POCKET CARRY

[ftncityfatboy]

Due to my current status of self employed and I go into people's home and talk with them about renovations/repairs, etc, I need to think about getting a pocket gun, possible something in .380, that I can easily conceal. Most people react if they see a firearm on someone especially if they enter their home. Since shooting a friends newly released sig, model P238 I believe?, i have had a hankerin to get one. however, they are pricey. I owned a keltec PF9 but it was extremely uncomfortable to shoot and horrible on arthritic hands/wrist so i sold it. What say ye about a good pocket carry that is easily concealed and easy to shoot and doesn't reek havic on one's person?

Edited November 9, 2010 by ftncityfatboy

[Alpha13]

i still vote p 238!

[Guest tnxdshooter]

Due to my current status of self employed and I go into people's home and talk with them about renovations/repairs, etc, I need to think about getting a pocket gun, possible something in .380, that I can easily conceal. Most people react if they see a firearm on someone especially if they enter their home. Since shooting a friends newly released sig, model P238 I believe?, i have had a hankerin to get one. however, they are pricey. I owned a keltec PF9 but it was extremely uncomfortable to shoot and horrible on arthritic hands/wrist so i sold it. What say ye about a good pocket carry that is easily concealed and easy to shoot and doesn't reek havic on one's person?

I vote for the new taurus PT740. It is a pocket carry 40 basically. Academy had em for about 385.00 last time I was down there. I am seriously thinking about getting one as they got good reviews from NRA's American Rifleman and a couple other gun mags.

Taurus 2010 What's New Catalog

By the way I did test it out and it does fit in my jeans or shorts pocket. Of course I dont wear butt huggers either I wear relaxed fit jeans and shorts.

I just saw where you said you had arthritic hands. I would then recommend the PT709 slim taurus it is a pocket 9.

Edited November 9, 2010 by tnxdshooter

[Guest carbonarcher]

Yes, Sigs are pricey! They are also great firearms! I would also take a look at the Ruger LCP, I love mine! Never any issues! Front, back pocket doen't matter. Great little gun.

[Erik88]

I had a p238 and it had problems when I first bought it. Found out it was a bad magazine. After that it ran solid for several hundred rounds. Then it had problems again. Replaced the recoil spring and it ran fine. They are kind of hit or miss. But they shoot great and conceal extremely well in the pocket.

I'll own another one someday.

[Guest peacexxl]

I vote for the new taurus PT740. It is a pocket carry 40 basically. Academy had em for about 385.00 last time I was down there. I am seriously thinking about getting one as they got good reviews from NRA's American Rifleman and a couple other gun mags.

Taurus 2010 What's New Catalog

By the way I did test it out and it does fit in my jeans or shorts pocket. Of course I dont wear butt huggers either I wear relaxed fit jeans and shorts.

I just saw where you said you had arthritic hands. I would then recommend the PT709 slim taurus it is a pocket 9.

+1 especially on the pt709. But if you are looking for something smaller and in the 380 range, think about the Taurus TCP.

[Guest AGT822]

I'll throw another option out there: The Diamondback Firearms .380

I purchased one a few months ago and I love it. I know a few folks that warned me to stay away from DB, because it's a fairly new company and they are still building their rep, but I ignored the recommendations and I am glad I did. It's a great little gun. You can't beat the price point.

[dats82]

I know it is a little on the larger size for pocket carry, but I acquired a Bursa 380 thunder a while ago. I have been very happy with the gun, and it is small enough that I am able to pocket carry it. They are easy on the wallet and not hard on the hands to shoot.

[Oh Shoot]

Don't shtup around with mouse caliber -- get a Kahr PM9.

- OS

[Guest DRO]

The longest standing and least expensive pocket pistol among all these options is still the Kel-tec P3AT. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Still, any gun that's small enough to fit in your pocket is going to have some bite to it based on it's lack of mass, so I'm not sure you're going to find the pleasant recoil you're looking for in any package of that size. That said, I like all these guns that have been mentioned. Taurus's latest offerings are really cool.

[daddyo]

Don't shtup around with mouse caliber -- get a Kahr PM9.

- OS

+1. Sacrificing safety for convenience is a mistake IMO.

[Guest XD9GUY]

+1 on the Kahr PM9. Although I have the Kahr CW9, it is sweet to shoot, and does not tear your wrist off.

You can carry it in your pocket or IWB easily.

[Guest TnRebel]

I vote for the new taurus PT740. It is a pocket carry 40 basically. Academy had em for about 385.00 last time I was down there. I am seriously thinking about getting one as they got good reviews from NRA's American Rifleman and a couple other gun mags.

Taurus 2010 What's New Catalog

By the way I did test it out and it does fit in my jeans or shorts pocket. Of course I dont wear butt huggers either I wear relaxed fit jeans and shorts.

I just saw where you said you had arthritic hands. I would then recommend the PT709 slim taurus it is a pocket 9.

Before you buy the Taurus 709 , please read this thread on Taurus Armed net about the 709's I have a Taurus PT111 in 9mm , and have not had a problem with it , but the 709 seams to have some.

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[greenego]

Don't shtup around with mouse caliber -- get a Kahr PM9.

- OS

I have pocket carried a PM9 for about a year now. I have an angle pouch for two mags

[Guest m&pc9]

Im in and out of customers homes, I carry a hammerless J frame in my front pocket. Some pants fit a little snug and never been noticed. And with the 38 special its not to bad to shoot.

[ftncityfatboy]

Im in and out of customers homes, I carry a hammerless J frame in my front pocket. Some pants fit a little snug and never been noticed. And with the 38 special its not to bad to shoot.

i have a taurus 851 .38 spl which I have carried in front pocket and sometimes prints, most times not. Maybe I'm just overly concerned about offending someone and loosing business or some silly chit like that. Maybe I should start carrying the .38 to help remove my fears.......keep the XD9sc in the computer bag.....

[Guest m&pc9]

Mine will print when Im wearing older jeans.(because they are to tight) But I dont think anyone has ever noticed. And I carry it in a Don Hume leather holster.

[flyanything]

My opinion is a used P238 to keep the price down. The .380 is a short 9mm. It would be enough to stop me I believe and I'm 210lbs. If not stoot twice, then your looking at .760. That should definately do it. I carry the P238 all the time and the only problem I've ever had was feeding Hornady Critical Defence with that soft rubber tip. I polished the feed ramp and had no problems since. Pocket carry has become quite popular so there are several to choose from. Just buy what your going to end up with in the long run.

[daddyo]

My opinion is a used P238 to keep the price down. The .380 is a short 9mm. It would be enough to stop me I believe and I'm 210lbs. If not stoot twice, then your looking at .760. That should definately do it. I carry the P238 all the time and the only problem I've ever had was feeding Hornady Critical Defence with that soft rubber tip. I polished the feed ramp and had no problems since. Pocket carry has become quite popular so there are several to choose from. Just buy what your going to end up with in the long run.

Just curious as to what you're basing that on.

[TGO David]

J-Frame revolver. Still the best pocket carry handgun around, IMO.

[dralarms]

I carry OWB, most of the time it's a S&W M&P40C, however the last few weeks I have been carrying a Beretta Cougar 8045, which is a BAG , I am in peoples homes and businesses on a daily basis. Here is a run down of my last 3 encounters:

1 Installing alarm for hospital dialasis center, Main man walks up to me and asks " Didn't know your job required a firearm". (That was said in a joking manner)

2 Man who inhertited old customers house calls up, wants a cell backup for his alarm. I go in, he looks at my son and asks "What are you carrying" my son answers and he says "Nice gun" he didn't even notice mine.

3 At hospital, installing access control keypad. Chief maintenance guy walks up and says "still packing?" So I said yep, wheres yours. His boss was standing there so he didn't answer. LOL.

Here is my take:

For the most part, here in Tennessee, folks don't care if you are carrying as long as you don't look and act like a banger or a utter dip wad. I have been asked to remove mine once, I was working on a new house (note still under construction), and the contractor was using quite a few non american workers. Must have scared the crap out of them because the contractor went to the owner and complained that his workers were..... Well the owner came to me and asked me to leave mine in the truck. I said no problem. placed it in the truck, went back to work and sometime during the day I must have said something wrong because most everybody left.

All I said was where is ICE? I mean it was a hot day and I didn't want my drinks to get hot.

[Guest tnvolfan]

Hello FtnCity Fatboy!! How in the world are you?? I saw your thread and I wanted to offer letting you shoot my Kel-Tec P32 and a Sig P238. I agree that Taurus has a great gun out there, and Smith & Wesson also released the Bodyguard 380, which has a laser on it. That's good since the sights on many of these guns are worthless. They are pretty much point and shoot guns, anyway. As a note, Kel-Tec released a 9-round magazine, which makes the P3AT a 9+1 gun. The magazine gives a man's hand a little more to hold on to. My husband HATES the trigger function on most of these pocket guns, because you have to pull it nearly all the way back before it engages. It's supposed to be a safety feature, but he didn't like the way it felt. He opted for the Sig Sauer P238 for that very reason. It feels and acts exactly like a 1911, and it has a manual safety on it as well as night sights. I think folks had problems with the earliest models, but we've had none with ours. But if you'd like to go somewhere to look at a great selection of these guns at some really good prices, I suggest going to the South Clinton Pawn Shop. I just bought an XDM-45 there, and wanted to buy more! They are not open on Tuesdays, but check them out sometime. Let me know the next time you're going to CCA, and I'll bring the toys. Take care, my friend!

[Guest rockbottom12]

I have the p3AT and go business to bsuiness daily. In light of your condition I would suggest the p32 for a more pain friendly weapon. This is a very pocketable weapon, much more so that the sig.

[flyanything]

DaddyO, If someone shot me with a .22 I'd be going the other way.

[Guest AGT822]

If someone shot me with a .22 I'd be going the other way.

I agree completely flyanything... I've always found the topic of stopping power a little trivial because I believe most perpetrators are going to turn and run the minute they realize they are being filled with lead of any size. That's assuming they can still turn and run.

Anybody that's ever been hit by an air rifle, BB gun or even paintball gun knows how painful it can be. At the very least it's enough to render a person unable to retaliate. And short of a perp that's flying high on coke or some other substance, or somebody wearing a vest, odds are a .380 or even a .22 is going to be enough to fend off the attack, which is all I care about.

If by some freak of nature they do keep coming after getting filled with 7 rounds of .380, I have no doubt I can finish the job by beating them senseless.