I guess the answer could depend on definitions of a "pocket gun" and a "mini auto".
I�ve been gone so I�m late to the party. The definition of a mini-gun of the pocket variety varies from person to person. To me, it is a least common denominator that I will always carry, and with which I would be willing to go up against the Batman movie dude or the Clackamas Mall shooter. It has to be something I actually would carry in a gun unfriendly city, where it better have been used to avoid death or great bodily harm if it gets noticed.
Revolvers and mini .380s are totally off the list for me. I suck at 25 yards with small revolvers, and .380s just don�t have the downrange energy to suit my preferences. Very few have sights that are easy to pick up in the dark, as in movie theater dark. Reloads with revolvers are a pain and also can result in dumping live rounds that might be needed later. Many teeny tiny autos have difficult magazine release switches and no slide stop to hold the slide back after it runs dry.
My least common denominator is my Sig P938. Great sights of the night sight variety, full functionality with a good magazine release button and a slide stop. I can carry it and a couple of reloads (all 6 round BTW) very easily. It shoots almost like a full sized gun at 25 yards. It has proven reliable, including shooting it, as carried for months, with lint and dust all over the gun. In terms of versatility and performance, I think that, on balance, it is a better gun to carry than the 4 inch K frame loaded with 125 grain Remington .38 Special +P and 2 speedloaders that I carried back in the day, and that is without making any accounting for the obvious weight and concealability differences. The advance in technology is astounding as far as I am concerned.
Is it my first choice? No. It usually serves a backup. But, there are times when I am outside my home state where I need to use discretion and I can only bring one.
In terms of nuances, there are times when a small revolver would be better. A S&W Centennial draws smoother from the pocket. I find the issue of whether it can fire from the pocket or not irrelevant, as my pants pockets would not allow me to shoot at anything more than an opponent�s foot or shin at best if I tried that. Coat pocket carry is just not in my modus operandi. I try to compensate by partially drawing the gun when I get the spidey sense. It can be done without being noticed if you wear the right clothing. As far as a panic draw is concerned, well, that is just a matter of training and hoping one is cool under stress, and sometimes the stars and planets just need to align properly. Cops fumble panic draws out of today�s retention holsters.
If all I worried about was one or two guys inside 7 yards, a Centennial or LCR with the concealed hammer with a couple of speed strips for spares would be fine.
Comments on other posts: While an XDS will fit in my pocket, it does not allow me to get a firing grip and draw smoothly from the pockets of the jeans that I wear, especially after I installed the night sights. I have to go to my belt with that one. Similarly, Waders� Kimber wouldn�t work, nor would the Shield or G26/27. The G35 isn�t even on the table for me as an open carry belt gun.
