Para Carry 9

[Spc Lewis]

In my search for a new carry piece for my fiance I have stumbled upon the Para Ord Carry 9. She wants a small pistol that she can conceal on her person as well as be comfortable with putting it inside her handbag(when she cant have it on her). She wants a double action trigger and a manual safety. So far of the pistols I have showed her only two stand out to her; the smith and wesson bodyguard and the Carry 9. She is leaning toward the carry 9 assuming we can find one. The 1911 platform in 9mm with a LDA trigger seems perfect for what she want(I want to play with it too). So my question to you guys is, what experience do you have with the carry 9? Good or bad I would like to get as much info as possible while I am on the hunt for a decently priced one. And is this a gun that is safe to buy used?(IF I can find one)

Before anyone mentions the Springfield EMP, we looked at them as well and she really liked them but the single action trigger is something she is not comfortable with. Carrying it on her waist she said would not be a problem but she would not be comfortable with it in her purse.

Thanks for any help/advice or even another gun options that I may not know about.

[mrnyman]

Yes , your Gf is wise, no purse carry for single action, or Glocks or XD's or M&P's for that matter, you also should inform your GF that the LDA trigger is very light and smooth , there is no staging area or stacking , just one sweet straight pull and she's gone, i do not have a carry nine but i have this- Tac -S with the lda trigger, i would not recommend the lda trigger for purse carry either- just too light, with the series 80 set up and the grip safety it might be ok but i would trust a lda system rolling around in a pocket book.

A traditional sa/da is the best bet for pocketbook carry., with the fp locked and hammer down with a long heavy trigger pull , almost impossible to have a nd.

[victory]

There is no good pistol for purse carry, only good purses for pistol carry.

The best thing for purse carry is a purpose built rig (see: coranado leather, galco) or custom modified handbag that will isolate whatever pistol you want to carry from everything else in your purse and keep it accessible. Then carry whatever you want securely and safely.

If you're just going to let it bounce around with your tampons, leave it at home.

[harold63]

There is no good pistol for purse carry, only good purses for pistol carry.

If you're just going to let it bounce around with your tampons, leave it at home.

Interestingly put, and good advice to boot.

Have you let your wife handle any Kahr carry pistols? Just a suggestion as everything about Kahr is top shelf. That cannot be said about Para. But, you have to be able to live with her so you kinda want her to get what she wants, to a certain extent, of course. The Para is kind of a big little gun, in my opinion.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Interestingly put, and good advice to boot.

Have you let your wife handle any Kahr carry pistols? Just a suggestion as everything about Kahr is top shelf. That cannot be said about Para. But, you have to be able to live with her so you kinda want her to get what she wants, to a certain extent, of course. The Para is kind of a big little gun, in my opinion.

I concur. Kahr is top notch and the trigger pull is absolutely fantastic. Para Ordnance has a reputation for terrible customer service and low quality. I would not buy a Para for defense, I would buy a Kahr. BTW, my fiance carries a really nice Kahr MK9 that is precise, accurate and very well constructed.

Spend some time on the Kahr website reading up on their products here:
http://www.kahr.com/kahr-barrel.asp

They describe the process and materials they use for their fine pistols. I personally would love to have a K9 or T9. I did see a used K9 for around 400 at Classic Pistol in Southampton, I doubt it is still there though.

[johnfritz]

If you want to buy this Para for the stated reason only, I would probably pass. In my humble opinion, there are better choices.

But if it's a matter of both of you just liking the gun and wanting to bring it home, go for it. I hear a lot of good feedback about the LDA Para's.

Be sure to go over to the Para thread and do some looking around first, though. You may be spending some time there in the future.

[Spc Lewis]

Thanks everybody for the responses. We have been looking for a new carry for her for awhile now. We have found quite a few that she likes in .380 but she was hoping to go up to a 9mm. I really like the kahr mk9s as well but she wants a manual safety. If it were solely up to me I would go with a keltec and be done with it but she has different tastes. She really liked the sig p238 and with the size she would almost always be able to have it on her but it has the single action trigger.

[victory]

Her discomfort with guns lacking a manual safety or with a SA trigger is a training issue, it can be fixed.

[Steve_NEPhila]

I agree with victory on the above post. Many people new to guns still have a fear of the weapon which is mostly due to a lack of familiarity. Spending more time at the range will help, yet not entirely solve this kind of fear. Encourage her to spend some time with you cleaning your firearms. While they are disassembled, explain what the parts do. Show her the multiple safety features present on modern firearms. The whole desire for a safety comes from the fear that it will "just go off."

Whichever of your guns she likes to shoot, let her wear it in a holster at home or at the range. If at the range, do some draw and fire drills, malfunction clearance drills and reload drills.

I am of the completely opposite opinion, a safety is not very helpful. This is not a big problem for me as I only carry revolvers for defense (and on the rare occasion a P7). However, having a dingus lever on the side that needs to be manipulated before I shoot is not my desired set up. I am of the school that "more simple is more better" if you will. Spend some time training her that her brain and finger are the most important safety ever...

[harold63]

Her discomfort with guns lacking a manual safety or with a SA trigger is a training issue, it can be fixed.

Ditto.
A manual safety on a DA pistol is almost like having two safeties, anyway. Do you really need it for carry? I understand she wants to be comfortable, but she will gain confidence with some training. I guess I can see having a safety on a DA if there's a chance she'll be snatching it out of her purse, but then you are back to a training issue.

If this helps you, my wife was very leary of guns when we started dating (about when dirt was made) and would not even go to the range or hunting with me. If there were guns around, she wasn't. After a few head lock trips to the range, and some fundamentals at home with an unloaded gun, this chick now keeps her carry and pillow gun on fully chambered, decocked, and safety off. Basically, just like a revolver on the first shot, and then SA, thereafter. Still haven't conquered the hunting bit, though.