
I think you may have been talking about the compact M&P.40 which is the same gun, just smaller. Single stack 10+1. Everyone that holds it, loves it. Everyone that shoots one, buys one. (Maybe not everyone, but you get the idea.) They have now surpassed Glock in military and law enforcement usage. I am pretty sure you don't need to be a LEO to purchase one, but you can't get it with the magazine disconnect if not.