Handy hand guns

[KHornet]

As usual I am a late comer to this thread, but I have enjoyed reading
thru all the comments. For a long time when I carried out of the house
I carried a little Ruger 380 in my right hand pocket. I seldom carry around
the area I live in, which I realize may be a mistake but it is what it is. In the
last year however, I have grown quite fond on a Tarus PT111, 9mm. It is an
easy carry weapon, 12 round, and more than adequate for 7-9 yard shooting.
I sincerly hope I never have to draw down on any one, but if I do, this little
Tarus ought to do the trick, When hunting, I am prone to carry either an SR22,
or a 4" BBl Colt 357, Open holster, and ya I know there is little logic in my
choices but thatis just me. If I go into town for lunch either one is easily
covered by a shirt or jacket, as I am not prone to display a weapon in public
place, even tho Ne isan open carry state with exception of some cities.
Any how the above is justme, as I do not criticize the practices of others,
or advance my ideas to others.

Paul

 

[Hawk]

My Ruger LCP, in 380, is pretty small. Just wish it had a few more roumds in it.
My FIL had a Walther PPKS that I really wanted, but my brother in law scammed it off him before my FIL died.
He "borrowed it" and it has never been seen since.
Oh well.

 

[Jeff H]

I forgot one - I had a Kel-Tec 9mm for a while and it was handy as a CCW for sure. I had a gallon ziploc bag of mixed factory 9mms which came from an estate sale. The auctioneer didn't like handling ammo and I got a lot of free ammo that way. Lots of cruddy stuff I had to pull down and dispose of too. I went through that bag of nines without sorting it. I loaded it into the magazines however it came out of the bag and NEVER had a single malfunction. The range of ammo in that bag contained a sample of everything I'd heard of in 9mm ammo.

The guy I got it from bugged the snot out of me every time I saw him and I finally sold it back to him. He seemed genuinely heart-broken that he'd let it go and I felt sorry for him.

 

[358156 hp]

My three pocket pistols consist of a 1907 Colt Pocket Positive in 32 Colt, a S&W J frame in .357 mag, and a S&W M&P Compact in 9mm.

I really need to come up with a mould for the .32 Colt, I think Accurate has one available, but I want the Colt profile nose, not the rimfire profile.

 

[RBHarter]

A Glock 42 is only a little bigger than the LCP . It's shootablity makes up for it's 6+1 flaw . I'd not shoot the LCP enough to be confident in it or me the 42 is about 800 times more comfortable to shoot .

 

[RicinYakima]

My three pocket pistols consist of a 1907 Colt Pocket Positive in 32 Colt, a S&W J frame in .357 mag, and a S&W M&P Compact in 9mm.

I really need to come up with a mould for the .32 Colt, I think Accurate has one available, but I want the Colt profile nose, not the rimfire profile.

My shooting buddy and Ed Harris and I have done a lot of work with the 32 ACP over the last 10 years. In Colt's, Savage, Mauser HSc, Remington's, Browning 1910's and Berretta's, the RCBS 32 Cowboy Match will feed in everything if you have a strong gun. The Accurate bullet is lighter if you want velocity, but the RCBS has a flat nose and feeds well. FWIW, Ric

 

[Rick H]

Handy handguns? My most handy handgun, currently, is my S&W Shield 40. I carry it most everywhere, sometimes with a spare magazine. It us usually stoked with 180g JHP factory ammo. I am left handed and wear it inside waistband crossdraw in either a D'Santis leather or Hawg kydex rig. It goes with me in a shoulder harness when I hit the trout streams or bow hunt up north in God's country. If I am carrying another weapon I might have my Ruger LCRx3 38 Special in a Stoner crossdraw paddle holster. It is an accurate and fun little gun to shoot.

 

[Rushcreek]

S&W Shield wrapped in a bandanna fits my back pocket like a wallet. Beretta Tomcat fits in a sticky pocket holster in my front Jeans pocket. The two handiest pistols on the place!
BTW, Hawes imported a copy of the Stevens tip up pistol in the 1970s.

 

[RicinYakima]

Yep! It was Hawes, not ERMA. Thanks for the reminder. Ric

 

[Bret4207]

Beretta Tomcat. I had one in 25ACP for a while. Loved the gun, not real happy with the 25. I think a 22 would have suited my uses better. At least I could have afforded to shoot it more. It was decently accurate with whatever I shot in it, Gold Dots IIRC. Traded it on a Ruger 22/45 NIB and started carrying the 38 Bodyguard.

 

[Rushcreek]

Beretta Tomcat. I had one in 25ACP for a while. Loved the gun, not real happy with the 25. I think a 22 would have suited my uses better. At least I could have afforded to shoot it more. It was decently accurate with whatever I shot in it, Gold Dots IIRC. Traded it on a Ruger 22/45 NIB and started carrying the 38 Bodyguard.

My Tomcat is a .32 ACP. You might have had the Bobcat in .25 ACP. The tip up barrel is a great feature. My twins have Taurus PT22 pistols and they work great and shoot well with CCI MiniMag.

 

[KHornet]

Like Hawk, wish my little ruger 380 had
a larger capacity. That said, if I ever had
to use it, would hope that I was proficient
enough that 5 rounds would be adequate.

Paul

 

[Hawk]

I seldom carry around the area I live in

I got out of the habit a few years ago.
Then one day, while going to Wally World three minutes from my house, to pick up a script, a young lady almost ran me over in the crosswalk. I looked at the car as she was speeding off and shook my head. All of a sudden, the car screeched to a halt and her NFL linebacker sized boyfriend got out of the passenger side front seat and started screaming at me, wondering if I had a "F**k**g Problem". I was unarmed at that time.
I just quickly walked into the store and got behind a kiosk, in line like I was checking out , where I could see him, but he could not see me.
He followed me into the store and was searching for me to beat my a$$, which he would have done easily, if he had found me.
I remember wondering to myself why my hand was wrapped around a can of corn and not the handle of my pistol.
Had I been armed on that occasion, I would not have altered my actions. I still would have retreated and avoided him at all cost, but I would have felt a lot more comfortable standing in that line.
I'm not paranoid, but now, I don't go anywhere without a weapon on me.
Just too many people that think the slightest sign of disrespect (their definition) is a license to get in your face and violent.

 

[Pistolero]

Sadly, there are nutso folks out there. And as I get older, running and fighting become less viable options
every day. Old saying, "Too old to run, to old to fight, I'll just have to shoot you." I won't be doing that
if there is any reasonable way to avoid it, but I won't be unarmed any place that it is legal any more.

Bill

 

[KHornet]

Well said Bill, and I agree completely. The one time I was
confronted, just having a 357 on the belt (open holster)
solved the problem. Was hunting at the time.
Without it, afraid I would have been in a world of hurt.

Paul

 

[KHornet]

Update on the Tarus PT111. It shoots well, better than
I do. It is however HEAVY! I wore it for 3 days on my
right hip, and developed a sore right hip. Soooo it will
not be my CC weapon, and will probably end up going
with LCP, and the hope I never have to use it, and if I
do, hope I can keep the shots in the head.

Paul

 

[Pistolero]

This may help you select ammo and have more confidence in the LCP (at least the ammo), KHornet.

All the individual tests are at Youtube, too. He is a BIT too wrapped up in penetration meeting the
FBI test requirement. I am a bit more forgiving on penetration. If I get 9-10" reliably, I am OK with
that in a 380. More is better, no doubt, but I am not quite as locked into the full FBI penetration deal.

In any case, I consider his work to be very valuable, and worth watching. And the Fiocchi Hornady HP
ammo is affordable and works perfectly in testing so far, have not had a full box of 50 fired yet. But
a few mags in Keltec P3AT and Sig P238 are 100% reliable, accurate, to sights.

 

[KHornet]

Thanks Bill, a video well worth watching I agree. I have put probably
250 rds thru my LCP with 102 gr cast, at close to max vol and had no
malfunctions, and was capable of all rounds at 5yd in the head of
human sil. At 10yd I was able to keep about 85% in the head area, and
group 6 in about 6" plus/minus in chest area. Hornady HP with the
plastic insert (what ever they call it) shot to just about the same as my
cast loads. For carry purposes, will have mag full of the Hor. Of course
I am from Ne, so there is something of a patron factor I guess. The little
gun however sure does throw brass in 360 direction.
Again thanks!

Paul

 

[Bret4207]

Rushcreek, Bobcat it is!

 

[Outpost75]

I don't wear a heavy gun belt and holster, since it is a "tell."

Bob Mika makes pocket holsters for either 2" or 4" S&W K-frames and if you wear full cut bib overalls, or Duluth Trading firehose work pants with slide-clip suspenders, and buy trousers a full 2" larger in the waist than "office casual" and with straight leg and pleated front, the suspenders support the weight of the gun and it won't print. My EDC 2" Model 10-5 and 4" 12-2 New York Reload with Mika Pocket Holsters.