Mouse Guns, what's the attraction?

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Well... mostly because it's my choice, not yours.

No, I don't primarily carry a mouse gun, but there are plenty of times my NAA .22 Mag goes with me when my primary doesn't.

 

[tinygnat219]

Interesting posts so far. To answer some questions that have come back at me: No, I don't consider Snubbies to be mouse guns unless they are chambered for something below .38SPL.

Keep em coming, so far the Asbestos underwear ain't even scorched!

 

[SaxonPig]

Every man makes his choice based on his needs and preferences. I question not another man's choice lest mine be questioned.

I don't understand why anyone would want a front wheel drive car. I hate them. Others disagree. There you go.

One size does not fit all.

To each his own.

Pick one.

 

[AJD]

I had a real nice Walther PP. It was pleasant to shoot and had a real nice SA trigger pull.

I ended up selling it because .32 ACP ammo cost almost twice as much as 9mm and the same as .45 ACP. And I just enjoyed shooting my Browning Hi Power and Colt Series 70 more than the Walther.

If I carried, I could see how why someone would carry the Walther. Its small, very flat, re-coil is next to nothing(Quick follow up shots and less flinching) and it didn't weight very much.

 

[aaronrkelly]

For me its like this......

Im laying around the house and need to go over to town for something, just a quick run.

or

Im working out in the garage in my sweats and need a part/tool.


........My Kimber will flat pull the sweat pants clear off my body. The KelTec wont.

Could I take a shower and put some real clothes on....or maybe even skip the shower and just change. Yeah....I guess I could. But when your working on something or you need to make a quickie dash somewhere your focused on that.....not getting "geared" up for a run to the 7-11.

Any gun is better than no gun. My KT P3AT fills that role, its light and small. I can grab and go......instead of "gearing" up because I need to run to NAPA for an oil filter.

Convenience....its all about convenience.

 

[Cybrludite]

Because I live in New Orleans and concealing my M1911A1 or S&W 686 in the summertime would result in my getting heat stroke. Unless I'm having supper at Galatoire's, I'm not wearing a suit during the hot months. (Roughly April through November) Anything less than a suit will print with a "proper" sized handgun. I might be able to get away with my CZ-52 worn IWB under a Hawaiian shirt, but even that'd be pushing it. My Kel-Tek P-32, I could conceal skyclad if I really had to. (Apologies to all for that mental image... )

 

[usp9]

"Mouse Guns, what's the attraction?"

They hide in "mouse holes"...little places you wouldn't expect.

They appear out of nowhere...surprize factor is high

They go where large frame CCWs fear to tread...the beach, the picnic, etc.

They are easy to carry...lightweight, ultraconcealable, yet deadly.

 

[dhoomonyou]

Could be the "James Bond" Menatlity.
He used to carry a WALTHER, which at the time was a small gun.

with that said I love my GLOCK 26. Not mousy, just great.

 

[ezypikns]

I don't think it may qualify as a "Mouse Gun",....

but I carry a Kahr PM9 (9mm) because it's light and very concealable. I can either pocket carry or IWB carry, in any kind of weather with any kind of clothing.
Plus I can't keep my pants up if I carry my 1911. Unless I wear suspenders.

 

[Coyote3855]

For one thing, I'd get fired...

if anyone saw my primary carry gun at work. My KT 3AT is in my right front pocket 24/7, wearing sweats around the house or a pin stripe suit to a wedding or khakis to work. It's there whether I'm carrying the Kahr P9 or the Springfield Champion. Or my .45 Vaquero or a Mark III .22/45 doing chores around the place. It's there in case a buddy needs a gun on short notice. It's there if the primary gun has a hiccup. It wouldn't be my first choice if I really, really needed a gun. But I have a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that mouse gun is always there.

Coyote3855

 

[cmidkiff]

Your original presumption is incorrect.

Technology has _not_ allowed service caliber weapons to be as small and light as 'mousegun' caliber weapons. As soon as they do, I'm all over it.

A P3AT measures 5.3x3.5x0.77" and weighs 8.3oz (unloaded) Can you come up with a service caliber weapon that matches it? Some can come close, but none are quite there. Even the (expensive) R9 weighs nearly double.

I visit customer locations on a regular basis, and normal work attire is jeans and a tshirt. If a weapon were to become visible while I was climbing a ladder or crawling under equipment, I'd be toast. My mousegun stays hidden.

My choices at work are (A) A mousegun in a pocket, (B) a larger weapon in my car, (C) spending a grand on an R9, or (D) going unarmed.

I'm unwilling to accept C or D. A and B are non-exclusive... I normally choose both.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Weight, size, and concealability, as simple as that. Yes, I carry bigger when I can, but sometimes you just can't. I have discarded the 25 since the Kel Tec 32 came out and now regard the 32 ACP as the absolute minimum.

I agree. My smallest .45 is a Kimber Ultra CDP. It's still too big and bulky for certain modes of dress. Much smaller and lighter than this generates an abusive amount of recoil. Not fun. Anybody ever see the American Derringers in .45-70? I would like to see somebody shoot one of those. My 9 is a Glock 26. Pretty much the same thing, but at least a few other examples of 9mm are worth a look; the Kahrs especially. The P32 happens to be on me now, and I don't plan to go anywhere. It is an always gun. Sometimes it is a BUG, but it is usually on my person. I don't consider the difference noteworthy between .32 ACP and .380 ACP. Certainly not enough to spend the money for a P3AT, which is probably the only .380 I would be interested in. The small Kahr 9s are definitely interesting and I will be looking at them this year.

 

[Plink]

Having read many hundreds of successful defense uses of .25ACP/.22LR guns like the Beretta or the Raven or the Jennings, etc, etc, I'm convinced they have a legitimate place in self defense.

Something I've learned over the years is to throw out the successes and only study the failures. Then look at why they failed. A poorly placed shot is a poorly placed shot with any caliber, so that failure isn't the cartridge's fault, it's the shooter's.

Anything can succeed, but the failures tell a more accurate story. For example, for many years, the largest Kodiak bear on record had been killed with a .22 short (don't believe me? look it up.)! That doesn't mean a .22 short is an effective bear hunting round.

Every caliber has had it's share of spectacular successes and failures, but looking at which ones have failed the least shows you which have succeeded the most. That often settles a lot of the 9mm Vs. .45 type threads that are a constant plague on any forum where guns are discussed (hint: there ain't that much difference between the two with proper bullet selection).

 

[The Amigo]

All depends on my underwear

If im wearing a thong my Keltec p3 in .380 if wearing my boxers then my taurus milli in .45

 

[tinygnat219]

Lessee,

I don't have anything against Mouse guns, shoot I have a sizable collection of the little buggers. I don't care what anyone carries, just trying to see what the general thoughts are on Mouse guns out there.

So to look at some of the answers coming in, I am posting a general summary:

• 
  []Weather,
  []mode of dress, extremely casual to dressy.
  [] Size
  []Caliber .380 and .32ACP are winning here
  []Ease of concealability
  [] surprise factor
  [] Price
  [] Reduced stopping power still trying to wrap the grey cells around that one.
  [] Zombies fear them

I mispoke in my first post, techology has come a long way in closign the gap between, the compact 9MM, and 40 S&W pistols out there and the Mouse guns. The Kel-Tec P3AT and P32 are at the extreme end of the range of size, so let's put those outliers aside. Take a look at the KT PF-9, the Glock G26, and compare them to the Mouseguns of yore like the Walther PPK. There's not a lot of difference there.
Keep 'em coming.

 

[Anna's Dad]

I would think with a handle like "TinyGnat" you'd appreciate undersized guns .

Anyway, for me its comfort and concealability. I live in Florida and wear shorts and a t-shirt year round. Even my Beretta Tomcat was too thick/heavy for easy concealment.

I carry a Kel-Tec P-32 every day. If I had to carry anything much bigger I'm almost sure I would go many days with no gun at all.

I own other small guns (Republic Arms Patriot .45, Kahr MK-9, Beretta Tomcat INOX and 4-5 Makarovs) but the little KT is just so darn light, thin and concealable that its the only one I every carry.

In fact, I'm going to be selling the Patriot and the MK-9 as I never carry them and don't really enjoy them as range guns.

 

[Jamie C.]

There's only one real reason for carrying a "mouse gun"... It's because, for whatever reason, you can't carry a larger weapon.

( I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around that "Reduced stopping power" thing too, Gnat... )

The fact is, most of us, sooner or later, will run into a situation where our primary (or even secondary) carry gun is out of the question... but a little Kel-Tec or NAA mini might very well work.

Oh, and on a sort of side-note... my wife was reading over my shoulder last night and saw this thread... After a getting through a few posts, she decided I probably need to buy another gun... something along the lines of the NAA Black Widow...

So I guess she likes Mouse Guns too.


J.C.

 

[Plink]

There's only one real reason for carrying a "mouse gun"... It's because, for whatever reason, you can't carry a larger weapon.

Very well put, Jamie.

I wish I could figure out how to conceal a full sized gun. Oh well, tinkering and trying to guns and holsters is part of the fun!

 

[aaronrkelly]

 

[AStone]

<subscribed>

Great image, Aaron. That says it all.

I'm now wearing my K9 in the studio, under two layers of fleece. (Winter finally got here today.)

With less clothing, and a belt that's not so tight, and too keep from pulling down clothing, I prefer my 642 in an OWB. (I don't like it in my pocket. I'm thin, so it's just too bulky.)

I've been looking lately at Keltec P32, and the NAA in .32. (Neither will be the next gun. The next ones will be a Marlin 336 in .30-30 and a .22 pistol, though I don't know which is first, yet.)

But somewhere on the list is a mouse gun for the pocket.

Of course, I could just put the 870P on the sling under the duster and call it good.

 

[denfoote]

Firearmus Rodentia.

Two things I have gleaned from all the gun rag truisms that have been printed over the years:

1) Small and light is good for concealed carry.

2) Use the gun that fits your hand, not your ego.

It seems to me that these comprise good advice!!!

Thus, a P32 is part of my carry tool box. I have smallish hands, so the other choices, for me, are a Walther PPK/S and Kahr MK9. Now, while these DO fit my hand, they are NOT what you would call "pocket" guns due to their weight. In those times when hoofing a holster weapon is impractical, the mouse gets the nod. My objection to the P3AT is the lack of a slide stop and last shot hold open. In a stress situation, I don't want to squeeze the trigger and maybe hear that ominous and possibly deadly "click"!!!

Guns are tools and your gunsafe is a toolbox. A carpenter has more than one type of hammer, so why not more than one type of gun??

Each has it's own unique application!!!

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Sometimes they're even smaller than mouse guns.

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2800217/channel/viralvideo

 

[rmmoore]

I carry on a regular basis, usually .45, sometimes .38 +P, and occasionally 9mm. One thing my Seecamp .32 does that my Springer, S&W, or Beretta can't do is fit in the pocket of a pair of gym shorts or sweats without needing cowhide to hold them up!!!! For example: my 2 year old runs out of milk/juice at 9pm. Great, now my wife "insists" that I run down to the grocery store 5 minutes away in the middle of the playoffs no less . Since I'm already lounging in my trusty faded military issue sweats, I stash the Seecamp in my pocket and off I go. Granted, I live in a town where the probability of my being threatened is extremely low, however, it could happen. I am comfortable with my ability to utilize this tool if needed in the circumstances I accept as a possibility, however remote. If I were going "downtown" at 9pm, an entirely different approach would be in order. The bottom line is simple, they are very small, very concealable, and this is a trade-off to small "power". As someone else mentioned though, it's my choice in circumstances I'm willing to accept. I carry different firearms for many different purposes and have a "laundry" list to decide what to carry and when. Hey, it works for me.

 

[WNTFW]

I ran across some info once that concluded that when using premium ammo the gap between calibers is not as wide as with cheap ammo. While this makes some sense, I don't know how that was determined, so there may be a flaw in the conclusion.
I'm kind of a run what you brung, it's the indian not the arrow type. I like my .45 but the .380 is a much smaller package. Especially when adding a mag or 2.
I bought the.380 (ppk/s) on a whim 20+ years ago & the familiarity is a factor. While I like the PPK one of the downsides is the safety is backward compared to many other pistols.
Later,
WNTFW

 

[Bluehawk]

That said, there are many junk guns that don't work. Never saw a Sterling that worked, but these were useless from a functioning standpoint.

Sterlings never worked and were useless??
I carried Sterlings as backups...both .22 and .25...while a Peace Officer in Texas and found them to be utterly reliable. So much so I now have a modest collection of them keeping one on the nightstand these days.
Sterlings were well made of steel and tough little pistols...much more so than any Jennings made of pot metal!