Pocket carry pistols?

[Guest carbonarcher]

Being that TGO and all of you have helped with great advice, and guidence what do you all carry for a pocket pistol? Calibre? .32or .380? Keltec, Ruger LCP? or any similar pistol?

Hey, I need all your help, B-day on it's way!

Thank you all

[spikehunter]

I have the Keltec .380, and love it. It had some initial break in problems like most seem to have. I have not shot the ruger, but if I did not get such a good deal of gunbroker I would have gone with that. (I just think they look better). I made a pocket holster for mine out of some leather from Hobby Lobby that works great.

[Guest carbonarcher]

WOW! Great info Spikehunter! Thanks

[daddyo]

S&W J Frame loaded with at least 130 gr +P .38 special - the ultimate pocket pistol.

[Will Carry]

I have shot the Kel-Tec 3AT. The Ruger LCP, Diamondback BD380 and the SIG 238. I bought the Diamondback DB380. I too had some break in issues but now it shoots great and doesn't jam. Most people like the SIG. It is the best in quality but the highest price. Pocker pistols are getting very popular now. Smith and Wesson has a new one that looks cool. Taurus makes one. It costs nothing to look.

[mikegideon]

I have a Ruger LCP. Also have a J frame. The LCP works with a lot smaller pockets.

[gregintenn]

I think the 642 Smith and Wesson is one of the best carry guns ever produced. However, lately I've found the Ruger LCP much easier to carry.

[leroy]

'J" frame smith (...model 36, the one with a hammer...) loaded with 148 grain wadcutters in an allen miller pocket holster (...carry in the hip pocket...),a sig 238 loaded with handloaded 90 grain hornady jhps in new brass carried in a dm bullard pocket holster (...front pocket, cant tell it's there...), or a glock 33 in an allen miller pocket holster (...hip pocket or front pocket....).

Allen makes a great kydex holster and he is an east tennessee guy. Link here: Holsters and accessories

Kind regards,

leroy

[Guest kickstand]

I had a Ruger LCP, went bang every time, had zero issues straight out of the box. It's so light it disappears in your pocket just like your car keys or phone. Carried it every day in a DeSantis pocket holster which I would recommend, gun drew out smoothly and the holster stayed in place in pocket.

[mwhuffman]

I had a Ruger LCP, went bang every time, had zero issues straight out of the box. It's so light it disappears in your pocket just like your car keys or phone. Carried it every day in a DeSantis pocket holster which I would recommend, gun drew out smoothly and the holster stayed in place in pocket.

+1

[JAB]

I have a Kel Tec P3AT. I bought it as a first-gen (before there was a second-gen) several years ago to use for carry then didn't get my HCP for a couple of years after that. When I started shooting it more, I realized it had a lot of problems. Tried to fix them, myself, but kept running into more. Finally sent it back to Kel Tec earlier this year (or maybe late last year) and they built me a brand new second-gen pistol on my first-gen frame, free of charge. Since it came back, it has had zero issues.

I am not crazy about pocket carry of a primary unless it is the only choice so in t-shirt and shorts weather, when my larger carry weapons would not hide very well - I often carry it in a Fobus at about 3 - 3:30. It disappears under just an untucked t-shirt and I don't have to wear an undershirt to keep it away from my skin. I also have a leather pocket holster I made for those occasions when pocket carry is the best option. I made the pocket holster in such a way that I can carry a spare mag in it, too. Yeah, I know carrying the spare mag on the same side as the pistol is not ideal but it is a compromise.

Unless my strong-side pocket is occupied by the P3AT, I generally carry my NAA mini with a 1 5/8 inch barrel, chambered for .22WMR, in my weak-side pocket in a cheap, nylon pocket holster regardless of what I am carrying as primary. It disappears completely and I could sometimes literally forget it is there, even with the oversized grips I recently put on it (those grips make all the difference in shooting it, to me.) I wouldn't want to carry it as a one and only or a primary very much (although it is sometimes the only one I have on me when I am sitting around at home) but I like it for a weak-side BUG with minimal recoil that doesn't take up much space.

Edited October 26, 2010 by JAB

[Tirrany]

i have spent some time with the smith bg380, kel-tec 380 and the ruger lcp. all three are great pocket rockets. the smith was my favorite its a little larger then the other two but still hides away easy. the kel-tec had the roughest frame texture and the most felt recoil. the smith is a little pricey as it comes with a built in laser but not as pricey as the sig. the ruger was very accurate and malfunction free. i would choose smith then ruger then kel-tec in that order and that is just my opinion. all three of them have long heavy trigger pull. i was more acurate with the ruger then i was with the smith or kel-tec. i personally shot the tec low and had to adjust my aim. i pulled the smith low and to the right until i figured out the trigger wich has a kind of upward trigger pull if that makes any since that didnt really give any indication that it was about to break and release the hammer. with that said i still preffered the smith over the other two because it fit my hand betterand had less felt recoil and once i figured out the trigger i was very accurate with it.

[Motasyco]

I have a S&W 642 and a Kel Tec 3AT for pocket carry. I switch off depending on the occasion. The 3AT in harsh environments. The 642 in harsh neighborhoods.

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

I also like and carry the Sig P238 as a bug, but as has been said they are not cheap but I really like them with the night sights and have another one on lay away. I enjoy shooting them and they make me a good shot.

I also have one of the new Smith BG-380's on layaway and hope I can pick it up soon. I hope to begin using it for carry, if that is I can hit anything with it.

I am a big Ruger fan but circumstances just worked out that I ended up with the 238 in a trade and have yet to even fire the LCP. If I dont like the Smith that will be the next purchase as I have heard very little negative things about the LCP and it seems that everyone who owns one loves it dearly.

Given the idea that heaven forbid we are ever forced to use our weapons in self defense they are most likely going to be confiscated for who knows how long. This is why I hope I can carry the cheaper Smith or maybe even an LCP. I would really hate to have to give up one of my Sigs only to have it beaten and battered upon return.

As for pocket holsters I have a pretty nice one from pocketholsters.com but the one I like and use the most is a Blackhawk #2 that was about 20 bucks. The #2 fits the Sigs and LCP's and I hope it will also fit the Smith BG, if not I am sure the next size will and they really are pretty inexpensive.

[Mykltn]

Sig P238 is a great pocket carry gun. I've had mine over a year now and have never has any issues at all with it. Always feeds and always fires. I also carry a Bond Arms Derringer in .45ACP and a North American Arms .22 Mag mini revolver as a "get off me" gun. Those are just the Jeans and T-Shirt guns. If I've got a little more fabric for coverage I carry a FireStar .40 S&W or 3" 1911 in ,45acp.

[True Grit]

Ruger LCR in 38+p is carried in Aholster in the pocket without much printing. Also carry it in a Galco ankle holster as backup to my 45.

[Guest Ae-35]

S&W J Frame loaded with at least 130 gr +P .38 special - the ultimate pocket pistol.

Been that way since the 50's, just shot a LCR, and the new Bodyguard 38.... hope Smith keeps mak'n the J-frames cause the LCR, is at least twice the gun, the Bodyguard is. As far as the laser, well , at "Bellygun" distances, I'm going to be point shoot'n, and mov'n !!! Frankly I'm not tak'n the time to look for a red dot. Now don't get me wrong, I've got a laser/light combo on my nightstand gun, (SD40), I just don't need or want it on my pocket gun. The fit and finish is alot better on the LCP, than the 3AT, and to me, less felt recoil on the Ruger, around here there's usually only 20 bucks difference, .... and yes my wife shot, then took my LCP. That's ok , I'd most likely never carried it anyway. My 442 with the new Win. PDX1 130gn. +p's stays on me, except for showers and bed.

[THE COOP]

I recently purchased a Sig P238 HD as a pocket backup, 400 rounds thru it and flawless so far, the HD is full stainless and go's with my full stainless P220.. COOP

[dralarms]

I've owned 1st generation keltecs and second gen. keltecs, Ruger LCPs, and a Taurus TCP.

Out of all of them I am now carrying the TCP, My wife has the LCP, and my son has the LCP. Traded off his keltec to get my TCP and gave him my LCP.

I like the TCP the best, less "felt" recoil of all of them, and a true "lock back" on empty.

The LCP is also a good choice.

Last, the keltec, still a good choice, but the most recoil of the bunch.

All good choices, just remember to take it out and put a couple hundred rounds through which ever one you get, then put 3 or 4 mag of SD ammo (what you are actually going to be carrying) through it to make sure it feeds it correctly. Have seen guns that would shoot ball ammo until the barrel melted down but jammed on every JHP round that was fed to it.

[styx]

Like a couple of folks above, I have a Smith BG380 that I am very happy with. Yeah, it's a little pricey but if you equip an LCP or similar with a laser you are quickly back to the same price. I have large hands but I can fire this gun comfortably and it conceals well in the pocket or IWB. I am not a good pistol marksman (slowly getting better) but I can shoot a 6-8 inch group at 10yds with this little gun using the iron sights. I have had no problems with ball nose or JHP ammo. Like most pocket pistols it has a 6+1 capacity so I carry a spare mag.

[mousegunner]

I've been carrying my 9mm Kel-Tec PF9 in my front pocket for a week, and it seems to be working OK, even in suit pants. I took the clip off an IWB holster of soft leather, and it works well for a pocket holster....

[extremescene]

Sig has a new single stack 9mm pocket size... the P290. Looks promising, but no price info yet.

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[Guest 73challenger]

Oh wow! I haven't seen this yet. I hope it is out by my birthday in April!

[Guest peacexxl]

Sig has a new single stack 9mm pocket size... the P290. Looks promising, but no price info yet.

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Still not as pretty as my Taurus pt709 slim.

[laktrash]

I'm partial to my J-frame "640 with ctc & kramer"

Easy to slip in front or back pocket, coat pocket, console truck etc. always dependable