Does it exist? A semi-auto carry pistol that (pay attention, this is important) is concealable by pocket carry in jeans and khakis, and works for both OWB and IWB, with enough horsepower to be "comforting"?

Thinking the Kimber Micro 9 or SIG 938 might be the closest. Any other suggestions?

My S&W 9mm Shield fits the bill for me. It's in my pocket in a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster as I write this.

yeah, forget pocket carry, and carry a better gun.

Um, no. Some conditions here call for it.

The pocket carry requirement is the troubling part. Otherwise my Shield 9mm works for me.

I carry a SIG 938 in a pocket holster. It works. I've no experience with the Kimber Micro 9

I don't know. Pocket carry makes it tough. When I bought my LCP I had originally intended to get a Kel-Tec PF-9.

Obviously, they're both small. But the PF-9 was noticeably bulkier in my pocket.

The .380 is not, IMHO, a "one" type gun. A Rule One gun, yes, but no more.

Yep. The Shield just seems "thick".

Glock 43. I pocket carry mine in Wranglers alot with the flat-bottom magazine in a Desantis Nemesis. It disappears completely IWB and can be pretty easily concealed OWB. It flat out works and I can shoot it better and reload it much faster than the only other gun that I trust to this role (a J frame 642).

I went through 3 Shields trying to love them before I got the G43. The Shield is just enough bigger than the G43 that I could never make it work in a pocket.

Maybe not, but if your criteria includes pocket carry, what else is there?

Even an LCP is a fairly bulky lump to carry around in your pocket all day.

Closest I can come is the Kahr PM9. There is a high-dollar option slightly smaller, IIRC (Rhorbaugh), but reports mention some reliability problems.

But as for "one gun".....I don't think horsepower is as much an issue as "shootability". I'm not entirely against having a pocket pistol for when it's needed, but I'd hate to have to limit myself to that alone.

You might consider having a tailor modify your pockets, or just wear clothes with bigger pockets.

This: Rohrbaugh R-9

<> http://www.covecreekoutfitters.com/product_images/d/845/Picture_001__26893_zoom.jpg <>

The F-35 9mm38045.


Seriously, why limit it to a one size fits all? Two would cover it okay without too much compromise. You might want to get similar trigger pulls, i.e. not one single action and one DAO. An LCP II and a Glock 19 would cover all ground and are both striker fired, or substitute any two small/medium combos.

Most medium sized pistols work for IWB or OWB carry but carrying anything bigger than an LCP in a jeans pocket just doesn't work very well unless you cover that huge printing bulge with a shirttail or long jacket. Or wear jeans 2-3 sizes too big.

LMAO!

Wranglers.

I have larger covered. Just wondering if there is a viable option to add to the stable that covers all bases plenty well enough.

kahr cwp

I like my Glock 43. Also, I have a Shield in .40, but it is just a little bigger. I have an IWB holster from El Paso Saddlery holster for my 43 and use it for pocket carry also.

\
Springfield XDS .45

Agreed. The only gun I'd consider an all day, everyday, front pants pocket gun would be one of the North American Arms Mini Revolvers.

SIG 938 or a J frame in .38+P although I like my 431PD .32 H&R, it has some juice even out of the bitty BBL.

That is hard to do with one gun. Kahr cw380/g43/ titaniumJframe

I don't believe it does. I routinely carry less weapon than I'd chose because I rely mostly on pocket carry. I don't do IWB of any sort. My 1911, when carried, is OWB only.

I chose the S&W bodyguard for pocket carry. If chosing today I'd look hard at the LCP2. Most of my friends and relatives own and carry an LCP. I went with the bodyguard because it was a tad bigger with better sights. I routinely shoot others' LCPs better than I do my own S&W. I was leary of striker fire and the lack of restrike capability. I'm over it.

The LCP2 looks to be a bit larger and easier to handle than the original. Reputedly has better sights and a better trigger. I wanna try one.

One possibility... There are pants made for concealed carry. Made with pockets that can be contoured for larger pistols. net search shows some potential.

The khakis I wear are very good for CCW (Mountain Khakis).

glock 43

i carry mine in my pocket on my ankle, iwb, owb, mexican, and coat pocket.

khakis, cargos, jeans, and sweats.

and it works every time i pull the trigger

Gee 4ager, I thought you knew everything already.

S&W Shield in .45

Another vote for the Glock 43. Back in the day, a steel J frame weighed more, and I’ve carried them a bunch. The G43 is on the large size for pocket application but fits OK in Levi’s jeans with an untucked Polo. I had a Sig P938, which was a tiny bit smaller dimensionally, but within about an ounce difference in terms of weight. The G43 will take a lot more abuse, and I have used it in IDPA matches in BUG division. It shoots like a full size although split times, obviously, aren’t as good. The G43 and a couple of mags is what I take when I have to fly to a big “gun unfriendly” city and can only take one. I take a pocket holster and an IWB holster.

Can’t speak the mini-Kahrs. No experience with them.

If I really need to get skinny I can put my G23 nekkid on my right hip with no holster under a snug belt. With a T undershirt to keep it off my skin and a square tailed short sleeve shirt it covers sufficiently for me. There are still times when I carry something smaller than the Glock but not many. Not a fan of pocket carry, but that's just me and Mae West.

I would not be carrying a glock without a holster especially if you have one in the chamber.

After having a catastrophic failure a week ago with my G-23 breaking the slide lock spring and the slide falling off the gun, my belief of having a back up gun is important.

I would never recommend anyone carry a Glock hot without a holster. For my own purposes it works. But if no round is chambered it doesn't matter where you put it or what it's in from a safety standpoint.

By my standards the categories do not overlap.

Kahr PM 9 Crimson Trace High Noon pocket holster.... Perfection for me.

If .380 is off the table, then Kahr CM9.

Carried a Kimber Solo for a while. Beware pocket lint.

I believe that "comforting" starts at 9mm, so I'm not aware of a pistol that meets these requirements unless your jeans are mighty loose in the leg. If that's the case, then I'd go with a G43 as a bare minimum, and a G26 for the bigger magazine if I could get away with it.

Also, anything small enough to work in a pocket will work for OWB or IWB carry. But those methods are generally best for bigger guns.


Okie John

+1

I've got two that fit that criteria and use daily. My Glock 43 9mm and my Springfield XDS in 45acp. I can shoot both of them well and they are both Uber reliable

the closest to a one gun solution is the G43, but like many I don't carry glocks in my pocket without a holster and then its too big for my pocket anyway. A guy I know who wears dress shirts has some holster that tucks into the front of his pants, the gun hangs below the belt and all you see is a metal clip, don't know the model.

Glock 43. +2 mag extension when IWB / OWB and a +1 mag extension or flat factory mag in a desantis nemisis for pocket. The longer I have my G43 the more I continue to like it and carry it. I am very very pleased with how well it shoots too.

Another vote for the Rohrbaugh R9. Nothing else that small in a 9mm. I find the G43 and S&W Shield just a little too big for comfortable pocket carry in many pockets. Of course, no reason to stick to the Rohrbaugh once you move to another form of carry but it still works if you only have one pistol.

Been carrying a PM9 in a DeSantis pocket holster for 9 years +.
It's lighter and smaller than a G43.

The XDS 45 with Crimson Trace green is my perfection!!

Yep.

If you are O.K. with a .380 take a look at the Taurus TCP-738. 5.2 inches long. Weight:10 oz. Fits like a glove in my pocket holster, which hides the outline of the Gun. Only 6+1 Rounds though.
If you are 9MM person, I like my SCCY CPX-1 or CPX-2 Just a tad larger. I think it weighs around 15 OZ. 10+1 Capacity.
Also, Taurus is coming out with a new .380 called "Spectrum". Haven't seen one, but I will look at one. They say at the end of March.
The SCCY CPX-1&2 comes with a pinky extension for the Magazine and you can get one from Pearce Grips for the Taurus.

Always heard they are the best. There was one for sale in the classified section. At about twice the price of anything else.
For me the easier to conceal the harder to hit with. I carry a 938 and a 360 j in 357. But at 6'2" and 295 I have big pockets. Hasbeen

My son uses the Sig 938 and I use the Beretta Nano.

I guess if one wanted a 9mm belt gun that could occasionally be pressed into service as a front pants pocket gun, the closest to ideal would be the Ruger LC9S Pro.

Here's mine next to my Glock 42 (which is a .380 ACP).

Old standby in cargoes front pocket or Milt Sparks VM2 is a PM9.
MK9 or 642 if swimming trunks.
642 for BUG to drop in back pocket or cargoes side pocket when I think that might be a good idea.

A G-43 is way bigger than I like in a pocket. Sure,if your pocket is big enough,you can fit almost anything but it's still not what I would consider a pocket gun just because you "can" put it in your pocket.

The Kahr PM9 would be the biggest I would ever want in my pocket and it's still bigger than I like.

I carry a G-43 or a G-36 depending on how I feel, in an IWB Kydex(Vedder Lighttuck)and a Kahr P-380 in the pocket in a very thin leather holster I made for it.


Another option I might consider in pocket (though it would be rare in big pocket baggy pants) would be a S&W 340PD.

That's impressive.

H&K G-36:

The Missus has developed an affinity for my LCP (now defiled with a girlie-purple Hogue grip thing anyhow) so I'm in the market for another pocket/ankle gun. I could get another LCP but I'm toying with the notion of a pocket 40. The PPS-M2 in on my radar... anybody here using one?

the only micro gun that feels good and is shoot able for me has been my cw9.


but it rarely gets carried as I prefer a larger gun so I'm usually carrying a P226 or a p220

PM9'is a good pistol trigger reset is longer than I like, I sold mine I can't recall that it was a bunch lighter but may have been shorter. I have tried PM9 now a shield and the G43 is still the best CCW 9 I have found. Trying to sell the brand new shield now as it squirms a bit and has a sharper recoil impulse. The PM9 was the most accurate, the shield and G43 are less accurate by a good bit. Want to try the PPS next.

As a baseline I would ask myself this question:

What is the smallest handgun (size and cartridge wise) that I am willing to get into a gunfight with, against an armed adversary/adversaries?

I hear you and agree wholly on the grounds they need to be hit quick, well and hard. My baseline would be my M&P40C and I've been looking at ankle rigs for it. Or bigger pockets.

Yep.

Glock 19 for the win.

That's about where I would place the minimum, too, apart from very rare circumstances where being 100% certain of not printing supersedes this consideration. In those circumstances (less than 1% of the time), I carry something in the Kahr P9, Ruger LC9S Pro, or Glock 43 category, and that still in a belt holster, not pants pocket carry.

When I used to pocket carry, it was almost always a NAA Mini Revolver. There were short stints where I carried a micro .32 ACP auto in my pants pocket instead.

Pocket carry, though sometimes necessary, is a compromise, as far as the type/size of what you can carry, IMO.

No sense in trying to make one gun do all that you describe.

Pocket carry what you have to, when you have to; carry something better when you don't.

MM

That is my thought process. The Glock 43 met that as the barest minimum for me, with two spare +1 magazines, and only in the rare instances when I cannot carry more gun. Of course, at places like Disney World, it's a lot more bare than that.

I have several choices for pocket carry but if I'm going to an area that I consider dangerous the G19 with a couple extra clips is going to be my choice.

Having a G19 on me gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling...but having my G40 makes me feel like I did when I was active duty LE - they can hurt me but they can't kill me.

I see nothing at all wrong with 4ager's quest. It certainly would be cool to find a pocket gun that met the baseline criteria.

IDK if the guns exists currently, but then again I tend to stick to a few known platforms.

With that said, I AM a fan of pocket guns. Primarily for second guns, or for when I just don't feel like carrying a gun.

For me, it has always been a J Frame. Normally a 442/642, equipped with CT grips.

4Agers search is definitely a solid topic, and there is much to learn from the experiences of experienced shooters that have posted here.

Kahr w HSTs.

I have a Kahr PM9. I ordered directly from Kahr and had them add night sights and ship it with a few extra mags.

I too planned to pocket carry on occasion, but even with it being so thin and light, I HATE pocket carry. Hate it. So, I typically carry IWB with an extra mag in a pants pocket.

Lately, however, I've gotten bored with the Kahr and am thinking of making a switch, just because. I've been think of parting ways with it just to fund a different purchase...Shield or XDs in 9mm...? Don't know yet...

While I ruminate, I've been carrying a G23 w/ a 9mm barrel.

But, recovering from my ramble, I'd say get a Kahr CM9 (save the money, don't go PM9) and an extended mag. You'll have the gun loaded with 6+1 in one pocket and a 7rd mag in the other pocket.

Agreed, any of those work well in the pockets of my jeans. Also add in my Colt Cobra, it does fine in my pocket.

Different people have different levels of tolerance for objects in the pocket. Some will never go larger than a sub-compact .380. TRH won't tolerate anything larger than a NAA mini revolver. T LEE and I are quite comfortable with a small frame DA revolver.

Doesn't mean anyone is more or less correct, it's a personal choice.

For me, I prefer a medium to full size (LW Commander / G19 size) auto in an IWB for all day every day carry. My 431 or Cobra get pocket carried when I'm in and out of places where ther is carry/no carry; works for me.

I could live with a Micro 9 / 938 type pistol as a single "go anywhere" type pistol. IWB for most days, pocket as needed. If you want a single pistol for all occasions, and you feel a six shot 9mm is sufficient to meet what you determine as your threat level...then such a pistol can get the job done.

Just never forget...it's YOUR choice, not what the Campfire hive mind says you have to have.

I wish they made .22 conversion units for the most popular sub-compact 9mm's. Those smaller guns take a bit more practice, and a .22 conversion unit would be very nice to have.

Spot on.

This is a fun discussion, and a good exchanged of experiences. But IMO time would also be well spent on personal assessments (careers, weather, body type, etc), to find solutions to concealing proven platforms.

With today's eclectic fashion, and a market flooded with holster options, the right combination is out there for the determined searcher.

I'd much rather make sacrifices to my personal fashion than my pistol choices.

That's an interesting holster. I've never seen one of those with a mag holder also. Seems like an un-natural place for a reload...does it work for you? Does it add much bulk?

I guess if it's a tuckable holster, perhaps the idea for the mag pouch is for maximum concealment.

Both holsters are a Galco King Tuk. When I ordered I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I ordered both. The one with the mag holder is somewhat bulky. I use it sometimes but I prefer the other one and carry a spare mag in my pocket.

Springfield XDS fits the description. I carry it often in a front pocket, with the DeSantis Super Fly holster. Rides easy on the belt on the factory Kydex. Too chubby for IWB right now, but no reason that good leather would not make that possible.

One advantage of being a hat and boots guy is that we don't have to make compromises on our personal safety when it comes to a handgun.

I ordered a nice denim vest from an outfit in California as soon as open carry became legal in Texas. I had them add two inches to the length and it will conceal a SBH if I was so minded to carry mine.....which I ain't.

I don't wear the holster on my regular belt, but on a separate belt strapped up high. It makes for comfort while driving and it is easy to take off if I go in a place where guns are not allowed.

The 329 PD, a custom belt slide that holds five rounds and a speedloader with six in a vest pocket and I'm fixed up pretty well.

The reason the belt slide was made for only five rounds was due to the Tracker I carried at the time I had it made.

For the OP, the Kahr CW9.

JMO, but maybe an even more important question might be:

Will my chosen carry method allow me to access the gun quickly (or at all) in a fight?