We have a sticky in the auto pistol forum sizing and detailing what proportions guns have:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...iagrams-pocket-auto-comparison-charts.558765/
Pocket guns have been around since the late 1800's, when they were carried for use against large aggressive dogs who's owners would not restrain them. Early bicycle riders purchased them for obvious reasons, along with city dwellers who would not tolerate being robbed by thugs every time they ventured on the street. Canes were also highly popular at the time - 40 something year old men and women didn't need them for support, they were defensive weapons, with some style.
A lot of those early guns were in small calibers as that was the accepted norm. From that Browning took the concept into auto pistols with items like the Baby Browning and others. The makers saw the money and a few dozen more jumped on board around the world with their versions. .22, .25, .32 and others were made. .380 was on the large size then.
Currently guns in the 11 oz unloaded category no larger than .38 caliber are "pocket" guns, despite the calls for carry subcompact .45 belt guns. It seems their are those who think that since they can pocket a Colt Dragoon in their pants then they can recommend it, which is always a source of humor in these threads. It also goes to thinking that a duty caliber weapon can be cut down to it's least effective barrel length yet still have the same ballistics - nope, a .45 from a 3 1/2 barrel doesn't have the same impact as a 5". At that point it is better to increase velocity to regain power with a smaller bullet in a bottle neck cartridge. Unfortunately items like the .32 NAA aren't even remotely considered by the shooting public - yet.
.380 seems to be the threshold where most pocket guns are considered viable, but that is from shooters trying to judge them with defensive duty gun standards. You see a lot of stuff like "FBI protocol" dished up to justify it. And yet Browning invented the .25 and .32 in his day.
Most are 11 to 16 oz roughly, as polymer has dropped the necessary weight substituting for steel or aluminum alloy. Six shot magazines are common, after that the features can be as simple or as complex as needed. I tried the LCP and found the gun was snappy when shooting, and the lack of a last round slide hold open led to more than a few clicks on the range when that was the only signal you got it was empty. I consider that a major tactical fail in the field - it's the last thing you need when another round was necessary and you could have been reloaded by a more user friendly feature. It also goes to use on the range - plenty claim they like the LCP because it's light and small, but also say that they carry it - never practicing with it much at all. Others prefer to shoot it more regularly to make sure they are familiar with it and can hit what they are aiming at with some precision. It also goes to the LCP sights being small and rudimentary.
Those issues have been addressed in the LCP II, along with the trigger pull which was bottom of the class. That alone shows even Ruger was aware of the complaints. That also goes to the Keltec which was the gun Ruger based theirs on, altho fans aren't prone to agree.
There are plenty of better guns, including the Remington RM380 which is their version of the Rohrbaugh, Taurus, S&W, Kahr, and SIG. Of those I chose the Kahr CW380 - I has the better trigger, an item Kahr has long led the field in for decades now. Its smooth, just a tenth longer in pull than a standard Glock, easy to learn reset, and runs 6-8 pounds. Other guns run up to twelve. It has a slide hold open and states you reload it by releasing it after the mag change. The mags can be plussed up one round with aftermarket kits. The sights are good and replaceable for others including tritium night sights. The unlocking of the barrel during the action cycle is smooth and generates a smoother recoil impulse than the harsh LCP, which facilitates shooting a lot more, or at least pleasantly. It reduces the chance of getting your knuckle whacked which some LCP owners report. I've found I can shoot a box of 50 with the Kahr vs two mags and done with the LCP. The Browning lock ramp angles aren't set in stone, reports are coming out the LCP II is more forgiving. It also weighs another oz more unloaded.
Before jumping onto any Brandwagon I'd go out and at least pull the trigger - literally - and see which you prefer. Internet recommendations are often just an opportunity for owners to promote their tribal association, when what we would all like to hear about is some of the comparisons to see if we would prefer one over the other. And just because someone likes something, or not, we can at least sift thru what they write to reflect on whether it will be an issue for us. Early reports on the Kahr stated the new owners disliked the mandatory 200 break in recommended by the factory - and yet many professionals recommend 500 to sort out which ammo simply won't cycle reliably. It may be your favorite just doesn't in that gun but something else does. One thing mine will do is cycle reliably with steel cased cheap ammo - it just won't lock the slide back. Brass cased defensive carry ammo has no problem. That is normal - lots of guns won't cycle foreign import fodder. The guns weren't designed around shooting cheap ammo, and most of us never carry it. Little things like that are what you can discern when somebody takes the time to say more about a gun than a "I've got one and you should too." These days a lot of those recommendations are the first gun the owner has ever bought.