Thanks 4 your help, but another problem?

[Vinnie Harold]

I want to thank all of you 4 suggesting a new firearm for my birthday. I read many of your suggestions, and they forced me to go to my sister and take back my CZ 75-SP-01.

She lives alone and wanted something for protection. Since I was not too fond of the CZ, I gave it to her.

I will have to admit I never gave it a "real" chance, so I have put the Valor on hold, and am getting reacquainted with the CZ.

But, since my sister needed a firearm, I took the CZ and gave her my
Kahr -CW9. So, back to square ONE.

I bought the Kahr CW9 without even trying it. I fell in love with its size...small enough to be carried in your pocket or the small of your back. But, I hated the gun. More directly, I hated the hard trigger pull and the long travel reset. I wrote to Kahr about the trigger asking their shop to do a trigger job on the firearm, but they would not do it.

So, I would like a recommendation for a small firearm, Kahr CW9 size or smaller. I would prefer 9mm, but would do 380 if the gun was good enough.
I have allowed $1500 or less for this purchase. I am interested in a quality firearm whose trigger, can if need be, be worked on for a 3.5 pound pull, and a short reset.

More often than not, this work can get done by a gun shop or smith who also has a license to sell firearms. I did this with the CZ and the Sig.

Can you please recommend a firearm, pocket size or fits in the small of your back, (smaller than a Glock 19) and, perhaps a place from which I can purchase it and have work done on the gun before it is shipped.

Thank you for anything you might recommend.

Remember, there is always somebody FASTER!!!

[TailGator]

I hated the hard trigger pull and the long travel reset.

So you gave it to your sister! Sorry for the ribbing, couldn't resist.

Have a look at the Sig P238 (.380) and 938 (9 mm). My wife and I each have a P238 and we really like them. The trigger is a bit heavier than you want, but it is so short and crisp that it seems lighter than it is. Easy pocket carry and a little gem of a pistol.

[jmhyer]

Sig 938, SA EMP, or Kimber Micro.

[g.willikers]

Take a look at the Ruger SR compact.
They are quite slim with very good triggers, even though it's a striker design.

[TunnelRat]

I can't think of a production pistol that will give you what you want in a trigger. You may have to go semi-custom or buy it with the understanding that you're going to get it modified. There are outfits as you said that customize firearms and sell firearms too. Thing is I can't really think of a pocket type pistol off the top of my head that I really think is worth doing custom. They're typically rather small with a short sight radius and are often not overly pleasant for long shooting sessions. They're for the purpose of close in defense. You don't really see a lot of benefits from a custom trigger in that kind of situation nor is it something you'd really love just shooting at the range, at least compared to some larger custom pistols (which it sounds like you already have).

But seeing as you have a generous budget and it's your money, there may be some options out there. The SIG P238 or P938 are nice and not bad in terms of comfort while shooting, but I'm not sure if you can reduce the trigger pull of those down to 3.5 lb. without potentially compromising ignition (maybe if you added an extended firing pin too?). While there are fewer trigger kits and the like for the pocket pistols some are still out there and maybe with the right springs you could get down to 3.5 lb. I'm not sure how you feel about striker fired pistols in general, not just the Kahr, as there are lots of kits and whatnot for them.

And since no one else has said it I'll throw it out there that there are a number of folks on this forum, both legally trained and otherwise, that would recommend against trigger mods on a carry pistol. But this is a free market and it's your call.

[Vinnie Harold]

Thanks again for the suggestions.

TailGator, I see your point, but TunnelRat says it best. My sister was looking for a defense gun, close range in the house and maybe carry, so the size of the CZ 75 plus 3.5 tigger pull is really not what she needs. The Kahr may work better for her.

I like using the CZ as a range gun, but now I need a small carry firearm. TunnelRat suggests that the light trigger pull on the carry gun might not be the way to go as it may case unintended ignition. This is something I will need to read more about and consider. Plus, the cost may not be worth it.

I found someone on the net who would polish and fit the entire 938 Action yielding a smooth 4.5 to 5.0 pound break with no perceptible creep. Not 3.5, but maybe TunnelRat is right about a lite trigger.
Also remove roughly 33% of mechanical creep. Smooth factory plastic trigger serrations. Polish feed ramp and throat.

I'll keep watching this thread . Thanks again

[TunnelRat]

I'd add it's no guarantee you'll get light strikes with a 3.5 lb. P938 trigger. The question becomes can that reduction be accomplished without reducing the strength of the mainspring so much as to be a problem. I'm merely saying it's something to be on the lookout for. Of course whatever you do you'll want to test the pistol when you get it to make sure it functions properly regardless. Personally with how I remember the P938 shooting with the stock trigger I imagine 4.5-5.0 lb. to be plenty of a reduction. They're nice shooting pistols.

[Doc Holliday 1950]

I'll probably get creamed for this suggestion but why not get her a LCR 357 mag by Ruger. She can shoot 38's or 357/s unloaded weight is like 17 ozs unloaded.
Or the LC9S. holds 7+1.
Just depends. Does she like Pistols or Revolvers. Be a good Brother and find out.
I did the same for my wife. She picked the revolver over the pistol.
I took her to the range and she fired her 5 shot LCR 357 mag/38 specials vs. my glock 19. "She said, what am I chopped liver?" I want a pistol like yours but not as big but well balanced and less weight. Her wish is my command. Just love it.

[Cosmodragoon]

Vinnie Harold wrote:

TunnelRat suggests that the light trigger pull on the carry gun might not be the way to go as it may case unintended ignition. This is something I will need to read more about and consider.

Training is, by far, the most important ingredient when it comes to safety. However, carrying a gun with a hair trigger still makes some people uncomfortable. I prefer double-to-single action (without a manual safety lever). I have the "safety" of a decocked gun with a heavier trigger pull. It feels "at rest" in my holster, like double-action revolver. Once active though, I get that nice single-action trigger. Do you like how your CZ operates?

Unfortunately, I haven't seen too many "tiny" guns with this action type. I handled a Sig P239 SAS Gen II recently and I've been kicking myself for not buying it. It might not be small enough for you but it sure is nice. (See link below.)

https://www.sigsauer.com/store/p239-...2-compact.html

As far as striker guns go, the Walther PPS is real gem. It's a wonderful shooter for its size.

Doc Holliday 1950 wrote:

I'll probably get creamed for this suggestion but why not get her a LCR 357 mag by Ruger. She can shoot 38's or 357/s unloaded weight is like 17 ozs unloaded.

Not by me! The LCR has a surprisingly good double-action trigger pull and it sure is easy to carry. With .327 Federal, you get six reasonably powerful shots in a pocket gun that I think is easier to control and more comfortable to shoot than most any pocket semi.

[giaquir]

Save your money, purchase an Lc9s with safety and buy a set of express
sights . Sweet trigger, and with xpress sights, target acquisition
very quick.Reliable as a revolver
Ron

[jetinteriorguy]

Yup, LC9s with a safety or LC9s Pro without safety. Just go to a LGS and dry fire one. In my case it's one of three that I've owned that has functioned 100% reliably and is very accurate as well.

[T. O'Heir]

All new firearms require a trigger job due to frivolous laws suits causing the manufacturers to ship their stuff with poor triggers. Take your Kahr to a pistol smithy and have it done. However, a "Trigger cocking DAO" will never have a target trigger, but it can be smoother.
"...may cause unintended ignition..." That'd be operator failure. A trigger job does not mean creating a "hair trigger". It means a smooth, usually, lighter than factory trigger. A trigger being smooth is far more important than it being light, so the smithy needs to be a 'pistol guy'.

[TunnelRat]

I want to make a note that I never said, "unintended ignition". Vinnie said that and I didn't catch it. What I said is it may compromise ignition, which to me means reliability from the point of view of light primer strikers. I did mention those that caution against trigger mods from a legal defense standpoint.

[Vinnie Harold]

TunnelRat,

I sent you a private message about my negatives and reservation about the Sig 938 and asked your opinion about the Kimber Micro 9. I am writing this now, as I see you are on line.

Thanks

[TunnelRat]

Originally Posted by Vinnie Harold

TunnelRat you responded to my post about trading my Kahr-CW 9 to my sister and me buying a Sig 938.
I wrote about having trigger work done, and your comments showed that even if we do not agree, you certainly know what you are talking about.

My Sig guy, the one who did work on my 226 x5 tactical does not want me to buy the 938. He says the production line is "iffy" and he can not guarantee I get a "good" one. Since they are not cheap, he says most owners simply keep theirs.

He prodded me to the Sig 238 which he feels has a much better track record...and with +p ammo, is very close to a 9 mm.

But, I wanted a 9, so I found the Kimber Micro 9. I held it, and it feels good. I can buy the Micro 9 Raptor with extra extended mag and custom shop engraved on the slide for $700...but, the reviews are mixed. I am reading about it on this forum, and nothing here tells me that this is the one to buy.

In your post, you say you would like to get one.

Why?

Any help you can offer would be great.

Thanks

Since you sent a message and posted here I'll put this here. I actually never said I would like to get a P938. I simply said I think they're nice shooting pistols, and I do. You said you wanted basically a SA like trigger in a small CW-9 form factor and that's one that came to mind.

As for your guy, I can't prove or disprove anything he says and he may have more experience with the P938 than me. I'm not sure I see that the production line of the P938 is really more iffy than the P238. They did have some initial problems that relate to a serial number range you can find here https://chrissajnog.com/sig-sauer-p938-review/ but from what I had seen in courses and been told I thought those issues had been taken care of. When you look for problems with a pistol line online look for the dates of the complaints and what are common complaints across negative reviews. This will give you an idea of what you might want to look out for and if you do have an issue hopefully the company will stand by the product. In probably close to 80 handguns now I've had at least minor issues from almost every manufacturer so I can' say one brand is infallible. If you choose not to buy the pistol because of what you read/hear that's certainly fair.

Personally I'm not carrying a 380 when I can carry a 9mm. While Buffalo Bore and some companies make and market what they call a 380 ACP +P, there is no SAAMI spec for 380 ACP +P. It's just Buffalo Bore, etc., hot rodding the cartridge. That doesn't appeal to me. http://shootingthebull.net/blog/why-...or-any-p-ammo/.

I have no experience with Kimber. The sheer number of bad reports of them have kept me away.

At the end of the day I'm a guy on the internet. I know some things, more than some and less than others, but I can't really pick a pistol for you since I'm not you and frankly when you find people that say they can pick the perfect pistol for you I'd advise skepticism. I can simply make some recommendations based on what you said you're looking for, but take everything with a grain of salt. What I might love you might hate.

For reference I carry a Glock 26 with a spare mag and the +2 factory extensions most of the time. The trigger is stock and all I did was hit some spots with a little Flitz and add night sights, Talon Grips, and a Vicker's extendad mag release. It's a pretty boring pistol (heck I even bought it used for $425). I've owned pistols with performance parts, and installed them on SIGs and CZs, and played around with spring weights but I generally don't anymore. I've owned some Performance Center type pistols as well.

But what I carry doesn't match what you want from your description. If possible I'd suggest finding a range that might rent some of these so you could try them beforehand. Obviously they won't be customized but it will give you an idea on how the pistol feels to you and the "worst case" when it comes to the trigger.

[ritepath]

Love the sp-01 such a great gun...you really need a p-01 to go along with it now. Maybe an Omega version if you can find one.

[Independent George]

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

Take your Kahr to a pistol smithy and have it done. However, a "Trigger cocking DAO" will never have a target trigger, but it can be smoother.
"...may cause unintended ignition..." That'd be operator failure. A trigger job does not mean creating a "hair trigger". It means a smooth, usually, lighter than factory trigger. A trigger being smooth is far more important than it being light, so the smithy needs to be a 'pistol guy'.

There's really not much you can do with a Kahr trigger. It is light, long, and smooth by design - it's meant to simulate a DA revolver trigger, and does just that. If the OP doesn't like it... then he needs a different gun.



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[tallball]

It's nothing fancy, but I like the trigger on my Glock 43. It's too big for a pocket, but small enough to carry otherwise.

For actual pocket carry, an LCP or P3AT are where it's at. Their triggers aren't superb, but they are tiny for 380's. That's what I carry when I'm wearing very light clothing in our ferociously hot Texas summers.