No, I'm not talking about you cutting a hole in the pocket of your best overalls and fondling your junk during Sunday service. I'm talking about pistols small and light enough to conceal in a front pocket.
My only pocket pistol is a Keltec P3AT. I guess maybe I got lucky, mine has always seemed to function okay. But I kind of have the itch for something else. I've been mulling a S&W 638 or one of the 642 series, but the Ruger LCR revolvers and the Ruger LCP Max look nice too.
Does anyone have a pocket pistol they really, really like?
My S&W 632 .32 Mag rides in my back pocket almost daily. It is a little chunky for front pocket. For front pocket, you might find me with an LCP, Colt Mustang, or shudder, Beretta 950 .25 Auto.
Keltec P3AT is my only real pocket pistol. Mine has operated fine over the years I've owned it. It even has a notch for a close range head shot on a red squirrel. 90 gr. Hydra-shok to his rodent brain pan put the tree rat down immediately.
2" J frame .38 loaded with Federal HST 130 gr hollow wadcutters over 3.6 gr Titegroup (803 FPS). Or Ruger LCP loaded with 90 gr Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator all copper solid over 3.2 gr Titegroup (940 FPS). Either one should cause hostilities to cease at close range.
I have a Springfield Armory 911 that came with a pocket holster that drops in my front pocket like it belongs there. They aren't made any more, but the Sig 238 IIRC is an almost exact copy of my 911 and should work great for this. Not sure where you would get the pocket holster though. My son has a Sig P365 and it would also be a perfect pocket pistol. Only slightly larger than my 911 and very well built, like most Sigs
Glock 42 with Ameriglo Agent sights, loaded with 100 grain Buffalo Bore hard cast, 90 grain XPs (shown) or 68 grain XDs.
The Sig P365-380 loaded with Underwood 68 grain XPs is a superior combination, but it is a smidge bigger and has not replaced the 42, yet.
Just carried my Glock 42 this morning for a blood draw. Normally, I carry a Glock 26 IWB, but when I need to be right next to someone for any length of time without any chance of printing, the 26 comes out of the holster and the 42 goes in. Alternatively, I'll remove my IWB holster and carry my Sig P238 in my right front pants pocket.
My 3AT probably won't hang with the Gl. 42 for dependability, but it's dependable & wins for smaller length, height, width & weight. It's with me nearly all the time in a padded nylon pocket holster. Without the holster it will wear an imprint on every pair of dark colored pants ya got, jeans in particular, & you'll look like you're carrying whether you are or not.
Colt Detective Special with a 2 inch barrel chambered in 38 Special. Carried it for years. Gave it to a girlfriend to put jn her car when she worked in a bad area of town. Broke up with her and forgot she had it. By the time I remembered she had moved.
Now I carry a Ruger ECP in 9mm but I liked the Colt a lot better.
I’m a lefty, every semiautomatic I have tried in my left front pocket has had issues with the magazine release occasionally getting pressed in pocket carry. Not all the time but enough to make me lose confidence.
No, I'm not talking about you cutting a hole in the pocket of your best overalls and fondling your junk during Sunday service. I'm talking about pistols small and light enough to conceal in a front pocket.
My only pocket pistol is a Keltec P3AT. I guess maybe I got lucky, mine has always seemed to function okay. But I kind of have the itch for something else. I've been mulling a S&W 638 or one of the 642 series, but the Ruger LCR revolvers and the Ruger LCP Max look nice too.
Does anyone have a pocket pistol they really, really like?
Glock 43. Also an excellent ultralight backpacking pistol.
Glock 43X with Shield mags/ mag release* for 15 +1 9mm in a format that still drops into the back pocket of most pants.
*be sure to just order the mag release when you order mags
My S&W 632 .32 Mag rides in my back pocket almost daily. It is a little chunky for front pocket. For front pocket, you might find me with an LCP, Colt Mustang, or shudder, Beretta 950 .25 Auto.
Beretta .25
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It is a joke of a gun. But, working over 200 GSW as a Paramedic, I did see a man killed with it one time. 72 year old black mammy got mad at 75 year old black daddy, and she started firing the .25! One bullet took out the light fixture in the ceiling. One bullet went through the refrigerator. Several bullets in the floor. And one bullet hit the man. It hit him on the outside of his upper arm. His left arm. It travelled through the arm, and missed the bone. It travelled into the chest, and missed the rib. And it stopped right in the middle of his heart. Dead Right There. Hell of an xray.
What a fluke! Had it hit the arm bone it would have stopped. Had it hit the rib it would have stopped. I saw lots of people hit with a .25, often doc put a band aid on the little hole and the guy walked out of the ER. But not this guy.
My 442 or my S&W Bodyguard .380. My shield with a rds is too big for my pocket. I need to step up my knife carrying though, my swiss army knife isn't much of a back up.
I heard this about a .25 one time- "be careful using a .25 pistol- if you shoot it someone you might hit him with it and they might notice and then they will get mad and kill you"....
I have carried my S&W 340 SC and like it, but.. I normally carry a .380. Rides a little flatter and holds an extra couple rounds.
Used to be a Ruger LCP "Custom"- the one with the red trigger and big sights- but on a whim, I bought a Kahr CW380. After I added some big night sights, it's quickly became my go-to gun. Never a bobble, prints where the sights look, and recoils softer than the other two.
I have a Sig 365 too, but it's just a little too heavy to pocket carry comfortably, and a little too bulky to get out of a normal-sized pocket in a timely manner.
I heard this about a .25 one time- "be careful using a .25 pistol- if you shoot it someone you might hit him with it and they might notice and then they will get mad and kill you"....
I hear that, but have yet to find a volunteer to let me shoot them in the face with one. Mine generally is loaded with XTP, but I recently saw that Buffalo Bore now has a 60gr Hard Cast that would probably be the cat's ass for head shots at fist throwing distance.
I’m a lefty, every semiautomatic I have tried in my left front pocket has had issues with the magazine release occasionally getting pressed in pocket carry. Not all the time but enough to make me lose confidence.
OTOH pocket carry is where an Airweight shines.
A perfect example of what works for the individual, not what an expert or the net says.
Kahr PM 9 Crimson Trace and night sights in a High Noon pocket holster was my "always gun" for years. Long trigger pull that required practice but either 7 or 8 shots. It never seemed to "print" in any of my pants pockets but just a hair too long for rear pocket carry
Recently I took a Model 60 2" and a 442 in for trigger work. The Model 60 came back "improved" but the 442 came back perfect. The 442 has Crimson Trace grips but all I could do was paint the front sight.
I have to put my trigger finger past the first joint so it does not pinch my finger. The trigger break stages well. With my hand on the grip I can draw and hit a 6" circle pretty much every time from 5 yards in just under 1 Second. I've read that a hammerless revolver can be fired from inside a jacket pocket. I'm not planning to test that out but it might be something to consider.
Given the current level of social unrest I've taken to carrying a Glock 23 in a Sparks IWB holster. If it's cool enough to wear some kind of cover garment I'll have that with me. What everyone says about Sparks holsters seems to be true super comfortable and secure.
If I'm wearing the Glock it's likely I have the 442 in a pocket. If I'm not the PM 9 is generally still my first choice.
My mom had, probably still has the Lady Lorcin equivalent but with mother of pearl stocks. My uncle told her that it was a POS but she wanted it anyway. He had a FFL, I think it was $29.99 dealer cost at that time (early 90’s). It always fired but jammed constantly.
My mom had, probably still has the Lady Lorcin equivalent but with mother of pearl stocks. My uncle told her that it was a POS but she wanted it anyway. He had a FFL, I think it was $29.99 dealer cost at that time (early 90’s). It always fired but jammed constantly.
I sold cartons of these and of Ravens. Both had the Jam-damn reputation. I bought many back as a private party and adjusted the magazine ears. Mine never misses a beat, because I tuned the magazine.
LOL...they also allowed improper installation of the firing pin (backward), and would come in locked up. Tear down in a minute, reverse the pin, and off to the tin cans. I bought this one for $10.00 because of a reversed firing pin.
I use it mostly as a training pistol when working young dogs.
The time my FIL and a friend came back from buying a gun without me he was excited to show me his new to him Jennings pistols. I shook my head but not wanting to rain on his parade said we would look up a review.
I read the first one up which began with ..." Jennings are a good pistol. To throw at someone while you find a good pistol."
It was dead silence for a second but we all broke out laughing pretty good at that.
I have a J-22 that I've been hanging on to.......hoping to get $50 for it in a gun buy-back (I paid $49.99 for it, new, in 1987). It was fed a steady diet of CCI Stingers until the chrome plating at the muzzle cracked and the slide began flying off when I shot it.
As far as a "pocket pistol"....... Really like my Kimber Micro .380 But, it'd take me about 30 seconds to get drawn from the pocket of my jeans. It's definitely a "pocket-sized" qualifier. But it rides around on my belt, semi-high ride in slightly modified Bianchi leather.
No, I'm not talking about you cutting a hole in the pocket of your best overalls and fondling your junk during Sunday service. I'm talking about pistols small and light enough to conceal in a front pocket.
My only pocket pistol is a Keltec P3AT. I guess maybe I got lucky, mine has always seemed to function okay. But I kind of have the itch for something else. I've been mulling a S&W 638 or one of the 642 series, but the Ruger LCR revolvers and the Ruger LCP Max look nice too.
Does anyone have a pocket pistol they really, really like?
The 642 is a fair consideration. I've toyed with several different kinds of ammo for car4y. I'm currently enamored with 158 grain LSWC's.
My go to is the S&W 642 airweight with laser grips and second is a Sig Sauer P938 with 115 Gold Dots. I usually go back to the 642. You can carry it all day and never feel it. 5 rounds of 125 grain XTP HP.
LCP, as sweet as my p365 is it's still not a pocket pistol for me. I also have Seecamps .32s and a Walther TPH .22, but it's the LCP that get most of the action.
I'm not big on pocket carry, I like to have a holster, and if it's a well made small holster it's easy to conceal the gun. These days I like a P365 in the holster.
If I can't use a hip holster I've been known to carry a S&W 442 with laser grips in a Renegade ankle holster.
If I were to actually carry in a pocket it would be an LCP since I have one. But I'd rather have a 9mm.
If I’m wearing my Wrangler Riggs work jeans or shorts with the big roomy pockets, my Sig P365 9mm or Springfield Hellcat 9mm works great. If I’m wearing Wrangler Cowboy Cut Jeans with the smaller pockets, Ruger LCP Max 380 loaded with Buffalo Boar Outdoorsman Hard Cast loads.
The LCP is the only true pocket pistol I have ever found. Unless you want a two shot derringer. I'll take my LCP any day! Ruger knocked it out of the park with the LCP! I have two of them and have had them for years. Nothing better for the front pocket!
The LCP is the only true pocket pistol I have ever found. Unless you want a two shot derringer. I'll take my LCP any day! Ruger knocked it out of the park with the LCP! I have two of them and have had them for years. Nothing better for the front pocket!
The LCP is the only true pocket pistol I have ever found. Unless you want a two shot derringer. I'll take my LCP any day! Ruger knocked it out of the park with the LCP! I have two of them and have had them for years. Nothing better for the front pocket!
Except for the LCP Max.
I'll have to try that but if it's any bigger, I don't know. But I value your opinion vey highly and I'll try one very soon! Thanks!
The LCP is the only true pocket pistol I have ever found. Unless you want a two shot derringer. I'll take my LCP any day! Ruger knocked it out of the park with the LCP! I have two of them and have had them for years. Nothing better for the front pocket!
Except for the LCP Max.
I'll have to try that but if it's any bigger, I don't know. But I value your opinion vey highly and I'll try one very soon! Thanks!
I looked at the Max seriously, but I opted for the thinner original LCP. It was a hard choice; I like extra capacity.
My S&W 632 .32 Mag rides in my back pocket almost daily. It is a little chunky for front pocket. For front pocket, you might find me with an LCP, Colt Mustang, or shudder, Beretta 950 .25 Auto.
Beretta .25
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It is a joke of a gun. But, working over 200 GSW as a Paramedic, I did see a man killed with it one time. 72 year old black mammy got mad at 75 year old black daddy, and she started firing the .25! One bullet took out the light fixture in the ceiling. One bullet went through the refrigerator. Several bullets in the floor. And one bullet hit the man. It hit him on the outside of his upper arm. His left arm. It travelled through the arm, and missed the bone. It travelled into the chest, and missed the rib. And it stopped right in the middle of his heart. Dead Right There. Hell of an xray.
What a fluke! Had it hit the arm bone it would have stopped. Had it hit the rib it would have stopped. I saw lots of people hit with a .25, often doc put a band aid on the little hole and the guy walked out of the ER. But not this guy.
When I was a young officer on patrol I had to bag up several people killed by .25 autos. I worked in the hood and .25’s were prevalent in the 80’s. Strangely enough, most were the same wound area. The victim had probably turned sideways and raised their arm to shield the head. The bullet(s) hit the armpit and penetrated into the heart. Quite deadly. That being said, the .25 is a poor choice for defense as most of you already know.
The LCP is the only true pocket pistol I have ever found. Unless you want a two shot derringer. I'll take my LCP any day! Ruger knocked it out of the park with the LCP! I have two of them and have had them for years. Nothing better for the front pocket!
Except for the LCP Max.
I'll have to try that but if it's any bigger, I don't know. But I value your opinion vey highly and I'll try one very soon! Thanks!
I have the original LCP, the one just before they changed the frame size, but made after they made the improvements on the trigger pull. I like it for being so small and pocket friendly, but it's no fun to shoot. That's what I like so much about the Sig P238. It both fits in the front pants pocket AND is a great shooter. You could actually shoot several boxes of ammo and enjoy it at the range. I stop "enjoying" the LCP after just a couple of mags full.
Another good one to consider is the Colt Mustang Plus II....
Nothing wrong with any of the Colt Government type .380 pistols. I had the original back in the late 1980s. Loved it. I pocket carried it a lot. When the more compact models started coming out, I intended to get one, so sold my original full sized Government .380, but just then Clinton made his deal with Colt to stop producing them (along with any other popular CCW models they made) and suddenly the price on them went through the roof and I never got one till Sig started making them under the name P238.
I was never a fan of pocket carry until I got a part time retirement job that requires me to A. Wear a company polo shirt and tan 5-11 pants and B. Requires travel at all hours to hospitals in rough neighborhoods. So 2 days a week I carry my Ruger EC9s in a pocket holster loaded with 147 grain Federal HST ammo.
Ron you are 100% correct that the .25 is a poor choice but it's better ( most of the time ) than a rock.
Take care, Razorhog
I agree Razorhog! Jeff Cooper used to say he’d rather have a rock or a wine bottle than a .25. Not this kid. A .25 to the eye sockets would be way better than any rock or bottle.
Ron you are 100% correct that the .25 is a poor choice but it's better ( most of the time ) than a rock.
Take care, Razorhog
I agree Razorhog! Jeff Cooper used to say he’d rather have a rock or a wine bottle than a .25. Not this kid. A .25 to the eye sockets would be way better than any rock or bottle.
Ron
Paul Harrell, on his video about his FN Baby Browning, admitted to often carrying it as his only gun. He claimed he was skilled enough with it to make it effective.
Ron you are 100% correct that the .25 is a poor choice but it's better ( most of the time ) than a rock.
Take care, Razorhog
I agree Razorhog! Jeff Cooper used to say he’d rather have a rock or a wine bottle than a .25. Not this kid. A .25 to the eye sockets would be way better than any rock or bottle.
Ron
Paul Harrell, on his video about his FN Baby Browning, admitted to often carrying it as his only gun. He claimed he was skilled enough with it to make it effective.
I like Paul Harrell. He’s a common sense kind of guy. I pray that he’s doing ok with his cancer.
I’m not a big guy at 160lbs, so I find it nearly impossible to pocket carry anything bigger than the LCP Max. Still, 23 rounds of 380 in your front 2 pockets isn’t awful.
My G26 usually rides comfortably in an IWB holster. But if I need deep cover or need to tuck my shirt a $10 Uncle Mikes holster turns it into a pocket pistol.
Not really a pocket pistol although you can easily carry it in a pants pocket. I've been through a few compact pistols and revolvers. But my favorite so far is a Glock 43 that carries a Shield 9 round magazine.
Pocket carry is cumbersome. I prefer a compact autoloader in a canted IWB holster these days. A Glock 43 fits my hand very well, shoots where it's pointed, and is very unobtrusive and concealable in a IWB holster. With the Shield magazine it has 10 shot capacity. I don't think there's much improvement to be made on a G43 with 10 round capacity in a comfortable IWB holster.
To my way of thinking, a pocket pistol is a backup to one's primary. I also like to have a weak-hand option. With that in mind I have a money clip gun, a Kahr .380 that goes everywhere my money clip goes
To my way of thinking, a pocket pistol is a backup to one's primary. I also like to have a weak-hand option. With that in mind I have a money clip gun, a Kahr .380 that goes everywhere my money clip goes
There's been several people mention the little Kahr 380. They weren't even on my radar. I'm gonna have to look into them.
For summer carry SIG 938 loaded with Cutting Edge Bullets 90 gr. Raptors bullets....for a back up a first generation S&W 340 with Cutting Edge Bullets 105gr Raptors... For when I start putting on some heaver close and a jacket Colt 1911 loaded with Cutting Edge Bullets 150 gr. Raptors....for back up the S&W 340 with CEB 105 gr. just like the summer....
Not really a pocket pistol although you can easily carry it in a pants pocket. I've been through a few compact pistols and revolvers. But my favorite so far is a Glock 43 that carries a Shield 9 round magazine.
To my way of thinking, a pocket pistol is a backup to one's primary. I also like to have a weak-hand option. With that in mind I have a money clip gun, a Kahr .380 that goes everywhere my money clip goes
There's been several people mention the little Kahr 380. They weren't even on my radar. I'm gonna have to look into them.
the little Kahr is one of the few guns in 380 or bigger that can truly be considered as pocket sized IMO , and it has much better sights and trigger than some of the other choices
in general though and after trying it out some , pocket carry sucks , again IMO . A small to midsized gun in a clip on IWB holster is much more handy for me
in general though and after trying it out some , pocket carry sucks , again IMO . A small to midsized gun in a clip on IWB holster is much more handy for me
Agreed. I only pocket carry when avoiding any level of possible printing from IWB carry is an extremely high priority. So, like 1 to 2 percent of the time. For 99% of the rest of the time, it's the Glock 26 carried IWB, and for the remaining 1%, the Glock 42 (.380) carried IWB, which just about disappears under an untucked polo shirt.
Not really a pocket pistol although you can easily carry it in a pants pocket. I've been through a few compact pistols and revolvers. But my favorite so far is a Glock 43 that carries a Shield 9 round magazine.
Man, that 442 looks like it has had a full life. Love it.
Yes it has!
It was a gift from friends for graduating a state police academy more than a couple decades ago. I carried it as a BUG the whole time I worked inLE. Carried it off duty as well. It was my "always gun".
I stopped keeping track of the rounds fired after I was done with LE. I was north of 5K rounds. I know I have fired at least another 1K rounds, but don't think I am at 7K yet. It has been used as an ammo testing platform for a while now, for building loads. Just a very well built gun.
It does show some signs of use though.
I periodically check for cracks and other signs of wear after a shooting session, due to its condition, but all is good so far.
The only thing I have ever had to do is replace a firing pin a few years back.
I know pocket semi autos are very popular, but this old J frame just works well for me.
Not really a pocket pistol although you can easily carry it in a pants pocket. I've been through a few compact pistols and revolvers. But my favorite so far is a Glock 43 that carries a Shield 9 round magazine.
German made Sig Sauer P232 in 9mm Kutz (380 for all the rest of you) Well made, easy to carry and good shooter.
I had the older version of that in the early 1980s, the P230, marked "Made in West Germany." I was so stupid to sell it in the late 1980s. I kick myself every time I think about it. But that's a story I could tell about dozens of guns I had in the 1980s.
Keltec P3AT is my only real pocket pistol. Mine has operated fine over the years I've owned it. It even has a notch for a close range head shot on a red squirrel. 90 gr. Hydra-shok to his rodent brain pan put the tree rat down immediately.
They are underrated for small concealable pistols. Mine has never jammed.
Ron you are 100% correct that the .25 is a poor choice but it's better ( most of the time ) than a rock.
Take care, Razorhog
I agree Razorhog! Jeff Cooper used to say he’d rather have a rock or a wine bottle than a .25. Not this kid. A .25 to the eye sockets would be way better than any rock or bottle.
Ron
As they say, the people who scoff at the .25 never agree to take one in the chest to prove their point. It's not my first choice, but I'd take one over nothing for sure.
Ron you are 100% correct that the .25 is a poor choice but it's better ( most of the time ) than a rock.
Take care, Razorhog
I agree Razorhog! Jeff Cooper used to say he’d rather have a rock or a wine bottle than a .25. Not this kid. A .25 to the eye sockets would be way better than any rock or bottle.
Ron
As they say, the people who scoff at the .25 never agree to take one in the chest to prove their point. It's not my first choice, but I'd take one over nothing for sure. The same goes for a .22 short.
Not really a pocket pistol although you can easily carry it in a pants pocket. I've been through a few compact pistols and revolvers. But my favorite so far is a Glock 43 that carries a Shield 9 round magazine.
How easy was it to switch out the mag release?
TRH, it’s pretty easy. I bought a package deal with 3 Shield Arms 9 round magazines and an all steel mag release. YouTube is your friend for this kind of stuff.
No, I'm not talking about you cutting a hole in the pocket of your best overalls and fondling your junk during Sunday service. I'm talking about pistols small and light enough to conceal in a front pocket.
My only pocket pistol is a Keltec P3AT. I guess maybe I got lucky, mine has always seemed to function okay. But I kind of have the itch for something else. I've been mulling a S&W 638 or one of the 642 series, but the Ruger LCR revolvers and the Ruger LCP Max look nice too.
Does anyone have a pocket pistol they really, really like?
Glock 43. Also an excellent ultralight backpacking pistol.
Glock 43X with Shield mags/ mag release* for 15 +1 9mm in a format that still drops into the back pocket of most pants.
*be sure to just order the mag release when you order mags
It's concerning that violent unpredictable psychotics with self described brain damage as well as life long drug usage should not have access to firearms. We can all agree to that on here
Jeff you do k now drug addicts can't legally own firearms?
Some places a firearm of any sort is not legal. Knife, a bar of soap in a sock.
After 9/11, when they stopped allowing me onboard commercial flights with my lockblade knife, I started carrying a three inch tall, solid brass, owl statue with me in my carry-on luggage. I wrapped it up in a rugged cloth dinner napkin, and put it in a small gift box, as if I'm taking it as a gift to someone I'm visiting.
Pull that thing out, put it in the center of the dinner napkin, fold the rest back, and it's a Medieval mace.
Some places a firearm of any sort is not legal. Knife, a bar of soap in a sock.
After 9/11, when they stopped allowing me onboard commercial flights with my lockblade knife, I started carrying a three inch tall, solid brass, owl statue with me in my carry-on luggage. I wrapped it up in a rugged cloth dinner napkin, and put it in a small gift box, as if I'm taking it as a gift to someone I'm visiting.
Pull that thing out, put it in the center of the dinner napkin, fold the rest back, and it's a Medieval mace.
I quit flying after 9/11. My little brother was stuck in the Denver Airport for 3 days as his flight got grounded on 9/11. I was on an Antelope Hunt in NM on 9/11. Luckily, we drove.
German made Sig Sauer P232 in 9mm Kutz (380 for all the rest of you) Well made, easy to carry and good shooter.
I had the older version of that in the early 1980s, the P230, marked "Made in West Germany." I was so stupid to sell it in the late 1980s. I kick myself every time I think about it. But that's a story I could tell about dozens of guns I had in the 1980s.
Those were great little guns! I had one I bought when TX DPS State Troopers traded them all in to the Firearms Wholesaler I worked for at the time. Evidently, DPS issued them to St Troopers that worked undercover in their Narcotics Division. Anyhow, I think my cost was $225 for one that looked like it had never been fired. Should have hung on to that one.
My S&W 632 .32 Mag rides in my back pocket almost daily. It is a little chunky for front pocket. For front pocket, you might find me with an LCP, Colt Mustang, or shudder, Beretta 950 .25 Auto.
Beretta .25
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It is a joke of a gun. But, working over 200 GSW as a Paramedic, I did see a man killed with it one time. 72 year old black mammy got mad at 75 year old black daddy, and she started firing the .25! One bullet took out the light fixture in the ceiling. One bullet went through the refrigerator. Several bullets in the floor. And one bullet hit the man. It hit him on the outside of his upper arm. His left arm. It travelled through the arm, and missed the bone. It travelled into the chest, and missed the rib. And it stopped right in the middle of his heart. Dead Right There. Hell of an xray.
What a fluke! Had it hit the arm bone it would have stopped. Had it hit the rib it would have stopped. I saw lots of people hit with a .25, often doc put a band aid on the little hole and the guy walked out of the ER. But not this guy.
When I was a young officer on patrol I had to bag up several people killed by .25 autos. I worked in the hood and .25’s were prevalent in the 80’s. Strangely enough, most were the same wound area. The victim had probably turned sideways and raised their arm to shield the head. The bullet(s) hit the armpit and penetrated into the heart. Quite deadly. That being said, the .25 is a poor choice for defense as most of you already know.
For well over two decades (today's date is 09-21-22), customers have been requesting the development of 25 ACP ammunition that will actually kill humans. We now have it available.
Load #1 (item 25ACP 60 HC FN) features a 60gr. hard cast flat-nosed bullet that is moving at 850 fps out of these test pistols. In our testing, it appears that this bullet will travel entirely through a 200 lb. man that is frontally shot in the chest. This is lethal.
Load #2 (item 25 ACP 50 FMJ-RN) features a 50 gr. FMJ-RN bullet moving at around 875 fps from these test pistols.
I have fired many major brands of 25 ACP ammo featuring a 50 gr. FMJ-RN bullet, and they normally do not exceed 700 fps—very anemic performance.
The below pistols give real-world velocities, not hyped-up laboratory test barrel velocities that you’ll never see in real use on the streets.
These two loads are within SAAMI pressure specs and can be fired in any all-steel pistol that is in ordinary firing condition.
You should always test these small pistols for cycling reliability with your chosen load BEFORE you rely on the ammo to save anyone’s life. The 60 gr. load functioned flawlessly in the Beretta, Seecamp, and Colt pistol, but will fail to feed occasionally in the Browning. The 50 gr. load functions reliably in all four test guns.
There is no appreciable muzzle flash with a cartridge this small.
Good shooting, and God bless,
Tim Sundles
Field Proven pistol and handgun ammo. Maximum firepower ammo. Best ammunition for pistols and handguns for sale. Buffalo Bore. Strictly Business.
To my way of thinking, a pocket pistol is a backup to one's primary. I also like to have a weak-hand option. With that in mind I have a money clip gun, a Kahr .380 that goes everywhere my money clip goes
There's been several people mention the little Kahr 380. They weren't even on my radar. I'm gonna have to look into them.
I love my PM 9 but there were early reports of the Kahr .380 having reliability issues. If they have been resolved that might be a good choice for back pocket carry.
A few things everyone needs to remember. You might have to use your pocket pistol in a gun fight so choose accordingly. A holster for a pocket pistol might get in the way and slow down your draw. Everyone should practice drawing and firing at 4yds, less than 2 seconds on target should be your goal.
German made Sig Sauer P232 in 9mm Kutz (380 for all the rest of you) Well made, easy to carry and good shooter.
I "think" that is KURZ, though I could be wrong. It is a cool pistol, kinda of big for pocket carry for my taste but it is typical Sig quality. A friend of mine bought one for his mother. She lived alone and she kept that for her protection. Occasionally he would bring it out and shoot it, clean it back up, and return it to Mom. I never saw it malfunction. I would take that over any Walther PP series gun every time. The Walther is way over rated in my experience.
This reviewer suggests sticking with lighter weight .380 bullets.... My PM 9 measured just shy of 5.5". At 4.93" the .380 could be enough shorter to disappear in a back pocket.
Anyone here have experience with the Kahr .380 to share?
Does anyone have a pocket pistol they really, really like?
I had an S&W 340PD that I really liked for pocket carry. Super light and manageable with .38 +P. Its chambered for .357 and I tried them. Not advisable.
I sold it because it had a Hillary lock and I’m not a fan of the design. I bought a Ruger LCR to replace it. With the boot grips, the Ruger carries almost as good as the S&W. The trigger on the S&W was better.
I had a Kahr CM9, as well. It was a tight fit, but it worked. Flatter than the revolvers, but that trigger reset is a show stopper for me.
I tried a Kimber K6 and I think its too heavy for pocket carry.
I considered getting a non-Hillary locked scandium or aluminum j-frame, but I’m not a fan of S&W as a company (for multiple reasons). If I don't get used to the trigger on my LCR, the non-Hillary lock version is probably where I’ll end up, though.
Personally, I consider the hammerless snubby the ideal pocket carry.
This reviewer suggests sticking with lighter weight .380 bullets.... My PM 9 measured just shy of 5.5". At 4.93" the .380 could be enough shorter to disappear in a back pocket.
Anyone here have experience with the Kahr .380 to share?
German made Sig Sauer P232 in 9mm Kutz (380 for all the rest of you) Well made, easy to carry and good shooter.
I "think" that is KURZ, though I could be wrong. It is a cool pistol, kinda of big for pocket carry for my taste but it is typical Sig quality. A friend of mine bought one for his mother. She lived alone and she kept that for her protection. Occasionally he would bring it out and shoot it, clean it back up, and return it to Mom. I never saw it malfunction. I would take that over any Walther PP series gun every time. The Walther is way over rated in my experience.
This reviewer suggests sticking with lighter weight .380 bullets.... My PM 9 measured just shy of 5.5". At 4.93" the .380 could be enough shorter to disappear in a back pocket.
Anyone here have experience with the Kahr .380 to share?
I haven't been that happy with mine. More than accurate enough but it has issues. Mine likely needs some chamber work. If I completely remove the barrel and drop a round into the chamber, some brands of ammo will drop right in and fall out when you tip the barrel, but some brands have to be slightly seated into the chamber. The ones that show resistance going in won't fall out when you tilt the barrel. They have to be levered out of the chamber and those are the ones that jam a high percentage of the time.
Even the easy chambering ammo will sometimes experience a stoppage, but then it is caused by a failure to completely return to battery. It will remain about 1/4 inch out. You can push the slide forward with your thumb and fire it. I figure some chamber work and a stronger recoil spring would help it tremendously. I haven't got around to shipping it back to the factory yet.
Mine is the more expensive P-380. They did not offer the CW version when I bought mine.
Thanks for the feed back. Hopefully they worked out the bugs with newer ones?
Mr. Gunner found it easy to get a shipping label for with 9 day turn around.
They are a pretty good company. I actually got a label from them to ship it and boxed it up. However, I had to ship it, I had to drive an hour to their drop off. I went and didn't feel good about shipping it with them. They wouldn't give me any receipt to show they had received it, and I was supposed to just sit it over there, with some other packages nobody was watching. I decided to try to get a local smith to take a look and just haven't yet.
Thanks for the feed back. Hopefully they worked out the bugs with newer ones?
Mr. Gunner found it easy to get a shipping label for with 9 day turn around.
Yeah, when your gun is still in warranty, Kahr's customer service is first rate. When I had a small parts breakage on my P9, they sent a shipping label to me, and had it back to me within a couple of weeks with a new replacement part (this time made of steel instead of the original plastic).
I can make a good case for the HiStandard derringer in .22 mag Foolproof reliability. Unlike the anemic .25, the .22 mag is a proven man killer.
Five nigs all armed with knives accost you downtown. You shoot the first one in the chest, and quickly shoot the second in the belly. The muzzle blast from the little derringer after dark is incredible. They are down! Both will probably die. The last three don't know what you are armed with. Their 2 leaders are screaming on the ground. Are they gonna take a chance and attack the shooter? Hell no, you will now see three new world's records in the 200 meter dash.
Beretta M1934 in 380 Auto. Standard issue side arm for the Italian army, but also used by Germany, Romania and Finland. It's almost identical in size to the Sig P365 only slightly slimmer without the double stack mag. It looks like a small version of the Beretta M92, and has been completely reliable in function. It's excellent ergos make it more pleasant to shoot.
To my way of thinking, a pocket pistol is a backup to one's primary. I also like to have a weak-hand option. With that in mind I have a money clip gun, a Kahr .380 that goes everywhere my money clip goes
This gun has been reliable with a variety of loads. Kahr states their guns shouldn't be considered reliable until they've had a couple hundred rounds through them. Over the years I've owned a couple of their .40s and a .45. One of the .40s and the .45 needed 250 or so rounds to settle down to trust worthiness. In the case of this .380, I bought it years ago during one of the times .380 ammo was very hard to find. I ended up working the slide a bunch during the evenings while watching TV. Before long the barrel was looking like it had fired a bunch of rounds when it hadn't been shot yet at all. Consequently, this little gun was reliable from the get-go once I found ammo.
I can make a good case for the HiStandard derringer in .22 mag Foolproof reliability. Unlike the anemic .25, the .22 mag is a proven man killer.
Five nigs all armed with knives accost you downtown. You shoot the first one in the chest, and quickly shoot the second in the belly. The muzzle blast from the little derringer after dark is incredible. They are down! Both will probably die. The last three don't know what you are armed with. Their 2 leaders are screaming on the ground. Are they gonna take a chance and attack the shooter? Hell no, you will now see three new world's records in the 200 meter dash.
Yea that sounds like a great plan.... guess it's the results that matter.
You mean like a UPS store? I'm a big fan of "trust your gut" but yeah I'd want a receipt too.
I guess it was UPS. It was the place their label specified. I can't remember as it's been a few years. I didn't understand the no receipt part. I have never shipped a gun before and only used the local PO to ship anything.
I walked in and nobody was behind the desk. There was a bench with packages on it and an open door to a truck loading zone. Anyone could have walked in those doors from the loading area or the front door for that matter and left with any of those packages and nobody would have known. A black lady came in the office and explained that I needed to just leave my box over there, and that she couldn't give me a receipt or anything saying I had left it. I just decided to look for another solution as it seemed like a good way to give my pistol away.
A Keltec P32 or a P3AT in a Bear Creek wallet holster has been with me daily for the last 25 years. Both have been fired 300+ rounds without any malfunctions and includes regular practice.
Diamondback DB9 has worn out a passel of my back pockets. It’s about the smallest 9mm I know of and shoots pretty fair. Has been flawless after a box of Winchester white box which is what they recommend. If in really close company I’ll put it in a sticky holster and carry it to the right side of my belt buckle with a tucked shirt. Never moves but a little tricky to put in place. Front pocket carry is great if your jeans have a fairly loose pocket opening. Some are too tight.
I've carried this Remington 51 (380) a number of times trying to make it work. It's just a little too long for most of my front pockets, but fits great in a back pocket when concealment isn't really an issue. With it being very thin, it conceals very well in a pair of dress pants or a suit jacket pocket. The 51 points better than any pocket pistol I've used. It has a manual safety in addition to the grip safety which is a positive to me for a pocket pistol.
I've carried this Remington 51 (380) a number of times trying to make it work. It's just a little too long for most of my front pockets, but fits great in a back pocket when concealment isn't really an issue. With it being very thin, it conceals very well in a pair of dress pants or a suit jacket pocket. The 51 points better than any pocket pistol I've used. It has a manual safety in addition to the grip safety which is a positive to me for a pocket pistol.
Ya’ know, I’m a little miffed that no one brought up my favorite! It’s a Smith 351pd. Scandium j frame 8 shot in .22 mag. It doesn’t gain appreciable weight from empty to full, and it is the only one I’ve ever had that I actually forget is there. Accuracy is acceptable, and enough rounds to suit me. Somewhere I picked up a couple of cute little aluminum speed loaders, so I can go “dressed “ with 18 rounds, which should do for any situation I find myself in.
My favorite pocket pistol is my Beretta Nano, if I wanted something smaller I would look for a Beretta Pico, they are discontinued so I'd have to find a used one.
Discreet pocket carry, zero printing. Beretta model 20 .25acp sa/da
I believe that the ATF many years ago declared that pocket holsters designed so that you can fire the gun without removing it first constituted an NFA violation.
Auk1124: I bought my first "pocket pistol" in 1968 - it was/is a Smith & Wesson Model 60 (stainless steel 5-shot revolver with 2" barrel and fixed sights). I own several more of them as of today and for the sake of first love I deem the original stainless revolver (Smith & Wesson Model 60) "my favorite"! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy
Discreet pocket carry, zero printing. Beretta model 20 .25acp sa/da
I believe that the ATF many years ago declared that pocket holsters designed so that you can fire the gun without removing it first constituted an NFA violation.
For show and tell purposes only. Never has seen any use
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