Pocket Carry Pistols - What do you have or what do you want?

I've been researching pocket carry pistols a lot lately. Pocket carry is far from my preferred method of carry, but like it or not, there are times when the only option is a pocket carry gun or no carry gun.

I have always been a j-frame kinda guy when it comes to dropping a handgun in a pocket. I've practiced with my J's a lot and have become a reasonably good shot out to about 15 yards. However, this market seems to grow everyday, and I'm curious what you all prefer, or what you're thinking about buying, for those pocket carry moments.

One of my big questions is, can all those new tiny 9mm's on the market (e.g., Glock 43, S&W Shield, Springfield XDS, Walther PPs, Sig P938, Ruger LC9) REALLY be carried in a pocket? I always wear comfortably loose pants or shorts, that will always hide a j-frame in a holster.

For what it's worth, I noticed that Average Joe's newest review is of the Walther PPS M2 and I'm anxious to hear what he has to say about it on the Gun Nation.

Playing with all your listed choices at Yea Olde Gun Shoppe, I don't consider any of them pocket guns: too large. But, if you carry a J Frame that way... maybe not. If you're talking cargo pockets, then yes.

The Ruger LCP is considered a true pocket gun. However, .380 is pretty anemic.

Doc and Joe mentioned something interesting: for casual carry, a small gun in a Remora type holster slipped into the waistband works well. Gotta try that. Of your small 9 choices, the Ruger LC9s Pro is my favorite. Followed very closely by the Glock.

I carry my Ruger LCP in the pocket when I am wearing shorts during the summer.  It is lightweight and conceals unbelievably good--but man, you need to practice with it quite a bit just to be able to use it somewhat proficiently.  It is a terrible shooter--I mean it goes bang every time, but the trigger is bad, the sights are bad, etc...

Cornmastah wrote:I carry my Ruger LCP in the pocket when I am wearing shorts during the summer.  It is lightweight and conceals unbelievably good--but man, you need to practice with it quite a bit just to be able to use it somewhat proficiently.  It is a terrible shooter--I mean it goes bang every time, but the trigger is bad, the sights are bad, etc...

Get yea aze to a gun shop. Ruger has rejiggered the LC9, replacing the gaw-dawful hammer with a striker and putting real sights on the pistol. The gun now has one of the finest triggers this side of a competition gun. And I say that as a Glock fan-boy. Look for the LC9s - s for striker. Six months ago Ruger upped its game again by creating the LC9s Pro without the external safety and magazine safety.  

I got the Princess the LC9s. She loves it.

Ruger has - or had - a LC9 buyback program. It'll make getting the s much easier.

Does the LC9 fit in the pocket easily like the LCP?

Yeah, that IS the ultimate question. There's a lot of talk about the new breed of pocket 9's, but my big question is whether they are actually pocket-able or not. I know Ave. Joe mentioned once that he carries a P938 in his pocket pretty regularly.

I might just end up sticking with the j-frames, or maybe taking a closer look at that 6 shot Ruger LCR in 327 Fed. Magnum.

I went in yesterday to the gun shop during my lunch break to take a look at that LC9S. I like it. The trigger is sooooooooooo much better. I think it is time to ditch the LCP and pick up one of those. The LC9S looks like it will be so much easier to shoot.

Interesting. You always have good taste in guns, think I'll have to check this one out.

Do you think it could fit in a front pocket? I'm talking loose jeans, cargo pant, khaki's, etc.

I think so. It is a little bigger than the LCP, but I think it should still fit. Would you carry it inside a pocket holster inside your pocket? I always throw my LCP in a little pocket holster to keep it positioned with the muzzle down and the trigger covered. I need to see if they have one in the store and then throw that plus the LC9S into my pocket. I doubt that my LCP pocket holster will fit the LC9S.

Ideally I'd carry it in an IWB holster, but once in a blue moon wardrobe necessities could require pocket carry, but only with a pocket holster. I'd never carry any gun, especially one with a striker, without a holster.

It was warm today so I went for my Beretta Tomcat...but feeling "meh" about depending on it instead I stuffed my S&W 60-7 in my pocket instead...for some reason I felt more confident with the Smith even if it didn't "conceal" as well as the Tomcat...here in PA it's not a big deal like it used to be..the whole "brandishing" thing...maybe time to sell off the Beretta? I'd never sell the 92 (it'll be going to Wilson for a G conversion someday) but maybe someone could use the .32.....it's still smaller than the little 9mm pocketjobs out there..I dunno...always regret selling guns...

Just bought a 9mm Glock 43. Best thing about it is -- it's a Glock. It feels like every other Glock I own.

Worst thing about it is -- it's another @#$%^&* Glock.

Range time this Wednesday.

Jim, I've got a Tomcat 32. I think it's a really neat little gun. I'm not a huge fan of the caliber, but I think the tip-up barrel, together with frame mounted safety and da/sa action, has some interesting possibilities.

While using snap-caps, I spent a fair amount of time dry firing it in double action mode and ... ooops ... appears I probably broke the firing pin. It won't fire now. I need to get it into Beretta to get the firing pin replaced. However, I would never get rid of it.

I think it fills a potential niche that other pistols could not. Right now, my plan is to keep it for use when / if, someday, I find myself not having the hand strength to run a slide any longer, or to loan it to someone else who is in that condition. With the tip-up barrel, there's no need to ever work the slide.

CF, I'm anxious to hear about your new 43. I've been looking at those for a while.

Over the weekend I got a chance to shoot a Sig 938, single action semi-auto in 9mm. Very nice. I would've thought that being a single action, the trigger would've been easier to shoot than a Glock 43 or Springfield XDS. However, because the trigger is hinged at the top, and it's a pretty stiff trigger pull, I don't see that it's any easier to shoot than the polymer striker single stack 9mm's.

I bought and sold an XDS. It was a short-lived gun in my home. I really liked the way it shot--I could shoot it VERY well. However, it had a few weird things like the slide would not lock back on empty. It did that with both magazines and various ammo loads, including some factory ammo. This summer, I feel like I need to do something different for carry. I like my glock 19, but sometimes it is difficult to carry with shorts on. The LCP and S&W snub both work well as pocket guns--but are not my favorites to shoot. I have looked hard at the lc9s as well as the g43 and g42--CF, let us know how you like that g43.

Tennessee Jed wrote:Jim, I've got a Tomcat 32.  I think it's a really neat little gun.  I'm not a huge fan of the caliber, but I think the tip-up barrel, together with frame mounted safety and da/sa action, has some interesting possibilities.  

While using snap-caps, I spent a fair amount of time dry firing it in double action mode and ... ooops ... appears I probably broke the firing pin.  It won't fire now.  I need to get it into Beretta to get the firing pin replaced.  However, I would never get rid of it.  

I think it fills a potential niche that other pistols could not.  Right now, my plan is to keep it for use when / if, someday, I find myself not having the hand strength to run a slide any longer, or to loan it to someone else who is in that condition.  With the tip-up barrel, there's no need to ever work the slide.

CF, I'm anxious to hear about your new 43.  I've been looking at those for a while.

Over the weekend I got a chance to shoot a Sig 938, single action semi-auto in 9mm.  Very nice.  I would've thought that being a single action, the trigger would've been easier to shoot than a Glock 43 or Springfield XDS.  However, because the trigger is hinged at the top, and it's a pretty stiff trigger pull, I don't see that it's any easier to shoot than the polymer striker single stack 9mm's.

Honestly - I bought the G43 because it's a Glock.  And I'm too old and stoopid to retrain myself. And I've got.... err, bunches of the damn things. I like staying in family for the common manual of arms and feel. Without those handicaps, I'd look long and hard at the Ruger LC9S and the S&W M&P Shield in the Performance Center .40 or 9. Because: BANG.

Got called into Ye Olde Gonne Shoppe, so no range time. Maybe next week. <sigh>