Pocket gun for big hands..?

[drmajor]

I took a look at the Ruger LCP for a pocket concealed gun...Very nice- till I tried to shoot it..

The trigger wants to fall in the crease of the first knuckle and at that position it is comfortable, but I cannot pull back enough to fire the gun.

If I put the tip of my finger on the trigger ( not comfortable or natural for me), I can shoot it.

Suggestions on a pocket gun in 9mm or maybe 380 that does not have such a huge trigger pull movement.??

These pistols seem to require a huge trigger travel, which is very difficult with size 13 hands..

 

[2wheels]

Sigs P238/938 have a short single action trigger pull that you shouldn't have trouble with.

 

[C0untZer0]

You know what it means when a man has big hands right?

 

[C0untZer0]

- big gloves...

 

[C0untZer0]

I don't think there is a good definition of what constitutes a "pocket" pistol. Different types of attire have different sized pockets. Some people will cram a fairly large pistol in their pocket and even though the gun is bulging out, and poking out the top, and takes significant effort to get it into and out of the pocket - there will be people who will swear that it's a pocket pistol.

But generally speaking - those attributes that make a pistol a "pocket" pistol are also going to pose some difficulties in manageability and comfortably shooting it.

I don't even have big hands but this R9 practically dissapears in my hands:

 

[CPshooter]

haha.

On a serious note, I'm not sure if you'll find a "pocket" gun for large hands anywhere. If you're talking about a flat, sub-compact gun the size of a XDS or PPS that can be made to work in a larger pocket, then you have some more options.

I also have the same problem with smaller guns and I would say my hands are medium/large sized . They either rotate and move around in my hand too much, or the trigger reach is way too short. Never makes for pleasant or effective shooting...I gave up on carrying them because I don't feel confident that they'd be able to save my life if SHTF. Even felt this way about my Kahr PM9, but that gun was problematic anyways so I would have ditched it either way.

I personally think a J-frame Smith is the best pocket protection if you consider all things. The size, weight, printing profile, accessibility, reliability, ability to shoot while in a coat pocket, decent grip size for larger hands, etc, etc. Only down-size is a 2" barrel, but the .38 special +P has a good track record nonetheless. Just a suggestion and you may not want to hear it, but maybe an auto isn't what you need right now.

 

[Fred_G]

I have a Smith M&P 9C, a bit big for a pocket gun, but has a lot better trigger than the LCP, I love the size of the LCP, but that is it! You might look at the M&P Shield if you can find one. I hear the trigger is better than my M&P. I have not fondled one yet, so not sure how it is size wise.

Colt Mustang in .380 is a nice gun, but hard to find these days.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The trigger wants to fall in the crease of the first knuckle and at that position it is comfortable, but I cannot pull back enough to fire the gun.

If I put the tip of my finger on the trigger ( not comfortable or natural for me), I can shoot it.

It is just the trigger trying to show you how you should be placing your finger

Just half kidding, as most folks who place the trigger in the crease of their trigger finger end up with the length of that finger along the side of the frame...this has an adverse effect on accurate shooting. It is just a control issue that you can overcome with practice.

I agree that the configuration which makes a pistol suited for pocket carry are dynamically opposed to fitting larger hands. The smallest pistol I can comfortably shoot...quickly and accurately is the Kahr P/CW9 which is barely pocketable.


The Kahr PM/CM9 fits in the pocket better, but doesn't provide as much gripping surface

 

[coolluke01]

With the rights pants I can carry my Glock 26 in the front pocket. It's really not that bad. I carried that way quite a bit this last summer.

With the backstraps on the Gen 4 you would be able to adjust the trigger fact to backstrap length. I use the largest backstrap and it works really well.

 

[Rembrandt]

Dittos on the Boberg

 

[Fremmer]

Same problem here. To an extent, you're just not gonna be able to shoot most mouse guns, at least not very well. I second the single action trigger suggestion, but that may not be enough. You're just gonna have to try them to know. The other alternative is to use a medium sized gun, maybe like a sig 232 or other models that aren't so small.

 

[m3mh0g]

I wear XXL gloves and carry the XDS in a desantis pocket holster everyday. I love that gun!

 

[JTQ]

Maybe you just need bigger pockets, and then you could pocket carry an S&W N-Frame like Clint Smith does.

http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanHandgunner/AHMJ11/?Page=24

 

[TMann]

It's going to be tough to find a pocketable gun that would also fit someone who has a big hand. The best ones that I can think of would be a J-frame revolver (you can put on bigger grips) or maybe a Walther PPS with the smallest magazine (6-rd.) The Walther has a grip that is longer from front to back compared to some other narrow single-stack guns, so it's surprisingly comfortable to shoot.

Good luck with your search.

TMann

 

[Jim NE]

Mag shoes can work wonders. One of them transformed my Keltec P-11 from an inaccurate recoil pest into an accurate comfortable shooter.

 

[kokapelli]

P238

 

[rogn]

modify it-"custom"

I ran into a problem with my LC9, my hands are 14's. The problem being my trigger finger would run into my thumb and block it from further travel. I liked the pistol a lot so I built up the backstrap with putty type epoxy and buit a thumb rest un the thumb side. The backstrap is about 3/8" extended and the thumb rest is about a 1/4", neither interfere with pocket carry or function. There is an exception, my daughter was shooting 2 handed and her offside thumb got cut by the slide, the backstrap put her hand abit high.

 

[DonGlock26]

I'd get an airweight .38 snubby. You can try multiple grips, change them quickly and easily, they are affordable and powerful. Snubbys are ultra-reliable for a pocket gun and can be fired through a pocket or in contact with an attacker five times.

 

[drmajor]

any experience with :
Sig 938
Slim 709
Nano

I have a S&W 642 with Crimson Trace grips. Nice, but seems heavy and fat.

 

[kokapelli]

I have shot my son's 938 and it has a lot more felt recoil than the P238. I personally prefer the P238 between the two, but if you want a 9mm than the PM/CM9 would be my choice.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm 6'3", 195 lbss, and wear XL gloves. That being said, my hands are large, but my fingers are long and boney. Trying to wear a ring is very difficult for me.

I went through the exact same thing you did. I thought the LC9 would work. It didn't. I tried on a Solo, and the trigger to backstrap distance was still too short. One of Kahr's pocket 9's was getting close, and I almost bought it.

Then SA came out with the XDs. With the bigger backstrap on the gun, it fits me superbly. The distance from backstrap to trigger is enough for me to pull the trigger quickly, and smoothly, and avoid digging my pointer finger nail into my thumb. Check one out, as I think you will be pleased.

Oh, and they will be releasing one in 9mm. I prefer the .45 acp cartridge, so this is essentially the perfect CCW for me. It carries great IWB in a hybrid holster.

Here's mine next to my J frame. The XDs is a lot easier to shoot for me. I have to cock my thumb way back when shooting the J frame. I suspect the gip angle comes into play also.

 

[USAF_Vet]

If you have big hands, you probably have big pockets.

I just picked up a Taurus 709 slim, and while bigger than the average .380 pocket pistol, it is still nice and compact. I suffer from a similar dilemma with having big hands, and the .380 offerings are simply too small to shoot comfortably. They might be easier to conceal, but I would be less likely to carry a gun I did not hold and shoot well.

So opting for a slightly larger pistol was the option I chose. The Taurus 709s fits in the picks of my work slacks, but with obvious printing. With jeans with larger pockets, this pistol disappears. Same with a jacket pocket.

I'm running 115 grain in it now, but will probably move up to 124gr once I've gotten it broken in some. I trust 9mm a but more to get the job done over .380. I'm big enough to get away with concealing a compact 9mm, and it sounds like you are as well.

I can't and won't carry a micro subcompact gun, so moving up a size, and caliber, made sense for me. YMMV.

 

[Rex B]

I have large, thin hands. I like a full grip.
Guns that work for me, pocketable:

Taurus 85 ultralight
Colt Govt 380 lightweight
Star SS 380

 

[drmajor]

Really like the Kahrs. But when I held it, it seemed the trigger relationship was off for me.
My hands are roughly size 13+. XL gloves are small.
The Sig 938's trigger is the best I've felt- straight back pull and not the LONG arch of the Ruger LCP series. The price of the Sig is high.

At this time, I like the idea of a 9mm as I have some ammo and ammo is impossible to find now.
I like the idea of the small size of the 380.