Pocket pistol Concealed carry suggestions

If money is no object, and you're willing to put in the time and ammo to test/master it, then the Rorbaugh is a top contender.
My father has one and totes it in the front strongside pants pocket in a Nemesis rig. He put around 300 rounds of 9mm standard pressure ball ammo thru it, then 200 rounds of his carry ammo, Hydra Shoks, I believe. He tried certain other hps, but found the pistol to be a little picky. Once he found the right ammo, and tested it to his satisfaction, its been with him ever since. He did say it was not easy to just pick up and shoot. It took quite a bit of practice to feel confident in a platform that small. And he is a retired firearms instructor. I myself find it a tad heavy for pants pocket carry, but I think in time one would get used to it.
If $1k is a little steep, then the Khar is a viable option, again with plenty of testing w your preferred carry ammo.
Now, I know you listed 9mm only, but may I suggest some investigation on your part into the jframe .38 spl. If that is just not on your list of considerations, I apologize for listing outside of your criteria. My personal opinion is the jframe makes a great second gun, and has a manual of arms that is as easy to learn as can be, and is as ammo insensitive as one can get.

dan

i would recommend the Glock-26 since it's the smallest glock, and it's very light, plus you can use the others glock 9mm magazines like the glock-19 or glock 17, you can even use the 32 rounds mag as long as they are 9mm.

When I was researching for my concealed carry choice, Kahr did not feel good in my hand, and I would even say painful (the grip is so ruff!). I chose the Walther PPS back in May and COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY. I know you saw it for over $700 in the chart, but I don't even know where you could buy it for that much. When I've seen it in stores or on online stores, I've seen it sell for $600-$675. If you go on Gunbroker.com, you'll find new in box ones for $580 or so. I spent time looking for a deal and found one in like new condition for $510 with three magazines. Now that price does not scare you so much, I'll tell you why the Walther PPS in either 9mm or .40 is the ultimate choice. At only 1" thick, and being so light, it not only becomes completely invisible to all, but so comfortable that you will always want to take it with you when you leave to house. Related, the one question that weighed a lot was, if I don't feel like or want to carry it for whatever reason, what the hell is it good for?
As for feel in the hand, one would think that I can't say too much because everyone's hand is different, but the PPS has three different capacities of magazine:
A 6 round that I can get two fingers on
A 7 round that all three fingers fit on
And an 8 round that has a luxurious amount of space for my pinky.
Not only are there different magazines to adjust how it feels in the hand, but also, two interchangable backstraps that offer a different grips for different sized hands. Basically what I'm saying, it's easy to get a great feel for your hand when you are telling the gun what you want it to do for your hand.
Next, Walther is one of the TOP names in gun making. Fit and finish is superb. It shares the same ultra hard and resistant coating as a Glock, it breaks down just like a Glock (fast and easy). In the ppstalk.com forum, you can see hundreds of posts reporting perfect range trips with story book like accuracy. Those who have shot thousands of rounds, have reported continued function with absolute reliablity and durability. I have only put 550 rounds through mine, but so far, performance has been ideal.
So in conclusion, I am convinced that it's the ultimate best concealed carry choice that is offered to the world. On top of all of that, I think it's quite attractive.
http://sgcusa.com/images/supporting_images_large/Walther_PPS_40SW_Black_C.jpg

I carry a Kahr PM-9 in a Galco pocket "holster" lots of the time. It will fit in jeans... but is really at home in a pair of Dockers. I like the DAO action of the Kahr and mine has proven to be 100% reliable after a 300 round break in period.

The Kahr is a very popular BUG with many law enforcement agencies.

Related, the one question that weighed a lot was, if I don't feel like or want to carry it for whatever reason, what the hell is it good for?
As for feel in the hand, one would think that I can't say too much because everyone's hand is different, but the PPS has three different capacities of magazine:

Click to expand...

That's why I'd start with weight first then gun fit then caliber.

Stick 16 ozs in your pocket and walk around all day with it then try 24 oz try hanging them on your belt all day, then decide what you need.

Kahr PM9

all the way 18 ounces fully loaded with 124 tgrain hp ammo, nothing comes close to that. The Rohraugh is a nice gun but very very ammo sensitive and not a gun that you can shoot tillthe cows come home either.

The PM9 kahr is truly a pocket gun as it rides in my jeans front pocket 24/7 and has for over 2 years. extremely accurate, super but loooong (by design) trigger pull, all stainless and oh yes I forgot 100% American Made..

It's Kel-tec not Kal-tec. I pocket carry a P-11 with the 12 round mag regularly. Excellent guns,great customer sevice, and 100% made in America.

My personal pocket gun (in large enough pockets, anyway) is a Kahr PM9, in a Mika pocket holster. It does not disappear completely but is unobtrusive. I tried a Glock 27 but it is just not a pocket gun, being too large, thick and square - even in a pocket holster it looks like a James Michener paperback novel in my pocket.

Spaces between paragraphs is always nice.

I've pocket carried a PM-9 and PF-9 (and several .380s).
The Kel-Tec PF-9 has functioned 100% so far with at least 1,000 rounds through it. No experience with the Rohrbaugh. I wouldn't consider anything bigger or heavier than these for pocket carry. I don't see how people pocket carry Glocks.

The Taurus PT-709 is starting to develop a pretty strong following, except there seem to be some quality control issues on brand-new out-of-the-box pistols. 7+1 in 9mm, very thin and pocket-friendly. You may want to take a look at them.

The Kel-Tec P11 (double stack) is a pocket gun, but it takes a larger than average pocket in my experience. It's also not the lightest one out there. It is reliable. I have no experience with the single stack version.

The Rohrbaugh R9 is the Cadillac, much more compact than any other 9mm semiauto I've tried. You do have to hang on to it when shooting. It carries VERY well. It is a bit larger and noticeably heavier than the itty-bitty Kel-Tec and Ruger .380s, but it still hides nicely and is SO much more gun, and priced accordingly.

I would echo the Walther PPS or G26 but I think both are too big for pocket carry.

I would lean toward the Kahr PM9.

Kahr PM45 for me, but I wear Carhart carpenter pants year round so most would go with the PM9 for a little more concealability.

I will second the Taurus PT-709, very thin and small enough for pocket carry. It is less expensive than the Kahr, but not without reason.

On the Glock side, the 27 just seems too thick for pocket carry. I do wish Glock would make a gun thin enough and small enough for pocket carry and I would buy it in a heartbeat. My other Glocks would love to have a new friend.

On the higher end of prices and a lot harder to find, what about a Colt pocket 9?

The keltec's are reliable in my experience. Do not limpwrist them when you fire, and they will function just fine.

If you're sold on 9mm., then I would have to go with the Kahr PM-9.
I always thought mine was a little big for pocket carry.
I'd love a Rorhbough or a Seecamp, but the price is steep and they're no fun to shoot. Plus think of how you'd feel if some LEO decided to take it from you (for whatever reason).

If you go to .380, you open up a whole new level. (Sig P-238, for example)

If we are talking in the pocket, why not LCP ? Small 9mms are too big for me to pocket and Kahr seems to have more than a few lemons out there . You can make up the power difference between .380 and 9mm with careful ammo selection.

If you are REALLY talking a pocket gun in 9mm, you only have one choice: Rohrbaugh R-9.

The Kahr PM-9 is the next best contender but requires BIG pockets and suspenders.

Change your criteria to the venerable 9mm "kurz", and that opens up many, many more choices, not the least of which is my favorite:

Seecamp LWS 380

Of course, you'd also have to look at the Ruger LCP, Sig P238, Micro Desert Eagle 380, Kel Tec P3AT, etc.

I'm on the same quest, but I'm not in any particular hurry. Someone mentioned above the possibility of the Glock 26 as a pocket pistol. I tried it and it doesn't work. First, while the G26 is great for IWB carry, it's too big for a pocket pistol, with an overall length of just over 6" and a width of about 1.2". Once you put it in a pocket holster, it looks like you've stuffed book in your pocket. Hardly unobtrusive. It's also way too heavy.

I think the G26 is a great pistol, but it doesn't work as a pocket pistol.

Walther PPS.

I like my Springfield XD40 sub compact as my primary and a NAA380 or the LCP as a backup.Two guns for less than one Rorhbough. Maybe you should look at the Ruger LCR-LG 38 +P, 1.8" barrel, 13.5 oz.

I have a metal-framed Kahr E9 (same as K9) and love it. For pocket carry, look at the MK9, which is the size of the polymer PM9 without all the rough texture on the grip. You might see "all steel" and think it's heavy, but it's not. All of my Glocks are heavier, including the sub-compact (G33).