First hand gun


jayk1181

New member
So I've been looking at several subcompact handguns and I am up in the air about 3 of them the s&w 9mm m&p shield, ruger lc9, or the beretta nano. I am also a lefty witch doesn't help. Any suggestions on what on is better.


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I had my choices down to the Khar CM9 and the Beretta Nano. Ended up choosing the Nano only because it fit my hand just a little better. All three of your choices are quality guns. Pick whichever you shoot better and feels right The Nano does have a magazine release that can be easily changed between right and left hand use.
 
Only the one between your ears. :). The Nano is double action so the longer trigger pull is all you need as long as you use a proper holster. It does have a Glock-like drop safety in the trigger.

Sent while walking the narrow road.
 
Check out the Springfield XD subcompact. Shoots great, 16 rd mags and not priced to bad. You don't say what you want to use it for. That could help .
 
Consider the Springfield XD-S 9 and the Khar CM9 as well. They are in the same size category as the others.

For a lefty, the non-ambidextious manual safety on the S&W M&P Shield and Ruger LC9 may be an issue. You basically need to use these guns with the safety switched off, which is problematic if you accidentally switched the safety on for some reason, such as during cleaning, and need to use the gun, requiring you to operate a right-handed thumb safety with the left hand.

If you don't plan to pocket carry, go with a larger and heaver gun, such as the XD-S, Nano or Shield, and not with a lighter gun, such as the CM9 or LC9. Larger and heaver guns are generally easier to control and have less recoil. A gun that is not a pain to shoot is also a gun that is not a pain to train and practice with.
 
Look real closely at the SA XD sub 9mm. It was my first carry weapon, & I still carry it from time to time.
The grip safety was the one thing that sold me on this gun. My first experience was with a 1911, hence the
grip safety preference.
I train with my weak hand, & this gun works fine for left handed.
 
Suggest you fire a SR9C by Ruger also. It's a great semi-auto and it has ambidextrous safety.
 
Another 1+ for both the Ruger SR9c (double-stack, 10rd primary mag, 17rd extended mag, 3.5" barrel, extremely accurate, very shootable, definitely concealable... I do) or the Springfield XD-S 9mm (7rd flush mag, 9rd extended mags available, 3.3" barrel with new 4" option coming soon, accurate, shoots well, and even more concealable). Had the XD-S, but no I longer. Found options that fit me better and felt better (SR9c included).

For you, specifically, both have ambi mag releases by default, and the safety on the SR9c is also an ambi. Slide releases are one-sided only (left side of slide). Lots of posts here about both guns, but feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about it.
 
XD(M) or XD are also great options, but of course, double stack. I do still have an XD(M) compact in 9mm that I regularly carry, and with the right holster, it works well.
 
I shot my buddy's LC9 yesterday. It is a neat little firearm, and yes it has a manual safety and yes it has a long trigger pull. Where as my Ruger SR40C has a short reset (The SR trigger is what sold me on the Ruger series, it is a dream to shoot). The LC9 has no reset. You have to pull trigger and return to full stop. but the gun itself is a good cc. My buddy carries it in a Uncle Mikes pocket Holster. His normal carry is a 1911 in a Crossbreed Holster. There are times for around town the the LC9 is just more convenient.
 
Personally, I would advise not immediately jumping into a small subcompact or single stack (if there's any difference) as a first handgun, especially if looking at larger calibers. I would recommend finding a larger, but still concealable option (XDm Compact, M&P9c, Ruger SR9c, Glock 19 or 26) and learn to use it, control it, and shoot it well. Once you've developed a good foundation of knowledge and shooting basics, then start to look into smaller options (if desired). The smaller and lighter you go, the more recoil and control issues you're liable to experience. There are bad habits that can be picked up or developed if you start learning on a platform that you're not ready for.

I started with an XDm compact (both 9mm and 45ACP), and eventually obtained the XD-S siblings in the same chamberings. Due to caliber standardization and other considerations, I now own all 9mm, and none are single stack or with a barrel less than 3.5". All are comfortable and easily consealable with the correct gear.

Just my $0.02. Carry on!
 
All of the pistols you listed are good as well as the Springfield's that were suggested. However a compact handgun is a bad choice to learn to shoot with the very things that make them appealing are what make them tuff to learn on. I recommend a Ruger SR9c the other day and I stand by that. A Smith M&P compact comes with a full size magazine as well as the Springfield XD-m 3.8 compact. All of those have a full size grip that allows you to learn, then when you are ready to carry put in the flush magazine and they make great carry guns.
 
Just got an XDs 9mm as my first gun. Love it. Shoots great. Conceals well. Ambidextrous safety. Cant go wrong.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using USA Carry mobile app
 
As I try to tell everybody on there first handgun purchase, if at all possible shoot the model you want before you buy, some of the very small 9mms and for sure the 40s have a sharp recoil, and while it wont prevent shooting the gun, if it wacks you to hard unless your well trained and very disciplined, you will flinch when you pull the trigger, cause you know its going to sting, you may be able to train yourself not to, but its not likely, shoot one first and be sure that's what you want
 

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