gun for CCW

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californian

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I carry a Beretta mod 21 (.22 LR) and was thinking of obtaining more firepower/stopping power but without getting into the bulky/heavy category. My Glock 36 is quite bulky. Is a Beretta .32 cal. any good? I looked at a NAA .32 and NAA .380..... they seem like junk. What say you folks about the .32 vs. .22? What are your suggestions for small CCW with put-down power?
 
yeah ..... this would be for a primary weapon..... you think a .380 minimum eh? .32 not enough?
 
Californian,

With respect, I strongly suggest you consider the following premises:
a) .38 Special +P or 9x19, AS A MINIMUM primary self-defense carry weapon (I would not trust my life to a 9x18 or a 9x17/.380).
b) The Glock 36 (and I own one and carry it on occasion) is essentially the SMALLEST primary personal defense handgun available.

Regards -- Roy
 
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I would consider .380 to be the smallest caliber for a "primary".

My carry gun is a Makarov in 9X18 (aka 9mm Makarov). I can recomend the Makarov, it is very reliable and pretty easy to conseal, because it is so thin. Another nice thing about it is the price tag, you can buy one for around $150

In terms of "power", it is somewhere between .380 and 9mm Luger, but leans more to the .380 side. It's also not a "ture" 9mm. "Ture" 9mm is .355 caliber, 9mm Mak is .365 caliber...

"What say you folks about the .32 vs. .22? "

.32 is MUCH better than .22 (bullet weighs twice as much and goes a little faster), but is still fairly weak. That said, I sure wouldn't want to be shot with one :eek:
 
Since you already have a small 9mm in the Glock 36, I assume that you want a pocket pistol of some sort for when you cannot carry the Glock.

There are 9mm's that are smaller and easier to carry than the Glock (Kahr MK9 & PM9, Kel-Tec P11 for example), but since you already have the Glock, you are already covered with regards to an easy to carry service caliber weapon.

There are many "pocketable" weapons available (the above mentioned 9's, j-frame revolvers, etc.) but the king of true pocket pistols is the relatively new Kel Tec P-3AT. It is based on the highly successful P-32 (Over 130k sold) and is .380 ACP at < less than 11 oz. loaded. I have had mine for a while now and it has proven completely reliable. It is easier to carry than the 21 you already have.

I have the Beretta Tomcat .32 as well, and while it is a nice gun, it is much larger and more fragile than the Kel Tec.
 
tiberius . . .

No offense and with respect, but I believe the Glock 36 is only manufactured in .45 ACP.
 
I really think you have a great answer to this question in your Glock 36. Why do you think it's too bulky? Is it the weight that bothers you? With a good holster the Glock 36 can be concealed very easily. There are many people here who conceal MUCH larger pistols than that!

I know one thing for sure...if I had to choose between carrying a .22 and a .45 the .22 wouldn't get a second thought if the .45 was even remotely carryable. I currently carry a gun that is about the size of a Glock 19 (bigger than Glock 36) with no problems.

If you insist on getting something different though you might want to look at Kahr's line of pistols if size is a problem.

brad cook
 
I occasionally carry my Walther P.P.K. .380 A.C.P., but it's not really enough caliber. If I had to choose between a .22 rim fire and nothing, I'd take the .22, but I doubt I'd be wildly enthusiastic about it.
 
You may have figured by now the bias toward big is better. Just wait until the argument shifts to small // fast vs. big // slow.

I personally think a .380 WITH THE PROPER SELF DEFENSE AMMO is perfectly acceptable if you put a limit on the physical size of your platform.

Remember, it is the projectile that penetrates not the handgun. Try to get a feel for the effectiveness of a caliber in a sefl defense ammo. A hardball caliber may well be marginal in its effectiveness yet when you shift to an expanding or frangible projectile, lighter in weight at a significantly higher speed; suddenly things are different.

FWIW.
 
I carry a .40 caliber sometimes and sometimes a .32 caliber.

I hope I never am put in a position to use it but both will work for me in self defense purposes.
 
No offense and with respect, but I believe the Glock 36 is only manufactured in .45 ACP.
Click to expand...

None taken, just got the numbers mixed up (Glocks naming scheme sux!). But everything else I said still applies. The 36 is a pretty concealable .45.
 
You must have been thinking "Glock 26", thats the 9mm...

I know what he means about Glocks being bulky. The arn't all that long, they arn't all that tall, but man are they FAT. I prefer thin, single stack pistols myself...
 
Minimum caliber...

Folks, lets keep in mind we are talking handguns here. All of which are woefully weak in terms of ballistic performance. That said, all if a .22lr is what you've got, it's reliable (this is paramount as many small .22 are very ammo sensitive), accurate, and it is something you are comfortable with... it's your life and no one can make the choice for you. :)

Frankly, I've seen folks with Berretta (sp?) .22s who were excellent shots and were crazy fast in the follow-up shot dept. (which I think is essential in the lower power range). Not someone I would want to face close-up and personal...

I personally carry all sorts of calibers and guns, most of which are in the medium handgun power range (ie .380, 9mm, .45, .38spl., .357), but when I get my Kahr 9mm working properly, it will probably be the weapon of choice due to its size, but more importantly its concealability (thin compared to some other options)!

I will never disparage another for his selections. We all need to recognize the limitations that come with each firearm and work to minimize their ability to hamper our personal defensive techniques.

For what it's worth, the advances in the .32 are impressive and if a pocket pistol was the limitation, the .32 would be my top choice over the .22 or .25.

God Bless!
 
Ok...my dad had carried a .32 for a long time, and I got to shoot a lot with it..its low recoil is really cool, but there are WAY better choices when it comes to defensive ammo....

I also have a little question of my own....Makarov .380 High cap (13 rounds here in Peru) or a 4" .38spl revolver?? Please take in consideration that for the Mak I can only get FMJ ammo, and That I can get both the :barf: LRN and FMJ for the .38 spl

Choices?? Please have them well explained....
 
.22/.32/.45

Thanks for all the input folks. The Glock 36 is my favorite carry weapon, but it's so damn fat. i've tried various holsters including kydex paddle, comp-tec shirt tucker, shoulder rig, galco and frequently just stuck in the waistband holstrless which, by the way, offers me the most concealment, but not the safest method (i use a safe-t-block, great little item). I tried a heftier belt and that seems to offer better support. I guess i'll ditch the .22 ...... wouldn't wanna piss off the BG if i shot him with it. Kel Tec looks interesting but it's not legal in California. Any other comments?
 
Actual options...

Well, to list a few...

1. Since you are already familiar with the Berretta(sp) platform the .32 Tomcat would make a good option if it is still available. I have not fired this particular weapon in .32, but it sure would be a step up from .22.

2. NAA makes a unique little defensive auto-pistol called the Guardian. From the NAA websight URL=http://]www.naaminis.com[/URL] it comes in three calibers: .380, .32acp, and a newer variation the .32NAA. I have heard good things from the locals here in MS on these pistols. I have no knowledge on their availability in CA.

3. Kahr manufacturers a full line of all steel and polymer framed pistols as well as different calibers, albeit bigger than what you are considering now. They might be worth checking out.

Sorry I didn't mention these to you before. Whatever interests you, make sure you have good opportunity to shoot each one prior to purchase.

Have fun looking!!

God Bless
 
Kahrs are thin, single stack 9mm and .40S&W DA pistols.

I don't think of the Glock 36 (single stack .45 Auto) as fat, but
the Kahrs are noticably thinner than any of the Glocks.

A few days ago I rented the smallest, lightes Kahr. the PM9.
It was surprisingly easy to shoot tight groups at 10 yards.
The recoil was not as snappy as I though it would be. It was
really pleasant to shoot.

Good luck,
Rich
 
Rogelio,

If you can't get JHPs then I'd go with the Makarov. It will leave a bigger hole (.365 caliber vs .357 caliber). Not a big differance, but every little bit helps.

I didn't know that they made Makarovs with a 13 round capacity, that sounds kinda cool, but even the standard 8+1 Mak beats a 6 shot...

On the other hand, out of a four inch barrel the .38 does pack more punch than 9mm Makarov (2 inch barrel is another story :cool: ).

So I guess the main differance is, do you want more powerful rounds, or do you want twice as many (but a little less powerful) rounds.

If FMJ is all you can get, you might want to think about a .45 ACP, it will beat both .38 and 9mm Makarov...
 
David4516,

It is really nice of you to answer my question!

BTW, we can not get anything larger than .380 auto down here in Peru....so I am not getting a 9mm Makarov, I will be getting a Makarov in .380 acp...yes, the .38spl is WAY more powerful........Also, a friend of mine can get me (just called me an hour ago) a box of semi jacjeted hollowpoints for the .38 spl...better choice, huh?

Now about the subject of having more rounds or less rounds but with bigger power...well,I don´t really think that I will be needing 14 shots to get out of a problem, ain´t I?? Maybe will pack a couple of speed loaders....

Thanks for all the help...
 
"we can not get anything larger than .380 auto down here in Peru"

Then why can you get .38? Does that rule only apply to auto cartridges? Or is is the the caliber itself (like bullet can't be larger than .357 in diameter)? If thats the case, can you get a .357 Mag or possibly .357 sig? How about .38 super auto?
 
David:

Rules are:

- No 9mm Luger or similar (Parabellum, 9mm long)
- No Magnum Cartridges
- Largest revolver cartridge .38spl
- Largest Pistol caliber .38 super auto (but it is REALLY expensive and only Tanfoglio guns sold...)

So, I think that an .38 spl is a good realation between power and price
 
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