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Pistol Packing Mommy

9mm for small hands (thin grip)

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Looking for a 9mm with thin grips. Possibly a single stack. My husband has PX4, 92FS Vertec and CZ 75BD (which I love). All but the CZ are to large a grip for me. I have a Buckmark .22 and Bersa Thunder .380. Would love to jump on the 9mm band wagon but having trouble finding my comfort level with the handling and grip of husband's 9mms. Looked into Springfield 1911 (too much money). Found some favorable reviews on the RIA 1911 9mm. HELP!

 

I wear a Men's medium glove and needed to add one of the medium backstrap to a G19 Gen4. You should try a G19 without any of the additional bacsktraps added. When I tried the G19 Gen4 new out of the box the grip and trigger reach was too small for me so I added one of the backstraps.

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Having tiny hobbit hands there are a few pistols that fit my hand well and I enjoy shooting:

 

Compacts:

Walther PPS (if you're okay with low capacity mags),

Springfield XDm compact with a Pearce grip extension (Pearce Grip Extension),

Glock 19 Gen 4 with small size backstrap,

Full size:

Sig P226e2,

Walther PPQ with small size backstrap

 

I love the Springfield and Glock for their simplicity and reliability although they are all high quality firearms.

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Looking for a 9mm with thin grips. Possibly a single stack. My husband has PX4, 92FS Vertec and CZ 75BD (which I love). All but the CZ are to large a grip for me. I have a Buckmark .22 and Bersa Thunder .380. Would love to jump on the 9mm band wagon but having trouble finding my comfort level with the handling and grip of husband's 9mms. Looked into Springfield 1911 (too much money). Found some favorable reviews on the RIA 1911 9mm. HELP!

 

The shortest trigger reach option available for GLOCK is the Gen4 frame. Without backstraps, the trigger distance is reduced by 2mm / 0.08 in. compared to the Standard Gen3 frame. Adding the medium backstrap adds an additional 2mm / 0.08 in which equals the original trigger reach of the Standard sized Gen3 frame. The large backstrap added to the Gen4 frame increases the trigger reach by 4mm / 0.16 in.

 

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smallest to largest grip from my experience (9mm)

 

Double stack

 

Ruger SR9 C

BHP (I think CZ is around the same)

HK P30 with small inserts

Glock 19 Gen4

Beretta 92

Sig 226/228/229 old style grip (E2 would be noticeably smaller, Elite grips are FAT!)

Glock 19 Gen 3

 

Single Stack

 

Springfield EMP (1911 frame but unlike other 9mm 1911 this gun has smaller grip dimension from front strap to back)

Sig 225

Sig 210

HK P7

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Take a look at the Ruger SR9. I've been reseaching this gun for weeks now. It's supposed to have a 1911'ish narrow grip and still hold a NJ legal 10-round clip or a 17-round clip for others.

 

The SR9 would be a good choice, but you would be limited to 10-round magazines.

 

You may want to consider the Ruger P89 or P95. The FNH FNP 9M might be a very nice choice for you if you can find one. It is double stack and 15-rounds, but it feels good in hand. Also check into a Taurus PT809

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Beretta made a 92 FS Compact Type M which is a single stack 9mm. They are not made anymore and you would have to buy used. I have never owned one but I have seen and handled them. They are really an awesome example of a single stack 9mm.

 

BTW, They were made in Inox also.

 

swtt9e.jpg

 

 

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Beretta made a 92 FS Compact Type M which is a single stack 9mm. They are not made anymore and you would have to buy used. I have never owned one but I have seen and handled them. They are really an awesome example of a single stack 9mm.

 

BTW, They were made in Inox also.

 

 

 

Would that be the Beretta M9 that is now used by our military?

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Would that be the Beretta M9 that is now used by our military?

 

The Military Beretta M9 is a full size 92 with double stack 15 rd mags. The 92 Compact Type M is a compact version of the 92 with a single stack 8 rd mag. They also made a 92 compact double stack 13 rd pistol called the Type L.

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The Browning Hi Power is a good choice although a double stack. Has great ergonomics and is good for small hands expecially with grips like the VZ Slims.

 

There is/was no single stack P226. It has always been double stack and the grip is not for small hands IMHO. There was a German P220 9mm but it has not been made in a long time.

 

Thw Sig P239 is a single stack 9mm and a good choice. Same for the p228, p225, P6 although these are no longer made.

 

In 45 ACP the Sig P245 works but can be hard to find.

 

All are all metal pistols.

 

My choice would be the HP. Very, very reliable.

 

 

This is correct. I feel that the sig 226 in the E2 grips or some aftermarket Hogue G10's would do. The hogue's slim the grip down and I use them on all my sig's. I would stay away from the p239 as is barrel is relatively short and can give the shooter more recoil then they want to deal with.

 

My personal feeling are that they should look to try out a p225/ p6, p228 or the p226 with the e2 grip.

 

Though the p225/ p6 and the p228 are not made anymore, thre really is no shortage in the used market. My p225 was made in 2009. There was several runs of 228's in 2009 and 2010.

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There is/was no single stack P226. It has always been double stack and the grip is not for small hands IMHO. There was a German P220 9mm but it has not been made in a long time.

 

Thw Sig P239 is a single stack 9mm and a good choice. Same for the p228, p225, P6 although these are no longer made.

 

 

http://www.gunsamerica.com/976861064/Guns/Pistols/Sig-Sauer-Sigarms-Pistols/Sig_P225_P6_9MM_Single_Stack.htm

 

Yeah - I blew it by one digit - it was a P225 My buddy's "crew" switched over to the 239 from a double stack sig and he's much happier with it. If it's good enough for the unnamed agencies, it's good...

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http://www.gunsameri...ingle_Stack.htm

 

Yeah - I blew it by one digit - it was a P225 My buddy's "crew" switched over to the 239 from a double stack sig and he's much happier with it. If it's good enough for the unnamed agencies, it's good...

 

Its actually a great gun that sig made. Very versatile and a real good otb trigger. Normal mags are 8 round and you can get 10 rounders for em too.

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Would that be the Beretta M9 that is now used by our military?

 

Nope. There are very few real differences between the 92FS and Commercial M9.

http://www.berettaforum.net/vb/faq.php?faq=bf_faq_bhandguns#faq_bf_faq_bh_diff

 

The Compact Type M is a rare bird, but nice in the hand.

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Some questions for you...

 

How is a grip typically too large you? In other words, is the grip too big lengthwise, girthwise, length to trigger, other? For myself, I find the main criteria of at least being able to reach the trigger being flush on the pad on my trigger finger, the first component to shooting a pistol accurately. I have med-lrg hands and grip feel is important as well. Something to consider also, you mention you are thinking of a single stack as an option. While true, the typical grip circumference may be thinner, recoil typically while be felt more. I believe it's because the recoil has a smaller area to dissipate across vs. the typically wider grip of a double stack mag.

 

Aside from all that....

 

Choices I would recommend a look at...

 

HKP7(M8) - The gun is a little odd since you have to compress the front strap of the grip and hold it there to fire. This is the manual safety system of the pistol. It is a single stack 8 shot 9mm. There have a slew of the older P7 and P7 PSP models that have come in as used from the German police forces. These are available used in the $550 and up area. It is an exceptionally accurate pistol w/ a consistent trigger pull.

 

Sig P225/P6 - Also an 8 shot 9mm developed around the same time in the 70's for German police trials as the HK P7 and Walther P5. I had one based on stellar reviews and wound up selling it as I found the grip comfortable but to too small to be stable on. It's basically a single stack version of the venerable Sig P228, which holds 13rnds in a double stack mag. The 225 is the American flavor w/ thumb activated mag release. The P6 is the German police version w/ heal mounted mag release. P225's are probably in the $550 and up for new, while the P6's I've seen sold as surplus in the $300'ish and up zone.

 

Walther P5 - The next generation of the Walther P38/P1. Single stack 9mm that is very refined and accurate. Like the P6 & P7, also a single stack 9mm.

 

Glock Gen4 G19 or G26 - I have 4 pre Gen4 Glocks and a Gen4 G23 (same physical size as the G19). Like others have said, the grip is 2mm smaller from back strap to front strap/trigger face. It doesn't sound like much, but it does make a huge difference. I'd seriously give a hard look at this one.

 

Browning High Power - Of all the pistols l've listed, take a look at this one. As others have mentioned, the grip is just about the smallest you could make on a double stack and it is very comfortable. I had one that I bought new and then sold for a 1911. To be fair, the pistol had the worst trigger I've felt on a pistol and I got hammer bite as I've got a meaty area in the web of my hand. If your hand is small, the hammer bite shouldn't be a factor. If you, or your husband is handy, I understand there are drop in parts from Cylinder & Slide which really help the trigger pull.

 

CZ P-01/PCR - You mentioned you really liked your husbands. Perhaps a more compact model of the same? I find the CZ's very likeable pistols as well.

 

Walther PPQ - Sort of Glock 19 sized w/ an excellent trigger and accuracy w/ multiple backstraps.

 

Sig P229/P228 w/ E2 grip - Excellent accuracy and reliablity. The E2 grip really slims it down. I have an older P226 (fullsize 9mm) that I put the E2 grip on and it made a big difference.

 

HK P2000/USP Compact - These pistols offer excellent accuracy and reliability. The P2000 has multiple backstraps. HK's are known for being relatively expensive w/ expensive mags. They are also known for being exceptionally tough and accurate.

 

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any more examples of small 9mm pistols before going into the realm of single stack 9mm's designed for carry. In this class, recoil will be more pronounced and sight radius reduced. I don't have a pistol in this class, but I'd look at the Walther PPS or some flavor of Kahr.

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I have sig229 Enhanced Elite and it has the e2 grip, the grip is quite small. I have the px4 full size and I feel the sig is smaller then the px4. Another option based on what I have tried would be maybe a glock G19, those three guns would be smallest I think as far as double stacked mags go. Walther PPQ seems like a contender as well but I have not tried one yet, hopefully will soon.

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The G19 Gen 4 grip doesn't sound smaller on paper. hold one along side of a Gen 3 it makes a world of difference. I have medium sized hands and the only thing I didn't like about the G19 Gen 3 was that I couldn't hold the pad of my trigger finger square on the trigger. Now I can with the G4 and grip overall feels much slimmer. It still is square though, but it might not be a bad thing.

 

Ruger SR9 is the thinnest one I have but it doesn't feel that great in hand. BHP grip is really thin for a double stack but the trigger really sucks. I have a Novak custom BHP and it had a trigger job done and still feels kinda bad relative to my other pistols.

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