Looking for a carry/home defense pistol

[adamBomb]

I am currently looking for a carry/home defense gun that holds around 15 rounds. Similar to a G19 but something with a safety. This gun would mostly be for home defense but for winter carry too. I like the size, capacity, and reliability record of the G19 but I am done with Glocks until they have a manual safety...so what are my options?

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by adamBomb

I am currently looking for a carry/home defense gun that holds around 15 rounds. Similar to a G19 but something with a safety. This gun would mostly be for home defense but for winter carry too. I like the size, capacity, and reliability record of the G19 but I am done with Glocks until they have a manual safety...so what are my options?

With manual safety, Ruger SR9, or (some) S&W M&P models.

[jmhyer]

Manual safety is also available on FNS models.

[RAfiringline]

The czp01 doesn't have a safety, but it's da/sa with a decocker and for me that's better than a safety. If in the middle of the night you get woke up by what could be an intruder, the da gives a margin of safety while you're still half asleep.

And, in my experience, my czp01 is has had fewer stoppages than my G19.

[cw308]

15 rounds is a lot of rounds the carry around , even shooting in a stressful situation. If not trained properly even good people can get hit. I carry a Colt New Agent 45acp comes with Crimson Trace Laser grips , can be shut off or on for point an shoot . I use to carry a Chief
S & W 38 SPL 5 shot 2" brl.
Now I upgraded to a 7 shot 45acp 3" brl. I'm slower , older & my eyes aren't as sharp.
Hope I helped in some way. Chris

[Rinspeed]

Both the HK USP and P30 can be had with a safety. They are some of the most reliable and durable pistols ever made.

[DanPop]

A very underrated 9mm is the Sarsilmaz K2P and it's 2nd gen CM9. My son in law and I each own the K2P and love it, can be bought for well under $300, do a little research.

[TailGator]

Beretta PX4 Compact holds 15 rounds. Nice grip shape with interchangeable back straps. Quite a soft shooter, due at least in part to a rotating barrel design. Some folks have complained about the safety levers being uncomfortable for carry. Low profile levers are available that convert it to a decocker. They are worth having on your list of possibilities if you don't mind a hammer and a DA/SA mechanism.

[TruthTellers]

Bersa Thunder Plus

[ritepath]

CZ P-07 swap out the decocker lever with the Safety and Boom! you have an uber reliable extra accurate near G19 sized awesome pistol.

[Onward Allusion]

Another vote for the SR9 or SR9c if you must have a safety.

[Cirdan]

I like my PX4, but wouldn't carry it - too bulky. ALso the slide mounted safety is a little far away from my thumb.

[dave7798801]

Originally Posted by Cirdan

I like my PX4, but wouldn't carry it - too bulky. ALso the slide mounted safety is a little far away from my thumb.

I carry my PX4c IWB, a little more bulky than my XDs but not bad.

It's very easy to convert the PX4 safety to a de-cocker only, stealth levers are available or just knock a ball bearing and spring out of the oem levers.

[BigBL87]

I'll cast a vote for the Ruger SR9C or CZ P-07.

The P-07 is my bedside gun and I have carried it now and then, but prefer my Shield for carry just because its smaller. To me its right in the same sweet spot size wise that the G19 is and it fits my hand more naturally. If you don't mind going to a hammer fired DA/SA, it's my top recommendation.

I don't personally own an SR9C, but one of my shooting buddies does and she loves it. I've shot it a few times, and I like the feel in the hand but not the trigger. The reason I don't like the trigger, though, is because it is the same style (2 piece "safe action" style) as Glock which I'm not a fan of as I prefer a more traditional trigger, so that probably wouldn't be an issue for you if you like the Glock trigger. If you'd prefer to stay striker fired with the "safe action" style trigger, the SR9C would probably be your best bet.

[armoredman]

CZ 75 Compact. Same size as the PCR/P-01, but steel frame with traditional thumb safety, can be carried/stored cocked and locked ala 1911. Also, as noted, the poly frame P-07 can easily switch from decocker to manual safety. You didn't specify, though - do you want a hammer fired pistol or striker?
I have heard that there is a Glock manual safety aftermarket part, but not being a Glock guy, I don't know very much about it.

[adamBomb]

Thanks for the responses. Thus far I really like the PX4 Storm. The Ruger SR9C also looks like it it fits my needs. I will look into the CZ as well but not sure it matches my needs. I do really like hammer fired guns better but I don't want cocked and locked for the most part unless it was 1911 style with a safety/grip safety.

[JDBerg]

The thumb safety on the new Springfield XD-E will engage even when the hammer is decocked, something to consider if you must have a thumb safety on your carry gun. I also like the fact that Springfield finally eliminated the grip safety on this "E" version.

[cslinger]

What about an M&P 9mm or M&P 2.0? This way you get to stay with the striker system that you are used to but have the option of a safety.

[tallball]

I like my Beretta Storm quite a bit. The recoil is soft and I like the way it fits my hand.

[Spats McGee]

IMHO, pound-for-pound and dollar-for-dollar, that class of pistols that includes the G19 (compact, ~12-15 rounds, ~4" barrel, etc) is about as good as it gets for a multi-purpose pistol. Large enough to shoot comfortably & well, small enough to CC. Fortunately for the OP, the G19 isn't the only pistol in that class. Far from it. SR9c, M&P 9c, CZ P10, XDM 3.8" compact, . . . There's a long list of fine choices in that field.

[P-35HP]

Jericho FS Mid Size Steel frame would be a good candidate



Jericho PSL Mid Size Polymer frame would also fit your requirements very well

[armoredman]

adamBomb, I meant it can be - most of us carry them hammer at half cock for traditional DA/SA. Good luck with your choice and I hope it works well for you!

[chaim]

CZs could be a good choice, but with your stated preference of a safety but not "cocked and locked' without a grip safety, it may not be for you. That said, they are great guns. My CZ 75B has well over 10K rounds (I stopped counting about a decade ago at 10K, I'm quite sure I'm over 20K by now, and likely significantly over 20K) with such a small number of hiccups that they really aren't worthy of mention compared to the number of rounds (I don't remember the exact number, but there is no doubt they are in the single digits, and probably could be counted on one hand). It is about as accurate as my 1911 (which is to say, tied for my most accurate gun). I had a CZ 40B which was equally good, though not quite as accurate, that I never should have sold. A bit under a year ago I bought a CZ P01. Good gun, though I'm still adjusting to it (it has been reliable, it is accurate, though not as much as my full size CZ 75b or Commander sized 1911).

A CZ 75B and 75 Compact have a manual safety that can be carried "cocked and locked" without a grip safety. They are DA/SA pistols, though the safety only works in SA mode so for a DA first shot you need to manually decock the hammer. The 75D, PCR and P01 have a decocker only for a possibly safer (or at least a reassuring) way to decock and use the DA trigger as the safety (i.e. they work like a SIG). The P-07 has a safety or decocker that can work either way. With some simple adjustments you can have it work has a decocker only or as a CZ style safety, but it can't work as both at the same time.


That said, my S&W 1911SC (1st gen) and my S&W M&P40c are quickly becoming my favorite carry guns when out of state (this summer I've spent a lot of time in VA where I can carry).

The 1911SC was my carry gun years ago until I dropped guns with a safety and went DAO, DA/SA (decocker only) or striker fired, and it has long been one of my favorite range guns along with my CZ 75B (and my most accurate also along with the CZ 75B). Now that I've gone back to using guns with a safety, it is no surprise that is high on my list again, though it doesn't meet your criteria (15 rounds).

For me, the S&W M&P40c is a big surprise. It is a good gun at the range, and it is the perfect balance of size/concealment ease, flexibility, and capacity IMO. It completely disappears IWB or IWB/tucked, and is very comfortable to carry. I've even managed to carry it in my pocket one day in a DeSantis Nemesis, though it did print and took the entire pocket so if anyone looked down my pants just right they might see the butt of the gun just a few millimeters into my pocket. The standard capacity of the compact .40S&W with a flush mag is 10 rounds (it is 12 in 9mm). If you went full sized, the M&P 2.0 in .40 holds 15 (in 9mm it is 17), and is about the size of a 1911 Commander. One nice thing with the compact is the flexibility. I can use the flush 10 round mags (12 if I had bought the 9mm) for very easy concealment and even occasional pocket carry, or carry with the full size mag with a sleeve when I want more capacity and maximum concealment isn't a necessity (I love 15 rounds of .40S&W). Even when I choose to carry the flush mag, I can carry the full size mag as a reload. I knew that on paper it would be a good carry gun, and figured that it would get a lot of carry time when I wanted something smaller than my 1911SC (Commander size) but bigger than my SIG P290RS, but didn't think it would become such a favorite (especially this fast).

All of the M&P line are available with a safety if you wish.

[brian33x51]

On the CZ pattern a tanfoglio witness or sar b6 could be functional guns. They don't have decockers but what I do is to put a finger in front of the hammer, pull the trigger and roll it out so the hammer goes down slowly. Before I was using a thumb to hold the hammer back while decocking which made me VERY uncomfortable. I don't even think twice about it with the new method. Both my large frame witnesses have marvelous triggers.

Don't count out the 12 and 13 rd 9mm compact pistols. At least take a look at those. The M&P 9c, tarus pt11 g2 pro are 2 of many I can think of off the top of my head.

[ammo.crafter]

That's a lot of rounds to have in a CCW.

Better to become proficient at accurately and consistently hitting your target than flinging lots of lead.

If you don’t mind 13-rounds get a Browning Hi-Power before they are gone forever. You will not regret it.