Conceal carry pistol for a small guy
- Thread starter phwe9774
- Start date
full case load
New member
I used to be 5'10and a half", gravity and age has pulled me down to just over 5'9" and I weigh between 135 and 140 depending on how much ice cream I eat. Main carry weapons are a LC9 and a XDs in .45, both single stacks. I have a box with different holsters that I have tried for concealment. An Alien Gear for the XDs is comfortable but in any of it's many adjustment it just prints too much for this skinny guy. To date, best I've found (for me anyway) is Remora. I carry daily. Most concealable for me is IWB in front (either side). The con side is when you go to bend over, you've got stuff in the way at the hinge point. More comfortable for me is IWB at about 4:30. Con with that, is again, bending over. This tends to print if not careful. Dressing around it, but still keeping an eye out for the perfect holster.
8MM Mauser
New member
My suggestion is to buy a better belt. I regularly carry a Glock 19. I am your same height, I hang my G-19 on a Galco belt and I forget it's there. It hides easy under a long polo shirt. I used to want a tiny gun for carry too but with the right equipment you can get by with a heavier gun.
Now... If you just want a new gun, buy a new gun. But I bet a better belt would help distribute the weight for you. Full disclosure: I do lift weights and for a long time I did heavy manual labor (though no longer) so my body is probably shaped different than yours as I am a fair amount heavier.
That said, I have occasionally used "regular" belts to carry before and the gun usually bothers me after like an hour.
Now... If you just want a new gun, buy a new gun. But I bet a better belt would help distribute the weight for you. Full disclosure: I do lift weights and for a long time I did heavy manual labor (though no longer) so my body is probably shaped different than yours as I am a fair amount heavier.
That said, I have occasionally used "regular" belts to carry before and the gun usually bothers me after like an hour.
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My Kahr, a CW9, never has worked right from day one and is completely unreliable.
The problems I have had with my Kahr are as follows; 1) Random trigger reset failures. 2) Multiple FTF, FTE issues 3) Slide chewing up the polymer frame badly. 4) Guide rod severely grooved. 5) Crack in the frame behind slide stop. 6) No longer able to field strip firearm as something has fallen apart within the gun preventing disassembly.
I could understand having one or even two of the issues which I listed above. But after only 600 rounds no firearm should that many problems. To put a firearm of such low quality out on the market is totally unacceptable IMO.
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Would a new belt make any difference for IWB? I work on a farm so I like to have it tucked just to help prevent it from snagging on anything
5'6" 145lbs and these are my main two carry pieces:
~2% of the time with this: Kahr PM9 with 7rd mag and grip extension + an extra mag. Holster is Garrett Industries Silent Thunder IWB tuckable holster.
98% of the time with this: HK P2000SK 9mm with 13rd mag and grip extension + an extra mag. Holster is Garrett Industries Silent Thunder IWB tuckable holster.
Yg
~2% of the time with this: Kahr PM9 with 7rd mag and grip extension + an extra mag. Holster is Garrett Industries Silent Thunder IWB tuckable holster.
98% of the time with this: HK P2000SK 9mm with 13rd mag and grip extension + an extra mag. Holster is Garrett Industries Silent Thunder IWB tuckable holster.
Yg
Big4Freedom
New member
I really like the sig 938 for decent caliber in super small package. Sometimes the beaver tail will irritate a tiny bit if driving, but that's my favorite - in a stoner body shield.
If you didn't care about caliber, the sig p238 is super simple to carry and is a great gun in the crossbreed microclip. Of course the LCP that was mentioned in that caliber is truly the smallest and a true pocket gun. I'll sometimes use that when really needing to conceal with no other options, clothes-wise.
I haven't carried, but assume the LC9s would be good too in 9MM.
I also like the shield 40 and kahr cm40 in those calibers. The glock 27 works if I'm willing to deal with a little wider and more weight.
I have the xds, but, for me, it's just too much weight, very similar to glock 27.
Good luck.
If you didn't care about caliber, the sig p238 is super simple to carry and is a great gun in the crossbreed microclip. Of course the LCP that was mentioned in that caliber is truly the smallest and a true pocket gun. I'll sometimes use that when really needing to conceal with no other options, clothes-wise.
I haven't carried, but assume the LC9s would be good too in 9MM.
I also like the shield 40 and kahr cm40 in those calibers. The glock 27 works if I'm willing to deal with a little wider and more weight.
I have the xds, but, for me, it's just too much weight, very similar to glock 27.
Good luck.
railroader
New member
buckfynn wrote
I don't understand why haven't you sent this gun back to kahr to be fixed or replaced. This is a no brainer. My kahr cm9 broke a couple of mag followers so I shipped it back on there dime. I had the gun back fixed in two weeks. It runs like a top. I'm now looking for a good deal on a cm45.
I don't understand why haven't you sent this gun back to kahr to be fixed or replaced. This is a no brainer. My kahr cm9 broke a couple of mag followers so I shipped it back on there dime. I had the gun back fixed in two weeks. It runs like a top. I'm now looking for a good deal on a cm45.
railroader
New member
He can't even field strip and it has a cracked frame I would be demanding a new gun.
railroader
New member
Sorry to hear that you went through that. Kahr took care of my problem.
Obviously the problems with my Kahr CW9 need to be resolved one way or another.
Railroader's solution of sending my firearm back to Kahr for repair is only a partial fix to the overall problem I have with the CW9. Even if Kahr would sent me a new pistol of comparable quality, I doubt if I could ever trust one for a defensive carry weapon.
The materials in my CW9 displayed excessive wear only after 600 rounds which to me is indication of both a poor design and using substandard materials. And the problems I have described in my Kahr aren't unique. A quick internet search show many others are have the same or similar problems which I have experienced with their Kahr pistols.
On other forums I have read where Kahr owners have suggested the shavings coming off the polymer frame are considered normal and are due to Kahr's "tight tolerances" and the same was said about the guide rod wear. Normal perhaps for a Kahr but no one can convince me that it should be acceptable. My Glock 21SF, XDS-45, FNP-45, USP-45, M&P-40 Pro, and Ruger 22/45 are all made with a polymer frames and none of them show any signs of wear or failure anywhere on the firearms similar to my Kahr. So once again I conclude the Kahr polymer pistols are materially deficient compared to the other firearms offered on the market with poly frames IMO.
My Kahr is still under warranty and I could send back to them for repair or replacement. But it is still not my prefered option for a fair resolution to my problem.
Railroader's solution of sending my firearm back to Kahr for repair is only a partial fix to the overall problem I have with the CW9. Even if Kahr would sent me a new pistol of comparable quality, I doubt if I could ever trust one for a defensive carry weapon.
The materials in my CW9 displayed excessive wear only after 600 rounds which to me is indication of both a poor design and using substandard materials. And the problems I have described in my Kahr aren't unique. A quick internet search show many others are have the same or similar problems which I have experienced with their Kahr pistols.
On other forums I have read where Kahr owners have suggested the shavings coming off the polymer frame are considered normal and are due to Kahr's "tight tolerances" and the same was said about the guide rod wear. Normal perhaps for a Kahr but no one can convince me that it should be acceptable. My Glock 21SF, XDS-45, FNP-45, USP-45, M&P-40 Pro, and Ruger 22/45 are all made with a polymer frames and none of them show any signs of wear or failure anywhere on the firearms similar to my Kahr. So once again I conclude the Kahr polymer pistols are materially deficient compared to the other firearms offered on the market with poly frames IMO.
My Kahr is still under warranty and I could send back to them for repair or replacement. But it is still not my prefered option for a fair resolution to my problem.
I originally purchased the Kahr CW9 from Sportsman's Warehouse in Meridian, Idaho. When I purchased the firearm the salesman requested a range report after I had a chance to evaluate the gun. So after many months I got back to him listing all the problems I have had with the Kahr.
After listening to me his response was, "Sounds to me like you need to sell that gun to someone you hate."
Needless to say I was more than shocked by such a response, especially him being a firearm salesman.
First off I couldn't believe he would recommend me to dump a defective firearm off on another person.
Secondly after I was at home I started thinking to myself. Maybe the salesman at Sportsman's Warehouse hates me and deliberately sold me a defective firearm.
So anyways I am in the process of drafting an email to the local Sportsman's Warehouse manager and also a corporate executive on this issue.
My preference is for Sportsman's Warehouse to give me a full refund for the Kahr. And Sportsman's Warehouse can battle it out with Kahr for a reimbursement.
And if that doesn't work I will deal with Kahr directly.
I will give an update on this forum after the dust settles concerning my Kahr CW9.
After listening to me his response was, "Sounds to me like you need to sell that gun to someone you hate."
Needless to say I was more than shocked by such a response, especially him being a firearm salesman.
First off I couldn't believe he would recommend me to dump a defective firearm off on another person.
Secondly after I was at home I started thinking to myself. Maybe the salesman at Sportsman's Warehouse hates me and deliberately sold me a defective firearm.
So anyways I am in the process of drafting an email to the local Sportsman's Warehouse manager and also a corporate executive on this issue.
My preference is for Sportsman's Warehouse to give me a full refund for the Kahr. And Sportsman's Warehouse can battle it out with Kahr for a reimbursement.
And if that doesn't work I will deal with Kahr directly.
I will give an update on this forum after the dust settles concerning my Kahr CW9.
spacemanspiff
New member
I'd recommend eating fattier deep fried foods and lots of donuts. Pack on some weight and you can carry anything cause the gun just sinks inside the rolls on your waist.
I already eat as many fatty and fried foods as I can. I'm just lucky in that I can eat as much of whatever I want without gaining much weight.I'd recommend eating fattier deep fried foods and lots of donuts. Pack on some weight and you can carry anything cause the gun just sinks inside the rolls on your waist.