Pocket Autoloading Pistols for Personal Defense

[HeadJunter]

My latest article on Personal Defense Network.

Small autoloading pistols, whether referred to as pocket pistols, hideout guns, backup guns, or mouse guns, get no respect. Frequently maligned by firearms trainers as too small, inaccurate, and not powerful enough, they are the red-headed stepchildren of the firearms community. Nonetheless, these little guns represent a major segment of the firearms sales market.

Pocket Autoloading Pistols for Personal Defense

 

[ResidentFarmer]

Good article. Caliber snobs are just that, a snob. "Someone Not Overly Bright". You can be killed with a .22 or a .45 or a brick. If a pocket pistol is comfortabe for you, then that's fine. Shot placement is the only thing that really matters and knockdown power is a myth.

 

[browningguy]

Good article.

Relating to other responses I'll disagree that caliber doesn't matter, because I really think it does. And if it was possible I'd always carry a pistol the caliber of which started with a 4. Sure, you can kill someone with anything, but that doesn't make it the best tool. At the very least an unexpanded .45 has twice the frontal area and therefore a much higher probablility of hitting something vital, assuming accurate bullet placement.

However it's not always possible to carry large guns so I have been known to carry a Baby Browning or a Beretta 21 in .25 ACP, or one of a variety of .380's. Better to have one of those than nothing. I don't feel any less safe when they are all I have.

 

[DesertVet]

I believe that you should carry the biggest pistol that you can shoot easily in the most powerful cartridge you can shoot accurately with.

That being said, I know that there can be times when carrying a five inch 1911 or a Glock 21 or Glock 22 is not going to be the best choice because of what I am doing, where I am going, or what I am wearing.
I have a collection of J Frame revolvers that are routinely carried as a second backup gun and HAVE been pressed into service as the biggest most powerful option that certain situations dictate.
I own a Colt 1903 .32 Auto, a Colt Pony Pocketlite .380, & a Walther PPK .380 that I have used as options when super discreet carry is the only option.
As a Combat Military Veteran and a Law Enforcement Officer I have seen small pistol calibers fail to deliver required performance in times of need. For this reason, I have found myself going back to the .38 Spl as my super discreet carry option even though five or six rounds and a longer reload is far from ideal in a high stress life or death incident.
I recently purchased a Kahr Arms PM9 after shooting both the PM40 & the PM9.
I have so far about 400 rounds of ball ammo and defensive ammo through it without reliability problems even during the recomended 200 round break in.
9mm is an option I am more comfortable with then 32 or 380 & a tiny auto reloads faster then the snubby J frames. I am excited by the possibility of the Kahr PM9 being able to meet my ultra discreet carry needs after a little more testing & training with it.
Pocket pistols DO have a place in certain situations I believe. YMMV