Fun to shoot AND pocket carry

[ratt_finkel]

You know the old saying, "if you don't like to shoot it, you wont".

I'd like to pick up a deep concealment set up. Something that can be pocket carry. But withstand 50-200 rounds at the range without being in complete discomfort.

Currently my smallest carry piece is a P238. I love the gun, and can hit eyeball shots at 15 yards with it. BUT, for my body type it's just too big for pocket carry.

Basically, looking for slightly smaller P238. I've shot most of the ruger line, some of the other smaller pocket pistols in the past. Don't remember them all at the moment. But I know most if not all of them are just not fun or enjoyable to shoot.

I'd prefer to keep it 380 or 32. Looking at:

LCP - Shot it before
Pico
PT738
Bodygaurd
Kahr CW380 and P380
Taurus Curve
Seecamp
Remington RM380
KelTec P3At - Shot it before(would be low on the list)
Diamondback 380

Looking for solid, honest range reports and feedback. Not interested in other calibers at this point unless they can meet my criteria.

Thanks!

Jeremy

 

[Grumulkin]

I have a Kahr P380, a Kel-Tec P3AT and a Glock 42. I've pocket carried them all. The P3AT is easiest to conceal so I carry it with some clothing. The Glock is what I carry most, is the most pleasant to shoot, though I don' t consider anyof them bad, and is of durable Glock quality.

 

[Hullraiser]

I'm NOT a Glock fan, but the the new 42 felt pretty good in the hand. Although I've never shot one.
It's hard to beat the p239 or 938 for concealment and range shooting IMO. Any smaller than that like a 738 is not going to be fun to shoot at the range much.

 

[Mgaines]

I'm looking hard at a Remington RM380 and I think my next purchase, I have large hands and it feels great in my hand, the slide is very easy to rack.
Get one in your hand and see how it feels.
So far I haven't been able to shoot the RM380.

I have shot a Ruger LCP and a S&W Bodyguard, the lcp is easier to shoot it had less recoil, the Bodyguard hurt my hand to shoot but I did shoot it better than the LCP.

 

[GoPappy]

It's hard to beat the p239. . . .

I assume you mean the P238, not the P239.

 

[WRGADog]

G42, soft shooting, reliable. I pocket carry mine every day.

 

[VA27]

I have a few.

Seecamp: The smallest 380 available. No sights. A little jewel to look at, and NOT fun to shoot. If you want small and fun to shoot, go with the 32 version.


Micro Desert Eagle: barely larger than the Seecamp, but much more comfotable to shoot. It also has fair sights and is suprisingly accurate.


Beretta Pico: VERY thin! If you have big hands it could be too thin. Better sights than the MDE. The trigger pull is smooth but heavy (IIRC, they've fixed that). It is accurate once you get used to the trigger.

I've handled but not shot the RM380. It felt good in my hand and the sights were equal to the MDE. I liked it, but am waiting for a used one to show up at the LGS.

 

[Sundancer2004]

A walther .380, PPK, Or a. PP, carried one for years, in fact when I had desk duty it was comfortable. In a IWB

 

[gotboostvr]

I shot a Kel-Tec PF9 well. I don't particularly go for Pocket carry, and if it's going on a belt I can easily go bigger. But that little PF9 shot very well

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I pocket carry a Makarov which has a full grip and soft recoil but that's not for everyone. I do want to replace it with a Sig 938 though, that's a little easier to carry.

 

[Ibmikey]

Mgaines / Ratt. I have an RM 380 and it has many virtues but the DAO trigger is not one of them in my opinion. It makes a great pocket pistol because of the shape ( nothing to catch on clothing etc), mine has been 100% reliable through several boxes of ammo and it is sufficiently accurate for a last ditch pistol. I normally carry a Sig 238 or 938 or G 42 but recently a Shield came into my life and although bigger than the others seems to disappear in my attempts to conceal. I have fired the shield but not to any excess as yet, it is a super accurate pistol and to date totally reliable.
The Kel Tec .380, Diamondback and a number of others on your list are not fun shooters where the Sig P 238 (380) or 938 (9 mm) are just that........fun shooters.

 

[bannockburn]

Smallest .380s that I have that are the most fun to shoot would be my Colt Mustang and SIG P238. The really smallest .380 is my KelTec P3AT and it's not fun to shoot. Have tried the S&W Bodyguard .380 and really like it but seems to be larger than my Colt Mustang and SIG P238.

 

[Wishoot]

"Pocket Carry" and "Fun" are basically mutually exclusive.

Even though I do not find the LCP (or my J-Frame) to be fun to shoot, I can shoot it accurately enough for SD purposes.

 

[MedWheeler]

My P32 is actually pretty fun to shoot. I would not expect it to be so if it were in .380.

 

[kokapelli]

Everyone seems to have missed that the poster wants to shoot up to 200 rounds at a session!

That's a lot of rounds for any of the really micro pistols, especially blow backs like the Seecamp or Micro Desert Eagle.

IMO the G42 or the P238 are about as small as I would go for a 200 round range session.

 

[Tirod]

I used to own an LCP, and like others, had no incentive to put more than a few magazines thru it. Even with a better trigger the recoil is snappy.

I tried the RM380 trigger and it was far too long a pull, nearly to the frame for me to release. I was testing triggers because if you can't deal with a long pull or high effort, the gun won't be practiced with and you won't shoot it.

Also goes to the recoil spring pressure - but there is a catch, literally. A high effort spring isn't a problem if you choose a gun with last shot hold open. The LCP and others require racking the slide to chamber every first round in a magazine, and that isn't a range gun positive. It is, in fact, a nuisance and more, it's not a safety improvement. It also leads to more malfunctions.

So the gun I choose had to have a slide hold open like professional grade guns, to make mag changes less hassle. It also makes it easier to use at the range - despite a higher effort recoil spring. If you only rack it a few times in a session, it's not a detractor.

Good sights help and a lot of pocket pistols don't. Keep your options open, some can't be upgraded whatsoever.

Last but not unimportantly, mag spring tension comes into play. I have a P938 and the spring tension to reload it is high effort, requiring a mag loader. The gun I pocket carry is thumb friendly, and in the first range session I easily reloaded the single mag I had to shoot a box of 50.

I'm 5' 6" when I lie about it, so I don't usually have deep pockets. The LCP was small enough and another gun in the same size category and weight was going to be the requirement for that. Not the larger alloy framed models.

I bought and shoot a Kahr CW380 and if an open search is the goal, then rent one if at all possible and shoot it. It has the same recoil as my P938, because of the Browning system, a great DA trigger at 6 pounds, not higher, as short as my Glock 19, not the frame tapping longer ones currently in vogue. It shoots much more comfortably than a LCP, changes mags and gets into operation faster, has better sights, and the mags load easily. It's a shooter as many other owners report.


A gun with a heavier longer trigger might not be an issue, but the slide hold open is for somebody who intends to shoot it more than carry it. The Kahr has that when cheaper guns don't, so you do get what you pay for. And a good trigger, too.

 

[minutemen1776]

I have a S&W Bodyguard that I really like. I use it for pocket carry and have frequently shot 50-100 rounds through it in a range session. It has most of the features you'd find on a larger pistol, including last-round hold-open, nice sights, easy-loading mags, etc. Being so small, recoil can be snappy, but it's not bad.

 

[Zendude]

The Pico has a surprisingly mild recoil and good sights. As noted in previous posts, it is quite challenging to shoot if you have large hands. But, that's going to be the case with something smaller than the P238.

 

[WYO]

I've had a KelTec P3AT .380 and a Seecamp .32, and there is no way they are both easy to carry and fun to shoot. I found that the P238 met both criteria very easily. I started out back in the day carrying a steel framed S&W 640 in the pocket, so I thought the P238 was as good as it gets. If that is too big for pocket carry I just don't know what else to say.

 

[Anna's Dad]

I really like the Pico for its modularity, true DAO trigger and adjustable / replaceable sites. I think it is probably the most pocketable of all of them on your list as well. It really is amazingly thin. That said, I'm not sure it would win the "fun" award. Although the extended mag that comes with it may help, I suspect something with more substantial grips would suit that requirement better. If you do end up with Pico, be aware that newer units have been "upgraded". Older units can be upgraded for free (you pay shipping one way).

The Bodyguard or Kahr CW380 / P380 might fit the bill. Not on your list, but the Sig P238 is a great fit for your requirements if you are OK with single action (cocked and locked). Also not on your list, but maybe the Glock G42. It may be a little less pocketable that some of the others.

I have no experience with Taurus, Seecamp, or Remington. I believe the Seecamp is blowback so it probably wouldn't meet your fun criteria, at least in 380.

 

[springer99]

I can't think of any handgun that is small enough to be suitable for pocket carry, that I would think is fun to shoot 50-200rounds per session.

 

[M-Cameron]

i would avoid the Micro carry guns like the Bodyguard and the P3at........

sure they are small and light weight.......but they are also VERY hard to shoot accurately.

i struggled to hit targets past 5 yds with the BG........and that was on a calm collected range.......if you had to actually use it in SD you would be in a lot of trouble.

personally i wouldnt seriously look at anything smaller than a Glock subcompact( glock used for size comparison).......or S&W shield.......

you have to ask yourself "why are you carrying a gun?".....are you carrying a gun because its easy to carry?......or are you carrying a gun to fight with?.

 

[ratt_finkel]

Wow! Some great responses here guys. Really appreciate it. I realize some of you might know the specs of all these guns. But I made a list of all the guns that are smaller than my current P238 in some dimension. So of the alternate suggestions (such as the G42) are larger in one or more aspects. And I would be suspect that they would be easier to deep carry.

I realize that finding a small gun that is enjoyable to shoot is a challenge. But things like the MDE are just so bad. I remember shooting one. And one mag was too much. No thanks.

I really have been impressed with P238. For such a small gun, it's one that you can put a box of ammo through and keep going.

Sounds like the Pico might fit the bill. I'm going to get to the range and shoot much of what's on this list. I'll even report back here so everyone can hear some honest, detailed feedback.

 

[ratt_finkel]

i would avoid the Micro carry guns like the Bodyguard and the P3at........

sure they are small and light weight.......but they are also VERY hard to shoot accurately.

i struggled to hit targets past 5 yds with the BG........and that was on a calm collected range.......if you had to actually use it in SD you would be in a lot of trouble.

personally i wouldnt seriously look at anything smaller than a Glock subcompact( glock used for size comparison).......or S&W shield.......

you have to ask yourself "why are you carrying a gun?".....are you carrying a gun because its easy to carry?......or are you carrying a gun to fight with?.

Sure, if I was carrying to fight. I would carry my AR. But this isn't really the thread to discuss the ultimate defense weapon. There are times and occasions, where having a very small pistol is advantageous. And certainly better than carrying nothing at all.

 

[M-Cameron]

Sure, if I was carrying to fight. I would carry my AR. But this isn't really the thread to discuss the ultimate defense weapon. There are times and occasions, where having a very small pistol is advantageous. And certainly better than carrying nothing at all.

having a small pistol is only advantageous if you can hit with it.....just having the pistol doesnt do you any good....thats the point im trying to make..

if you take one of those micropistols to the range, and try to draw and fire 3 shots as fast as you can, you find they are INCREDIBLY hard to make good shots with.

where as if you sacrifice a bit of size, and get something like a subcompact, your accuracy potential goes WAY up.