Best Pocket Gun: S&W 640 vs Ruger SP101 vs Kahr PM9

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4Freedom

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I am debating which pocket gun to go with. I have narrowed down some choices. I would like to have a pocket revolver, because of reliability and I Like the fact you can use .357 rounds in the S&W 640 and SP101. I suppose many say the downsie of the SP101 and S&W 640 is the weight. I want to get the type of pocket size revolvers that do not have hammer, like both SP101 and S&W 640 have hamerless varieties. This is a tough choice. I suppose some say the Kahr 9mm is the all around best pocket carry because it is very light and small and can hold powerful 9mm +P rounds. However, I thought the SP101 would make a good backup woods gun as well as backup city gun.

I have also considred 340PD, but have heard lot of bad things about the durability of the metal alloys used for the lightweight construction of these guns. Seems the space age stuff doesn't hold up as well as the stainless. Also, I hear the recoil on .357 rounds are almost unbearable. I will stay away from this model, despite the bigger price tag.


Anyway, what are peoples thoughts? Should I go with SP101 , s&W 640 or Kahr PM9? I rather not get a Ruger LCP or Kel Tec, as I think they lack the durability that I want in my life saving BUG. I know some will grill me for saying that, but it is my personal opinion.
 
I'd have to suggest against the SP101 as a pocket gun. I tried it for a while. The weight was manageable with a good belt, but the gun is large enough that it wouldn't fit in all of my pants' pockets. Nor was the grip as compact as a Smith's, and it wasn't hidden by the pocket holster I have (Glaco); it always looked like I was carrying "something" in my pocket. I found I can carry it in a winter coat pocket comfortably, but it rotates around too much, making a consistent draw difficult.

If you're a big guy with thick enough pants, the SP101 might work for you. I'm 5'9" and 160 lbs, and it didn't work for me. You'd need something smaller than the factory's Hogue grips. The SP101 is a nice belt gun, though.
 
I've owned a S&W 640 .357, SP101 3" 9mm & .38, and a Kahr PM9.

I prefer to carry something that I will regularly practice with. Every single time I took the 640 out with .357 rounds, I left with the skin torn off my hand and often bleeding. It was still uncomfortable with .38s. Don't get me wrong. It's a solid gun, and if you're proficient and comfortable with shooting J-frames, I'd recommend it. But .357 is no joke out of those, even with a steel frame.

I considered the SP101 more of a house gun than a carry gun. Also a solid choice, but the 9mm didn't really give me anything other than inexpensive practice (at the time), and I kept thinking I wanted a .357 when I owned the .38.

The PM9 was a good fit for me, and most of my wardrobe. Recoil even with +P loads was about the same as .38s out of the SP101. Because I felt I couldn't master the trigger, I sold it. Now I'm wanting a MK9 to replace it.

jm
 
Any pocket gun is going to kick you around and demand lots of practice but you can cut all that up by practicing drawing at home, point and shoot at home with laser, and dry firing.

It is worth it because you are the guy who brought his gun to the gunfight instead of leaving it home cause it was heavy.
 
Is PM9 the smallest size Kahr pocket gun? I am thinking maybe Kahr 9mm will be more practical. Maye I will go this route. I am hearing the S&W 340 type revolvers made of the metal alloys have too much recoil and only last for 5000 before they break. Yes, perhaps the SP101 is too much weight to be in the pocket. I thought it be nice to have a forest gun that I could keep in the pocket; however I see its not practical for use in city.
 
Because I felt I couldn't master the trigger, I sold it. Now I'm wanting a MK9 to replace it.
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Why will the MK9's trigger be any different?

4Freedom, Kahr makes a PM380 that just came out.

As far as pocket guns and recoil, the Ruger LCP is a pleasure to shoot. But it's "only" a .380. I haven't found a round that I truly enjoy shooting out of my Smith model 37 airweight. Even target rounds aren't particularly fun.
 
As I understand it, Kahr makes .40S&W pistols every bit as small as the 9mm versions. There's NO WAY I would choose an 9mm over an equal size & weight .40S&W.

Also the S&W 340PD are PLENTY durable. Just use mild loads or mid-range loads for practice. Try a few 110 gr full power loads that you're going to carry just to get a feel of what to expect. In an actual defense situation, recoil won't be noticed. Also if you DO get a "J" frame S&W, be sure to install an Wolff spring kit. The spring kit alone will reduce felt double action pull weight by 30-40% RELIABLY.
 
SP101 is well hidden in an IBW holster and comfortable at that. You sound like you're a pretty fit guy and would have no problem wearing an IBW all day long comfortably. I'm 5'8" 155 and love my SP101?IBW combo for all day carry and feell very good about the .357mag backing it up! I use it for walks in the woods in Maine where black bears can be an issue and feel much better with the .357. Bigger is always better!
 
Why will the MK9's trigger be any different?

1KPerDay, good point, I should have been more clear.

Because I (wrongly) felt I couldn't master the trigger, I sold it. Now I'm wanting a MK9 to replace it.

Meaning, I should have just practiced more.

jm
 
The aluminum framed j-frames are as heavy a pocket gun as I'd personally want.
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Ditto. Once you get into guns that weight 2 lbs or more loaded, your pocket will flail about annoyingly due to the extra inertia. It's like walking around smacking your thigh with a rubber mallet all day.

IMHO, the SP101 makes a better belt gun, either IWB or OWB. And if you are going that route, you might as well go with the 3 1/16" barrel. The Kahr, though light weight and pretty compact, does have one drawback for pocket duty relative to the hammerless/enclosed hammer J Frames: the rear of the slide can make drawing more difficult. The rounded backstrap of a hammerless J Frame makes drawing smooth and fast, but YMMV.

For me, an aluminum enclosed hammer snub in 38 Special is the perfect pocket gun. Fairly light weight, acceptable recoil and easy to draw. It has also been very dependable, and with good ammo selection, 38 Special is most certainly nothing to sneeze at. There are many good loads out there that achieve good penetration and reliable expansion, so if you do your part, the good 'ole 38 will do it's part too.
 
Maye I will go this route. I am hearing the S&W 340 type revolvers made of the metal alloys have too much recoil and only last for 5000 before they break. Yes, perhaps the SP101 is too much weight to be in the pocket.
Click to expand...

The SP101 is not a pocket gun.

There is a guy on the S&W forum who had 13,000 full power .357 Mag rounds through his 340, about two years ago. Having owned three of the AirLite Scandium j-frames, I would worry more about my wrist than I'd worry about the gun. :) It is not a fun gun to shoot.

Again, having owned j-frames in steel, alloy and Scandium, and having sold all of them...my choice is the Kahr PM9. Something that I can actualy carry every day. Smaller than a j-frame, far easier to shoot well, holds 6+1 vice 5 rounds, and reloads infinitely quicker.

Better yet, a 9mm +P+ is very close to a .357 from a 2" barrel power-wise, and there is no comparison between a 127 +p+ from the PM9 and a 125 .357 Mag from a 340 recoil wise...
 
I own or have owned all those guns. The SP101 is too large and heavy to carry comfortably in a pocket. The 640 is a better size and shape, but is also a little heavy, and .357 loads pound your hand, although it is OK with .38 Specials. I like the Kahr PM9 better than any of those. It fires an effective cartridge (and has two more of them), has a lighter smoother trigger pull and sights you can see. I shoot it far more accurately, mostly for the above reasons. The one disadvantage of it is that the square rear of the slide and the rear sight makes it harder to draw from tighter pockets. A close second is one of the lightweight snubnose .38s like the 642.
 
stalkingbear.. the pm40 is a little bit wider than the pm9 and only hold 5+1 and 6+1. The MK9 has a great smooth trigger, it is a little heavier than the pm9, however it is also all steel.
 
The PM9 is the only true pocket gun in your choices. They have a spotty reliability record (some are great, some stink). Your best bet is a non-scandium j-frame. I carry a 37-2 with a factory bobbed hammer in my pocket every day. You can't go wrong.
 
The SP101 is <edit>heavier than necessary<edit> in my opinion.

I have a PM9 and a 642 and prefer the J-frame BY FAR over the PM9. The slide simply gets in the way. I can also get a much better grip on the J-frame while it's still in my pocket, or at any other time, for that matter.
 
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I regularly carry my sp101 as a pocket gun. For me the key is a good belt, big pockets and putting some weight on the opposite side (Speedloader, knife and such). I am a bit over 6 foot so it works for me. Would a smaller j frame fit better, yep. The point I am making is that with proper dress it can be done. I think either will work for you.
 
The SP101 IS a pocket gun...

I have carried the 2 1/4" DAO packed with Speer 357 Magnum 135gr GDHP "Short Barrel" in a Mika pocket holster every day for over a year with no problem. (6' 2" 180Lbs.) Most of the time I don't even notice it's there.

As you stated, a semi-auto is out of the question for reliability concerns and I agree. A light-weight 357 revolver is painful to shoot which means you won't practice much...Not a good thing.
 
You can carry an airweight in your pocekt no matter what kind of clothing you wear: shorts, khakis, a suit, a tux, whatever.
You can't say the same for a sp101. I have carried a Glock 19 in my pocket, but it is NOT a pocket gun. Neither is the sp101 or 640. They are TOO heavy for most clothing.
 
I tried a 640 with defense-load .357s in it.

I bought a 642 instead. Didn't think I'd ever load the 640 with anything but .38+P, so the 640 would have been a waste of money for me.

Neither gun is a fun toy. If you want a gun to shoot paper with, get the heavier Ruger. It's not so fun to carry, though.

(For the record, I think .44 Magnum is a great plinking round. I'm not particularly recoil-averse.)

No opinion on the Kahr; never shot one.
 
I have a mod 60 and for a carry gun, I wanted something lighter & a bit more snag resistent -- I went w/ the 442 and couldn't be happier
 
I have to agree with cookekdjr on the SP101. Much as I loved mine, and I'm 6 feet and 215, it was no pocket revolver. I carry a Taurus M85UL at times, 17 ounces, it's just about as heavy as a pocket gun needs to get. I do prefer my 9mm, though. It's smaller and lighter than a J frame and carries a lot more firepower, or mine does, and speed loaders are a royal pain both to carry and use. Nines just make more sense to me. I don't know much about the Kahr, but I'd still pick it over a revolver first, get the revolver later.

As much as I like the SP101, and I had one for a while, it's a gun I rarely carried. It's strictly an IWB proposition for me, or maybe thunderwear. Also, I prefer the bulkyish Hogue grip on the SP101 which gets your middle finger away from that blasted trigger guard and gets your little finger on the grip at the expense of some more bulk.
 
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