Reliable, inexpensive carry option

I've owned 2 older model (1970's manufacture) Charter Arms Undercover .38's. I like their size, their light weight, and their useable front sight. The cylinder on the first one kept locking up when firing. The second one would misfire 3 of 5 shots. Sent it to the factory. It came back and still misfired 2of 5 rounds, using ammo factory uses for testing. Had same experience with and old model Taurus 85 which is a snub .38--I mean it went back to factory a couple times and was never fixed. I'd look for a used S&W 37 or 36. 37 is lightweight, 36 is all steel. I carry a S&W 642 but it'll cost you more.

I owned a Grendel P-12 which is the predecessor to the Kel Tec P-11. Caliber was .380 ACP. It was scary reliable in my hands. It was a fairly light pistol like the P-11. Others fired mine and had malfunctions, which I think was due to them not firmly grasping the pistol. Does this happen with the P-11? I'm thinking it would. (If you want, go to http://ktog.org/ and click on "Bulletin Board" and then on P-11 & P-40.)

Good luck 'cos it ain't easy finding something small and light and reliable and at least .355 caliber, for under $300. I chose a S&W "J" frame because I can get it out of a front pants pocket faster than a P-11.
 
I'd recommend the Kel-Tec PF-9. It's similar to the P-11 already mentioned, and about the same price. It's different in that it's slimmer and holds 8 rounds of 9mm instead of 11. I have one and it's compact enough for pocket carry. I've fired hundreds of rounds of different types w/o a misfeed. Works real well for concealed carry.
 
My Hi-Point 9mm is reliable and inexpensive ( $164.50 out the door new including state tax.)

9mm is the bottom end of the punch I feel comfortable carrying.
That said, it's heavy and big.

I picked up a used .357 Taurus revolver with a 2" barrel for $250.00. That's what I carry.

A revolver is like a fork. It works every time you pick it up.


Mark
 
Taurus 605. .357 mag snub. Reliable and can get them for $250 used. They are reliable, shoot a powerful round, and can fit in jeans pocket.
 
Taurus

Paid $300 new for the Taurus Millenium Pro .45 Packs 10 rounds in a nice little package but you can also get basically the same gun in .40. Picked up from Academy sports.
 
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Another vote for the Taurus Millennium Pro series here. I daily carry a PT140, and an acquaintance of mine has the PT111 - 9mm in the same frame size. People have had issues in the past, but the Mil Pro series seems to have all the issues ironed out. I paid 315 for mine with a load of extras, used. I've put a little over 1500 rounds through my PT140 without even a hiccup. Paired up with a good holster (Crossbreed Supertuck in my case) it's the perfect carry weapon.
 
When you guys start quoting sweet deals you got at your local shop you should point out that it takes lot of visits to come up with a great deal. You have to stop in every chance you get so you don't miss out. And then, if you don't see anything you can't live without you can at least buy a box of shells or something. Soon you'll have a wonderful closet full of shooting supplies and a huge stockpile of ammo.:D
 
ditto #10. only drawback of a Mak is the price of spare mags and the 'good' ammo but they are worth it IMO.
mine replaced my BDA for CCW and .357 GP for 'bedpost' pistol.
 
im not sure how good charter arms is now, but i recently fired an old undercover .38 from the 70s i suppose it was made, and it was a piece of junk. the cylinder felt cheaply made like the whole arm was going to fall off, and it was rough to get out. my grandad takes good care of his guns but i think this was just a saturday night throwaway
 
How about a PA-63?

A 9X18 Feg PA-63 is a great pistol after you Wulff-Spring it. It's a cheap, reliable good shooter with or without some good springs but the springs civilize it. They tame the recoil and lighten the DA trigger pull a lot. It's very light, too, with an alloy frame. All told, w/springs, less than $200.

In boiling summer I carry a Kel-Tec but I carry the Feg for the rest of the year when the clothing cooperates. It's a great gun.
 
I own a few hi points, a 9MM &a 45 acp, have shot both many times with different ammunition, standard pressure, &+P, without any trouble at all. A lot of people will say they don't like them...mostly because there not a Smith, or a Ruger...the same bunch will laugh at you for having a Taurus pistol. But in my book, if it's functional, and shoots realiably....then it's a good gun. If your looking for a cheap, reliable weapon, with an excellent warranty, and you don't fuss about big brand names, a Hi point isn't a bad choice :)

I also have a few Smith's, a Ruger, and some Taurus handguns...so I'm speaking from some experience, I fire them all on a regular basis, and othee than being bulky, there isn't anything wrong with the Hi point pistols that I can complain about.
 
If you're new to guns, a revolver by any major maker is a safe bet. If you think of them like a "semi-auto snubby", the Kel-Tec P11 and PF9 are both good bets. I have thousands of rounds through mine, and as long as I do my part, they will do theirs. One other difference is the trigger: the P11 has a long, fairly heavy DAO trigger with second-strike ability (if the chambered round doesn't fire with the first trigger pull, you can pull the trigger and try again). OTOH, the PF9 has a shorter, lighter DAO trigger, where the hammer is partially cocked when you chamber a round; it doesn't have the restrike ability, though. You can retract the slide slightly to reset the hammer, or you can retract the slide to eject the bad round and chamber a fresh one.

The P11 was my carry, until I got the slimmer, lighter-trigger PF9.

Both guns are under $300 just about everywhere.
 
I would say inexpensive being around $300. The problem was that I bought a compact Baby Eagle, and while it was concealable, I could foresee problems trying to efficiently conceal it during the summer when I'm wearing a t-shirt and shorts. So I didn't want to spend another $500 on a pistol, but I wanted something reliable that I know I would be able to throw in my pocket. I found an LCP at a gun show I went to last weekend and picked that up. I'd rather not carry a .380, but if it's between that and nothing, I'd much prefer that.
 
Cguedr, you picked a good pistol. As you gain experience carrying concealed, you may find that you want to try something different; a little more power, maybe. I carry my PF9 comfortably in my right front trouser pocket. In loose "relaxed fit" trousers, it seems to be invisible. Even though I am around police officers fairly often, they have never said anything, so I presume that they haven't noticed it.

Actually, the options for responsible concealed carry are many; check them out as you feel comfortable.
 
I love my LCP. Very reliable, and it fits in the little right front pocket of my Levis jeans. With just a t- shirt on you can't tell it's there.As time goes on I think you're going to like it even more. Good luck. P.S. There is a recall of these pistols. Go to the Ruger site and see if your pistol is part of it.
 
Mine wasn't, I checked at the show and the serial number began with 371. Once all the madness dies down, I'd like to look at a few other guns as well, but I'm not exactly sure when that'll be. When I was looking in the "pocket carry" category, it was absolutely insane to find anything...anywhere.
 
PaulMan mentioned jeans; if that's your choice of wear, an LCP or P3AT is your best bet. When I went to pocket carry, I gave up jeans as just too tight for my guns of choice.
 
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