Your favorite small handgun for CCW?

[brin747]

I love my 642! It disappears in my pocket. So light I can't feel it and so well concealed even my wife doesn't know when I'm carrying.

 

[Meadows117]

S&W 638 everyday in the front right pocket. The others go in a ... man purse... but hey its camo.

 

[Legacy 6]

I have to say I like my PM9 for the pure size of it... but as I'm finding out, there is a LONG break-in period on this... especially with a 6 to 8 +1round capacity and magazines cost $30 each.

I also have an HK P30. It's not a pocket gun, but I can acutally carry it successfully under my armpit using a shirt from www.concealmentt.com

Then I also have a sub-compact SA XD9. GREAT little gun!!!

 

[buenhec]

Kahr MK9

 

[Kevin108]

When I have to pocket carry, I have a Raven. .25 is pretty anemic but the gun is beautiful and has been very reliable.

 

[S&Wfan]

I bought a Kel-Tec P-32 a few years ago for those times when things had to be very small and discreet (and thus the lightweight Kimber Ultra CDP .45 was even too small).

Then . . . I bought a "new" (to me) 1964 S&W Model 36 . . . and then soon followed by a "new" (to me) 1971 Model 37. Both were/are literally "like new" and don't have the damn lock on 'em.

The M37 has turned out to be so small, light, accurate and totally discreet (in an Uncle Mike's #3 pocket holster), that I seldom even strap on the 3" Kimber anymore!

The Airweight S&W revolvers rule the concealed market for two very good reasons . . . they are perfect for this purpose . . . and they WORK!

T.

"Beware of the man with a revolver. Chances are, he's mastered using it!"

 

[M&PVolk]

I'm a fan of the J frame for pocket carry. I sometimes will carry a S&W 637 (a hammer design 642). My wife has a Bersa .380 which I sometimes have occasion to "borrow"...it too makes a great pocket gun. I carry both in Duluth jeans. Rugged, durable and perfectly sized pockets.

 

[zammyman]

Kimber Pro Carry II... I know it's not a small handgun by any means, but with a good IWB holster its low profile hides very well!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yet another vote for a S&W J frame revolver.

 

[owlhoot]

I have three J frames. I like them fine. But I found the perfect (for me) carry gun several years ago, the Kahr MK9. I don't front pocket carry so I don't mind the bit of extra weight. The MK9 is a wonderful gun but not for front pocket carry.

 

[Keoni]

My favorite pocket carry is the Kel-Tec P3AT. It's light,accurate, reliable and easily concealed. I take it with me when I can't carry a gun.

 

[theken206]

Glock 26/27

 

[CDH]

The OP likes the 642 but doesn't like the lock. So buy a brand new one without the lock and sell the one with the lock to someone who "wants" a lock.
I believe there are still some of the "no-lock" 642's for sale at this time.

As to suggestions, I do have a 642 with no-lock that I like quite a bit, but for "deep conceal" carry, there's no question that I go with my 9mm Rohrbaugh R9S Stealth. Holster carry or pocket carry; works either way.

 

[WC145]

My favorite and everyday, all the time gun, whether by itself or as a BUG behind something else, is my S&W 360 9mm. It was customized by Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle High Performance.

 

[mgkdrgn]

NAA Black Widow in 22 magnum.

Small enough to carry ALL the time here in South Carolina (I'm mainly a shorts and Tshirt guy), and a big enough bite (and bark ... think "noisy cricket") to get the point across.

When it's colder (like today), I swap it out for my Glock 26.

 

[ashtxsniper]

kahr p40

 

[PcolaDawg]

For me it's the Smith & Wesson Model 642 J Frame, it's almost so easy to carry it's scary, because I forget I have it and end up taking it places I'm not supposed to.

After that it's my Kimber Ultra Carry. Nice little gun for a .45, but too heavy to be effective (for me) as an every day, every situation CCW weapon.

 

[rdrancher]

Times are tough and money's tight. You already own the 642, so just disable the lock and keep carrying it. You can learn to carry it in your front pocket, you just have to want to. You'll be the only one that knows it's there.

rd

 

[test drive]

Astra firecat or zastava mod 70

 

[IMTHDUKE]

No problem carrying this bad boy...

 

[mongo4567]

Keltec P3AT, .380 isn't the greatest but I always have it with me.

 

[Gunner4h1r3]

I use a Smith 638 with 135 gr +p gold dots. I also, from time to time, use a SIG P230 loaded with Golden Sabres, or a Charter Bulldog DAO loaded with either winchester silver-tips or georgia arms gold dots.

 

[wyocarp]

.357 magnum in the S&W 340 SC

 

[jlh26oo]

Does a P2000 count as small (only 2lbs loaded L.O.L.)? It's the smallest I have now since I dumped the Kahr P.M. 9 and GLOCK 36, but those I.M.O. were two 1st class C.C.W.'s that deliver quite a bit in such small packages. That 36 is about as thin and light a belt gun as you could want, and it's a .45 A.C.P. no less. O.T.O.H. the P.M. 9 would be good in the pocket or belt, at 16oz and wafer thin.

I want a Sig in .380 A.C.P. but there is a much bigger drop-off to it from 9mm than there is to 9mm from either .40 S&W or even .357 mag (in a snub), but that's J.M.O. and Y.M.M.V. I wouldn't worry about that lock too much on your S&W.

 

[jbauch357]

G26 - before that I carried an SP101 .357 mag 2 1/4" barrel.

The G26 is easier to conceal, more comfortable to carry, has over twice the round capacity, I can deliver twice the rounds on target in the same amount of time, and it's cheaper to practice with.