pocket pistols w/ safety

Take a look at . . .

Take a look at the Bersa Thunder 380 CC. It's DA/SA with decocker/safety. Mine has had some "slide not staying back" issues and a stiff safety so it is in the warranty shop at the moment. But I really like it and it has everything I want in a CC gun.

I too have the cock and lock Sig P238. I can't get passed having the hammer cocked over a loaded chamber even though cognitively I know it is safe. So when I carry it there isn't one in the chamber. (Yeah I know, feel free to give me a hard time about it.) And I practice my draw to include racking the slide. As they say, "The gun you are comfortable carrying is better than no gun at all.)

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
Not to veer away but I used to have concerns over cocked and locked. Long story short, my concerns were cured by MK III Browning Hi Powers. Then when I bought a P238 and read about it and saw how positive the safety detent is, my concerns dissipated. I've never had the safety budge in the slightest unless I moved it on purpose.
 
Picked up the bodyguard today. Very cool gun. I will be heading to the range tomorrow to try it out. Now that I have both the LCP and Bodyguard, here are a few of the differences I noticed about them:

- Bodyguard is approx 2oz heavier. I weighed both unloaded and it was exactly 2oz heavier.
- Bodyguard is slightly bigger on paper but I cannot really eyeball the difference and both guns fit in my desantis pocket holster perfectly.
- Bodyguard has a much better finish - all stainless and black. LCP is available in stainless but I have the regular blue version, which apparently does have rust problems although I've not had any and I do live at the beach with salt air around me 24/7.
- Bodyguard has a safety (its an advantage to me but not for everyone)
- Bodyguard comes with 2 mags while the LCP came with 1
- Bodyguard has 2nd strike capability. Hopefully you never have to use it but nice its there.
- Bodyguard slide locks back after last shot just like normal sized gun, LCP is a manual one
-Both guns feel well put together.
- Bodyguards sites are definitely better but both are fine for me

Overall I think they are both good. If you don't care about a safety and 2nd strike capability the ruger in stainless would probably be better. If you care about the safety or 2nd strike capability then the bodyguard is better. The lcp is slightly cheaper at first glance but if you get the stainless and 2nd mag its the same.
 
If you find that you don't like the body guard, another small pistol, but in 9mm I would vote for would be the Taurus PT709. It is also a 2 finger grip and very thin. It is a 9mm, but if you find you don't like the bodyguard, I would check it out. Taurus is also coming out with a super tiny rounded pistol, can't recall the name of it off the top of my head, but I can't really vouch for it since I've never used it.
 
I Bought a Kimber Micro 9

I had very similar concerns plus some others which you can see in this Firing Line thread along with a considerable amount of discussion.

I ended up purchasing a Kimber Micro 9 in stainless. I love the pistol but am still getting used to having a cocked and locked pistol a couple of inches from the family jewels. I check the safety continuously and have never had a problem with it spontaneously coming off safe. (Perversely, I did have one range session out of about six so far when I had three instances of the pistol going ON safe while shooting. I am pretty sure my right thumb is interacting with the safety lever during recoil. I've changed my grip to lower my thumb but will need to fire a couple of hundred more rounds through it to have confidence that was the problem.
 
I check the safety continuously
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Constantly fidgeting with a gun in your pocket is never a good idea. If you are that nervous, and unsure of yourself you may want to consider other forms of SD.
I had three instances of the pistol going ON safe while shooting. I am pretty sure my right thumb is interacting with the safety lever during recoil.
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One of the primary reasons to not have a manual safety on a SD weapon. That only needs to happen once in a self defense situation, and nothing more will matter.:eek:
 
^^^^^Amen, Cheapshooter!! I have never had those kinds of issues with my PT111 G2, but I still find myself concerned with the idea that the safety could somehow get activated when I don't want it to be (I always carry with the safety off). That is the main reason I recently purchased a new gun to take it's place.
 
Just an update. I got to the range today and put 100 rounds through both my LCP and Bodyguard to really compare them side by side. What a difference these two guns are to fire. Both aimed well and felt great to shoot. I could shoot each of them all day long.

As far as the trigger goes, there is definitely a big difference between the them. The LCP is much shorter than the bodyguard. The LCP felt more like my glock and Bodyguard felt more like my revolver. So that could really make a difference if you prefer one of those over the other. The slide locking back was definitely really nice on the SW. Otherwise both great little guns. No problems with either.
 
As far as the trigger goes, there is definitely a big difference between the them. The LCP is much shorter than the bodyguard. The LCP felt more like my glock and Bodyguard felt more like my revolver.
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How old is your LCP? Is it possibly an LCPII?
 
Single Action with the Glock trigger safety thingie?
It should feel more like a Glock. Before the LCPII was introduced last October they were DAO, and the trigger felt much more like a DA revolver.
 
Super Blackhawk, I agree the Shield is a great pistol for concealed carry, small flat package for easy carry and 9 mm to boot. I do not however agree that it has a great safety...a safety that is very positive in locking the pistol but very difficult to wipe off in case of an emergency. My Shield was a gift and has the safety which I would not have included if purchasing the pistol. I do not activate the safety, use a IWB kydex holster and have the pistol ready for use should it be needed quickly.
I attempted a draw and fire drill with the safety in the on position, my conclusion was by the time the little lever was found and taken off you probably would be beyond the need for a pistol anyway.
These are personal reflections from one who has carried concealed concealed his entire career and understands the importance for immediate use of the pistol under demanding conditions.
 
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I agree with Ibmikey about the shield's safety being stiff and a bit on the flat side so it's a bit more difficult to actuate. I've had a 9mm and .40 shield both with safeties and ended up just not using them while in the holster. I carry a Springfield XDS now and the grip safety gives that extra level of safety, but doesn't require me to think about it when drawing.
 
Anyone who has to "think about" the safety, or envisions "forgetting" to disengage the safety is a possibility, don't get a gun with a safety.
Or, looked at the other way, get a gun with a safety, and then practice enough that you don't have to think about it; a win-win.
 
Anyone who has to "think about" the safety, or envisions "forgetting" to disengage the safety is a possibility, don't get a gun with a safety.
Or, looked at the other way, get a gun with a safety, and then practice enough that you don't have to think about it; a win-win.
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Agreed 100%. My preference is to just have no safety. If it isn't there, I never have to worry about it being on when I need it to be off.
 
Or, looked at the other way, get a gun with a safety, and then practice enough that you don't have to think about it
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Even then, in the most stressful moment of your life are you 100% sure that you will remember it. Secondly, are you sure that you will not slip off of the safety leaving it engaged. too mamy chances for something to go wrong in a very stressful, life threatening situation while with a properly designed gun, and using proper safe gun handeling procedires there is very little, if any chances for a problem
 
It's not a matter of remembering.
It would be like saying, are you going to remember to draw? Are you going to remember to aim? To pull the trigger?
I "disengage" imaginary safeties on guns that don't have them.
 
"It's not a matter of remembering.
It would be like saying, are you going to remember to draw? Are you going to remember to aim? To pull the trigger?
I "disengage" imaginary safeties on guns that don't have them. "

Not sure If I've said it in this thread but I absolutely agree with you.
Even if I carry with the safety off you should still practice your draw of flipping it off..

that's because sometimes they can get bumped "on"
although not as big a problem as getting bumped on -> off

You'd hate to draw a gun with a safety that you carry off only to find it on, so it's best to practice sweeping it off regardless just in case.
If it's already off then no harm no foul.
 
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