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Old August 1, 2022, 07:44 PM   #1
Metric
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Steel Frame, Concealed Carry 9mm's

I'm a fan of steel-frame 9mm's. E.g. the CZ 75, BHP, P210, etc.

For my particular use, I've come to understand the limiting factor for most of them is their physical size. It's not so much that they're heavy -- that can usually be dealt with (and if not, there's always something else ready to stand in, usually with a plastic frame). But there isn't much of a cure for a big gun that doesn't fit IWB.

Thus, the concept and history of Steel-Frame, Concealed Carry (SFCC) 9mm's is interesting to me. The concept seemed to appear in the market, just as plastic frames were getting ready to take over. That means there were never too many of these designs out there, and I might be able to acquire/collect examples of most of them.

Now, I'm not counting full-size duty pistols that were simply offered with a shorter barrel (e.g. the CZ 75 Compact, various 1911's, etc). I'm trying to think of purpose-designed SFCC 9mm's.

The Star M43 Firestar and the Kahr K9 come to mind as truly dedicated, steel-frame CC pistols. Both from the 1990's.

There were some others, a little larger, that weren't exactly purpose-made for CC, yet they were clearly designed with an eye to being CC-friendly. The Star BM and the HK P7 fall into this category -- both of these came out of the 1970's.

That's really all that come to mind, and I've occasionally looked for others. But... four pistols? Four? Can't possibly be right. Can anyone think of any others?
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Old August 1, 2022, 08:34 PM   #2
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There was a run of CZ P-01 that came with a steel frame.

https://www.czub.cz/en/firearms-and-...0STEEL%20BLACK

You could get them new a couple years ago.

I know you mention 9mm, but there is also the makarov(9x18) and ppk(9mm Kurz).
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Old August 1, 2022, 08:50 PM   #3
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Walther

Have you given any thought to a Walther PP?
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Old August 1, 2022, 09:33 PM   #4
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I'm definitely a fan of the PP and similar in .380 or .32. A Sig P230 or P232 is somewhere near the top of my current priority list.

Still, it strikes me as remarkable that a steel-frame CC 9mmP is such a unicorn. It actually seems realistic to "collect them all." Thinking about a Kahr K9.
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Old August 2, 2022, 04:26 AM   #5
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The Beretta 70 or 70S comes to mind. .32, 380 or 22rf. One or the other is steel framed.

The Israilis employed the .22 version in black ops operations. I had a 70S in 22 and it was extraordinarily reliable for a compact 22 self loader. IIRC it had a steel frame, maybe that's what the S signifies. Weighed bout 22 oz.

The problem with these is the availability of replacement parts, mags, etc.

Another would be the PM Makarov in 9X18 or380...I have 4 in 9X18. Two E Germans and two Bulgarians, all military. A hair thicker than the PP and not a PP copy by the way. These are the most reliable trouble free auto pistols I have ever had.

Heavy for it's size at about 26 oz but all steel except for the grips.

Last edited by JJ45; August 2, 2022 at 04:55 AM.
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Old August 2, 2022, 05:16 AM   #6
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I'm a huge fan of the old S&W CS9, however is alloy frame.
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Old August 2, 2022, 09:09 AM   #7
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Does the Sig P938 9mm fit the bill?
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Old August 2, 2022, 11:28 AM   #8
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Do they make a steel-frame version of the P938? Every time I've looked, I see an aluminum frame.
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Old August 2, 2022, 04:53 PM   #9
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Springfield EMP 9/40
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Old August 2, 2022, 04:53 PM   #10
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Cz Rami
Shorter barrel and grip.
My carry pistol is CZ pcr, but it's an alloy framed pistol.
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Old August 2, 2022, 06:29 PM   #11
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Am surprised no one has mentioned the Kahr K9 and MK9 Series

https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/pistols/kahr-k9.asp

https://shopkahrfirearmsgroup.com/co...e-ca-approved/
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Old August 2, 2022, 08:04 PM   #12
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I have a good belt and carry a full size 1911 inside the waist band. A good belt is the secret. I got mine from Versacarry, they make good holsters as well.
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Old August 2, 2022, 08:48 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sevt_chevelle View Post
Cz Rami
Shorter barrel and grip.
My carry pistol is CZ pcr, but it's an alloy framed pistol.
^^ What he said. I had a Rami, weighed a ton.
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Old August 3, 2022, 06:03 AM   #14
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"Am surprised no one has mentioned the Kahr K9 and MK9 Series"

Mentioned by the original poster.

Back in the 90s I had one of the first generation K9s. REALLY liked that gun. For me it was really reliable, accurate as all get out and easy to carry.

But, after I got my S&W 042 I gravitated back to that revolver for primary CCW and the Kahr rode the safe.

I sold it to a friend who took a liking to it. He had it for awhile and then, suddenly, it became very unreliable. It took a couple of trips back to Kahr, which never resolved the issue, so he ended up selling it.

I'm still carrying my 042, but I've started moving towards carrying a Walter CCP as my primary CCW.
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Old August 3, 2022, 10:35 AM   #15
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While not made specifically for the purpose mentioned, a HP with slim grips may be a consideration. The frame is pretty slim, but weight keeps me from cc in a iwb.
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Old August 3, 2022, 10:50 AM   #16
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Beg pardon….my old eyes missed the OP’s mention of the Kahr.
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Old August 3, 2022, 03:10 PM   #17
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Quote:
Do they make a steel-frame version of the P938? Every time I've looked, I see an aluminum frame.
My bad. I'm almost certain they do not. My mind went into "anything but polymer mode".
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Old August 3, 2022, 03:54 PM   #18
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PP

I think people believe the "lesser" calibers are insufficient as a defensive weapon.

With all of the new bullet designs the 380 and 32 are much better than they were years ago.
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Old August 3, 2022, 05:43 PM   #19
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Sig teased the idea of a steel-framed 938HD. I think it was even catalogued one year but as far as I know none were ever produced, I have long lusted for one…or two. The closest is the terrific 238HD in 380, now out of production except perhaps the California model.
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Old August 4, 2022, 06:44 AM   #20
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Quote:
The Star M43 Firestar and the Kahr K9 come to mind as truly dedicated, steel-frame CC pistols. Both from the 1990's.
A friend has an M43 Firestar that he still occasionally carries. It’s a surprisingly good pistol. It has a very good trigger and is easy to shoot accurately. It’s quite heavy for its size, which helps it be such a sweet shooter. It’s not a pretty gun, but it’s been reliable for him. The downside is replacement parts are non-existent.

My father has a Kahr MK9. It’s another great little gun. Visually, it’s at the other end of the scale from the Star; it’s a well-finished and good looking pistol. Like all the Kahrs, it has a very smooth, but very long DAO trigger. It’s accurate, but don’t think you’ll be shooting rapidly unless you’re Jerry Miculak. The only real downside to it is the 6-round mag capacity.
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Old August 4, 2022, 10:48 AM   #21
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The Browning HiPower was my CCW 9mm for a few decades…until I shot the Glock 26, lol.
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Old August 4, 2022, 07:42 PM   #22
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe some S&W 3rd gens had steel frames and some had alloy. Could be carried concealed I'm sure.
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Old August 5, 2022, 01:57 AM   #23
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You mentioned it already, but I had a Star BM-9 back when a batch was imported a number of years ago. I bought two, one of which was in excellent condition and was fun to shoot. The other was a bit rougher and had some malfunctions, but they were surplus pistols after all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Metric
A Sig P230 or P232 is somewhere near the top of my current priority list.
I would like one as well, but when I see them they are more expensive than I want to pay.
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Old August 5, 2022, 05:40 AM   #24
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"Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe some S&W 3rd gens had steel frames and some had alloy. Could be carried concealed I'm sure."

If the last digit of the 4-number model ends in a 5, 6, or 7, it's a steel frame.

The 6906 is a good example.
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Old August 5, 2022, 02:35 PM   #25
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I think there’s only one S&W third-generation or original Performance Center pistol that would meet your requirements. The S&W 3958 was a single-stack, DAO 9mm pistol with a carbon steel frame, a stainless slide, and a 3.5” barrel. It was a catalogued item, and it appears in the SCSW. However, according to the folks on the S&W forum, no one has ever produced a photo of one, and it’s unclear how many, if any, were ever produced.
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