Just bought a range gun, now for a cheapie for carry...

[Macchina]

I just received my CZ 40B, and now I'm itching for a small carry pistol. The CZ will serve the role as range gun, and carry gun for hiking/hunting, and carrying when I'm wearing a coat. I'm looking for a little pocket pistol that is somewhat inexpensive. Some guns that I like are the Bersa Thunder 380 and S&W J frames in .38 special. Please reccomend something that I can fit in my pocket or a small IWB holster. A small 9mm (or .40) would be nice, but something smaller would be just as good.

 

[steelyblue]

I've got a review on a Kel Tec pf9. It was $303.05 after tax and I got $50 in accessories free. It fits in my dockers and cargos easily. I'm 5'11" 215lbs.

 

[Safety First]

Take a look at Keltec P3AT and Ruger LCP, both in .380 and weigh in under 10 oz and great for pocket carry....

 

[Rmart30]

642 S&W or a PF9 keltec. Both are nice small concealable guns in a decent caliber.

 

[R.W.Dale]

My recently purchased Kel-tec P32 is turning out to be a real sweatheart.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I can't stand the Kel-Tecs, mine was unreliable and cheaply manufactured. Not cost effective, but cheap.

I pocket carry a S&W J-frame, but prefer compact or full size guns IWB. If you're looking for a cheap beater for carry...

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Sig_Sauer_P225_P6_9mm_Pistol.html

 

[bestseller92]

They are not inexpensive, but the Smith Airlite J frame .38s are great little guns that weigh next to nothing.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

Ones I May Carry At Any Time And Place

HAD A PF9 FOR AWHILE IT IS A GOOD ONE ALSO,

IT IS ALSO A HAND FULL WITH FULL LOAD AMMO



TAURUS 38+P CIA 850 TITANIUM 17oz loaded. (like it a lot)



XD40



pt145

 

[WC145]

Kahr CW9 or CW40 - good quality, slim, light, stainless, and in the $400-$450 range. I paid $400 from Bud's Gun Shop and it's well worth it. Much nicer than the Kel-tec (used to have a PF-9) while only a little larger.

 

[Huddog]

My everywhere gun is a S&W 642. I recommend it highly. I see several new very small 9mm's are coming out in the next year so I may retire the 642 depending on how the thin 9's pan out.

 

[-v-]

I'd recommend the PF9. Have one, its been 100%, something I cannot say about my CZ40p. Although the new mags I got for the CZ helped fix that nasty 1-3 jams per mag I was having with it. The KTs can sometimes be hit-or-miss, but so can $1,000 kimbers and the like. It just human nature that if you paid a lot for something and it messes up, well that just break-in period. If something cheap messes up, well its obviously a piece of junk, FWIW.

 

[R.W.Dale]

It just human nature that if you paid a lot for something and it messes up, well that just break-in period. If something cheap messes up, well its obviously a piece of junk,

HA HA HA! That's classic!

So true.

 

[The Bushmaster]

O K...Just remember...You may have to depend on it for your life...Some expensive handguns are failures and a lot of cheap ones are failures...Make a good choice for you and your budget...

 

[Frizzman]

Beware "Smallest" and "Cheapest" in a arm carried to perhaps keep you or your family alive. Would you want the cheapest and smallest life preserver if you were out on a boat? Just a thought.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Beware "Smallest" and "Cheapest" in a arm carried to perhaps keep you or your family alive. Would you want the cheapest and smallest life preserver if you were out on a boat? Just a thought.

If smallest means having the life preserver with you at sea vs it sitting on the dock because it's too large to take along then YES

 

[gbelleh]

I've had very good performance from the Kahr PM9 and Kel-Tec PF-9 and P-3AT. They are all very thin, light and easy to pocket carry (unless you wear really tight pants).

 

[CHEVELLE427]

ANY GUN ON HAND WOULD BE BETTER THEN NO GUN AT ALL.

sometime you just cant pack that DESERT EAGLE 50

smallest i have ever carried was the wife's NAA 22MAG. not a good gun battle gun ,
but it will get someone off you

 

[Macchina]

The Kel-Tec P-3at looks about right... But the Ruger LCP looks a little righter! I won't carry a gun in a holster most places I go, I'd much rather put it in my inside pocket on my Carhartt. I know the .380 is not the most powerful round, but it's better than my Benchmade or knuckles (I don't want to get either of them dirty). A second handgun is a bit of a dream right now, but maybe next year. I still have to save up to get my CCW (first priority). Don't know how much it cost you, but it's $220 at the very cheapest in Michigan.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Never owned one, but lots of folks like their Makarovs. They can be had for under $200, lots of people use them as carry guns. I'd have bought one myself as a first handgun if the ammo for it was more widely available.

 

[shooter1]

I have had good performance with all but one of my kel tecs (An early P3AT) that had an assembly pin problem. I currently own a P-32/ (2) P3ATs (2) P-11s/ amd one PF9. The P3ATs see daily carry, the PF9 occasional use. The rest rarely see the light of day, not because they don't work, just because I have other guns that get carried and shot more. I don't consider any of these kel tec pistols range guns, so if that's what you want, buy something else.
str1

 

[Macchina]

tell me more about the Makarovs. How do they compare to a .380 (I know they are less powerful than 9mmx18).

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

The 9mm Makarov round is somewhere in between 9mm luger and the 380, but much closer to the 380.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9x18mm_Makarov

It's got about 100 ft-lbs of power over the 380.

 

[shooter1]

The Makarov is a great pistol. The only problem I have with them is the size and weight. There are some 9x19s out there that are smaller and lighter. I bought a few back when they were inexpensive. I think they're going for close to $200 now!!
str1

 

[Macchina]

How is the Kel-Tec PF-9? Is the recoil manageable for followup shots? How does it compare in size to the .380's?

 

[markk]

S&W J-Frame...
.357 for the "jungle", .38 for town, .38 snake shot for those 'coons in your garage
FWIW the .38 only models are cheaper and make great carry guns