pocket pistols w/ safety

So here is a question (maybe a dumb one as I have never a 1911 style gun) for the p238 guys...what happens if that safety goes off and I am pocket carrying with the hammer back..
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You end up with a cocked single action pistol in your pocket with the safety off. Unlike a DAO revolver, or the LCP you already have that will never be cocked without you intentionally making a long double action trigger pull.
 
You end up with a cocked single action pistol in your pocket with the safety off.
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Yup. And according to the specs of the P238 listed here:
https://www.sigsauer.com/store/p238-blackwood-micro-compact.html

7.5 pounds pressure on the trigger will fire the gun.

P.S. If you talked to the owner for an hour about this I hope you bought something at the store. Maybe this was where you got your LCP?

I'd never advise somebody NOT to buy a gun (I think that would get you on double secret probation on this site) but I'm thinking the LCP you already have might be the best for your purposes. But heck, buy the other one (or two) and see what you like the best. Life is short.
 
P.S. If you talked to the owner for an hour about this I hope you bought something at the store. Maybe this was where you got your LCP?
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I didn't but I completely agree with you. I told him I would be making my purchase there for the time he spent helping me out.
 
If the safety on my P938 is any indication, there is absolutely zero chance that the safety is going work its way off; the detent is very positive, and the safety hardly extends beyond the frame at all (not nearly enough, had I been consulted).
I think I'd put the gun in a pocket holster, then in the pocket. I wouldn't want the gun rolling around, collecting lint and stuff; the holster ensures that it's in the same place, every time.
 
If you look at the P238, I'd say look at the P938. Not that 9mm is the awesome caliber... but A LOT cheaper to shoot. Not that much recoil for a small 9mm.

I still have a LCP, but .380 was killing me with practice/carry ammo. Moved to the P938, but my other carry gun was a S&W 642-1.

Not that big of a .38 fan, so I did the same with the SIG... replaced it with a 9mm.

D37BDB77-AC1D-421D-ADD3-DAF9541F05D3_zpspr5kyb4w.jpg


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Had a 9mm converted cylinder fitted, and now I have a 9mm Airweight. [emoji41]
 
I had the exact same requirements you do, and I found just one gun that met them: the Bodyguard. I had some problems with reliability at first (you can see my discussion here and on the S&W forum) but have since solved them.

There is nothing else with the same size and action.

David
 
If carrying my Bodyguard, Sig P 238, Kimber Micro, P 938, Glock 42, S&W Shield or Mustang ( yeah I have all of them and more) I have the personal training and mental conditioning to carry the firearm in a safe manner. The Bodyguard with safety off can be placed in a loose pocket without keys, change etc. accompanying it, the " cocked and locked" pistols I carry in a IWB Kydex holster--- cross draw and it melts into obscurity when carrying yet the pistol is readily accessible.
I am not thirty years old any longer and therefore will carefully weigh the situation prior to resorting to the use of a firearm if given that opportunity. I have no intention to struggle with a younger person as I no longer have that capability (retired LE and have had my share of physically taking resistive individuals to secure quarters (jail :)) and the moment a life is placed in danger the weapon can be deployed, not as a threat but for actual use.
I do everything in my power at this stage of life to not allow myself to be in a confrontational state but if forced by another I do not intend to be a "statistic" on a forum or in the local newspaper.
In thirty years of active service and another ten in a part time basis for a PD I did not find myself in a situation where there was no choice but to take a human life and at this point in time I doubt that will become an issue but if it does I do not plan to be unprepared.
Most of you folks carrying self protection weapons will never use them against a human, but if forced I hope you have the mental preparation to take a life if necessary.
 
I had the exact same requirements you do, and I found just one gun that met them: the Bodyguard.

There is nothing else with the same size and action.
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I am coming to the same conclusion. I like that its hammer fired, I like that it has a safety, it will fit in my desantis holder that I use for my LCP, and the finish seems much more durable than the LCP (although I haven't had any rusting issues and I live at the beach with salt/sand everywhere). The only reason I got the LCP over the bodyguard originally was that I couldn't turn down a $200 pistol and had always wanted to try a micro gun like a keltec but just never had. Now I realize I like them because they carry so easily for me.
 
I'd just stick with your LCP. Originally when I bought mine I was a little apprehensive.

Then I dry fired it a lot, and live fired it a fair bit. I came to the conclusion that the odds of accidentally pulling the trigger while this holstered gun was in my pocket are VERY slim.

The LCP has a fairly long, deliberate trigger pull. IMHO, that is safety enough. If not, all the other aforementioned options are good.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk
 
adamBomb said:
and the finish seems much more durable than the LCP (although I haven't had any rusting issues and I live at the beach with salt/sand everywhere).
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I have like battery acid sweat... so when I got my LCP, I sent it to CCR. They cera-plated the entire gun and magazines. If you have a CT grip, make sure to do the screws (they rust by just looking at them wrong). Very similar to NP3 Plus... but CCR is a little more affordable than Robar.

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With the Magguts kit in all my magazine, that package fits in my back pocket and holds 15 rounds. My problem with .380 was mentioned earlier... but I wouldn't feel undergunned with that.

Only difference from the picture was CCR did the slide lock after that picture (needed to get new pins for them to take it down), and added a Hogue Handall.
 
FITASC said:
Can that conversion handle the pressure generated by the 9mm without unduly stressing the gun?
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People have been doing it for years with a metric crap ton of rounds through them... and S&W did make one prototype. Was sent to Wiley Clapp, who said nobody would ever buy one.

Personally, I don't run +P or anything somewhat hot. My carry load is 147 grain Hornady XTP. No issues with lockup or frame stretching, and accuracy is similar to .38s through it.
 
Bodyguard is ordered from my local shop as they didn't have any in stock. Should be here later this week. Going to eventually pick up a 1911 style gun as I really liked the feel of the p238. Maybe a nice .40/.45 for home defense.
 
The one thing with going with a gun with a safety is remembering to take it off. I've seen lots of people not get that down to instinct, and sit there squeezing a dead trigger. I prefer guns without a manual safety... and there usually is one or more internal safeties.
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That is exactly why a DAO trigger like the LCP is in effect the "safest" way to pocket carry. As safe, or more so than most guns with a manual safety plus safer for the person carrying it if it is ever needed for self defense. No matter how much training, and oractice, in the stress of an attack it is completely possible to forget the safety, or miss it when you try to disengage it.
It's worked quite well with revolvers for many, many years. Draw and fire, point and shoot. No mistakes to make with a safety lever.
 
As safe, or more so than most guns with a manual safety plus safer for the person carrying it if it is ever needed for self defense.
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Not if the gun gets taken away from you during a struggle. The safety would make the gun inactive for the bad guy until they figured it out and give you time to run or attack them. So there are disadvantages to not having a safety and disadvantages to having one. There is no perfect gun/set for every situation.
 
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I had the same concerns and have tried the bodyguard while I think it is the safest for pocket carry I just never liked the trigger. I also have a GLOCK 42, a Kahr CM380 which I really like but it has reliability issues, Kimber Micro and the Colt Mustang. Like many I do not want to carry cock and locked.

I now have the LCPII with a Garrison trigger block and feel completely safe. I know many do not like that but too me it is the perfect answer. With practice it can be removed as quickly as releasing a safety and being next to the trigger not something you will likely forget to do.
 
"You end up with a cocked single action pistol in your pocket with the safety off."

And this is exactly what you have with a loaded Glock in a pocket holster. A pistol which only needs to have its trigger pulled to go BANG!
 
Not if the gun gets taken away from you during a struggle. The safety would make the gun inactive for the bad guy until they figured it out and give you time to run or attack them.
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LOL. If they are close enough to take the gun away from you it's probably because you were fiddling around trying to release the safety instead of firing.:D
Manual safeties were never seen as necessary on a double action revolver for more than a century. They equally make no sense on a double action semi-auto.
But some people seem to think they are necessary, so there is a limited number of guns that have them.
I'll just stick to things I don't have to remember anything but point and pull the trigger with.
 
Safetys on pocketable autos are tiny. Practice a LOT. At least to the point where you never, ever miss sweeping it off upon drawing. Speed comes later. My suggestion would have been Kimber Solo. It is 9mm and still small enough to be pocketable. And has a serious enough safety. But you could buy two bodyguards and ammo for what one cost.
 
Guess im late to the conversation.

I just but my first pocket gun a little bit ago.. no range time yet.
Taurus 709 (9mm)
It has a glock style trigger and manual safety, striker fired with double strike capable.

I know some people slam Taurus and while I have no range time with this particular gun yet the fit and finish was quite good and I got mine for 170 shipped to dealer, I've since seen it for 160 shipped.. that my friend is in the upper range of a hi-point.

Oh and another thing about the Taurus is when you buy a gun from them you can get 1yr nra membership free, new or renewal.

The place that had the 159 deal is OOS but guns midwest has them for 161 and some change, I've never bought from them but I think shipping is free on guns.
https://www.gunsmidwest.com/tau-1709031fs-709-slim-9m-1mg-no-cs

Another option I looked at was the Bodyguard which it looks like you went with.
It looked like a nice gun but I have no direct exp with it.
I passed it up because I wanted a 9mm.. I don't have any .380's and didn't want to add another caliber to stock.

BTW I've seen the body guard on sale for 170 (after rebate) lately so don't forget you can collect 50 bucks back from S&W.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/smith-wesson-bodyguard-380-without-laser-109381.html
 
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