suggestions for a Single stack 9mm metal frame and slide?

Colt is chambering the full size Government models and Commander models in 9mm for 2015. Also available in it's XSE models.
 
+1 Kahr

MK9 Elite or K9 Elite or T9.

I love my K9 Elite.

candlejackstraw, what is the purpose of the gun? Is it concealed carry? If so, Kahr's really excell. At 0.9" as opposed to a 1911's ~1.4" width, Kahrs are pretty skinny. Then it's a matter of length and height. MK9's are the smallest, like a 3-finger gun. K9's are compact but still 4-finger guns, and finally T9's are "full-sized" with a 4" barrel.
 
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Right on. I'd steer you to the K9 or T9 then if it is just for range use. Either could flex into the concealed carry role well, however.
 
I love the zastavas. They function great! My m70a has had no malfunctions while my m88a had only one malfunction, stovepipe on the second round through it. I just wish I could find more magazines for them.
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Norinco 213 9mm mags (the short ones) work just fine in the 88s. You just lose the finger rest floor plate.
 
I once had a Kahr T9 and thought it was a very nice pistol. However I noticed that even though it was a single stack, it's Pau Ferro wooden grips made it essentially as thick through the grip as my Browning Hi-Power with thin G10 Hogue grips. Since few pistols are thinner than the Hi-Power through the frame and slide I ended up trading the T9 for another Hi-power. :). Either the K9 or T9 are really nice, though.
 
I am a fan of a 9mm single stack (stainless for me) pistols. I enjoy S&W 3913NL, 3953, 3904, 3906, Sig P6, Springfield Armory 1911 9mm. There is just something great about a good single stack pistol. The 3904 is my favorite carry weapon.
 
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Re Laz: Yes, the wooden grips are too thick. Agreed. I had the stock rubber grips on my K9, but I bought pau ferro grips for mine and they were totally inappropriate... until I had them reduced.

And I would also agree, the T9 grips need to be reduced.
 
Someone else mentioned it, but I'm going to toss it in again.

Smith & Wesson's Model 39-2. One of, if not THE most comfortable pistols I've ever held in my hand. Good looking and good shooting to boot. Alloy frame, steel slide, wood grips...Metal and wood. They way guns are supposed to be made. ;)

I've owned three or four over the years, but have always traded and sold them off for something else. I keep telling myself I'm a revolver guy but I'm sort of looking out one eye for another one now. I got bit by the semi-auto bug again it seems.
 
I just got a S&W 539, which is the all-steel variant of the 439, itself descended from the 39 and 39-2.
The size and shape are similar to a Commander, but with a truly awful DA/SA trigger.
It was succeeded by the . . . 3906(?), but there were lots of variations, some already mentioned.
A minty 539 was on gunbroker a couple of days ago; last time I looked, the high bid was less than $450.
 
RickB said:
...S&W 539... was succeeded by the . . . 3906(?), but there were lots of variations...
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Here's a rundown of the S&W 9mm single-stacks.

1st-generation: Wood screw-on grip panels, 8rd mag, separate barrel bushing, LH-side decocker/safety, integral front sight, blade-style rear sight that adjusts for windage only, no trigger-actuated firing pin block. All models have steel slides.
  • 39 no-dash: Steel frame, blue or nickel finish, uncommon and sought after.
  • 39-2: Alloy frame, blue or nickel finish, far more common and generally cheaper than no-dash.
2nd-generation: RH-side ambidextrous decocker/safety initially optional and later standard, trigger-actuated firing-pin block added, rear sight changed to standard drift-adjustable blade or optional (and big!) fully windage-and-elevation screw-adjustable unit, various internal improvements. Otherwise similar to 1st-gen.
  • 439: Alloy frame, steel slide, blue or nickel finish, far more common and generally cheaper than 539.
  • 539: Steel frame and slide, blue or nickel finish. Only offered for 3 years IIRC; few sold.
  • 639: Stainless steel frame and slide.
3rd-generation: Grip changed to one-piece wraparound matte black plastic. Various internal and external improvements including beveled mag well, integral barrel bushing, coned barrel. Compact and subcompact models introduced. Ambidextrous safety lever generally standard, although omitted on "Value Series" and a few compact models. Front sight mounted in dovetail. Fixed rear sight initially blade-style, but changed to slanted Novak-style in 1992, and adjustable unit still offered on full-size models (the three types do NOT interchange unless the entire slide is swapped over). 9rd mags introduced on full-size models late in model run.
  • 3904: Full-size, black alloy frame, matte blue steel slide. Only produced for 3 years.
  • 3906: Full-size, stainless steel frame and slide. Only produced for 3 years.
  • 3913: Compact, silver color alloy frame, stainless slide.
  • 3914: Compact, black alloy frame, matte blue steel slide.
  • 3953: DAO 3913.
  • 3954: DAO 3914.
  • CS9 "Chief's Special": Subcompact version of 3913/3914; blue and SS versions offered.
  • 908: "Value Series" lower-priced version of 3914 with less refined slide machining, various plastic parts, and no RH-side decocker/safety.
  • 908S: "Value Series" 3913.
  • 909: "Value Series" 3904, only produced for 1 year.
  • 952: Pricey and highly accurized Performance Center SAO pistol roughly based on 3906 but with earlier-style grip panels; blue finish offered on some versions.
The 3913 and 3914 were also offered in a LadySmith or "LS" version with a slant-cut frame, light grey grip unit on 3913, "LadySmith" frame script, and a cute purple gun rug; there was also a "NL" version, which was basically the LadySmith without the last two features, for buyers who felt their masculinity was threatened. ;) The 3913 and 3953 were offered in a "Tactical" or "TSW" version with a black hammer, trigger, and slide stop; additional slide and frame machining; an accessory rail; and a big and butch (or gauche, depending on your taste) TACTICAL slide legend.
 
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Not to get too far afield . . .
There were some very few steel-framed 39s, but most were alloy. The 39-2 featured an improved extractor and barrel feed ramp.
There was also a single action only variant called the 44, but even though they were cataloged for a number of years, I don't think any were ever sold to the public.
The 639, being all stainless, was not blued or nickel plated.

After I got my 539, I discovered that fewer than 2000 were nickel plated.

image31_zpsi7f7nf5x.jpg
 
Since you have a 1911, get the Walther p38/p1 handgun: you will have a gun of the design used on both sides of WW II and the left side walther ejection usually gets attention at the range.

Walther da trigger pull is not great, but sa can be good.

Sig p225/p6 has a better trigger out of box.

Star Model B can feel very good, but you have to follow directions due to its firing pin design. Cocked&Locked is fine. Empty chamber is fine. Hammer down on loaded chamber will probably discharge rapidly.
 
The best single stack full size 9mm ever made was the Benelli B76. It was made with high quality parts to precision. It was extremely accurate, and looked great.

Old copies still go for $700+
 
I'm a big fan of the Zastava M88a that the OP says he already has. The problem with them (for me) is how rough they are on the inside. I had to really work mine over to get it as smooth as I like . It's a little like a kit gun to me and their low price reflects it. I expect to go through them and iron out all the wrinkles to make it run well and smooth. They certainly can be very nice ,trim, all steel pistols. Somewhat outdated technology, but so am I.:)
 
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