Have both a MK9 and a LWS32 ?

[modbuilder]

Anyone have BOTH a MK9 and a Seecamp .32 ? I'm familiar with the spec sheet differences, but I'd really like to hear from users that have both, especially on ease/accuracy of shooting at 7 to 10 yards. TIA ...........

[road_king]

Anyone have BOTH a MK9 and a Seecamp .32 ? I'm familiar with the spec sheet differences, but I'd really like to hear from users that have both, especially on ease/accuracy of shooting at 7 to 10 yards. TIA ...........

I sold my LWS32 and S&W 442 when I got my MK9. It is difficult to compare the MK9 and the LWS32 - way different class of guns. The LWS32 points naturally - at least for me - at that range. The MK9 shoots more like a larger gun than it is; good sights, nice trigger, nice capacity, little recoil, etc. There is no question for me which one I would want with me when things go to crap!

Everyone suggested to me it was to heavy for pocket carry, but I find myself carrying it in my front pocket more than any other way. I have a nice Andrews leather pocket holster but find myself just slipping the gun in my Fist #1 thin kydex with belt clip - and that into my pocket. It's no bigger than the gun and the belt clip prints a little but takes away the gun look! It has good retention and when I pull it out of my pocket I have to grab the holster with my left hand and unholster the gun - this suits me perfectly. When I drive I slip it out of my pocket in my palm and lay it close by. The gun stays put and it is sort of a natural motion for me to slip the gun back into my pocket when I get out of the truck. I do wear a t-shirt or shirt of some type out and wear carhartt jeans or shorts - or levi jeans. A very comforting feeling for me to walk around when necessary with my hand in my pocket! :supergrin:

[2cooltoolz]

I have an LWS.32 and an MK9 (and a 442). I really like both, but absolutely agree they are different guns. I don't really find the MK9 to be very comfortable for pocket carry, but is Great for IWB. It's just a little heavy for pocket for me.
I am trying to carry the MK9 more as I find it much easier to hit with and have more confidence in the 9mm for defense, but the Seecamp is so easy to tuck in a pocket or IWB, that it gets the most everyday carry.
I use Nemesis pocket holsters for all 3 of my Pocket Carries, including the MK9. IWB I use a Galco Deep Cover (not the new Ultra Deep Cover, don't like these) for the Seecamp, and a CompTac Minotaur or High Noon Alter Ego for the Kahr. The Minotaur is very comfortable, but has 2 big ugly clips that are hard to hide. I wish someone would make a casual wear gunbelt with small ammo style loops on the lining side to hook IWB holsters to. You could use small metal clips on the holster to insert in the loops. They make VELCRO lined belts! Geeez.
The MK9 does shoot much more accurately than the Seecamp, which doesn't even have sights. The Kahr, while not a target pistol, is pretty fun at the range, where the Seecamp is obligatory practice. It's certainly accurate enough for close up SD, but at the range, when there are people in the next lanes (we have dividers) I try to make it obvious what I'm shooting with. (Oh the vanity! :whistling:) I actually shoot better with my J-frame than the Seecamp! I can hit about as well with my MK9 as I can with my P226.
I'll never sell either; they each have their function, but I feel more "well armed" with the MK9.

[modbuilder]

Great comments and comparisons. Exactly what I'd hoped for. Thanks ........

[modbuilder]

BTW -- For those (like me) who are interested in the comparison of these two guns but don't already own them, this question on another forum produced some excellent side-by-side photos. Here's the link:

http://www.seecamp.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1208564236

[2cooltoolz]

Not exactly side by side but here are my Kahr, LWS 32 and P220 (already had this one on file).
http://2cooltoolz.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/mysemiautos.mk9.compressed.jpg

I actually sold this MK9 in November (stupid!!), but it has been replaced. I'll post some true side-by-sides tomorrow

[mecenas1991]

This is a great thread. Exactly what comparisons should do - provide some help and advice to those trying to select the best firarm for conceal carry.

I have both (Seecamp .32 and MK9) and I carried both on different occasions. Seecamp is really a last ditch pocket gun and serves very well in that capacity. Very accurate up to 10 yards and as long as these limitations are respected there is none better.

Mk9 on the other hand is a better tool on those occasions where you do not need that deep of concealement and the belt holster will suffice. Mk 9 is not a pocket gun - and I do not care what others say in that regard. If you must carry a 28 oz brick (this is a weight of a loaded Mk 9) carry it, but it is neither comfortable, nor safe - in my opinion.

I know that a lot of people will disagree but I do not feel comfortable carrying a Kahr in my pocket with a loaded chamber. On the other hand it is perfectly safe in the belt holster. Seecamp DAO trigger pull is heavy enough that it practically eliminates the possibility of an accidental discharge while in a pocket - even without a holster.

To this discussion I will throw in another option I recently considered after buying a S&W 340 Centennial MP .357 Mag revolver. I found that to be the most ideal pocket gun. Light enough, safe enough, equipped with XS night sight and CTC laser grips and loaded with .38 Spl +P powerful enough.

[road_king]

Mk 9 is not a pocket gun - and I do not care what others say in that regard. If you must carry a 28 oz brick (this is a weight of a loaded Mk 9) carry it, but it is neither comfortable, nor safe - in my opinion.

I know that a lot of people will disagree but I do not feel comfortable carrying a Kahr in my pocket with a loaded chamber. On the other hand it is perfectly safe in the belt holster. Seecamp DAO trigger pull is heavy enough that it practically eliminates the possibility of an accidental discharge while in a pocket - even without a holster.

To this discussion I will throw in another option I recently considered after buying a S&W 340 Centennial MP .357 Mag revolver. I found that to be the most ideal pocket gun. Light enough, safe enough, equipped with XS night sight and CTC laser grips and loaded with .38 Spl +P powerful enough.

Why is the MK9 not safe to carry in your pocket? When in a decent holster, I can't see a problem?

[mecenas1991]

There is an issue of "safe" and "safer". I guess that is a question of personal preference. I only feel that Kahr is safer in a belt holster than in the pocket. You would not reach for a gun to take it out of a belt holster unless you want to shoot it (except for unloading it, for storage). But many guys (myself included) put our hands in the pocket and here is a pistol with about 5 lb trigger pull.......you can imagine the rest....and I know all about the pocket holster, the question is what feels safer.
That is why some people spend money to put a thumb safety on Glocks and why there is a grip safety on Springfield XD pistols, and both - a grip safety and a thumb safety on Para LDA guns. All of the above with so called "safe action".
The triple and quadruple redundancy in this department is a good thing .....

[road_king]

I agree that it has to feel safe to you. That is why I like a pocket holster that the gun comes out of the pocket in the holster - like my fist belt clip that I like. Also the Andrews pocket holster takes up the whole pocket and the gun can't bounce around.

That is also why I will not carry my Glock 26 in an IWB kydex holster - I just do not feel good putting the gun in the holster - the shirt will catch the gun from time to time and I can't see what is happening. I like my P239 .40 DA/SA for IWB carry. It just feels safer than the Glock.

I would not feel safe carrying a gun outside of a holster anywhere. In terms of pocket holsters I was spoiled with Kramer pocket holsters for my LCW 32 and S&W 442 - they held the gun securely.

No argument about the small frame S&W being the perfect pocket gun - my problem was I never shot mine worth a crap - even with the laser sights. That is why I will put up with the weight of the MK9 in my pocket - but again my Kramer gun belt holds my Carhartt pants up just fine!

I have a PM9 for pocket carry, but my wife put it in her purse after we broke it in and it has stayed there. She always complained about carrying a gun but loves her PM9! And I shoot both very well, but the MK9 is just so sweet!:cool:

[road_king]

Here are a few of the holsters I like and talked about above.

Fist thin kydex #1 straight drop clip - I added a screw and nut for more retention.
Can be pocket carried, inside the belt, or inside the pants - excellent clip:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/road_king_2008/kahr1.jpg
Andrews leather pocket:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/road_king_2008/kahr2.jpg
Comp-Tac 2 O'Clock
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/road_king_2008/kahr3.jpg
All three:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/road_king_2008/kahr4.jpg
Fist thin Kydex is thin - works good in the pocket since the clip breaks up the smooth gun surface:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh319/road_king_2008/kahr5.jpg

[modbuilder]

+1 on the "can't shoot the S&W revolver worth a crap" . That's what started me on this search for a small-enough pistol. I bought a H&K P2000sk40 thinking I'd carry it instead of the snubbie, but the snubbie still gets all the carry time, and I still can't shoot it well. So I'm moving down either to the MK9 as "closer to the snubbie to carry but easier to shoot" or the LWS 32 as "most likely to have a gun but requires best shot placement" for SD. Road_King, thanks much for the photos. Very helpful.

[mecenas1991]

The argument that it is difficult for some to hit a target consistently from the small snubby revolver is most convincing. As amatter of fact I couldn't do it either while firing the light weight vesion fo S&W Bodyguard. On the other hand, Kahr MK9 was one of the most accurate pistols I have ever owned, particularly after I changed the sight to Big Dot X/S. What bothered me most in case of Kahr was the weight.
In the weight/size department, Seecamp beat almost all others, but the caliber (.32 Auto) was rather smallish.
Since I liked the X/S sights so much I decided to try S&W 340 MP that has a "small dot" in front as its original sighting system and even before I bought the CTC laser grips, my accuracy with this revolver improved 1000%.
Thus it replaced my Kahr MK9 as a pocket carry pistol and I carry S&W and Seecamp interchangeably when I can not wear a gun on my belt.

I must stress that the Kahr is indeed one of the best designed firearms,accurate,pleasant to shoot and one hundred percent reliable.

All I had done to it was replace the front and rear sights with XS Big Dot,had an Elite trigger installed (this is one of the first generation pistols) and had it coated with one of th nano-technology black coatings that is also a marvel of coating technoilogies.
I still carry it in a snap-on style Josh Bullman belt holsters when I can wear an outer jacket or a coat.