Conceal carry pistols

Been carrying a PM9 as my main EDC since I got my plastic in '04 ... has been perfect since the day I took it out of the box, has hundreds of rounds through it with NO failures of any kind ... remember to swap out the recoil spring from time to time, it's a fantastic weapon ... have not fired the new cheaper version, so I can't comment ... but to me, who carries almost exclusively in my strongside front pocket, it's the perfect gun ...

I would not ever suggest a j-frame, tho I own one and do carry it from time to time ... IMHO they are very hard to shoot accurately unless you practice constantly, recoil affects your ability to get back on target, low capacity compared to any small auto and harder to reload ...
 
I carry either my Ruger LCP or my S & W Model 637 Airweight .38 snub. And often both of them at the same time.

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About the smallest gun that I will carry is a S&W J-Frame (a M36 no-dash in my case), but that doesn't meet your length requirement (it's just a hair under 7" long).
 
Check out the Kahr MK9, its all stainless with a few additional options. It weighs in at 22oz. holds 6+1. I wouldn't recommend it for pocket carry unless you have a good belt and can tolerate the weight. I carry IWB with a CrossBreed Mini-tuck and forget I have it on, very comfortable! I've never had a problem with mine, just keep it well oiled and clean.
 
Bersa Thunder CC (Conceal Carry) .380 acp.....For the money spent, best value.
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As I've pointed out before...... this is true, provided you don't actually shoot the thing much.

This is true of ANY .380 ACP ........ with practice ammo costing $3-$5 more a box than 9mm, it won't take long* for you to make up the cost of even a more expensive 9mm pistol .......provided you actually shoot the thing.

It is a tool, not a talisman. Tools require skill, and just having it on you confers no skill, in the same way schlepping around a Skilsaw and a hammer won't make you a carpenter ..... you have to actually practice, or come crunchtime, you'll have a mess.

(* I realize that a couple of years is a very long time to some of you young-uns ...... but well made guns should last a lifetime, and a couple of years is not much compared to that. If you go to the range once a month and shoot 2 boxes of ammo ....... 12x2x$5=$120 per year. 5 years worth of ammo savings would buy a pretty decent gun, and you'd still have the first one, and have shot just as much.)
 
I love my Taurus TCP. It's a .380 right there in size with Smith & Wesson BodyGuard and Ruger LCP. But... It is cheaper and I like the trigger better then the others. Mine has had 0 issues from day one. If you are going to keep it in your pocket it's whole life I don't see the point of getting some pretty chromed out/stainless thing.

Just my $0.02.:)
 
If you are going to keep it in your pocket it's whole life.......
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I sincerely hope yours comes out often enough that if you ever really need it, you won't have to rely on it's magical powers....... it ain't a talisman.

....also, if you shoot enough ammo through it regularly, any reliability issues will show themselves......
 
Both Jimbob and Yung.gunr bring up interesting points.

First, I think Jimbob is correct in his assertion that, over time, any price difference between a 380 and a 9mm will balance out in favor of the 9mm just because the price of ammo is different. This isn't to say that 380 is a bad choice, just the you might pay a small premium for compactness and controllability. If money is at the top of your list of concerns, then 9mm is the way to go.

Yung.gunr mentioned the Taurus TCP, which is another .380 that probably doesn't get enough love. He did mention that he didn't see the point in a chrome or stainless finish on a pocket pistol - allow me to cordially disagree and explain why. Both of those finishes/materials are corrosion resistant, quite apart from being, in some eyes, aesthetically pleasing. Corrosion resistance is important in a carry piece, because a pocket is one of the most hostile environments most guns will ever see. They are dynamic environments filled with movement, moisture, dirt, and lint. You want to see a gun rust, stick it in a holster that doesn't have the leather tanning acids neutralized and leave it in a humid atmosphere. You'll be floored. Add in lint which seems to be able to specifically seek out functional areas of a pistol, and you've got a tough place to live. Personally, I clean/lube my pocket carry gun, a stainless P238, every two weeks at least, fired or not. If it were blued steel, I'd clean it/lube it every week to prevent rust. I already found out how easily it can happen on my old P3AT (since cleaned up, reblued, and given as a gift to a family member in need of a pocket pistol)... and how quickly. By all means, get a blued pistol if you want one, but please take care of it, and consider stainless/chrome as investments in maintenance/reliability improvement.

Jimbob... yes, "it ain't a talisman"... something good to remember when life tempts us to neglect our responsibility to practice regularly. Also a good point - if you shoot it, you truly will find out whether there are problems with it. In fact, the only downside to practice is the cost! :D
 
Jimbob... yes, "it ain't a talisman"... something good to remember when life tempts us to neglect our responsibility to practice regularly. Also a good point - if you shoot it, you truly will find out whether there are problems with it. In fact, the only downside to practice is the cost!
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..... and thus, unless money is no object, because you are independently wealthy (in which case why buy a $400 carry gun?), you will practice more with a 9 than a .380 ......
 
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