Pocket carry pistols?

[Guest cobaltac184]

I have a Diamondback DB380 its a great little shooter, and I have a Taurus PT709 slim....I am selling both of them 290 a piece.....they are great guns and I hate to get rid of them but I have my mind set on getting a Glock, and am getting rid of them, PM me if you are interested

[Mike.357]

sneaky.....

[enfield]

I've been pocket-carrying a S&W 638 for nearly 10 years now. I keep it loaded with 158 grain LSWCHP +P.

Edited May 1, 2011 by enfield

[Tobashadow]

Keltec P32 even got a second magazine in my blue jeans front pocket and no one can tell.

[Ropin4gold]

I would go with the Kahr PM9. No need to go below 9mm these days for a pocket pistol.

[Guest Ken]

Been carrying my Taurus 85 Ultralight in Galco pocket holster loaded with Winchester PDX +P's. Hardly know it's there in jeans and shorts. When I wear suit and dress pants will use belt holsters one owb one iwb.

Ken

[tnhawk]

I had planned to purchase a ruger LCP, but left the gun shop with a S&W 442. It conceals well in a jeans pocket using a cheap pocket holster.

[BigJim]

I had planned to purchase a ruger LCP, but left the gun shop with a S&W 442. It conceals well in a jeans pocket using a cheap pocket holster.

Good choice. I have the LCP and a S&W 642. I like both but if I only had one I would prefer the 642.

[Deerbnb]

Love my Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380. There if you need it ! Desantis pocket holster works great with it for me.

[Guest rbl]

Love my Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380. There if you need it ! Desantis pocket holster works great with it for me.

same for me, great set up

[BigJim]

I love my Ruger LCP. I have around 1,100rds fired through her without a single issue. I use a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster.

Shot my LCP at the range today. Not one single issue for me either, has been reliable from day one. I had a Kel Tec prior to getting my LCP it was TERRIBLE!!

[Jonnin]

I use a sig p238 for pocket carry in small pockets or if concealment really, really matters. I use a beretta 40 caliber when I have larger pockets, go to "more dangerous" areas, or do not have as much concern about printing. There are a lot of 9mm and so forth in between these 2 sizes, mostly dao though, only a few non dao pocket sized guns are out there.

[crossfire]

I bought a LCP, didn't like it, sold it and bought a LCR and never looked back.

[Guest J.D. Skull]

Buy a fannypack holster. It will never print. Sure people will think you are packing,But they will never be positive. I hooked my thumb through the loop and a gang looking thug decided to go in the other direction. And he must have been late.

[Guest Xring04]

My pocket guns.

Ruger LCP

Keltec p32

Smith 642

Naa mini .22mag.

The lcp and the 642 are the only ones that actually get carried.

[Caster]

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I just can't take the idea of pocket carry. I know lots of folks do, but I don't like a gun sitting loose, that close to my bits and pieces, it just don't set right y'all. Not to mention I have trouble getting my keys or cell phone out of my pocket sometimes, I don't want any trouble getting my gun out if I have to have it.

[Jonnin]

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I just can't take the idea of pocket carry. I know lots of folks do, but I don't like a gun sitting loose, that close to my bits and pieces, it just don't set right y'all. Not to mention I have trouble getting my keys or cell phone out of my pocket sometimes, I don't want any trouble getting my gun out if I have to have it.

The "true" pocket guns can be in your pocket and in a holster. Those are usually 380 or weaker caliber, though. If you want to jam a 9mm (most, a few are true pocket size) or better, it does end up going in without a holster or in large pockets. You have to work at it to get it in and out cleanly, took me a lot of practice to get the hang of what I needed -- my tricks include having a very thin (DL, HCP, credit card, not much else) wallet in front of it and nothing else in that pocket, giving lots of room to make a clean pull.

[Guest Xring04]

All of my pocket guns have pocket holsters. Even with the holster, nothing else goes in the same pocket as the gun ever. Works for me.

[Guest motonut]

Purely judging by specs the Walther PPK looks like it would make a ok pocket pistol. Does anyone have any experience with them?

[Jonnin]

Purely judging by specs the Walther PPK looks like it would make a ok pocket pistol. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Its on the upper-middle size of what will fit into average men's pockets. There are much smaller 380s, this old design is too large for the caliber in the modern world but its still a rugged, comfortable, and good shooting design. You can get a 9mm into that real estate, and shave off the better part of an inch both directions for a 380 and the ppk is heavy (not a bad thing) to boot. Its a solid choice.

[Guest motonut]

Jonnin, I'm not trying to argue with you, just want to point out the specs. I'm kind of anal when I start looking, I make a spreadsheet to compare specs of all comp. models to get an idea of the differences. Then I go to the store for the hands-on part (most important).

Spec ---- LCP / P380 / PPK

LOA:----- 5.2 / 5.5 / 6.1

HOA:----- 3.6 / 3.9 / 3.8

Weight:-- 9.4 / 15.2 / 20.8

What little I've handled it up until now the 238 seems a little too small but then again I haven't tried putting it in my pocket. Also, that 25% increase in weight with the PPK may be a much bigger issue with the weapon in my pocket than it seems on paper.

I'm really surprised the S&W 442 comes in as light as it does, 15 oz. Light for a revolver. But I do like the .38 round over the .380.

Anyhow, thanks. I'm just looking for all the input I can get. Only wish I had the funds for one of each to try for myself......

Edited May 6, 2011 by motonut

[Jonnin]

There are a lot of PPKs and the stats vary a bit across the family. I thought it was slightly larger than what you have listed but I am no expert on the brand. I thought it was roughly a 6.5 X 4.5 platform, but thats from whatever I was holding back when I last looked at one closely. I am not upset at being wrong on that but I was pretty sure the ppk was close to a makarov in size... which is 6.5 X 5.0 roughly... the one you listed would be a good fit into a pocket, regardless of any larger variations.

In that same thought, 6.5 X 5 is toward the upper end of what will fit into "average" (men's!!!) pockets -- women's pockets are often unable to hold a gun at all. The absolute biggest thing I pocket is my px4 .40 subcompact. That is 6.2 X 4.8 X fat (the fat is a large part of the trouble) X boxy (the rest of the trouble) so a slightly larger, thinner, and less boxy gun will fit in places the PX is tight.

For what its worth, I did carry a makarov for years in a pocket. My advice, if you want a heavy gun like this (I love them heavy, they shoot so much better than lightweights) is to get a good belt. I have to have a belt for the PX or I lose my pants... the sig is not much of a burden but a lot of what you are not seeing here is the weight of the ammo. 10 or whatever it is .40S&W is a lot heavier than 9 makarovs or 7 380s.... (or whatever, I dunno how many are in them off the top of my head). The sig has a low capacity so the ammo weight is lower making the package less of a burden; be sure to look at the loaded weights when you make a choice.

If those are the 3 guns you are looking at, its probably more important to give a hard look at the action, safety features, and so forth rather than focus on the dimensions (however keep that total weight in mind, its important). All 3 of those specific models will fit well into typical pockets. The real question then is capacity, weight, dao - DA - SA actions, and the like. I have rarely seen 3 guns so very different listed as contenders for carry, so I will leave you with a thought: get some range time with each one & choose it off the entire package, not just the dimensions.

I wish you well in your search. All 3 of these are popular guns, and with a little effort and luck you can very likely find one of each to test drive.... for sure everyone and their brother has either a kel tec or a copy pistol or other clone of the design, and in the past year I have seen a good 20 folks with the sig, ppk seems a little more rare.

[Guest motonut]

I too have a PX4 SC (but in 9mm), I think it would be a little thick for a pocket gun, unless I was wearing cargo pants.

Just FYI, the P238 and PPK were the comps primarily due to price range, I have the LCP there primarily for "smallest size available" info, not to say it won't be something I look at. Also, the PPK is on the list for "uniqueness" factor too but I know very well it must be able to perform, I'm a "function over form" kind of guy.

Just wish G-n-L had any of these guns available for rent at the shop, I'd love to be able to try them out first.

Yes, the round capacity issue goes both ways, need to have enough for the situation but then it adds to the weight when you're not.

Thanks again.

Edited May 6, 2011 by motonut

[JC57]

I have a Bersa Thunder 380, which is similar in size and weight to the PPK/S, but cost a couple hundred less.

While I can and have carried it in a pocket holster in jeans, khakis, and dress slacks, it's a bit large and heavy to carry it that way all the time. Carries fine in an IWB holster, though.

A pocket gun with sufficient power and accuracy is an elusive beast.

[JAB]

So if I am not mistaken, I am hearing that the Keltec needs a long break in period...

I think that varies with the individual pistols. I also think it was more true of the 1st gen P3AT (and maybe, to a lesser extent, P32.) As I mentioned, before, I sent my first gen P3AT back and received a second gen replacement under warranty. The second gen was reliable right out of the box and has never had a single hiccup. Since that last post, my wife has sent a first gen P32 back for warranty work and, again, Kel Tec sent her a second gen as a replacement. Like my P3AT, her second gen P32 was 100% right out of the box.

Some folks on the Kel Tec forum like the first gen better. I have to say that I like the 'looks' of the first gen better. The first gen guns are also ever so slightly smaller/lighter (a negligible amount, IMO) than the second gen. That said, it is my belief that the second gen guns are more reliable and I find the miniscule 'sights' more usable on the second gen pistols (probably due to the flat-topped slide which, ironically, is part of what I think doesn't look as good about the second gen guns.)

You all prefer the .380 over the .32?

For me, that would depend on the purpose. My wife cannot stand firing my P3AT for more than about three or four rounds due to felt recoil but she can run a whole box through her P32, no problem. Shooting with a two-handed grip or with my strong (right) hand only, I can't tell much difference - I shoot the P3AT as well and as quickly and my shot recovery is just as fast as with the P32. That said, I would never carry the P3AT specifically as a weak-hand BUG because I can't shoot it worth a hoot with my weak (left) hand. That is why, for me, the P3AT is a primary for when I can't conceal something bigger or, rarely, an ankle gun. It is also part of the reason I have a NAA mini in .22WMR for a weak-hand BUG. I shoot my wife's P32 left-handed with no trouble. The P32 holds one more round in a standard mag than the P3AT. The P32 also holds the slide open on an empty mag/after the last round is fired. The P3AT does not (most likely had to be eliminated in order to get the .380 pistols to be as small and light as possible.)

Ammo availability/design/performance is another point to consider. I believe that many of the premium SD JHP loads currently on the market in .380 will give both good penetration and good expansion. In .32, it seems that most JHP loads still give either/or. Also, the P32 (and, by my understanding, some/many other pocket .32 pistols) can have problems with rimlock when firing JHP ammo. There are ways to address the latter possibility but they do require modifying carry mags to be more reliable with JHP. For those reasons, we only load my wife's P32 with FMJ. The 'up' side to that is this means she practices with the same ammo she carries.

I also recently got a S&W 642 and lately have been carrying it more than the P3AT, sometimes in a Blackhawk pocket holster (#3, iirc) and sometimes in a FOBUS. Felt recoil with it, loaded with .38 +P, is much stiffer than the P3AT loaded with Federal Hydrashoks (my carry load in .380.) I find the P3AT to be much more controllable and am a bit more accurate with it. That said, I can shoot either of them 'well enough' at likely SD distances. Further, I still believe that - especially when you are talking about really small guns that are walking the fine line regarding size/weight for caliber - a good quality revolver is simply more reliable than even a good quality semiauto, especially when the gun will be living in a pocket much of the time. If I am only going to be able to carry one small and fairly limited capacity gun, the likelihood of it going 'bang' when I pull the trigger - or, if it doesn't the idea that all I need to do is pull the trigger, again - becomes an even bigger concern than normal.

On the plus side for the P3AT, however, is that (carried with one in the chamber and a topped-off mag) it holds two more rounds than the 642. Reloading the P3AT would also likely be faster, easier and less likely to cause a 'fumble'. Another consideration is that there are now factory 9-round mags (with grip extensions) for the P3AT. Such would probably defeat the purpose of a pocket gun for carry but would make a great option for a back-up mag. The same style mag is also available for the P32 and it holds 10 rounds. Another point is that, although I got the 642 with occasional ankle carry in mind, I have found that the P3AT works much better as an ankle gun, for me. It is simply flatter, less 'bumpy' and the grips don't 'stick out' from my leg as much. The 642 gets uncomfortable on my leg pretty quickly while I can carry the P3AT there for the better part of a day with no problem. I have also found that there are some (not many but some) of my pants pockets in which the P3AT fits fine but the 642 doesn't fit very well - which means the P3AT also presents better/more easily from those pockets. I have one or two pairs of pants with pockets that accomodate the P3AT well enough but the 642 won't work, at all.

Edited May 6, 2011 by JAB