Are Single-Stack Pistols Extinct?

[Lock n' Load]

I have and carry both. With the Hellcat 13+1 and a spare 13 mag. With my M&P's, at least 1 or 2 spare mags, giving me a total of 17 to 25 rounds. Given current statistics, it's more than the average usually expended in an incident and should suffice as long as I keep up my training and practice.

 

[Jimbo]

I have the same situation with my two carry guns: the Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact and the Ruger EC9S. The two guns are the exact same size, except for thickness -- the Beretta is heavier and thicker than the Ruger. The Beretta holds 14 rounds, while the Ruger holds 8. But I am leaning more and more to the Ruger, because it is such a pleasure to carry. It is so light and thin that I hardly notice it in my pocket when I carry it 18 hours a day. Not so with the Beretta; the added weight is noticeable and makes it a chore rather than a delight to carry.

Now if I can only figure out a convenient way to carry a spare Ruger magazine...

 

[Lock n' Load]

I have the same situation with my two carry guns: the Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact and the Ruger EC9S. The two guns are the exact same size, except for thickness -- the Beretta is heavier and thicker than the Ruger. The Beretta holds 14 rounds, while the Ruger holds 8. But I am leaning more and more to the Ruger, because it is such a pleasure to carry. It is so light and thin that I hardly notice it in my pocket when I carry it 18 hours a day. Not so with the Beretta; the added weight is noticeable and makes it a chore rather than a delight to carry.

Now if I can only figure out a convenient way to carry a spare Ruger magazine...

Jimbo- I'd recommend a quality IWB leather mag carrier on your support hand side which is what I use. I tried a kydex carrier for my single stack but found it uncomfortable and switched to leather. I recently upgraded to the new 15 round mags for the Hellcat, giving me 31 rounds which is more than I hope I'll ever need. It fits the mag carrier I used for the 13 round Hellcat mag perfectly and I hardly know it's there. The belt clips are incredibly strong and keep the carrier solidly in place comfortably. Both the single and double stack carriers came from Relentless Tactical. Look around and I'm sure you'll find something you can work with. I'd also recommend a quality, sturdy concealed carry belt which may solve the weight problem with the Beretta.

 

[Recusant]

Doesn't matter how many rounds you have in your gun if you can't hit what you're shooting at!

 

[conax]

I have a slew of single action cowboy guns. Nothing is over (or extinct) until we say it is.. unanimously.
Good guns last forever. Any gun is better than no gun. Single stack mags are easy to stuff.
They will soldier on.

 

[Lock n' Load]

Doesn't matter how many rounds you have in your gun if you can't hit what you're shooting at!

2 of my 3 EDC's in my carry rotation are single stack. I feel just as safe and capable of stopping a threat with any of the 3 as I train and practice with them on a regular basis. I went with the 15 round mags mentioned in my previous post for size of grip improvement only with my XL hands and it made a difference.

 

[jumpinjoe]

I carried my PF9 for several years before getting my Hellcat, and never felt under ammo'ed. It's good for 8 rnds with one in the pipe and I usually felt pretty sufficient. The Hellcat obviously gives an improvement in number of rounds on hand of 12 with one in the pipe since in my opinion the extended mag kind of messes up the easily concealable Hellcat, at least on my skinny frame. But the PF9 is considerably narrower/flatter on the hip, so for me, it's all in how I'm dressing as to which one I carry since I always carry OWB.

And I've wondered before just how valuable that additional 4 rounds would actually be in a pinch. I kind of figure if the gun fight ain't over by the 7th-8th shot on my part, it probably ain't going to end real well for me anyway.

So a big resounding NO ...... single stacks are not extinct !!! YMMV !!!

 

[southtex]

I would answer no just not as popular. When I tuck my shirt I carry my Walther PPS M2 and feel protected.

 

[ghosttwofive]

Wouldn't ever give up my S&W Shield .45ACP. 7 + 1 single stack mag but 8 rounds of .45ACP 230 grain JHP is very comforting and I shoot that handgun more accurately than any other handgun I own.

 

[southtex]

Wouldn't ever give up my S&W Shield .45ACP. 7 + 1 single stack mag but 8 rounds of .45ACP 230 grain JHP is very comforting and I shoot that handgun more accurately than any other handgun I own.

As Grandpa used to say "Son that's a keeper"

 

[Bassbob]

Wouldn't ever give up my S&W Shield .45ACP. 7 + 1 single stack mag but 8 rounds of .45ACP 230 grain JHP is very comforting and I shoot that handgun more accurately than any other handgun I own.

I have the same gun and it's my usual EDC. I wouldn't say I shoot it more accurately than any gun I own, but it is very, very accurate. I took a class with it a month or so ago and almost literally I just couldn't miss with it.

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo- I'd recommend a quality IWB leather mag carrier on your support hand side which is what I use. I tried a kydex carrier for my single stack but found it uncomfortable and switched to leather. I recently upgraded to the new 15 round mags for the Hellcat, giving me 31 rounds which is more than I hope I'll ever need. It fits the mag carrier I used for the 13 round Hellcat mag perfectly and I hardly know it's there. The belt clips are incredibly strong and keep the carrier solidly in place comfortably. Both the single and double stack carriers came from Relentless Tactical. Look around and I'm sure you'll find something you can work with. I'd also recommend a quality, sturdy concealed carry belt which may solve the weight problem with the Beretta.

Lock n' Load, thanks for the tips. I bought a good sturdy belt early on in my concealed carry journey. Come to think of it, I don't always wear that belt - it's a nice looking belt, so I wear it with nice looking pants. Maybe if I wore it all the time I wouldn't have the weight problem with the Beretta. As for an IWB magazine holster, I don't want my magazine to show, because then people would know I am carrying. Perhaps if the holster clip was high and the holster was low, it would hide the magazine below and behind my belt. That's about the best way I can think of to conceal-carry my spare holster. As for kydex vs leather, my current magazine holster is eco-leather from houstongunholsters.com - extremely comfortable. Leather might have better retention, however, than eco-leather, so I should look into that. The stuff at Relentless Tactical looks like really good quality stuff.

 

[Bassbob]

Lock n' Load, thanks for the tips. I bought a good sturdy belt early on in my concealed carry journey. Come to think of it, I don't always wear that belt - it's a nice looking belt, so I wear it with nice looking pants. Maybe if I wore it all the time I wouldn't have the weight problem with the Beretta. As for an IWB magazine holster, I don't want my magazine to show, because then people would know I am carrying. Perhaps if the holster clip was high and the holster was low, it would hide the magazine below and behind my belt. That's about the best way I can think of to conceal-carry my spare holster. As for kydex vs leather, my current magazine holster is eco-leather from houstongunholsters.com - extremely comfortable. Leather might have better retention, however, than eco-leather, so I should look into that. The stuff at Relentless Tactical looks like really good quality stuff.

Buy a Thirty Dollar Gun Belt ( That's the brand name). It will cost you closer to $45, but I have been wearing mine on the daily for years and it's a great belt. And it doesn't look like a dress belt. In fact I should buy a dress/gun belt Which one do you have ?

 

[Jimbo]

I have this belt:

X3 BUCKLE | BLACK LEATHER GUN BELT

Shop Kore Leather Gun Belts. Kore CC Gun Belts (1.5” wide) feature Power-Core Reinforced Center, hidden Track 40+ micro size positions. Kore ratchet belts give you a perfect sturdy fit for CCW. No sag or slag. AKA; Holster belt, pistol belt, sidearm belt, iwb, owb and appendix concealed carry...

www.koreessentials.com

It's a really nice belt, because you can micro-adjust the size. It looks good, and it's heavy, solid leather.

Tonight I wore this belt, and I pocket-carried my Beretta, fully loaded (14 rounds of 124 grain 9mm). To tell you the truth, it didn't feel that heavy. I think the belt made a big difference.

I looked at Thirty Dollar Gun Belt. This one looks exactly like my "casual" belt:

Smooth Finish Full-Grain Leather Gun Holster Belt

Gun holster belt for serious everyday carry. Compare to bullhide & bridle leather. Sturdy for all concealed carry. Tactical or EDC. 14 oz. for all guns & mags.

www.30dollargunbelt.com

I've been looking everywhere for that same belt, because it is a good "casual" style. I think I'll get this one. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Keystone19250]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled Are Single-Stack Pistols Extinct? and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/is-the-single-stack-extinct/.

Great article Mike.

 

[Keystone19250]

I had one single stack gun, my second hand gun purchase. It was a small 40SW sub compact that just didn’t work well for me and larger then normal hands. I never thought I’d own another single stack gun until I handled my Springfield 1911 RO in 45ACP single stack or not that gun fits my hand and the balance of that 1911 is supreme. It will most likely be my only single stack magazine handgun and that’s ok with me.

 

[SoNic]

I tired a few single stack pistols and, except the 1911 45, the flat and long shaped grips are weird to me, don't fit my hand.

The Hellcat is almost too thin for me, I added Hogue grips on it and now it's perfect.
Same with P365XL grip.

 

[Jimbo]

I tired a few single stack pistols and, except the 1911 45, the flat and long shaped grips are weird to me, don't fit my hand.

The Hellcat is almost too thin for me, I added Hogue grips on it and now it's perfect.
Same with P365XL grip.

If you like DA/SA, and you like a small gun, I'll bet you would really like the Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact. Feels like a full size gun in your hand, even though it has the same dimensions as the Ruger EC9S without the pinky extension, except that the handle is thicker. 9mm version holds 14 rounds (13+1). Comes with two magazines.

If you get that gun, be sure to do the following:
* Replace the recoil spring (plastic guide rod) with one that has a stainless steel guide rod -- https://ssguiderods.com/shop/beretta/beretta-px-4-storm-subcompact-guide-rod/. For the life of me, I can't imagine why Beretta gives you a plastic guide rod with this gun. You can fix that oversight for $35.
* Use a good-quality grease (not oil) on your slide -- this is what I use, and it is the best that Wilson Combat sells:

Ultima-Lube II Grease | 4 oz. Bottle

Ultima-Lube II Grease, 4 oz. Bottle

shopwilsoncombat.com

* Clean the barrel when the gun is new, to remove the goo that Beretta coats the barrel with.

Before doing the above, I had a lot of failures to feed with cheap ammo (Blazer Brass). In fact, the only thing that always worked without any failures was Spear Gold Dot 124 grain 9mm (not +p) hollow point. So that's what I still carry to this day, although I will shoot anything while at the range. And now that I have completed the above steps, everything I put in the gun works flawlessly. (I don't shoot a lot, but I do shoot a variety of ammo when I go to the range.)

 

[HayesGreener]

As Jeff Cooper said about his 1911 single stack capacity, "How often do you intend to miss?"

 

[SoNic]

I'll bet you would really like the Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact

I was looking at the PX4 Compact. I love the idea or rotating unlocking, but when I handled the gun was, unexpectedly too bulky, stocky for me.
The subcompact is not rotating and still a bit "fat".
Maybe I am too picky.

As Jeff Cooper said about his 1911 single stack capacity, "How often do you intend to miss?"

Hmm... Are we allowed to miss un-intentionally?