Pocket carry .380 or 9mm?

[heeler]

The other side of the coin.
I found my Smith model 37 Airweight to be constantly peaking out of my front pocket due to it's overall length and the recoil over bearing.
Then there was that cylinder bulge along with the overall length....
Lastly,I could not as hard as I tried to fire it anywhere near as accurate as I could my LCP.
I am done with the snubs.

 

[Johnny Lightning]

Does anyone have a pocket holster for their. 380 w/ laser that you really like? I dont have a crimson trace yet but would like to get one but there doesnt seem to be many holsters available.

 

[khegglie]

Need an other choice option for the poll.
For me depending on pocket size: PF9 9mm, P3AT, or S&W Shield .40.

 

[JohnBT]

Rohrbaugh R9 in my front pocket in a leather Ron Graham back pocket holster (similar to an RJ Headley back pocket.) It's worked in every kind of pants for the past 5 years.

I used to carry a P-32 in one of RJ's holsters and worried that the R9 would be too big or too heavy. Nope.

John

 

[C0untZer0]

I think the R9 is a nice pocket-nine.

When I think about what I would get as a backup for it, I can't help but think - another R9. The R9 is a pretty good BUG, so if your primary CCW is an R9 then the R9 is the perfect BUG for your R9 !

The only downside to all of it is that I'd be carrying around over $2,000 worth of hardware in my pockets.

 

[DeepSouth]

Neither.
I carry a PM45 in my front pocket.

 

[2wheels]

S&W 442 (.38Special) when I'm wearing looser fitting cargo pants, Sig P238 (.380) when I'm wearing jeans.

If I ever get the chance to test out a Sig P938 I may switch out my 238, that remains to be seen though.

 

[1911austin]

I currently use a Kahr P380 or Ruger LCR .357 for pocket carry. I just purchased a Kimber Solo carry and if it proves worthy at the range, it will become my primary pocket pistol.

 

[ZXD9]

I pocket carry a Beretta Nano. It replaced my SW 642. Two more rounds and much quicker reload.

 

[kokapelli]

I have a Kel Tec P-11 that I pocket carry. Don't see any reason to carry a 380 when a 9 is just as small.

Really! Here is a P11 and P3AT side by side.

 

[GCBurner]

My compact 9mm is a Glock 26, which is just a little heavy to go in a pocket, for me. In a pocket holster, I carry a .380 P3AT; when I carry the Glock, it rides in a inside the waistband holster, supported by a sturdy belt. If I'm dressed for it, the Glock would be my first choice as a carry gun, but most of the time, the light little Kel-Tec is what I've got on me.

 

[psyopspec]

I bought a PM9 several years ago and carried it either in a pocket or in an IWB worn at the appendix position from High Noon Holsters. I eventually ditched the pistol due to reliability issues.

The next mouse gun I bought was an Air Lite, carried either IWB, in a jacket pocket, or on the ankle. I still have that gun and it's served me well in the roll of deeper concealment carry. While I liked the idea of the PM9, reliability is my first consideration in a carry gun and I lost confidence in it after it failed to work consistently. 9mm is as low as I'm willing to go for caliber, so I've never given .380 pocket guns a serious look.

 

[Johnny Lightning]

9mm pocket carry made a comeback!

 

[jbrown50]

Do you pocket carry .380 or 9mm?

Nope.

I pocket carry a .40, a Kahr PM40.

It's only a tiny bit larger and a tiny bit heavier than the PM9. No, my pants and pockets aren't huge. They're just large enough to hide the gun.

 

[Gary A]

I hope and think this is at least marginally relevant to the topic. I'm amazed at how many people think that .380 acp, or anything less than 9mm is not enough to protect their bacon but who are perfectly content with their wives and girlfriends carrying a .380! What's up with that? I'm not saying of course they are the same people but based on various forum threads, a lot of people who would never carry a .380 are certainly content with their mates carrying one.

 

[Warp]

I hope and think this is at least marginally relevant to the topic. I'm amazed at how many people think that .380 acp, or anything less than 9mm is not enough to protect their bacon but who are perfectly content with their wives and girlfriends carrying a .380! What's up with that? I'm not saying of course they are the same people but based on various forum threads, a lot of people who would never carry a .380 are certainly content with their mates carrying one.

I'll preface this by saying that my wife doesn't carry. Her car gun, however, is a 9x19.

However, if she were to carry a .380, that she was comfortable with and shot well, that would be a good thing. See, the thing is that we are gun guys. We are not only bigger and stronger, on average, with larger hands, on average, but we also put in the necessary trigger time to improve our shooting ability and we are more likely to accept the inconvenience/discomfort that can result from carrying a larger firearm. The same cannot be said for most non-gun people, especially females. There is also, generally, a pretty big wardrobe difference between men and women. I can put a .38 revolver in my pockets, and I could probably fit some of the smaller 9mm pistols too (might try someday). My wife's pockets? Not. A. Chance. In. Hell. I can conceal a sub compact or compact Glock, IWB, under a regular old untucked T-shirt like I have always worn. My wife? Not. A. Chance. In. Hell. And off body (purse) carry involves many, many compromises/downsides.

 

[Redlg155]

My current 99 percent carry gun is a Sig P238 .380. It is not because a .380 is a 100% manstopper ( no conventional pistol caliber has that distinction) but because I can have it with me no matter what I wear. I don't have to change clothes to carry the weapon. It goes in my pocket equally well with slacks and with shorts.

 

[mavracer]

I have no problems pocket carrying my PM9 in a desantis nemisis. I came to the realization nobody's looking at the fat rednecks pockets any more.

 

[MrDig]

I have a KelTec P11 it is a little clunky but I can still carry it in a pocket, to me if I can carry a 9mm I'm more comfortable than .380 I like .380 but just feel more comfortable with 9mm for SD purposes.

 

[larryh1108]

a lot of people who would never carry a .380 are certainly content with their mates carrying one.

Warp answered this very well but I wish to say that we are OK with them carrying a smaller caliber because it beats not carrying anything at all. If it was your wife and the choice was a .380 or nothing at all, would you be OK with it?

 

[Gary A]

While I certainly agree with both of you, Warp and larryh1108, and understand carrying as much gun as possible or that one can handle. Still, regardless of the reason one carries a .380 versus a 9mm, the cartridge itself is either adequate to the task, or it is not. The fabled, hypothetical 300 pound meth-crazed, berserker madman/rapist/murderer is just as likely to attack our weaker wife/girlfriend as to attack us, maybe more so as they are better targets. If the .380 is not adequate to protect us, it is then not adequate to protect our loved ones and becomes a "feel good" talisman giving them an illusion of protection. If it is enough to protect them, it is enough to protect us, who presumably have more trigger time, being "gun guys" and all. If it is not enough to protect our loved ones, they should exercise, practice, train,whatever to learn to handle a larger caliber and anything else is doing them a huge disservice. If it is enough to protect them, we should quit debating the issue among ourselves and acknowledge it is enough for us also, even if we choose to carry more.

 

[Gary A]

larryh1108 - to answer your question, which I did not do:

If it was your wife and the choice was a .380 or nothing at all, would you be OK with it?

No, I would not be OK with it if I really believed that .380 was an inadequate self defense caliber. Not at all.

 

[Shipwreck]

I pocket carry my new M&P Shield all the time

 

[Warp]

While I certainly agree with both of you, Warp and larryh1108, and understand carrying as much gun as possible or that one can handle. Still, regardless of the reason one carries a .380 versus a 9mm, the cartridge itself is either adequate to the task, or it is not. The fabled, hypothetical 300 pound meth-crazed, berserker madman/rapist/murderer is just as likely to attack our weaker wife/girlfriend as to attack us, maybe more so as they are better targets. If the .380 is not adequate to protect us, it is then not adequate to protect our loved ones and becomes a "feel good" talisman giving them an illusion of protection. If it is enough to protect them, it is enough to protect us, who presumably have more trigger time, being "gun guys" and all. If it is not enough to protect our loved ones, they should exercise, practice, train,whatever to learn to handle a larger caliber and anything else is doing them a huge disservice. If it is enough to protect them, we should quit debating the issue among ourselves and acknowledge it is enough for us also, even if we choose to carry more.

What do you base this claim on? Every time I have looked into it, men were more likely to be attacked.

 

[larryh1108]

There are people, men and women, who would prefer to not carry but pressure from us makes them feel "obligated" to appease us. I fear this scenario more than not carrying. If someone carrying does not have the resolve to actually shoot the aggressor then the gun will certainly become a weapon of the bad guy. Those who feel guilty stepping on an ant or swatting a fly should not carry because they could not actually use deadly force if needed. The hesitation is all it takes to be disarmed. Also, many are recoil sensitive and can't handle anything bigger than a .380 although I admit the mouse guns can punch harder than a full size gun. I'd still rather my wife carrys a .380, with the resolve to use it, than nothing at all because it's too big or too hard to shoot, etc. There is also the factor of presenting a gun stopping the "casual" aggressor. It's a trade off that has been debated ad infinitum and will never be answered with everyone in total agreement.