Sccy vs bodyguard vs nano

[Sentryau2]

I'm looking for a VERY small gun. I am going to get my ccw permit. I bought an XD 4inch 9mm off a buddy if mine and I open carry most of the time. There are however places I would like to be able to conceal my gun. Unless I'm in a large loose fitting jacket this gun is way to large to conceal.
I like the price point if the sscy cpx2 (215) I'm concerned about the reliability if this gun and the trigger vs the others.
I like the bodyguard looks and the aftermarket support for it its in the middle when it comes to price. (300)
The nano looks strange is (350) and I can't see the advantages over the other two.
Please don't turn this into a .380 vs 9 thread. I'm more than comfortable with the .380 as a SD round with fmj. What have been your experiences with these guns. Which one would you be more comfortable with as your edc firearm.

 

[GRIZ22]

I've carried a BG 380 for over 2 years. I've put about 600 rds through it and it has been 100% reliable with about 5 different types of ammo fired.

 

[bannockburn]

A friend of mine has a Bodyguard .380 and I like it a lot. I would get one without the laser module as his has been replaced at least once and still has a wandering zero. Tried the Nano but didn't care for it's ergonomics; went with a Kahr CM9 instead. No first hand experience with the SCCY but did have a KelTec PF9 (somewhat similar design), and didn't take a liking to it either.

 

[C0untZer0]

The Beretta Nano is the smallest of the nines you mention. The SCCY is not a single-stack pistol and it has a slightly thicker frame. I will say I like the trigger on the Beretta Nano the best, but I'm not sure I'd personally feel comfortable with that trigger for carry - but to each his own. Have you looked at the Kahr CM9?

Here is a size/weight rundown of smallish nines.

Rohrbaugh R9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.9 in
Length: 5.2 in
Height: 3.7 in
Slide Width: .82 in
Width at thickest part of pistol: .95 in
Weight: 13.5 oz, magazine 1.6 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Boberg XR9-S (Shorty)
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.35 in
Length: 5.1 in
Height: 4.2 in
Width: .96 in
Weight: 17.5 oz
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds

Kahr MK9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.3 in
Height: 4.0 in
Slide Width: .90 in
Width at slide stop: 1.0 in
Weight: Pistol 22.1 oz, Magazine 1.9 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Kahr PM9 / CM9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.42 in
Height: 4.0 in
Slide Width: .90 in
Width at slide stop: 1.0 in
Weight: Pistol 14 oz, Magazine 1.9 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Double Tap Defense Douple Tap
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 0.665 in
Weight: 15 oz Titanium, 13 0z Aluminum
Capacity: 2

Kimber Solo
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.7 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 1.2 in
Weight: 17 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

SIG SAUER P290
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 2.9 in
Length: 5.5 in
Height: 3.9 in
Width: 0.9 in - 1.1" w/slide catch (roughly the same width as MK9, Kahr lists the width of the slide only)
Weight: 20.5 oz w/magazine
Capacity: 6+1

Diamondback DB9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.60 in
Height: 4.0 in
Width: 0.80 in
Weight: 11 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Kel Tec PF-11
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.6 in
Height: 4.3 in
Width: 1.0 in
Weight: 14 oz
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Beretta Nano
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.07 in
Length: 5.63 in
Height: 4.17 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 17.67 oz
Capacity: 6+1

SCCY CPX-2
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.7 in
Height: 4.0 in (without mag extensions)
Width: 1.0 in
Weight: 15.0 oz
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Kel Tec PF-9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 5.87 in
Height: 4.3 in
Width: .88 in
Weight: 12.7 oz
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds

SIG SAUER P938
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.0 in
Length: 5.9 in
Height: 3.9 in (not counting magazine w/extension)
Width: 1.1 in
Weight: 16.0 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Rounds

Ruger LC9
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.12 in
Length: 6.0 in
Height: 4.5 in
Slide Width: .90in
Weight: 17.10 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Remington R-51
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.4 in
Length: 6.0 in
Height: 4.5 in
Width: .96in
Weight: 20.0 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Smith & Wesson Shield
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.1 in
Length: 6.1 in
Height: 4.6 in
Width: .95in
Weight: 19.0 oz
Capacity: 7+1

Taurus 709FS
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.2 in
Length: 6.24 in
Height: 4.52 in (without mag extensions)
Width: 1.04 in
Weight: 19.0 oz
Capacity: 7+1 Rounds

Glock 43
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.39 in
Length: 6.26 in
Height: 4.25 in
Width: 1.02 in
Weight: 17.95 oz
Capacity: 6+1 Round

Glock 26
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.46 in
Length: 6.29 in
Height: 4.17 in
Width: 1.18 in
Weight: 19.75 oz w/o magazine
Capacity: 10+1 Rounds

Walther PPS
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.2 in
Length: 6.3 in
Height: 4.4 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 20.0 oz
Capacity: 6+1

Springfield Armory XDs
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.3 in
Length: 6.3 in
Height: 4.4 in
Width: .90 in
Weight: 23.0 oz w/empty 7rd magazine
Capacity: 7+1

Bersa BP9CC
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.3 in
Length: 6.35 in
Height: 4.8 in
Width: .94 in
Weight: 21.5 oz
Capacity: 8+1

HK P2000SK
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.26 in
Length: 6.40 in
Height: 4.55 in
Width: 1.37 in
Weight: 24 oz
Capacity: 8+1


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[bikergeo]

My battery of "pocket carry" guns consists of a S&W J Frame .38, a Glock 43, and a M&P Bodyguard sans laser. I find that I carry the Bodyguard about 90% of the time. It's reliable, insanely accurate, and it only weighs 16 ounces fully loaded in a RKBA pocket holster.

 

[M-Cameron]

ive also been carrying a BodyGuard for around a year now....it is alo my primary carry gun.

its been 100% reliable, accurate enough to get the job done at SD ranges, and completely disappears in a pocket.

 

[Ibmikey]

I have both the SCCY (truck pistol) and a Bodyguard without laser. The SCCY is a much larger pistol (and calliber) so if you are looking for deep concealment it is not the most desireable. My SCCY is in the truck so it is shot by a bunch of my friends and after 4-500 rounds it just keeps on going bang when requested. The trigger is DA only and does take some effort to become proficient with, but so is the S&W. I mostly carry either a G42, Sig P238 or Kimber Micro unless there is a need to just drop the BG in a pocket the SCCY remains in the truck.

 

[Z1900]

I have a Smith Bodyguard that I carry SOB. Love the gun but sometimes the magazine will dislodge when you sit on a hard chair. If you carry SOB you might not like it.

 

[bumbazine]

I've had a Bodyguard (with laser) and a Nano. Both were completely reliable. Both had long but smooth trigger pulls. The bodyguard was small enough that I got hold of it wrong one time and it bit me badly. I also shot it better with the sights than with the laser. Anyway, I traded it off.

The Nano was bigger and easier to shoot accurately and I liked the easy take-down and reassembly and the adjustable sights, but it felt top-heavy. That didn't affect it's shootability, though.
Eventually I traded it in on a Sig P938.

Never even seen a SCCY in person.

 

[Sentryau2]

I think I'm going to go with the bodyguard after hearing from you all. Now its just convincing myself to be patient enough to find one for sale.

 

[Snowdog]

I bought my CM9 to replace my P238HD for warmer weather carry and expected it to be adequate for that use. It turns out I really like this pistol. It carries wonderfully and mine has proven both accurate and reliable.

You might want to add the CM9 to your list.

 

[C0untZer0]

I was surprised at how well I shot the CM9.

This is 10 rounds at 21 feet, and 7 rounds basically made 1 hole, the shot group is about 1.75"

At 50 feet I am able to create 3.5" shot groups. I'm happy with the accuracy considering its a pocket pistol.

 

[Nacho Man]

I have a xd9 4" that I found to be too heavy & bulky for my edc needs. I needed something light, slim, and reliable in 380. I went with a G42 and added a Ghost Edge disconnector and grip plug. Triggers pretty good with addition of the Ghost Edge and with the Pearce grip extension its pretty comfortable in my hands. I take it with me everyday in a Remora iwb no clip/pocket holster. I like the versatility of this holster, I can easily slip it in my waistband but usually just pocket carry when on the go. Originally carried with Ppu ball but now I use Hornady xtp's. It's a pretty fun gun to shoot. I thought about getting some night sights but will probably keep as is. 400rds through it without a problem, even shot 2 boxes of Tula with no problemo.

 

[Sentryau2]

The xd I have is definitely too big for concealed carry in the clothes i wear right now (light jacket, pants) I dont yet have my ccw so i'm stuck open carrying for now anyway. I have two guns that are on my buy list. A bodyguard .380 and a sig p239 in .40/.357sig (id like a p229 but its too expensive for a carry gun).
I'm stuck buying from a private individual due to my age, yet I can get my ccw go figure.

 

[WRGADog]

I have a number of small pistols, Nano, G42, G43, Solo, PPS, Shield, XDS. I carry the G42 99% of the time because of its weight, size, and reliability.

 

[jrdolall]

For weight, size and ease of shooting I would choose either the Bodyguard or the DB9 for pocket carry. Weight is at least as important as dimensions and the DB9 is the clear winner in that regard.
The Diamondback gives you the added umphh of 9mm though I don't know how much extra it might give out of that tiny gun. I shoot mine regularly and it, the newest model, has been completely reliable with FMJ but not so much with HP ammo so I carry FMJ.

The Bodyguard laser basically sucks so don't pay extra for it. I guess it would be okay if you had plenty of time to get your finger on that button and still be ready to shoot but if you have that much time you can probably get out of the situation without using the gun. Using it in daylight is pointless. The one I have is completely reliable and I am relatively accurate at 7-10 yards with it. I drop it in my pocket when it's hot in Alabama (10 months of the year) and I am in shorts.
I do not have a 380 in SCCY but the 9mm I have is a good little gun. It is a bit bigger than the Bodyguard, DB9 or PF9.
Bersa Thunders are very dependable 380's but tend to be a bit heavier. Mine are all 100% reliable

If you want to do IWB or open carry then both will work fine but I like a bit bigger gun for that application. Just a personal preference so I am not saying it is best for everyone. Based on your OP I would say to go with the Bodyguard. It's about $400 so higher than the others but still a good gun for deep conceal. As I said earlier I really like the light weight for my pocket carry and the Bodyguard does the trick

 

[george burns]

You said not to compare calibers, but considering that FBI statistics show that 80%+ ****s are complete misses, don't you think that you should have a round that has twice the stopping power, so that if you do hit the bad guy one time in the torso there is a chance you will walk away. You can Google it,. It's a fact that during shootouts they miss more than hit, I thought it was 50-60%, but the latest figures from the FBI are 80 -90%, now they can't all be bad shots. Also look at Wikipedia and see the 2 calibers and how they stack up side by side. You want as many rounds as you can put in a small gun, I advise 8 minimum, but if you don't want to spring for extended mags for a few dollars, at least have 2 spares with you. Running out of ammo in the midst of a gunfight can be very disappointing. And 7 rounds are a couple seconds. At least the Sccy gives you a chance to survive at a much greater percentage.
Don't let anyone tell you that all bad guys can't shoot, many are war vets ,some from different country's that entered illegally and have been trained more than you in shooting and combat.
The days of the junkie who could hardly stand up with the exploding gun, are gone, you better know the facts and be trained if you pull a gun on someone. Unless you can hit the spinal chord at the base of the skull, and drop the body like a sack of potatoes, you can hit someone several times and do nothing to stop their forward progress until they loose enough blood to stop functioning, "which may take minutes" most perps stop because they look down and see that they have been shot, not because of the inability to continue, it's more psychological than physical, so shot placement and as much ammo as you can hold in that gun is optimal.
The Feds also don't consider the 380 to be sufficient to carry as a defensive handgun, it's all 9mm now, they have done extensive testing and found that even emergency room doctors could not tell the difference in a wound from a 22 right up to a 380. "look it up". Only at the 9mm stage does this begin to change, and also makes no difference if it's a 9, 40 or 45, they all seem to do the same job, that is why they went back to 9mm. It's not how the bullet looks it's the powder and the preassure to which it's loaded that makes it so much more deadly. http://looserounds.com/2014/09/21/fbi-9mm-justification-fbi-training-division/

 

[MIL-DOT]

Excellent post ^, George.

 

[jrdolall]

I'm looking for a VERY small gun.

While the comment about 9mm v 380 MAY be valid it completely misses the point of the OP. He wants a small gun and none of the double stack 9's can be classified as small, at least not for pocket carry. A fully loaded double stack 9mm is just too heavy for my pockets but I have no problem carrying then OWB or IWB.
I had a CZ75B OWB yesterday while working in the woods.

 

[george burns]

Thank you. It's important for new shooters to be informed, and not go by how something looks, but really understand that a 357 is not almost the same as a 38, and a 380 is not close to a 9mm. Visual perception has nothing to do with actual performance here. And guys that are looking for comfort by shaving 2 or 3 ounces off their life saving carry gun, need to be educated as to why we carry what we do. They also need to look up what temporary and permanent wound cavities are, and how speed kills. Where a 380 just doesn't have the ability to do much internal cavity damage, "like a 38, or lower. That is why rifles are so deadly, it's the speed of the round, it displaces the amount of space inside the body and blows the organs apart, which doesn't show after expansion settles.

 

[george burns]

So get a single stack 9. My PM9 holds 8 rounds and is smaller than the PPK I carried as a backup in NYC, only because in the 70's no one made sub compact 9mm handguns so the PPK's was it, or a snubby. If I can get a 14 oz Kahr 9 in my pocket for 6 years what is the sense of going to a 380, if you use 100 grain or even 50 grain Liberty aluminum hollow points that run 2000 ft per second, you have a formidable weapon that fits in your pocket, it's the ammo that makes the gun heavy, so use Corbon powerball if you don't like liberty and you cut the weight by 30-50%. The XDS actually fits in my pocket, it is at the edge of what actually fits but with jeans or cargo pants, it fit's fine. And speaking on that, there is a company CCW Breakaway, that makes nice looking Kacki and jeans that have the holster built in to both pockets, you can adjust the width and depth of the pocket to fit anything from a sub- compact to a full-size 1911, with no printing. I have had the for years and when I want to carry a full-sized gun they work great, and cost as much as a medium priced holster, under $100.00.
One must look at the facts and understand why they are even carrying a gun.
If you have a gun that isn't going to stop a bad guy or 3, then why even pull it out, you will surely draw fire.
Everyone is looking for that "magic gun that is weightless, has an unlimited ammo supply, and is so small it can fit in a pen" that is never going to happen, but also if you have ever had to grab your gun fast and get it into play, a tiny gun becomes a hindrance, as it's harder to find grab and shoot accurately. There is such a thing as to darn small, and when your adrenaline is pumping and your tunnel vision kicks in, the last thing you need is to go fishing for your weapon, remember to flip off the safety and turn on a laser., "just saying" for people who like gadgets. It's difficult to get the gun out and on target as it is when someone is running and shooting at you.
And learn to just use your front sight, it saves time and if you have been shooting for a while, it's really all you need on a moving target, if you wait to line up your sights while someone is weaving in and out, you will end up being shot before you get your perfect sight picture.

 

[george burns]

http://www.slickguns.com/product/ruger-lc9s-pro-29999. Slick guns is running a deal on the Nano and the Ruger, one is 309.00, and the nano is 399.00, If I remember, and the Nano has a laser on it and an extended mag included. the Ruger is already 7+1. So there are 2 perfectly good inexpensive 9mm guns you can pocket carry, there is also a PM9 on there for 499, and considering these were $650 and up a year ago, that is a very good price.
There is also a "century" I believe, that I looked at yesterday, I know nothing about the gun but what interested me was it held 10+1 rounds of 380 and was a 2 hundred dollar gun, so if you just had to have a 380, which I advise against, you would at least have 11 rounds of powerball to hit whatever you were aiming at, and require all 11, I believe I had purchased some 100 grain powerball in 380 way back when I had an LCP for a short time. It was the only ammo I would use in that gun as backup.
Now that's a small gun, but unless you can get it to shoot straight, it's a belly gun at best with too short a barrel for expansion or velocity.
These 380's were really made popular again when Larry Seacamp, came out with the first really small auto pistol in 32. I and all my friends bought them 20 years ago, and there was a 2 year wait for one with a paid in full prepay. Then he went and came out with a 380 version, which pissed a lot of guys off who waited 2 years and a thousand dollars lighter. The 380 really didn't catch on like the 32 did, even Winchester made a special silvertip hollow point round for the gun, which would only shoot that bullet.
But if you ever had to get that gun out fast, it was easy for it to go flying out of your hand because it was small and slick, stainless.
In this business it's what is hot today, that dictates why a 3 or 4 hundred dollar gun becomes a thousand dollar to as high as 1200 dollar gun. But the facts don't change only the crazy fairy tales that go along with gun and fish stories.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

I bough a CPX2 last year, finances dictated something inexpensive. Takes everything I feed it and goes boom every time I pull the trigger. Can't ask for more in a carry gun. Have about 1000 rounds thru it.

 

[edknn]

I carry either a 442 or Sig P290rs. Both are great carry guns, especially for pocket carry..

 

[thewillweeks]

I had a SCCY, loved it, learned to love and shoot well with the trigger, however it's very thick and I found it no more concealable than my Glock 23 so I got rid of it. Now I have a Glock 43 which is more concealable.

When considering conceal-ability the two big things to think about are width and length of the grip. The thinnest and shortest you can accurately handle in theory will be the most concealable handgun for you. I personally choose to carry the Glock 23 on a daily basis because with a proper holster I really don't have a problem carrying it, however the 43 is inherently more concealable.