Now I know asking this question is tantamount to asking what's the best kind of woman in bed but here goes.....
My primary handgun for concealed carry is a 9mm
IMI Jerricho 4. I love it dearly but it is now too big/heavy/cumbersome.
I have moderately severe RA in both hands, the right being the worst, which of course is my shooting hand.
What is there in the way of a small 9mm that can be handled safely by chronically swolen and painfull hands? I am reluctant to try a 40 cal. because of the recoil in those light frames.
Anyone got any suggestions?????

Colt Commander in 9mm...a little hard to find but Colt is marketing one in .38 Super that all you have to do is put in a Nowlin Drop In barrel and you then have a two caliber setup. Weights only 26 oz. empty about 31 full and being a single action won't strain your writs/fingers pulling the trigger. I believe Kimber is also now marketing a lightweight 9mm in their ProCarry size.

Also look at the Kahr series of guns. They come in both stainles and polymer frames and have very smooth and light DA trigger pulls.

Bob

Rusty, I'd really look at the smaller guns clesely before buying. The springs tend to be heavier and can make racking the slide problematic for RA sufferers. My wife has RA, I've been lucky so far and just have old timers arthritis but feel your pain. I have a 9mm Witness PS that my wife finds most comfortable to shoot. She thinks the polymer frame is taking some of the recoil, it's really a mid size gun and something like that or a commander would be the shortest I'd recommend.

as much as i hate plastic guns, i'd take a look thru the glocks, springfield xd, s&w/walthers. the ergonomics on these things i think will help fit you hands better than straight grips. otherwise you might want to drop to a 380, even though it is a bit on the weak side.

You might think about a Beretta 86. It is a 380 (and as butchloc mentioned is kinda weak), but has a tip up barrel, so racking the slide would not be necessary. I'm not aware of any autoloader in a more powerful caliber that has a tip up barrel.

The little Glock 26 is pretty comfortable to shoot & the slide racks rather easily. The S$W CS9 & Sig239 are also good choices.

Take a look at the Springfield XD's--I have both a 4" service and the subcompact in 9mm and they are both fine guns--accurate and utterly reliable.

I held a Kahr/Kaar?..( pronounced Car) at a gun show the other day, a P9 in 9mm but I don't remember if it was a steel or a polymer frame. It felt wonderful, absolutely fell in love with it. Since then I've had 2 people swear by them and 2 others say stay the hell away from them, the jam too easily.
So I think it's going to be either a 9mm or .40 cal. Does the polymer frame kick more than the metal frame???

Look at a Glock 19. The slide is steel and whole gun weights around 21 oz plus arond 9 oz for a full mag. Resale is good if you don't like it.

I have a Taurus 85 w/ 2" barrel. It kicks more than I'd like.

I just recently rented an XD-45, and it's more plesant to shoot with 230g bullets than the 158g +p 38 special. I'd think than an XD in 9mm would be really easy on your hands. They're awfully blocky for carrying, though.

I think some kind of single stack 9mm would be great. Springfield just made a 45 gap 1911 and their brochure sure made it sound like other calibers were on the way. I'd really like a 4" barrel 9mm single stack, and the T-9 by Kahr looks good to me. I'm just not sure I want a semi, I shoot reloads and I hate picking up brass. Maybe if I bought only wolf and blazer ammo...

I have a Kahr MK9 Elite. "Elite" is more polished, I think a jeweled bolt area.



Smooth trigger function. MUCH better balance and trigger than a Glock 26 / 27. 9mm 6+1 the larger Kahr mags work in this gun, mags extend out the butt.

Not inexpensive.

1,000's of rounds though it, never a burp or glitch.

Kahr got six patents on this design. Smallest 9mm semi auto on the market. Seemingly comfortable to shoot, but then recoil is not an issue for me. I don't see it as being much different than a Colt Mustang/Govt. in .380 ACP.

Grip is wider than the Colt Mustang, and so that dispells recoil.

I will second the Beretta opinion. While the 380 doesn't pack the muscle that the others do, the pistol itself is very reliable and with the tip up barrel, just put round in the pipe, slide in a clip and you are open for business.
I have a .22 and a 380 and love them.

I will give a third endorsement of the Beretta with tip-up barrel. But before making up your mind, get your hands on a Sig 239 in 9mm and see if you can work the slide. My other recommendation if you go to 380 is to try a CZ 83. I've got one and find it very nice.

You should try out a Taurus pt111. The slides on the Millenium series rack rather easily and the guns design lends itself well to a low felt recoil.

Kahr. Mine is a PM9 and it is accurate, reliable, and functions very well. Check the slide first to make sure it is not too stiff for you.