Small pistols that allow thumbing the hammer

[matto]

I'm considering my options for a carry pistol and I'd like to narrow my search to pistols that meet two specific constraints.

1. Does not have a fully tensioned striker, and

2. Allows thumbing the "hammer" when holstering.

DA/SA guns with external hammers obviously meet both of these, and I have a few, but they tend to be heavier and have short barrels relative to their striker fired peers. Some other examples include:

- Glocks allow the installation of a striker control device.
- I believe that both the CZ P10 and FN pistols have partially tensioned strikers so someone could make a striker control device, but no one does
- My ruger lcp has a mostly internal hammer but I can still stop it from moving if I press just right with my thumb

Guns like the Kahr PM9 are double action (ish?) but I don't see a way to thumb the striker

Any other ideas on what to look at?

[BillSWPA]

I have no personal experience with this pistol, but it may meet your criteria.

https://www.langdontactical.com/spri...l-edition-9mm/

[LittleLebowski]

SCDs are limited to Glocks for a number of reasons. So, you can go with a Beretta PX4 Compact, some sort of small 1911, any of the smaller Glocks, or a revolver.

[olstyn]

I am a broken record on this topic:

The Walther P99c is not for everybody, of course (paddle mag release is off-putting for some), but should be on your list to at least look at. It the size of a G26, striker fired, DA/SA, and holding down the decocker button is similar to thumbing the hammer on a hammer-fired DA/SA in that there is a lug on the upper side of the striker which interfaces with a piece of the decocker button such that when the decocker button is held down, the striker cannot travel far enough forward to strike the primer of a chambered round even if the trigger is pulled through its entire stroke.

(I have personally verified this with mine and a primed but otherwise empty case. Hold decocker button down, pull trigger, and you get a click from the striker being tensioned and then released, but nothing else happens. Release decocker button, pull trigger, primer pops.)

[RJ]

Carried an HK P30SK LEM V1 with a USPc mag AOWB in a Mitch Rosen Upper Limit holster for a year or so.

Only thing I would do differently today would be a mod (TRS spring?) to make the press slightly heavier.

It’s an extremely versatile setup.

[JCN]

From the other thread, I’m going to go with very small pistols (G43 sized).

XR9S (9mm bullpup)
Bodyguard 380
Kimber Micro 9 (and Micro 380), similar to P938/238.



Here are their actions:


As you can see, they are very small pistols.
I used to carry a Micro 9 before the P365 came out.

EDIT: added some size comparison pictures

G42 (380) vs. XR9S (9mm)

[jd950]

Might be larger than you want, but Walther PPS M2 is a slim and fairly small partially-cocked-striker fired gun that allows you to "thumb" the striker much like an SCD on a glock.

[matto]

The Walther P99c

Awesome, looks interesting.

HK P30SK LEM V1

I had been looking at this one. It's starting to get pretty heavy at 24 oz though.

Kimber Micro 9

Thank you for the video and pictures! The Kimber doesn't really qualify though because it's SAO right? Has to be carried cocked and locked?

Walther PPS M2

Awesome thanks. Walther making both this and the P99c seems a little odd. I'll read more about the differences

[Doc_Glock]

The first generation LCP kinda allows thumbing the little hammer nub. Kinda.

[matto]

Ironically enough I discovered that a gun I already own meets these conditions.

The Ruger SR9C is not fully cocked, and has a cocking indicator that extends out the back of the gun when pulling the trigger.

It's also a little on the chubby side at 23.5 oz for a 3.4" barrel striker fired gun. A 43x is nearly 5 oz less.