chaim
Member
A little over a month ago I posted asking advice in my pocket gun search. While the search was on hold for a little while (work has been busy), I've started looking again and I've made a few adjustments.
I am leaning away from the .380 guns since there are quite a few small, pocketable, 9's and 40's out there and I'd just feel more comfortable with the more capable caliber (especially since, as I stated in my previous thread, my pocket gun tends to be my primary in actual practice and attitude and my IWB gun, when I have it, is really my backup). I doubt there would be many times that something like a Kel-tec PF9 or P11 would be too big and I'd really need to move down to something in P3AT or Ruger LCP territory.
My usual dress is casual slacks and a nice button down shirt or polo (being a teacher I dress "business casual" at work). I often wear jeans and a polo when off work, and I sometimes wear dress slacks or a suit. I rarely wear shorts, usually only when working out or camping. I am a big guy (nearly 6' tall, around 300LBS) so my pockets are usually pretty big (with the exception of some of the dress slacks). I can always pocket carry my 15oz S&W 442 with little to no problem.
So my gun choices:
-Glock 27 or 26. It is similar in size to my Taurus Millennium Pro (it is just a tad larger in most measurements, but barely). However, the height of the gun from top of the slide to base of the butt is almost an inch shorter. That is pretty significant and may be enough to make a big difference in the pocket. Also, this is probably the only gun I'm considering that would be comfortable to shoot in .40S&W and it would probably be the most comfortable in 9mm so it would get much more practice time than many of my other choices (not an insignificant issue). My main concern is that, like my Taurus, it may be just a tad big for this purpose (it would be a "pocketable" gun, but not really a pocket gun). Locally these seem to run $580-600 new and around $500-550 used.
-Walther PPS in 9mm or .40S&W. This thing is narrow at .91" for the pistol itself and 1.04" including the levers (being this narrow would probably solve the issue of a gun shaped lump in the pocket). OAL, height and weight are just a tad more than the Glock (.01", .23" and 1.05oz respectively). Does anyone own one in .40S&W and can give some feedback on how comfortable it is to shoot? I can get one around here for a tad over $700.
-Kahr PM9 or PM40. I was mainly thinking about the PM9 because most of the problems I see with Kahr polymer pistols and smaller pistols seem to be their 40's. Also, I think the .40 in such as small pistol may be a bit much for practice time (I doubt it would be much fun to shoot). On the other hand, I love .40S&W and a local dealer has a "factory test fired" model for $680 (around here most PM9s and PM40s seem to run in the $700-800 range). Either way, they are quite small for a good defensive caliber and would certainly handle the pocket carry role quite well. On the other hand, even at $680 they are a bit more than I really want to spend right now (and usually the PM9 and PM40 run over $700 around here).
-Kel-tec PF9 or P11. Kel-tecs aren't easy to find around here but I know of three dealers that have them. One has both right now but is way overpriced ($399 for either). Another that is about an hour and a half away often carries them, but they are often sold out. There is one fairly nearby that has a used PF9 for $299 and a new chromed slide P11 for $360 right now. Both would make good pocket pistols (they are quite small and light- under 15oz, well under for the PF9, an inch or less wide, less than 6" long, etc). From what I've read the PF9 is a tad too narrow for 9mm to be comfortable and it can be pretty uncomfortable to shoot (I'm sure its better than my 442 shooting .38+P though). I'm not about to pay the inflated $399 at the closest dealer. I'm not sure I want to buy used (not at $299 anyway) for a Kel-tec, and I'm not sure I want to pay extra for a chrome slide since I don't carry outside the house often (I live in MD so only when out of state) and when carrying at home I won't be sweating very often so the chrome may not be a price-efficient option. But the other dealer is quite a distance away and doesn't always have one or more of the Kel-tec models.
--So, who carries one of these options using pocket carry? How does it work for you? What holster(s) do you use?
I am leaning away from the .380 guns since there are quite a few small, pocketable, 9's and 40's out there and I'd just feel more comfortable with the more capable caliber (especially since, as I stated in my previous thread, my pocket gun tends to be my primary in actual practice and attitude and my IWB gun, when I have it, is really my backup). I doubt there would be many times that something like a Kel-tec PF9 or P11 would be too big and I'd really need to move down to something in P3AT or Ruger LCP territory.
My usual dress is casual slacks and a nice button down shirt or polo (being a teacher I dress "business casual" at work). I often wear jeans and a polo when off work, and I sometimes wear dress slacks or a suit. I rarely wear shorts, usually only when working out or camping. I am a big guy (nearly 6' tall, around 300LBS) so my pockets are usually pretty big (with the exception of some of the dress slacks). I can always pocket carry my 15oz S&W 442 with little to no problem.
So my gun choices:
-Glock 27 or 26. It is similar in size to my Taurus Millennium Pro (it is just a tad larger in most measurements, but barely). However, the height of the gun from top of the slide to base of the butt is almost an inch shorter. That is pretty significant and may be enough to make a big difference in the pocket. Also, this is probably the only gun I'm considering that would be comfortable to shoot in .40S&W and it would probably be the most comfortable in 9mm so it would get much more practice time than many of my other choices (not an insignificant issue). My main concern is that, like my Taurus, it may be just a tad big for this purpose (it would be a "pocketable" gun, but not really a pocket gun). Locally these seem to run $580-600 new and around $500-550 used.
-Walther PPS in 9mm or .40S&W. This thing is narrow at .91" for the pistol itself and 1.04" including the levers (being this narrow would probably solve the issue of a gun shaped lump in the pocket). OAL, height and weight are just a tad more than the Glock (.01", .23" and 1.05oz respectively). Does anyone own one in .40S&W and can give some feedback on how comfortable it is to shoot? I can get one around here for a tad over $700.
-Kahr PM9 or PM40. I was mainly thinking about the PM9 because most of the problems I see with Kahr polymer pistols and smaller pistols seem to be their 40's. Also, I think the .40 in such as small pistol may be a bit much for practice time (I doubt it would be much fun to shoot). On the other hand, I love .40S&W and a local dealer has a "factory test fired" model for $680 (around here most PM9s and PM40s seem to run in the $700-800 range). Either way, they are quite small for a good defensive caliber and would certainly handle the pocket carry role quite well. On the other hand, even at $680 they are a bit more than I really want to spend right now (and usually the PM9 and PM40 run over $700 around here).
-Kel-tec PF9 or P11. Kel-tecs aren't easy to find around here but I know of three dealers that have them. One has both right now but is way overpriced ($399 for either). Another that is about an hour and a half away often carries them, but they are often sold out. There is one fairly nearby that has a used PF9 for $299 and a new chromed slide P11 for $360 right now. Both would make good pocket pistols (they are quite small and light- under 15oz, well under for the PF9, an inch or less wide, less than 6" long, etc). From what I've read the PF9 is a tad too narrow for 9mm to be comfortable and it can be pretty uncomfortable to shoot (I'm sure its better than my 442 shooting .38+P though). I'm not about to pay the inflated $399 at the closest dealer. I'm not sure I want to buy used (not at $299 anyway) for a Kel-tec, and I'm not sure I want to pay extra for a chrome slide since I don't carry outside the house often (I live in MD so only when out of state) and when carrying at home I won't be sweating very often so the chrome may not be a price-efficient option. But the other dealer is quite a distance away and doesn't always have one or more of the Kel-tec models.
--So, who carries one of these options using pocket carry? How does it work for you? What holster(s) do you use?
Last edited: