Small Summer Carry Guns

[MCMXIautomatic]

Greetings All,

I'm looking at some possible choices for a lightweight, easily concealable pistol for summer carry. I wouldn't feel at a huge disadvantage with something in .380, but I would prefer a 9mm of some sort.

The Glock 26 seems a bit too fat for me to carry easily under a T-shirt. I want to minimize the potential for printing as much as possible. I have looked at the Kel-Tec PF-9, the P-11, and I have also considered the Ruger LC9 as well but I don't know much about it. I know it hasn't been on the market for very long, but if any of you own an LC9, what can you tell me about it? Have you had any problems with yours?

Like I said before, I wouldn't feel terribly disadvantaged with a .380, so that's not off the table. I have looked at the KT P3AT and the Elsie Pea, mainly because they're so small and I would like to carry deep. I'd like to hear your opinions about those two and whatever difficulties you may have had with them. I would also like to hear any opinions on other comparable .380 pistols.

I'm looking for something in the $300-$400 price range.

 

[TexasBill]

Bud's Gun Shop has the Smith & Wesson J-frame Model 642 for $361. Five rounds of .38 Special +P and very easy to conceal.

 

[bikerdoc]

me, I use a Bersa 380 sometimes/ in your price range

or a smith 649

or a CZ 75 compact (IWB)

 

[Plan2Live]

I have been on the same quest and it is filled with choices, too many choices. I’ve spent no less than 8 hours in gun stores and countless hours on the Internet. Analysis paralysis. My possible list has been narrowed down to the following:

S&W 442 Airweight. Keeps coming back to the top of the list. The cons are 5 shot capacity and slow to reload. Yeah, yeah, carry a speedloader yada yada but that’s one more piece of bulk in the pocket but which pocket, I already cleaned out the other pocket to carry the pistol. Also, concerned about accuracy of 1.78 inch barrel.

S&W Bodyguard semi-auto in .380. Haven’t fired one yet. I sort of like the idea of the laser for low light situations but not having one is not a deal killer. I also like the potentially faster reload over the revolver.

Ruger LC9. Seems like a good compromise between size and power but I haven’t fired one and I’m a tad concerned about recoil with such a small frame plus I often wear old fashioned Levis 505 jeans. The LC9 just won’t go in the front pocket of those jeans well and I’m not ready to switch to grandpa jeans. The LC9 works fine in my cargo shorts pocket.

I fired the Taurus TCP 738 (.380) this weekend and it wasn’t right for me. This gun is a near copy of the Ruger LCP (or vise versa) so I ruled out the LCP (for me) as well.

The XDm Compact in 9mm also keeps coming back to the top but cannot be considered a pocket gun and is out side you price point. I would have to carry in another location on my body and dress around the weapon. I don’t know if I’m ready to take that step.

I’ve come to the conclusion that at some point I will most likely acquire all or most of the above and choose which one to carry depending on the day, task or event. But I still have to pick one to start with. Permit is 90 days off so I have time to decide.

Check out the thread under General Handgun Discussions about How Often Have You Had To Draw and you will see that you will probably never have to draw the weapon and that it will be there solely for peace of mind. With that in mind I still wouldn’t choose anything smaller than .380 but I also don’t feel the need for a .45 to stop that hypothetical one in ten billion elephant framed thug hyped up on PCP bent on doing me harm. Good luck with your search.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I carry the Ruger LCP as my "no print" gun. I own a Bersa thunder, and have owned a Glock 27. All were too large for discrete carry. The LCP is so small you almost have no excuse not to carry it and it holds just one round less than the Bersa as compared to the smaller magazine.

 

[ATBackPackin]

There are not a ton of choices for single stack 9's in that price range. There is the two Kel-Tec's that you mentioned plus, the Taurus 709 Slim, Ruger LC9, and Kahr CW9. The Kahr CM9, PM9, and Walther PPS are out of your budget range. Just based on what I have heard and read on here the Kel-Tec's are not very fun to shoot. They say they carry nice, but definitely not a range gun. My problem with that is that I like to practice quite a bit with my carry gun. As a matter of fact my home defense gun and carry gun are the two that I shoot the most often. They also are the two that I am the most accurate with, funny how that happens.

I have heard good things about both the Taurus and the Ruger single stacks. However I personally own and carry every single day the Kahr CW9. For a carry gun I cannot say enough about it. I have over 3000 rounds through mine and I can honestly say that I haven't had any problems. Therefore I have no qualms recommending it to others. One of the things that I really like about it is the felt recoil is much less than one would expect of a smaller gun. It has probably the smoothest trigger of the DOA guns out there. It is a long trigger but extremely smooth. Even shooting my carry load, Black Hills 124Gr +P, the recoil does not hurt my hand and those are pretty potent rounds. Another huge plus is that this gun in a decent holster absolutely disappears on you.

However with all of that being said, I would make sure that a DOA gun is for you if you do not already know. Some people simply cannot get used to the triggers.

Best of luck in your search.

Shawn

 

[RevDerb]

I carry the LCP for my very discreet weapon and the LC9 when I'm able to carry in a back pocket with a covering shirt. I have found both to be very reliable (no FTF's or FTE's with either gun with about 150 thru LCP and 200 thru LC9) and accurate. I know that some don't care for the manual safeties and loaded chamber indicator. but I'm not as sharp as I used to be and would rather not let my memory get me into trouble.

 

[msparks]

Greetings All,

but I would prefer a 9mm of some sort.

The Glock 26 seems a bit too fat for me to carry easily under a T-shirt. I want to minimize the potential for printing as much as possible.

I carry my 26 every day in shorts and a T-shirt. No printing at all.

I use the MIC holster and carry in the 1'oclock position. I do notice it rides better with the +2 baseplate than the factory 10 rounder. Appendix carry is great. You can stand, sit, or drive comfortably and the gun just disappears from your waistband. If I really and truly did not want anyone to know I was carrying but still wanted quick access to my gun I would use appendix carry.

For $25 you can carry a full power 9mm or 45 for that matter ( I also carry an XD45C sometimes) but it's much heavier.

I wonder about the shootability of the super small 9mm's like the keltec's and LC9's. I love the grip of the Glock, I can shoot it as well as a full sized gun. And with 12 rounds it's no slouch in the capacity department.

 

[wow6599]

Kahr CM9, if you can expand your budget a few dollars.
Got my wife one for $430 shipped.

 

[MedWheeler]

Many people who have fired both the Kel-Tec PF9 and the Ruger LC9 say that the Ruger seems better finished, but the Kel-Tec's simpler design frequently comes away the winner. The Kel-Tec can be snappy, but it is easily controlled, and I enjoy shooting mine, even in one-handed, rapid-fire mode. It is my EDC. I back it up sometimes with a P-32. I've never fired the LC9.
Want to look at a nine even smaller? The Diamondback DB9 comes in maybe a third of an inch shorter in overall length than the KT, but I think it's a tick thicker, and maybe one heavier, too. It's also not yet a proven model, having only been recently introduced.
Before I got my PF9, my EDC was a Bersa Thunder in .380. This is also a very good, and reliable shooter, and mine digests everything I've put in it, even old, aluminum-cased fodder mixed with newer HP and MC (FMJ) stuff. The Kel-Tec can be a pocket-gun in the right pants, but I find it just a tad big for a good-fitting pair of jeans. Now, wear those jeans out a little, and it gets better.

 

[Breakmyfootoff]

I carry my 26 every day in shorts and a T-shirt. No printing at all.

Same here, usually some loose elastic waistband style gym/basketball shorts for me. Eventually I'll get a small pocket gun in .380 for those times I'd rather feel like I wasnt carrying anything, but still have something. For me, the slim line 9's like the PF9 and LC9 just dont offer enough of a size reduction to justify the lower capacity.

That being said, everyone is different. I took my Mom to the gun shop to pick out a carry gun for her, and she decided on the LC9. The trigger is loooong, but smooth, and not overly heavy. She's put a little over 300 rounds through it and I've put about 50 through it myself with not one single failure of any kind. It is a very accurate naturally pointing pistol, and I was impressed with it.

Size wise, it is just 1/4 shorter on slide length, but is a 1/2 inch taller from the base of the magazine to the top of the slide, and .29 inches slimmer when compared to the Glock 26. To me, the most important measurement is height from the magazine base to the top of the slide, since it's usually the bottom of the grip poking out against your shirt that does the "printing".

In any case, the LC9 has done well in my experience, and if having the slimmest pistol is of utmost concern, I think it's an excellent choice. It's been accurate, reliable, and has a decent 8 round capacity of service caliber bullets. It's not too bad to shoot either, I havent shot the PF9, but the LC9 is infinitely more comfortable to shoot than the P11 that I used to own. Hopefully there was some useable info for you in all that lol ,

 

[MikePaiN]

I just spent a few hours in the LGS last night looking for my next carry gun.
We want through just about every option, from a $1k Colt Agent to the $250 Kel-Tec PF9. To make a long story short after looking and felling all choices, it came down to the Glock 26, Kahr CM9 or Ruger LC9. The G26 was substantially bigger that the other two and it was a gen4 at $550. The CM9 was okay but I felt it was over priced at $480. Now, the LC9 @ $365, felt great and was a fantastic value, with a 7+1 cap. of 9mm it has good firepower. Excellent conceal-abilty, very light and thin for ease of carry. I liked the ergos to, especially with the pinky extension the trigger was decent just a simple long DAO. Sorry, I just got it home and out of the box so no range or shoot report.



Drop in perfect fit to my Don Hume 715 for Kahr MK/PM(I don't even have to waste money on a new holster )

 

[Lawdawg45]

"I'm looking at some possible choices for a lightweight, easily concealable pistol for summer carry"

I"ll throw my vote in for a J-frame .38 or a Ruger LCP. I carry an LCP on my bike rides, usually in a pocket holster or in an IWB with no problems. Be sure and carry 1 or 2 reloads to be safe!

LD45

 

[TonyT]

I carry a Kahr PM-9 in a pocket holster where ever I go. I know several individuals who carry a Seacamp in 380 but I opted for 9mm.

 

[cardinalfan]

My wife wanted a summer carry gun. She can't stand my LCP so she bought herself a Sig P238. Wow, what a sweet little gun. I told her with her next bonus she has to buy me one.

 

[WRGADog]

My three favorite small carry pistols are the Kahr PM9, Kahr P380, or S&W 340PD. All of these are very easy to conceal and easy to carry.

 

[Dogguy]

If you're considering anything other than pocket carry for jeans/shorts and T-shirt, you may as well think IWB holsters and a bigger gun. Loose pants/shorts and loose T-shirt can easily conceal something the size of a Glock 19 when worn IWB.

 

[2ac]

I don't think a Kahr CM9 or a CW9 is out of your budget. Bud's has great prices on them. I really like me CW9, as it will soon be converted to a "covert" model. And I'd much rather have a Kahr over a Ruger or Keltek any day, but that's just my 2¢.

 

[rich642z]

LC9

 

[Fiv3r]

I have fallen very hard for my LCP. I bought it to be my summer weather gun. Lightweight, shoots straight, dirt reliable, didn't break the bank. For the first time, I can carry and not even notice it. Sitting here I have to think about which back pocket is holding my gun and which one is holding my wallet. I'm almost always broke, so it's a very thin gun that can mimic the thickness of my billfold

I like the LCP simply because I never have to go without it. I've never been one of those "one is none" kind of guys, but with the LCP I have no reason not to carry it as a back up. Even when I switch back to my .45 or full size 9mm in the fall, the LCP is going to be riding right there in my back pocket. No reason not to carry something the size and weight of a cell phone.

One thing that the LCP does that most don't think about, it hides in plain sight. I'm going to be visiting a state that does not recognize my Indiana CCW permit. However, open carry is perfectly legal. While I am one who certainly values his rights, I'm not one to go stomping with muddy boots through a neighbor's house. That is to say, I have no problem with open carry (although I don't prefer it), but I would like to do it as discreetly as possible. Not to hide my gun from the authorities, but I don't want to offend anyone with my blatant carry...if that makes sense? I know it's my right, but I do understand that some folks find it off putting AND telegraphing that you have a gun could defeat the purpose of carrying said gun.

Anyway, with a tucked in shirt, I can carry my smart phone in an otter box on my left, my camera bag off my left hip behind that, my multitool off my right hip, and LCP in a cheap black nylon pancake holster on the right front of my pants. It's directly next to my belt buckle. It couldn't get anymore "in plain sight in a container designed specifically for holding a gun". But with all the crap on my belt, a diaper bag thrown over my shoulder, and a pair of sandals, I don't look like "scary open carry militia guy". I'm just Dad-Man with all the touristy junk that no one looks twice at. It's only when you actually stop to examine the holster more closely that you see the outline of the LCP's grip visibly hanging out in the open. I still get to carry protection for my family, but I don't have to worry about breaking laws OR getting funny looks for carrying openly.

...but I digress Unless someone is just REALLY dead set against the .380, I think it never hurts to have a little shooter in the stables that can fill a lot of low profile roles.

 

[NMBrian]

My PF9 was made infinitely better with a set of hogue wrap around grips.....

I can pocket carry it in most of my pants/shorts, or it disappears in my Comp-tac IWB holster.

 

[jmace57]

I carry a FEG PA-63 9MM Mak in a DeSantis Nemesis front pocket holster. It works great for me.

 

[Yahtzee4U]

+1 For the LCP. All I wear nine months out of the year is shorts and thin tees and the LCP is a gun that you can ACTUALLY carry every day with absolutely no discomfort, no printing, no worrying about a shirt riding up on your IWB holster, no having to constantly adjust your pants, no duty belts, nada. You just slip it in your ten dollar pocket holster and then into your pocket. Done deal.

If your worried about caliber don't. Is a .380 ACP the biggest caliber? Nope, but that's OK, life will continue to go on and bad guys will continue to avoid getting shot.

 

[Mustang02]

Out of your price range but I enjoy pocket carrying my Kahr PM9.

Couple of shots to put it into perspective of how small it is.

 

[FAS1]

I would prefer to carry my G26 in CBST all the time but that's not easy to do. Your job, your clothes, etc. can influence your decisions on CCW. I finally decided a several years ago to buy a P3AT for front pocket carry when needed. It turned into always carrying the Keltec and when possible adding the G26 IWB. .380 is not my preference but for me it was a way that I could always carry. Be sure to practice a lot if you decide to get one since these little guns aren't the easiest to hit the broad side of a barn with.