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I think he's decided on the sr9 and lc9.

I explained the pros and cons of the magazine disconnect safety. I could honestly go either way on it. It's like 90% of the choices with regards to weapons choices. Each one has it's advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is to be aware of them and make decisions based on as much information as you can get. Then train to minimize the disadvatages and maximize the advantages.

To be honest, I've never fully agreed with everyone elses choices. However, they aren't me and I'm not them. I strive not to be the "Mr.Know-it-all" you seem to meet often that is convinced they know THE answer and everyone else is wrong.

I tend to try to give the pros and cons and let people make up their own mind.

The great thing is that there are just so many great guns out there to choose from.

punkndisorderly wrote:I think he's decided on the sr9 and lc9.

I hop he at least dryfires both the Ruger choices and the S&W choices before buying. I honestly don't see how someone can choose the Ruger trigger feel over the M&P.

Jumping Frog wrote:

punkndisorderly wrote:I think he's decided on the sr9 and lc9.

I hop he at least dryfires both the Ruger choices and the S&W choices before buying. I honestly don't see how someone can choose the Ruger trigger feel over the M&P.

I agree on the bad trigger in the LC9 but the SR9c has a great trigger at least to me. I assume the full size SR9 has the same trigger. The M&P is a great gun but the reset on the trigger is almost impossible to feel without a trigger job. That may not be important to everyone but to some people feeling the reset help maintain constant trigger contact during controlled pairs and long strings of fire. Now I hear the Shield has an excellent trigger but I have not had a chance to fire one. I was excited about the LC9 until I pulled trigger on one. The LC9 has a long double action trigger almost like a revolver. I love my SR9c but like you said dry firing is a must because everyone has different tastes in triggers.

To the OP, the mag release safety can easily be removed on the SR9 there are YouTube videos on how to do it. Not sure about the LC9.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvS-LhKL ... ata_player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My M&P 9mm Shield has a very nice trigger with a short and distinct reset. It seems to be high quality for the price. It shot very accurately right out of the box with zero failures. Easy to conceal too. There are lots of good choices out there. I'm not claiming this to be the only or the best one, but it is a good gun IMO. I am very happy with it. I did read when researching it, though, that at least some of the .40 has had issues with magazine drops. The 9mm has a good rep for being dependable.

TheDude wrote:
I agree on the bad trigger in the LC9 but the SR9c has a great trigger at least to me.

I agree, I loved the trigger on the SR9c when I tried it out. It was my second choice to a Glock 19 as a carry piece. I like everything about the LC9 except the heavy, long trigger and the magazine disconnect safety.

I don't pocket carry since I carry stuff in my front pockets. I also see that it would be slow to draw from. I carry IWB at the 3:00 position. I have to agree with a couple of other posters on here. If one can do it all why spend the money on a different pistol when you can get mags, ammo, and training with the money you saved.

As for your other requirements I have to disagree. I dislike thumb safeties and mag release safeties. (I politely ask you to reconsider your requirements) You may need that one round in the chamber when there is no mag in the pistol. I dislike thumb safeties since its one more manipulation of your pistol you're going to have to remember to do under stress. In addition all these safeties add more parts to the pistol that could go wrong. I also feel that all these safeties can lead to unsafe gun handling practices as people will become complacent thinking that the safety will work and keep them safe.

A good catch all size would be a Glock 19. As people say its small enough to conceal but big enough to fight with. In addition there are compact sized H&Ks (USPC, PK2000SK) and a lot of people have started to talk about the Walther PPQ. Personally I wouldn't trust my life to anything smaller than a 9mm.

added text: the nice thing about the compact sized pistols in the USPC and G19 size is that they can be used as both home defense and carry use. All of my pistols are able to be carried and home defense.

Thanks again for all the input.

It's not for me, I'm running a more conventional setup: G26 for carry and G34 for home. I keep threatening to switch back to a full size 1911 and running one pistol for everything. The only reasons I haven't:
-retraining myself to use a safety again
-investing the money in new carry gear and some custom work on my 1911

I offered to sell my setup to my dad and rebuy. He didn't take me up on it.

-he was set on pocket carry. I explained the disadvantages. The G26 was too big.
-he was set on having a thumb safety and magazine safety. I explained the advantages and disadvantages.

If it was my money, I would have made different choices. I have the benefit of 10 years of carry, having owned dozens of handguns, having a bunch of hours of training, having read extensively on the subject, etc.

These will be his first handguns. Either he will continue to shoot and learn more and prove my cardinal rule: the first handgun you buy is always the wrong one, but it gets you one step closer to finding the right one, or he will join the put it in a drawer never to be seen again until theres a bump in the night club

Hey at least he wants to carry. If the safety helps to make him comfortable enough to carry his gun loaded (round in the chamber) then that's a good thing. I was set on a thumb safety too when I first started carrying. If I didn't like the SR9s trigger so much I would switch to a G19 now that I have carried for a few years. I will eventually buy one when I have the cash....well if they are available with full mag capacity by then. I think the LC9 is a great gun I just hate the trigger. It will serve him well as a defensive pistol. Tell him to consider a crimson trace laser! Makes shooting those little guns much easier and should help him master that long trigger. Ball and dummy drills works wonders with a laser.

With all those safety requirements, he could have simply said, "I want a Ruger". It would have been much easier.

True dat!

Ruger does kinda go overboard.

Don't have a strong opinion on safeties. It's all about spending the time training with whatever it is. It didn't bother me to have them on my 1911 when I carried it. Lots of time practicing draw, on target, safety off, safety on, reholster. Doesn't bother me not having one with the Glock as long as it's holstered.

Sounds like he's serious about really learning the in's and out's which is good. If he decides he wants something else, I'd probably be willing to buy either from him. Either would be handy for instructional purposes with new folks. The SR9 would give my Glock a rest from being the "let me teach you the basics" role and it would be nice to have a Gun smaller than the 26 to give new folks a feel for what you're giving up going from a full size to a pocket gun.