CC Pistol ( Help me decide)

Take a look at the Bersa Thunder 380 CC. It's small enough to fit in a pocket yet has a little weight to it so it doesn't feel like a toy. It's dehorned and DA/SA with decocker. Do a search on the gun forums. You won't find much negative about them. Paid $300 for mine new.

If I'm going pocket carry, which I did almost exclusively for about three years, it's the Kahr PM9.

About a year ago I went IWB almost exclusively. I still have the PM9 and will never let it go. For me, it is the perfect balance between size, weight, capacity and power.

I have and love the new Kahr P380. Have you considered this? More expensive than the other .380s out there, which may not go well with your budget concerns, but it doesn't feel 'cheap' like the Keltec P-3AT does to me, and it has quite a smooth trigger.

http://www.kahr.com/PA-1_380_p.html

XDSC or M&PC

I own both. I carry the M&P & the XDSC is my backup. I had a fullsize M&P as well & lovd it.

J-Frame

I am not a revolver guy by any stretch, but for pocket carry a J-frame revolver will fit the bill. You could try to check out the 642 club on this site, endless info and plenty of people to answer your questions about them. The reliability of a revolver is tough to beat when you are looking at pocket carry. The M&P 340 is excellent and I doubt you would have any regrets with it, however it is much more expensive than the S&W 642 or 442. Regardless your choice use a pocket holster, they are cheap and well worth the increased safety.
Otherwise in an auto I would look at the LCP.
Good Luck and Be Safe!

I don't like the LCP; too little gun for the round. The idea is self defense, not self abuse. The LCP is just too uncomfortable to fire to encourage the kind of familiarization and practice you'll want to do with a weapon you're carrying for your own protection.

Check out the Walther PK380 which is just now arriving in gun shops nationwide. Prices online are generally $325-$350 and it's a very nice gun. It's a bit bigger than some of the mighty mites but it holds nine rounds (eight in the magazine and one on the chamber). It's not a pocket gun, though I can drop mine in the front pocket of my jeans or a coat pocket, but it does conceal very nicely in an IWB holster. Mine is loaded with 102-grain Remington Golden Sabers which should prove adequate at typical SD ranges.

Also consider the Smith & Wesson Model 637 or 642 Airweights in .38 Special+P. The 637 has an exposed hammer; the 642 has an internal hammer and is double-action only. These are small, light, five-shot revolvers that sell for less than $500.00. I have 637 and it drops into a pocket or slips into a waistband very nicely. Use regular .38 Special ammunition; loading either of these with +P falls under the heading of self abuse. If you really, really, really want to use +P ammo, get a larger set of grips or consider a Model 60 or a Ruger SP101.

The Bersa .380 is a very fine pistol with a strong track record. Both of my sisters-in-law and their husbands have the Bersa .380.

My wife and I have larger .380s. She has the Browning BDA and I have the Beretta 84FS Cheetah. These are larger and more expensive (around $750.00) but they hold 14 rounds and are heavy enough to be pleasant to shoot all day. This is another IWB gun.

Incidentally, you may want to opt for a pancake holster carried on your belt. If you do, be sure to get a real gunbelt that is designed to carry a gun in a holster. A regular pants belt won't cut the mustard and will stretch (take it from the voice of experience).

I've been absolutely satisfied with my SC 340. There's always a way to carry it as long as you have some article of clothing on, it's been rock-solid reliable, and I can shoot .357 or .38SP out of it. Dandy little pistol.

Handle02,
Is this your first pistol? have you shot any of your choices? Most if not all subcompact pistols shoot marginally and kick like mules, not very fun to shoot. IMHO. Pocket carry is just a good way to shoot off your balls, unless you have a lot of experience with the pistol of choice. If you can't tell yet, I do not much care for subcompact pistols, most compacts either, except the CZ 75D PCR. I would suggest holster carry over pocket anyday and a compact like the PCR or Glock G19 over any subcompact, you will enjoy shooting it more and gain valuable experience you made need more than quick access to your pocket gun. I carry everyday, every season, belt or paddle holster. If you want to gain a lot of valuable knowledge try an IDPA match, bring a holster.

for pocket carry

Smith and Wesson J-frame... my 442 is one i will never even consider getting rid of .... I carry a Walther PPS IWB most of the time, but when i need to put something in the pocket the 442 is perfect..

The LCR or the J-frames are fine. The LCP would be fine. If you get one of the Kahr pocket guns, I would get the steel one if the weight is okay.

Might want to rethink pocket carry

For your first gun anyway, since you will want to shoot plenty. None of those guns are very good for range fun. A Glock 26 or 27 is made to be shot all you want, and using an in waistband holster they are super comfortable and disappear under normal clothes. And .380 is not only expensive, it is a definite compromise over cheaper and more capable service calibers.

Keep a few things in mind. The people who run to their computers to post on internet boards with BAD things to say about guns are people who had bad experiences. People who had GOOD experiences aren't nearly as driven to tell the whole world about it. Most of the comments you will find about ANY gun are bad comments. This doesn't mean at all that it is a majority opinion.

Having said that, if you want really small, and you don't want Glock, most of your options are junk guns. You sound like a guy going to a car dealer and telling him you demand high quality and you are only willing to spend $3000.

We don't know how good you are, or how much shooting you have done. What we DO know is that little guns are NOT rookie guns. Small guns have less weight, which means more felt recoil. Small guns have a smaller sight radius, which means they are more difficult to shoot accurately. If you are willing to carry to protect your life, you should also be willing to adjust your wardrobe and lifestyle to fit the gun, not get the tiniest gun you can to match your wardrobe and lifestyle.

I have no idea why you completely exclude a .45. If you go to a range and shoot a variety of guns, you will find that smaller calibers, PARTICULARLY IN TINY GUNS, have more felt recoil than a full-size .45. You need to get to a range and try a LOT of guns in a LOT of calibers. You will be surprised at what works well and what you shoot best.

You're right. It is entirely possible to make a tiny gun with a big sight radius that is just as robust as a bigger gun, and Sub-compact Glocks are way to big for small gun applications. I'm putting the crack pipe down now.

I don't like the LCP; too little gun for the round. The idea is self defense, not self abuse. The LCP is just too uncomfortable to fire to encourage the kind of familiarization and practice you'll want to do with a weapon you're carrying for your own protection.

Click to expand...

I disagree. If the OP wants a pocket-gun, a LCP or a 442/642 are two top-tier choices. Either is fairly easy to become proficient with at 7 yards with practice over a few weeks and a few hundred rounds fired. I own both, and while they're a tad spunky recoil-wise, neither is "uncomfortable", IMO. Really, they're great choices for pocket-guns.

Les

IF pocket carry is a must, then it's KAHR all the way for me.

Skip

No worries, I don't upset easily. Carry and shoot whatever you want.

I'd still rethink pocket carry. It might be convenient sometimes but it is incredibly limiting, and will make a major impact on your clothing selection. A decent belt and a decent holster, like the FIST #1AK (I've got one for my Glock 27, it rocks, super thin, great retention for an open topped holster, Glock pops right out on an intentional draw, and it costs about $40 with shipping) can be found for pretty cheap. I got a belt from Gunner's Alley a couple years back that is absolutely as serviceable as it was the day I received it, and I really like the Comp-Tac 1.5" Kydex reinforced belt as well. Super sturdy but a bit thicker than an ordinary belt. Helps hold a holster down.

The only guns I've pocket carried are a Taurus PT-22 and occasionaly the Glock 27 in a FIST Kydex pocket holster. A few times I've carried a USP .40 using a jeans pocket as the holster, grip out of the pocket, but I wouldn't reccomend that at all and I had either a large sweatshirt or a jacket on over it.

My Keltec PF-9 is sitting in my pocket right now. Smaller than some .380's; light, accurate and mine has been totally reliable (and under $300).

I got my Florida CWP in 1992 and I have owned dozens of different size, brands and calbers of handguns. These are the ones that have been the overall best concealed carry guns for me.

Pocket Carry - Ruger LCR, S&W 642 or 638, Ruger LCP ( Just got this one, but it has been great so far )

Belt carry, either IWB or OWB - Glock 26, Ruger SP101, Glock 19

Choosing a carry gun is a very personal thing. Take some time and try out a number of different models before you put your money down. The key is to do your research until find one that will best suit YOUR needs, not mine or anyone else's. And remember, the best part of owning guns is that nobody ever said that you are only allowed to own one! (Not anybody from around these parts anyway! lol)