Need advice new smaller gun

Good morning everyone,

Looking for a little advice on what direction to look. My wife is now returning back to work, however they will be adhering to some new policies. She started out with a g19 as her carry gun, then went down to a pt111 g2 due to size and weight differences. She has been pretty happy with it as it was small enough that she could conceal with no problem and even to slip into her bag when at work. Printing or accidental exposure wouldn't be a good thing at her job.

The problem is now they aren't allowing employees to bring bags into work. My guess is to reduce the chance of employee's slipping extra gloves and mask into their bags for personal use (its a medical office). So she is in scrubs which may help with the printing concerns as they aren't form fitting or tucked in. She also won't add a belt but doesn't want something as heavy as the g2 that will drag down her pants as the day goes on.

With all that said what you all recommend we go check out at the LGS that would be smaller and serviceable? She is willing to go down to .380 size caliber but still wants to have a manual thumb safety as well? Only thing I can think of is the ruger LCP, I don't have much experience with smaller then 9mm handguns and the smallest I own is the sheild 2. Any help would be greatly appreciated

1942bull said:

I think the Ruger LCP would be an excellent choice for her. It does not have a manual safety, but it has a trigger safety. That combined with the right holster makes the gun a safe EDC. I carry mine everyday and all around the house in a IWB holster. I do not like pocket holsters. Galloway precision makes a excellent holster for the gun. It has an Ulticlip which is a perfect way to secure an IWB holster with a beltless garment like scrubs. This is a link to the holster details. I also think that a manual safety when carried beltless is a handicap because to be efficiently drawn requires releasing the safety on the draw. Without a belt the rigidity is not there to support the applied force. There are millions of LCP and LCP 2 handguns in circulation. I have never seen a report of an accident with one because of the absence of a manual safety.

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I think you may have just swayed me towards the lcp for her to look at plus that holster comes in purple which she will loves. It's the finer details with her that usually matter.

She has worked on turning the safety off while drawing part quite a bit. I run the G2C but never on safety. We just have different levels of confidence in our tools. In fact if she ever picks up my gun the first thing she does it put the safety on. She may just have to get used to no thumb safety like when she had the g19 in rotation

Ernie Bass said:

Has she ever shot and trained with a smaller gun? If not, then hopefully she can make it to a range if one is open and shoot a few. I personally would never recommend a small barrel gun like a LCP to anyone without the advice to train well with one. But that is just me and you asked for advice. If "I" were given the job under the same circumstances I would choose the Keltec P32 at 10oz fully loaded with 8 rds. of good defense ammo.

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She has not but this also isn't our first go round at this. Yes it will be range tested prior to purchase, just as how she has done with the 2 other carry options she has currently. This is not a gun that will sit at home in a draw or safe this is something she would have with her anytime she leaves the house. Thanks for the p32 recommendation I will also look into that one with her

Ernie Bass said:

If you decide on a LCP understand that there have been three different models. The Original which is not sold any longer and the Gen2 which has a very nice DAO trigger and still sold. And the LCPll. Before purchase do some research on these triggers. Of the two I would go with the Gen 2. Nice sweet DAO. If the small guns prove more difficult then I think Gunny's recommendation of the Glock 42 might be a good choice. And note there are some 380's small guns you might want to look at as well. The Kahr for instance is well made and a very Mild shooter. And others as well.

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Will keep in mind the differences in generations when we check them out. The 42 definitely won't work due to weight its heavy more so than her current g2, but the 43x seems like it might be a fair to give it a shot. She is always naturally draw to glock.

Jim Watson said:

A couple of women friends have the LCP - I don't know which variant - and they are nasty little kickers.
Strangely, my LC9S is not bad at all.
I think a Glock 42 (or 43) is the default pocket pistol but a thumb safety is wanted.

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The kick may not be much of an issue for her but we shall see.

Fishin4guns said:

If she needs small and a safety, look at the Sig p238 or Springfield 911. I have a p238 and it shoots really well for it's size. It is my daily carry at the office because I can't take the chance of something printing.

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I like the look of the p238 for something i will probably get a some point but a 1911 is not in her wheel house.