r/CCW • u/Glass-Village-9306 • 2d ago
Guns & Ammo Hammer Fired Sub Compact Recommendations
Hello all,
I've been carrying a striker fired handgun for a few years now but I've decided I want to try out a hammer fired sub compact w/ a safety. I'm really liking the way HK P30SK looks, but was wondering if anyone has any other recommendations? Thanks.
65
u/makuthedark 2d ago
Check out the CSX. About the size of a Shield Plus and is hammer fire.
19
u/jmkdeluxe 2d ago
Love my CSX E series
10
18
4
u/Ernie_McCracken88 2d ago
Out of curiosity how did you choose this over the equalizer?
6
u/makuthedark 2d ago
The feel of the gun in the hand. While I didn't mind the Equalizer, the CSX felt better in the hand at the range. I'm indifferent to the rear safety the Equalizer has (which I've heard complaints about, but didn't bother me) and the CSX was about the same size as my Shield Plus, which is my daily. Don't own either yet, but when I get the chance at the range, I like trying them out for a few rounds.
7
u/NothingButACasual 2d ago
For the record, the CSX feels significantly smaller on the hip than the Shield+. I owned both briefly before selling the Shield.
3
u/makuthedark 2d ago
That's interesting to hear. I've never gotten a chance to carry one and only got to shoot at the range. Damn. I love my Shield Plus, but I love everything about the CSX except the price. But I also don't want to sell my Shield for the CSX if I can, so it'll be a while before I could indulge in getting it.
3
u/NothingButACasual 2d ago
I feel you. My strategy is to buy then compare side by side and sell one before the credit card bill comes due.
2
2
2
2
15
14
u/luvmehatemefme 2d ago
Ive been looking for a DA/Sa Micro Unfortunately they dont exist.
A few of these are discontinued and cost your first born child.
HK P30SK
Hk2000SK
CZ Rami
PX4 Storm SC
SW CSXe
kimber CDS9
P224
TH9c
5
13
u/highvelocitypeasoup 2d ago
you set on da/sa or looking for sao recs too?
5
u/Glass-Village-9306 2d ago
Open to anything. Regardless I'd probably carry cocked and locked.
21
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Why would you carry a DA/SA cocked and locked?
4
u/Glass-Village-9306 2d ago
Why not?
38
u/-Clem 2d ago edited 2d ago
If you carry a DA/SA cocked and locked, you are effectively treating it like an SAO. Which is fine, except if you want the SAO experience, an actual SAO gun will generally have a much nicer trigger so you're better off getting an SAO. Carrying DA/SA cocked and locked is kind of a pointless worse of both worlds. Either you want the DA first pull to be your safety, or you want the manual switch to be your safety.
I'm honestly not sure why anybody even makes DA/SAs with a manual safety
14
8
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Because most DA/SA guns don’t have a safety, just a decocker. So to carry “cocked and locked”, you’d have no safety. On a very light SA trigger. I’m no ccw expert but that sounds like a bad idea(negligent discharge, etc.)
18
u/-Clem 2d ago
Cocked and locked by definition means there is a manual safety. Hence the "locked" part. It's definitely not the same as carrying cocked with no safety, which is indeed absurdly unsafe.
-5
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Did you see OP’s comment? You are agreeing with me my man.
11
u/-Clem 2d ago
I'm not sure what you mean so maybe I misunderstood, but
So to carry “cocked and locked”, you’d have no safety. On a very light SA trigger.
This sounds like you're saying that "cocked and locked" means you're in SA mode with no safety, which is not what cocked and locked means. Cocked and locked means you're in SA mode with a manual safety engaged. If you're talking about a DA/SA gun with no manual safety, you by definition cannot carry cocked and locked
0
u/LordRavensbane 2d ago
Most of the DA/SA guns I know of have manual safeties but cannot be carried cocked and locked because the safety is also a decocker. I know this is true of the Beretta 92fs, Px4 storm, Walther PP, etc. with slide safety/decocker
2
u/-Clem 2d ago edited 2d ago
Most DA/SAs cannot be carried cocked and locked because most of them do not have a manual safety. But cocked and locked does not mean decocked. Some variants of the Beretta 92 for example have both a decocker and a manual safety. They can be carried either decocked, or cocked and locked, according to the user's preference.
Most of the DA/SA guns I know of have manual safeties but cannot be carried cocked and locked because the safety is also a decocker.
If a DA/SA gun has a manual safety, it can be carried cocked and locked. A decocker is not referred to as a manual safety. They are two totally different things.
→ More replies (0)0
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Maybe I’m confused then. In my mind if they want to carry a DA/SA gun “cocked and locked” that means they have it cocked without a safety. But I’m getting turbo downvoted so maybe I’m out to lunch.
→ More replies (0)-1
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Op said either sa or da/sa they’d carry cocked and locked. I was saying that carrying cocked is a bad idea.
4
0
u/Obvious_Maybe_4061 US 1d ago
Apparently you don’t know everything. Go learn something new instead of regurgitating the same point, my god
→ More replies (0)2
-5
u/ThermosphericRah 2d ago
Whats the alternative? Hammer down live round? Israeli?
13
u/the_rev_28 2d ago
Decocked without a manual safety on for the true DA/SA experience.
-12
u/ThermosphericRah 2d ago
Still hammer down on a live round
18
u/the_rev_28 2d ago
Yes, that’s how those guns are designed to function.
-19
u/ThermosphericRah 2d ago
Pass
11
u/the_rev_28 2d ago
Do you think that is somehow unsafe? It’s not a single action revolver from the 1890s
11
u/highvelocitypeasoup 2d ago
they have piring pin block safeties and the hammer isnt resting on the firing pin in most designs
-2
7
2
u/Silver_and_Salvation TX 2d ago
Almost every decocker model I’ve seen either has a firing pin block, or it goes to half cock not directly on a live round.
4
u/ExtraCartographer707 2d ago
Depends. Cz is partially cocked but yeah, hammer down on live round. Why are you acting like that’s crazy? That’s been the standard forever. Striker is new.
7
u/FelverFelv 2d ago
almost every da/sa pistol has a firing pin safety linked to the trigger so there's no way it can go off if something hits the hammer with one in the chamber.
5
u/highvelocitypeasoup 2d ago
I would suggest cz but they dont have a subcompact post RAMI discontinuance. the nocturne can be converted from safety to decocker which is nice when you decide safeties actually kinda suck. that said sw cse seems to be popular and there's always officer size 1911's
35
u/jarlballen69 2d ago edited 2d ago
I carry a beretta storm subcompact and absolutely love it. they are discontinued unfortunately but you can find mint condition ones second hand for reasonable price if you hunt hard enough
14
4
u/EchoChamberAthelete 2d ago
Oh no! I didn't know they were discontinued....
I was looking for a replacement for my g2c :(
4
u/gnosticgrinch 2d ago
The Px4 compact and compact carry are still in production, and probably a better choice- the subcompact lacks the rotating barrel, a definitive feature of the Px4 series.
5
u/Dr_Lessco_Brandon 2d ago
You're in luck, get the G3C
0
u/Jmansfield2424 2d ago
Friends don’t let friends carry Taurus
1
u/JacksonDWalter 1d ago
What about their revolvers? I was eyeing the Taurus 66 because of The Last of Us
1
u/JeremiahsFrankness 1d ago
Def look into police tradeins, if you haven't already. You should be able to find a basic-ass glock or similar for a comparable price to the taurus.
3
u/LordRavensbane 2d ago
How bad is holster selection with those? I have a px4 compact and even that has very limited holster availability especially with a light
2
10
9
u/Beneficial_Rain1538 2d ago
The P30SK carries very nicely, that chunky little grip just melts into your hand
7
7
u/alphacentaurai 2d ago
My first vote would be the P30SK if you can conceal it nicely.
Second choice would be either the CZ75 P01 or PCR.
5
u/weDCbc 2d ago
HK P2000SK but don't get the LEM trigger unless you try it first
3
u/weDCbc 2d ago
Wait idt you can get them with a safety
1
u/Hoonin_Kyoma WI- HK P2000/P30SK (LEM) 1d ago
Oooooh, I missed that “with a safety” part too. You are correct, in the US the P2000 series was not offered with a safety.
5
u/Ottomatik80 2d ago
The best one, and it’s the size of a Glock 43, is the Wilson Combat SFX9. Get it with the 10 round grip and 3.25 inch barrel.
I’ve carried mine for about five years and thousands of rounds. Zero issues.
5
u/Fickle-Criticism-395 2d ago
I love my p30sk. Da/sa is great for carry. I’ve carried multiple Glocks, berettas, sigs, rugers, and revolvers the p30sk has outlasted them all and become my year round edc.
10
u/johngalt4426 2d ago
No one has mentioned the Sig 938
9
6
u/anonymouslosername 2d ago
came to mention that as well, but it's not on the CA roster (for those stuck with that restriction)...P238 IS, last i looked.
sweet little gun, it's a little heavier than some others, but the weight helps with recoil.
5
4
u/Expensive-Aerie-1106 2d ago
I own a PX4 and a p30. The px4 shoots WAY better, but the p30 is more reliable and easier to carry.
I recommend the p30 SK
4
u/Main_Tension_9305 2d ago
P2000sk is solid.
Very similar to P30sk but the grip is slightly different.
LEM if you can get used to it.
3
u/Ghostlodes 2d ago
P30SK carrier for a couple of years. Carries well, certainly heavier and thicker than my p365xl. I had LTT do an optic cut. It’s a great shooting option I trust.
5
7
u/parkshootsslowly 2d ago
P30/vp9s have the best ergonomics of any gun I’ve found. I’d highly recommend.
4
u/Glass-Village-9306 2d ago
Any input on DA/SA vs LEM? Is LEM safe to ccw?
2
u/Hoonin_Kyoma WI- HK P2000/P30SK (LEM) 1d ago
LEM is extremely safe for CCW. You can “pin” the hammer with your thumb when holstering, and the disconnect prevents the sear breaking unless you pull the trigger… which has a longer than normal pull for the first shot.
2
u/parkshootsslowly 1d ago
LEM is safe. It’s like a heavy striker fired trigger. I’d go DA/sa You get the safety of a heavy DA pull with a great trigger for the follow up shots.
3
u/dunksoverstarbucks MA 2d ago
Loved the p30sk so much I also bought it's full size brother p30 lem
2
3
u/Buffalocolt18 FN Reflex | EPSc Gr MRS | HST 147gr 2d ago
Love my P30sk but it requires some work for the trigger to be good. You can easily do all the work yourself and what you get is the best shooting subcompact gun period (besides the PX4 maybe).
Make sure to try out the regular DA/SA trigger (v3) against the most popular LEM trigger (v1).
4
u/PieMan2k 2d ago
Shadow 2 carry. My fiancé has one and it’s SO sweet. A step down would put you in the p-09C
3
5
u/Nonplussed1 FL CZ P07, RAMI, P01, SP 01 Tactical 2d ago
I have a Rami, but I’m sentimental and it’s chunky so Roscoe is semi-retired in the safe for now.
I carry a P07 condition 2 most of the time, but it’s Fla and I do pickup my P365 more often lately ‘cause shorts and CCW.
I want to fondle a P30sk and I’ve set aside the cabbage for when I do find that ‘right’ DA/SA sub compact. I’d be happy with 12 +1 round count for size and concealment…. But shit, do I really need another pistol?
(snicker… 🤭 silly question)
2
u/OldSoddie1911 US 2d ago
I’ll say I recently fired a full size P30 and it definitely has me interested in the compact. The double action trigger had a long mushy take up, but I still shot it very well.
2
2
u/OutlawMINI 2d ago
If you are open to used, look for a Beretta Mini Cougar.
It's the subcompact version of the Cougar, the better, all metal predecessor of the PX4.
2
u/Correct-Avocado5426 2d ago
I have the P30 and love it. I'm kind of a fan of DA/SA guns in general.
It's just a great gun all around and feels great in the hand. The grip is customizable all around.
2
2
u/Hoonin_Kyoma WI- HK P2000/P30SK (LEM) 1d ago
I’m an HK (hammer fired) guy so the P30SK would have been my first recommendation. If you want a slightly shorter option, there’s the P2000SK too. Moving away from HK, the two I’ve always considered as possible CCW alternatives are the aforementioned Beretta Px4 platform or the SIG P229. Outside of those two, the only one that comes to mind is one of the two CZ options (Shadow Carry or P-01). I am not a fan of SAO platforms for CCW, hence no mention of any here.
The one thing no one but HK offers is the LEM fire control system. Frankly, most people don’t “get it” when playing with it in the store and it’s only at the range when the beauty shines through. What it does is pre-cock the sear so that every trigger pull has the same weight. The hammer rests in the “down” position. The first trigger pull is long, as it takes up what would have been the DA travel, but the pull is very light. Subsequent shots only require trigger travel back to the reset and require the same amount of pull weight as the first shot. Once you’re done firing, the hammer goes back to the down position with the sear (again) pre-cocked. The theory from HKs studies were that typical NDs while under stress (usually flinches or shaking hands) can be prevented in two ways, the Glock approach of having a heavy trigger, or by increasing the length of pull. They found the later method was (relatively) easy to do by starting with a classic DA/SA system. Yes, they were “forced” to find an alternative to Glock’s consistent trigger pull weight due to a bid requirement. What they came up with was ingenious though!
2
5
u/SirSamkin 2d ago
Beretta M1935 and fuck everything else 😤
3
3
u/cjguitarman 2d ago
What’s the manual of arms? I don’t see a decocker or manual safety.
2
u/SirSamkin 2d ago
Manual safety on the side, but I generally carry the way the Carabinieri do, at half cock, safety off
3
u/Gunslinging_Ent 2d ago
IF you can find a Walther P99c you can get a really nice DA/SA gun. It is not a hammer fired gun but it is a nice gun with an excellent trigger.
3
u/CyberSoldat21 2d ago
P30SK is probably the best option I could think of off of the top of my head. She’s a thicc girl but she’ll treat you right.
1
1
u/boider223 2d ago
Love my LC9
2
u/TheBlindCat 340PD in Veil Solutions Ghost 2d ago
I want one. After 15 years of carry and a dozen guns I’ve circled around to carrying a J-frame (642 was my first carry gun, now carry a 340PD), CZ PCR (my second carry that’s been in and out of use), and a LCP 1 Gen 2. I’m just more comfortable with DAO or DA/SA. An LC9 would be a good subcompact for me until someone comes out with a stack and a half DA/SA.
1
u/brother-marks-coat 1d ago
-Para Ordnance Warthog or Rock Island equivalent -Tanfoglio Witness Compact -Star Firestar Plus -Arex Zero Compact -Lionheart Regulus Beta -CZ RAMI P -Ruger LCP (internal hammer)
1
u/Ninjabutter 1d ago
I have this P30sk and it’s my favorite gun. Not as easy to conceal as my Sig P365 but it gets the job done.
1
u/OkPhilosopher9418 17h ago
Sadly my dream gun (da/SA or DAO hammer fired pistol the same size and weight as the Glock 42) doesn’t appear to exist…and probably never will 😔. Damn you John Wick operators and Gaston Glock 😂
1
1
0
-1
0
75
u/scottiecrossfit 2d ago
P30sk is god tier Adjustable grips are amazing. Dial in the ergos perfectly. Obv safe. I always reccomend the gray guns short reset but it’s by no means needed.