Maybe you were wrong about Pocket Pistols

jar said:

Revolver.

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Why?

As I explained up above.

First, I have lots of revolvers.
Second, I am comfortable with a revolver.
Third, I am a civilian in a relatively low threat environment where the normal dress is light clothes and few jackets.
Fourth, I practice regularly with revolvers and have done so for well over a half century.

Small, compact, snag free, powerful. As close to the end of history in pocket pistols as I see it.





Recently the local gunstore had a smoking deal on a stainless Taurus snubbie in 357 Mag, about the same size, but I have fired 357 snubbies and they hurt! But, you can get a 357 same size if you look for it. A revolver has no flippers, levers, and all you have to do to make it go bang is pull the trigger.

I've talked to two very-alive shooting victims of .22s. One in the ER, where the victim was merely annoyed with his leg wound from a fight, the other in a restaurant, of all places, a year or so after the shooting. He was still debating whether or not to get the bullet removed from his chest.

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Friend of mine, his sister was so distraught over a break up, she decided to show the guy her pain, by committing suicide in front of his house, in her car. She shot herself in the heart with a 22lr pistol. A passerby heard her screaming, called an ambulance, got her to the hospital. The Doctor decided not to perform surgery and let the wound heal itself. She is still alive.

I did have a high school friend whose 22lr rifle discharged as he crossed over a fence. The bullet hit his spine then deflected into his heart. He did not make it.

These are all anecdotal, but I am not impressed with the stopping power of a 22lr, after having seen enough squirrels pick themselves up, and run off, after being hit with one!

While I don’t carry my LCP out anymore it still has a place so I’ll keep it.

Whether or not I’m “more safe” with a Shield9 isn’t an issue for me just that I found a bigger gun that I can carry easily and shoot better is.

The mouse gun will always have a place in my battery just like a big bore on the other end of the spectrum, the only justification I need for carrying a pocket gun is that I can.

Jeb Stuart said:

I train diligently with all my carry guns. At least once a week. And almost every time I go to the range with any firearm, the Pocket gun will get some training in. Even if it is just 25 rds.

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Target shooting at the range isnt "training" it's practice and it's usually pretty piss poor practice. I would like to strongly suggest that you find a reputable trainer in your area and take a class, preferably with one of your pocket guns to see how they work under stress. You might be surprised

Jeb Stuart said:

By the way Monkey, here are my EDC and please, notice the 9mm's.There are three in that bunch. Not featured are other guns like Compacts and large frame pistols and revolvers that I own but do not carry except on rare occasions.
And I do carry the 9mm at every opportunity that I can and is convenient to do so. Pay attention to what you read.

View attachment 806542

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You seem to have more Cs than EDs

Here is my EDC "rotation"



Perhaps you notice a pattern? I'd rather have fewer guns and more training

jar said:

As I explained up above.

First, I have lots of revolvers.
Second, I am comfortable with a revolver.
Third, I am a civilian in a relatively low threat environment where the normal dress is light clothes and few jackets.
Fourth, I practice regularly with revolvers and have done so for well over a half century.

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Ok

what always gets lost in these discussions is that carrying any gun in any caliber puts you in a better position to defend yourself than 95% of the people out there who carry nothing. unfortunately these discussions always devolve into someone berating others over and over for not carrying what they carry and how they simply wont survive without something bigger.

STILL looking for that smaller 9MM with a hammer and a heavy DA trigger, to replace the reliable old .32.

Pocket pistols have a place. But a primary sidearm, whether CCW or duty weapon, should be the largest handgun one can comfortably handle in the largest caliber one can comfortably shoot. This will vary from one individual to another, obviously.

It isn't the size of the gun, it's the size of the pocket.
I carry a full size, 5" .45...in my pocket.
Get a pair of Duluth Trading Post "Fire Hose Pants" or "Fire Hose Flex Pants". That big pocket gobbles up a 1911.

I read somewhere that you have to "dress around the gun." These pants are just the ticket.

To you naysayers out there, the look on peoples faces at the range, when discussing CC, is priceless when I pull a 1911.....from my pocket.

I am 6' and weigh 204 lbs.

Jeb Stuart said:

Actually Duluth fire hose pants do like look all that great with a coat and tie or when the requirement is actually a pair of dress slacks. Regardless, you are also talking about a lot of weight, which in my opinion is significant in every day Carry . I do carry the LCR9mm and the Small little Nano in winter. But both those weigh about 18oz. I prefer side carry when possible, but will also carry them without a bulk holster apex.
And I carry the Nano and LCR without anything but a clipdraw.
I hate bulk, repeat I hate bulky, heavy anything. I am very OCD about the correct size for my pants. I will not buy a pair a few sizes too big just to accommodate a firearm.and do not like a heavy weight pulling down my pants. I understand some folks have no problem with the largest big Bore IWB. I just cannot live with it.

Fully loaded
View attachment 806658 View attachment 806659 Beretta Nano

View attachment 806660 Or a clipdraw like the LCR View attachment 806661

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carrying a striker-fired pistol without a holster is an excellent way to become a soprano

prplbkrr said:

It isn't the size of the gun, it's the size of the pocket.
I carry a full size, 5" .45...in my pocket.
Get a pair of Duluth Trading Post "Fire Hose Pants" or "Fire Hose Flex Pants". That big pocket gobbles up a 1911.

I read somewhere that you have to "dress around the gun." These pants are just the ticket.

To you naysayers out there, the look on peoples faces at the range, when discussing CC, is priceless when I pull a 1911.....from my pocket.

I am 6' and weigh 204 lbs.

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I actually wear those every day for work. I'll have to see if one of my friends has a similar sized gun and see how it fits. Thanks for the tip. My issue isn't about what I wear as I'm able to conceal desert eagle in my work clothes if I'm standing straight up, unfortunately 70% of my job involes bending/squating/crawling and exaserbates any printing.

If it's bending/squatting/crawling you're worried about, I'd be more worried about the pistol
being uncomfortable. You might want to consider a pocket holster, in order to provide padding for yourself, as well as the firearm.

Dibbs said:

If it's bending/squatting/crawling you're worried about, I'd be more worried about the pistol
being uncomfortable. You might want to consider a pocket holster, in order to provide padding for yourself, as well as the firearm.

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Already done. I picked up leatherwork so I could make my own. I was just explaining why a 380 micro gets picked most days even though I can technically concealuch larger firearms.

I hear ya. I've rolled my own leather and nylon work a few times. Lately, I've been using
Spiderwire braided line for strength, and it makes it easier to see the stitching. Good packs
of sail needles are getting harder to find, tho.

Been packing a concealed handgun now for going on 40 plus years. 25 of those as some form of a peace officer. Granted there are pocket 9mm's, 40's, 45's and 357's. and except for the 357 (pocket size) at one time or another I've carried them all. Right now, with my wardrobe, a pocket pistol is in the cards. Granted the KelTec PF-9 and Kahr's are as small as some pocket 380's, but the difference in downrange ammo performance off the shelf 9MM JHP and a premium load like Buffallo Bore, is almost non existent. And before anyone says the BB ammo will wear out my PPK/s you're right, but If I've got to use it it's going in a PD evidence locker for a while

Today around the farm it's a PPK/s in 22

somethingbenign said:

You guys are right, pocket pistols aren't for first time shooters and they take work to master. For me a 380 pocket is a bunch easier to handle effectively than 9 pockets I've tried. With trying to pay off my wife's student loans and myself working full-time plus taking classes I can manage going to the range reliably once or twice a month. In my situation a pocket 380 and its ease of handling fits better to my needs. When I can train more often I do intend to pick up a pocket 9 and put some time into learning it but I'm just not there yet.

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I found it a bit funny, my adult daughter wanted to try my Kimber Micro 380. She liked that it was small. She fired two shots and handed it back. She is still carrying my Makarov. There is nothing inherently wrong with 9x17 as a defensive cartridge, if it doesn't fit your life needs, you shouldn't feel that you need to "step up" to 9x19.

The only reason that I sometimes consider 9x19 is the greater variety of pistol offerings. However, I know I will ultimately end up with some 1911-a'like anyways.

Even though the Kimber Micro is well in the "pocket-pistol" class, I still wear it on an, OWB, belt holster.

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Trunk Monkey said:

a pocket pistol is what you carry when carrying something else is impractical.

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Whatever else has been written above, I believe that this statement is accurate.

Personally, the experience that drove me to almost always carry a compact version of a full-size handgun (XD compact in .45 ACP) was training with a timer. Deploying my almost-full-sized concealed firearm from a quality IWB holster on the strong side is much faster than deploying my J-frame from a pocket. Any pocket. My splits are faster with the XD than with the J-frame, especially when using self-defense ammo. My accuracy with the XD is also much better than with the J-frame when shooting at speed and at more than bad-breath distance. And the holes made with the .45 are always bigger than those made by the .38.

I'm with DPris here:

DPris said:

The video may have led the two commentators to draw their conclusions, my experiences have drawn me to mine.
And mine are very much not theirs.

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When my XD absolutely can't go with me, then my J-frame drops into a pocket. But I have no illusions that the J-frame is "just as good a tool" as the XD.

Pocket pistols have their place. I do prefer to carry something larger, usually a K Frame Magnum these days, but has included Sig P220/P226, Browning Hi Power and full size 1911s over the years.
These days my pocket gun is one of the new Colt Cobras. But occasionally a Sig 938 or J frame rides in a pocket. I have smaller guns that I could use, a Beretta 21A .22LR, a Baby Browning .25 (family heirloom) and a NAA .22 LR Mini Revolver to be specific. Never really felt comfortable with them though.
I used to work a job where I wasn't allowed to carry & would have been fired if I'd been caught. So a J frame or the Sig P938 was what I had every night at work.