There are times when you can’t carry a “proper” handgun — not even a sub-compact. Times when you need the teeniest, tiniest, lightest firearm money can buy. Something you can hide in a pants pocket. An ankle holster. A thigh holster. A belly band. While we all know any mouse gun is far from an ideal choice for armed self-defense, we’re also aware than a tiny gun is better than a sharp stick. So which micro-pistol is top of the pops?
The six-plus-one four-star Ruger LCP (Lightweight Compact Pistol) is just 5.16″ long and 3.60″ tall. Equally important, it’s less than an inch wide. That makes the pistol both pocketable and perfect for straight leg jeans ankle carry.
You’re sacrificing very little to schlep Ruger’s little gun, save money (around $250). Yes, the LCP is a snappy little bastard with a trigger pull longer than War and Peace. But the LCP is more than accurate enough at bad breath distances, reliable as Gaston’s gat and, with modern .380 hollow-point ammo, plenty damn deadly.
The Bond Arms Backup is a full 2.5 inches shorter than the Ruger LCP, significantly less tall and almost twice as heavy — although at 18.5 ozs. it’s hardly what I’d call ponderous. Built like the proverbial brick outhouse, the Backup is the soul of concealed carry discretion. A not insubstantial gun at a non-insubstantial price: $490 msrp.
In terms of payload, this two-shot derringer’s available in 9mm or .45. Our ham-hock-handed man Foghorn tested the Bond Arms Backup in .45, sacrificing epidermis on TTAG’s behalf. The 9mm version should be somewhat less painful, but the Bond Arms Backup isn’t a range toy. It’s a puny pistol for the direst of dire situations, delivering an effective short-range one-two punch.
The NAA 22S is a full half-inch shorter than the Bond Arms Backup and a lot less bulky. The NAA revolver fires .22 Short cartridges; “stopping power” being an obvious trade-off for carrying America’s smallest and lightest production pistol. Then again, you do get five — count ’em five! — bites at the bad guy cherry.
While we don’t recommend neck holsters for NAA’s $226 ballistic bauble, there are plenty of carry options. [Click here for an excellent article on deep concealment carry.] In fact, one can hide the diminutive 22S just about anywhere on the human body. A gross thought but there it is.
LCP= Lightweight Compact Pistol.
D’oh! Text amended.
For more than 40 years I have had my Great Grandmothers what she called her muff pistol… dated to 1910 by its S#
Model 1908 Vest Pocket by Colt its nickel plated with mother of pearl grips .25 app I put a box a month through it in practice and it has brim many years since I have missed the important area of a FBI target at 25 yards… it sits in a custom shoulder holster with extra magazine clip holder in winter and in an IWB the rest of the year…. so roughly 600 rounds a year for some 40 odd years… more than 20,000 rounds and not one failure to fire or a feed malfunction… Browning designed a fine weapon… I replaced the springs about 13 years ago just as a precaution. its not sexy or very powerful… but it hits what I aim at and it makes a lot of noise… My reloads with hard cast hollow point lead slugs (from a custom SARCO gang mold) and bullseye powder in a P+ load have quite a bit of muzzle blast which in a personal defense gun is not a bad thing especially in a low light situation.
My wife refers to hers as her Little Cuddly Pal.
We’re still talking about the pistol right?
Since I donated my S&W 642 to Mom I carry a Ruger LC9s when I want/need to be discrete. Only slightly larger and heavier than the LCP, but eats the same 9mm ammo as my SR9c. Win/win. Stiff trigger, shoots low and right, but plenty good for use in an average room or close-up outdoors.
for those reasons, my everyday carry
My original DAO LC9 had a stiff trigger pull. The LC9s I replaced it with was so light in the trigger after a couple hundred rounds I wasn’t comfortable carrying it without the safety on anymore, and I sold it. I could shoot tight little groups with it out to 15 yards, but the trigger ended up being too much of a good thing for me. Maybe there is some inconsistency in the triggers Ruger is turning out on those.
My Bodyguard .380 works great, for me.
same here. I liked the Ruger’s trigger better (smoother, lighter) which is exactly why I got the Bodyguard. for pocket carry at bad breath distance, it made more sense to me.
When I finally have the cash to fill that part of my cache this will be my choice as well. Commonality in manual of arms to my M&P carry pistols is the driving factor.
If the definition of “good” in this matter consists only of “reliable” and “concealable” then there are many good choices: Ruger LCP and LCP2, Sig p238, Taurus TCP, and a current favorite to show my customers, the Remington RM380 (folks actually prefer its girth), Glock 42, and the list can go on and on…
Then theres my current “summer gun”, at least until I get a NAA22 mini: my trusty Beretta 950BS! Love that little pipsqueak…
Dude…trading in your Beretta 950, eight shot, semi (.22 or .25?), for a five shot .22 short revolver….surely you jest!
I love my .25acp 950, “In your Face” gun. I’m not gonna use it to shoot it out with somebody with an AR, but as a last ditch, eight rounds of .25fmj in the face at under 10 feet is nothing to laugh at.
First off, I have nothing against Remington, but the RM 380 trigger is beyond horrible. Second, the trigger on Ruger LCP’s since about 2013 is very good. Load the LCP with Ruger Polycase ARX ammo & you have performance equal to 38 Spl, along with less recoil. For practice I use soon pretty stout loads & the recoil is very acceptable (less than LCPs made from 2008 to about 2012). The S&W also has a god awful trigger & horrible muzzle blast compared to the LCP. One guy shooting a 380 S&W thought that the trigger was broken he had to pull it so far.I also find the LCP very accurate, can’t hit nothin’ with the NAA & haven’t tried the Bond.
I carry the G43 IWB and the NAA 22mag in the pocket. The NAA is the perfect backup/GTF off me gun.
I’m not sure the sw 380 BG is the best of this class of pistols, but one has been living on my ankle all my waking hours for years. I never notice it’s there anymore, it’s always well concealed, decent capacity, surprisingly accurate, and loaded appropriately for its miniscule barrel, it’s hard enough hitting. Despite being perpetually dry and covered in dust and lint, it always works the once in a while I train with it. While for me it’s always been a BUG, flying second seat to a much more substantial pistol, the truth is that for purely defensive use in a non professional, lower risk lifestyle, it’s almost certainly ‘enough gun’ for the vast majority of plausible scenarios. It’s ‘big’ enough to count, small enough to always carry, accurate enough to inspire confidence, reliable enough not to worry about and common enough to holster, obtain mags for, etc. I don’t see much talk about them, but the little sw380bg just sort of checks off all the boxes for me, and I’m surprised more people aren’t into them.
It’s really hard to put the LCP on the same level as a 2 shot derringer and a single action 22. Kind of like putting a lotus elise and a honda civic head to head.
But not impossible.
Given all the potential defensive situations which might limit a victim to using one hand to manage their handgun, the LCP is the only one of the three options that can be effectively used in most scenarios.
Anyone who feels otherwise should get in some actual defensive-style-shooting trigger-time with derringers and SA mini-revolvers. Their short grips and heavy required cocking force make them two-handed guns in the best of circumstances.
An old gunwriter once said the best results with mini-revolvers were produced when the gun “…was held tightly between the thumb and forefinger, like you are strangling a rabid weasel, and the other hand is used to cock and fire the weapon”, or something to that effect.
NAA Mini-revolvers are trivially easy to thumb-cock, but don’t take that as me recommending one for carry. However, I could empty all five chambers on a pie plate at 5 yards in about five seconds (been a long time since I practiced with it, though). But I don’t use the stock grips, I use the oversized Black Widow rubber grips, Makes a world of difference, but also makes the pistol bigger. Soooo…. just no.
My gun to carry when I need deep, deep concealement is a Kel-Tec P32. You can conceal it just about anywhere, in any clothing. Extra 7-round magazine can clip in watch pocket of jeans, breast pocket of a blazer, etc. I find .32 ACP a whole lot more shootable in mouseguns than.380.
Different tools for different situations. A tack hammer will not hit as hard as a small ball-peen, but it will still get someone’s attention.
Although personally I would be very nervous about pissing someone off by shooting at them with a .22 short. Just sayin’.
I’d go for a scoshe longer in lr than short, seeing as how there are effective .22lr derringer loads out there…
Could you expand on that please?
A while back, ShootingTheBull410 did one of his ‘Ammo Quest’ videos specifically for the NAA mini-revolver.
He tested a few dozen different brands – types of ammo, and discovered an engineered for short barrel derringer load that was surprisingly good in .22lr, to the point it was comparable to .22 winmag in the NAA.
Since the dual-barrel NAA mini is a bit bigger than the .22lr-only version, when going for deepest carry the standard .22lr-only makes good sense.
I couldn’t find that particular video, if someone else knows it please offer up the link…
It posit that it is hard to predict whether 2 .45ACPs from a 3″ (I would choose a long handled Bond with 3″ .45ACP bbl) will be more or less effective than 6 .380s through a 2.75″ as there are so many variables. I intend to place my bet on the .45s though.
For what Bond charges for that ‘Bad Boy’, I’d be inclined to get the ‘hardest, pipe-hitt’n’ caliber there was for it, the .410-.45LC…
Mr. Wallace sir;-), I maybe wrong, but my thinking is that the .45ACP will hit harder because the bullet starts out further back and thus has more distance to accelerate in. If one uses factory ammo you will also have a higher pressure round in the .45ACP, no? Even if you hand load them to similar max pressures the .45 Colt will take longer to reach max pressure due to the larger than needed case capacity, so I think that will also work against it.
Seeing the favor you did for me with that sword, i’ll defer to your view on this, Butch.
We’re cool…
Zed he is not cool, as he will discover in last few painful minuets of his so-called life.
Zed is-a-gonna-be *dead*…
*snicker*
(You gotta realize, having worked pawn shops, that scene kinda brings a tear to my eye, and I kinda nervously look around any new shop I drop in on to check out.)
the assumptions you make are that 1) there is a maximum of 2 enemies and 2) you have 100% hit rate. I would argue that both of those assumptions are dubious.
I don’t come anywhere close to making either of those assumptions. What do you think my saying that the advantage was hard to predict due to hard to predict variables meant? How could you possibly interpret that as “I will have no more than two opponents and I will hit 100% of the time”. I though I was pretty clear that I thought is was a gamble either way.
The LCP is my go to deep concealment pistol. I even wear it speedo carry.
Just make sure to put the gun down the front of your speedo, not the back… man, that was an embarrassing afternoon.
When I wear a speedo it looks like a snowdrift swallowed some colored dental floss.
Y-y-y-you in a Speedo?
*GAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!*
There’s just no NOT visualizing that.
you heartless bastard…
*sob*
Both of you…STOP IT…I can’t make it through the read without blowing coffee out my nose.
LC380 for the wife. She takes it everywhere because it’s small enough and light enough for EDC but easy enough to practice with on the range.
Though I haven’t tried it, I have seen that Ruger makes a 9mm conversion for the LC380, effectively turning one gun into two. I thought that was a pretty cool idea.
What about the Seecamp?
x2
+1. Certainly a more practical SD option than the Bond Arms or the NAA, and smaller than the LCP and similar 380s. I find it easy to carry no matter my dress. I’m willing to sacrifice “stopping power” for my quickness and accuracy with the .32. The LWS 380 is supposedly a beast.
I love my Baretta Bobcat. Easy to load tip up barel that my kids can operate, DA/SA trigger. Disappears in any pocket. It’s the gun that everybody in the family enjoys.
The LCP is my EDC in the summer or if I need deep concealment. I’ve carried larger guns during the warmer months but the ease at which the LCP can go into a pocket (in a holster, of course) overrides the stopping power difference of a larger caliber gun.
LCP
My primary carry to my SR9C backup.
Wouldn’t carry a single action unless it was in 45 with 6 shots.
Ditto. Sometimes the SR9c stays home. The LCP almost never has to.
SR9C or LC9S primary, LCP Custom always, sometimes only (I don’t much care for ‘unarmed victim zones’). Unless there are metal detectors (don’t go there no matter what), ignore those ‘UVZ’ signs; the LCP has got to be ultimate deep cover gun that actually delivers an honest payload. For everyone complaining about not enough power & too much recoil from a .380 ACP, you really have got to try Ruger Polycase ARX ammo; this stuff rocks. Shoot a 5 quart oil jug filled with water with even a high quality JHP & literally nothing happens, just goes thru. Using the ARX will blow It apart at the seams; have to see it to believe it. Does as much damage as a 9mm or 38 Spl +P JHP. ARX in 9mm is even more starting & is available in 45 ACP, 357 Mag, 38 Spl, some rifle calibers too. Oh, did I mention that recoil is measurably LESS along with that increased power? For defensive ammo, the ARX seems like a have your cake & eat it too solution.
“There are times when you can’t carry a “proper” handgun — not even a sub-compact. Times when you need the teeniest, tiniest, lightest firearm money can buy.”
Other than intentionally violating the law in states where GFZ signs carry the weight of said law I’m curious what situations people get into where such a small gun is a requirement?
Lawful self defense…pretty much covers all situations
That’s not an answer to what I asked. I didn’t ask for the justification for carrying a gun. I asked why you would choose to carry a mouse gun over something larger and arguably better.
That is to say, when is “deep concealment” a requirement?
Formal events, wearing a tux or equivalent. 5.11 pants with G-19-pocket carry isn’t kosher, and tux pants somehow print everything. I’ve tucked an NAA Pug in the inside jacket pocket without issue, but my LCP or anything larger wouldn’t have worked.
It only happens once every few years, but there is a purpose for these tiny guns.
Fair enough.
I’m trying to think of the last time I actually wore a straight out tuxedo and I can’t so I probably never have. Therefore I don’t know what other options you might have when wearing one. A tux is kind of a pain because it’s not generally something you own so getting it cut to conceal a gun would be luck.
For formal events I find a full sized pistol in a shoulder holster works very well provided you took into account that you’d be wearing a pistol in a shoulder holster when you bought the jacket. All my suits, including both of my 3-piece suits work perfectly well with a shoulder holster. Plus, if you take the jacket off with a 3-piece it’s very 1930’s speak-easy gangster.
For me it’s not really a requirement, but an adaptation to my lifestyle. I pocket carry a small 380 because I used to pocket carry a small 9mm and started leaving it in my bag/truck/house, because it was too heavy. The 380’s weight about a 1/3 less than a similar 9mm.
‘ when is “deep concealment” a requirement?” When you absolutely must not be spotted carrying. Carry all the time gun free, target rich places.
Getting fired was a concern where I used to work. Being seen with it would have been grounds. My available space was too small for the Seecamp, so the NAR .22LR Was my choice. Never needed it, thank goodness.
I had this problem and I stopped carrying. The penalty for getting caught was simply too high. While I don’t exactly plan to work for Emerson again being banned from working for or working with the entire conglomerate might close doors I’d like to have open in the future.
Not even that .380 cellphone?
Depends on the definition of proper. There are some who don’t consider 9mm “proper”.
I carry to fit my lifestyle and job. An LCP in a pocket is the easiest thing to conceal and is always with me. My dress sometimes allows carrying something larger in addition to the LCP.
If I carry with shirt tails out, it would not be considered appropriate dress.
There are places where carry is legal but will have serious adverse consequences if you are found out. One example is getting fired from your job because weapons are forbidden. (I suspect such a place would fire you for defending yourself or a colleague regardless what you used.) Another example is places with “no guns” signs that do not have the force of law. You won’t be prosecuted if you leave on demand but you can expect to be barred for life. In many places, concealed carry isn’t on anyone’s radar but would become an issue if someone were found to carry. “Concealed means concealed” avoids all these problems.
My company prohibits weapons when conducting business on their behalf. Tough. I am a fairly fit smaller guy, with a fair size beer processing plant. I can’t wear a G19 with a sport coat. I am in and out of professional offices all day in major cities throughout the country. I carry the Ruger LCP2 with a trigger guard by Boraii. In my pocket, it is no bigger than my cell phone. I can’t legally carry in my company’s HQ state due to reciprocity issues, but any group meetings in AZ or FL, I carry. No one has ever noticed my carry, and I know our business can be a target (or one of my coworkers will go postal at some point) so I want to be prepared. I feel confident that I can defend myself at 21′ with the LCP2. I wish I could carry my SR9c with 17 and 12 rounds during work, but I have to be careful about printing. I could be fired, and after 25 years, I can see my retirement getting closer and closer.
Not that I ever carry at work,……………………………..
But if I did, and if I was caught, I’d probably lose my job. Maybe for people in that situation a mouse gun is a good compromise.
Thanks for the replies guys.
The work thing I kind of get as I quit carrying for a job as the consequences of being black-balled by the entire conglomerate, who would put the word out on me to other companies not in our conglom, were not a risk I was willing to take professionally. Being completely shut out of multiple industries over carrying a gun to a place that had basically no chance of me needing it just wasn’t worth carrying anything.
Currently as a grad student I know that if I get caught the university will throw me out but I can always go to another university. Yes, we have campus carry in Colorado but that doesn’t mean it’s not a violation of the school’s policy for which they can toss you out. OTOH the difference I see is that a university is a lot more of a target than where I used to work. You can look up my EDC right here on TTAG, I have no problems concealing that thing to the point that no one of consequence has noticed it, and in Denver you can bet that if someone noticed it they’d have ratted on me for it. Casual, business casual, suit they all cover it. Heck I can conceal that thing with shorts and the right T-shirt. Maybe that’s just my relatively thin frame yet wide shoulders though.
Here in Utah gun free zones are not enforceable by law. Only trespassing if you remain after being asked to leave. Which brings us back to the concealed part of the equation.
The idea of me or one of my loved ones fumbling around with one of those hammers in concert with the tiny grip while being threatened or under attack leaves me cold.
Everyone– I’m looking at you, Robert— talks about how dumb your limbs get in an emergency, yet for the direst of the dire you’re going to try and operate a futzy little hammer and a trigger with no guard?
Doesn’t seem like the right tool for any job.
I carry an LCP every day because my job requires a lot of… well, a lot, and anything bigger would be in the way and would likely print and freak out coworkers.
There are a number of domestic and foreign pocket pistols that will fill the bill. DB makes the smallest 9mm pistol available(to my knowledge), unpleasant to shoot but in an emergency you’ll never notice. The Ruger is a good choice as well. Frankly I’ve never seen the appeal of a 2 shot pistol that’s as large as many of these small autos, but that’s just me.
Include Kahr’s P380 or CW380 in the deep concealment list. If you doubt their accuracy, watch Hickok45 using one to ring the gong at the back of his range.
I agree the Kahr .380 is my favorite poket pistol, I replaced my Sig P238 with the Kahr.
And unlike a LCP, you can put 100 rounds down range in an outing. Mine starts getting unreliable after 75 or so rounds threw it using that cheep wolf stuff.
In the LCP Custom, the red trigger is a big improvement over the original LCP. The sights are real sights (particularly easy to pick-up after adding contrast by painting the front sight white). Yet they’re modest enough they don’t snag. At only $30 more than the LCP original, it’s fine deep concealment candidate.
Compared to the LCP II, the Custom keeps the slimmer dimensions of the LCP original. The trigger is not as light as the LCP II’s single action, but the difference is modest, and will appeal to those reluctant to embrace a single action trigger sans manual thumb safety in a pocket gun.
Catherine’s reply is almost identical to my thoughts. I painted the front sight on my LCP Custom just below the photo illuminant dot & both ears on the rear sight; have a 3 dot set up this way. While the Custom version of the LCP is stellar, regular LCPs from around 2013 & up are easier to use than the 1st run (Rem RM 380 & S&W 380 are still far worse than 1st run LCPs though). The Custom is my go everywhere gun.
One of the LCP flavors, discussion closed.
My sentiments exactly.
The Kahr CW380 is smaller than the Ruger. And with a Recluse back or front pocket holster, you can carry 99.9% of the time. Why go to all these histronics?
Depending on the pants and the size of the pocket, I’ve pocket carried a CW9. A holster disguises the gun, and the 17 oz (loaded) weight) is not an issue. I think all Kahrs are thinner than in inch.
The CW9 is not a pocket gun, it’s a cargo pocket gun.
Does no one care that khar is owned by the moon family and that they run a cult
I do, don’t buy their stuff.
Kahr Arms is owned by Justin Moon who is an American citizen and has lived in America since he was four years old. The pistols are made in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the region commonly known as “Gun Valley.” Maybe you should check your bigotry at the door?
Calm down. I don’t not like him because he is Korean. For the record I love south Korea. I don’t like that his family and all of their associated businesses put money into a cult. That hardly makes me a bigot
What the hell does his family have to do with him manufacturing a high quality firearm in the U.S.?
NAA also makes a 22 Magnum. A little harder hit.
Love my NAA 22mag but sh*t has really hit the fan if I’m down to it! It means I have run out of ammo of the Sig first and the Tomcat second! Or I’m in some gun free Zone!
I think the shield is the winner here. IWB it dissappears and as long as your not wearing clothes that are to tight in the first place. 8+1 in 9mm with good sights and trigger what’s not to like. And as some posters mentioned it’s not a micro gun where you can fumble with it.
How is the Sig P290RS for carry? Reviews I’ve read say that it is accurate, heavier than a LCR, well built, but not much is said about pocket or IWB carry.
I go with a shield for deep concealment or sometimes a g19. Depends on what clothing the circumstances call for. If I’m wearing thicker pants such as khakis then I can get away with the 19, for lightweight dress pants (or even worse gym shorts/board shorts) the shield gets the job
Colt Mustang is another option. Pricier, but sized the same as an LCP (except maybe thicker) and not like holding a branding iron when shooting. Actually not a bad shooter.
Quote from ‘Real Guns’ on the Colt Mustang: “As sold, take away the Colt name and you’re left with a somewhat outdated single action only pistol. There are many alternatives, better constructed and with more modern features at a lower price.”
Kel Tec P32 works for me. 7 rounds. Sticky holster. Done.
Kel Tec P32 in a sticky holster. 7+1 rounds. Easy point and shoot.
I recently purchased a couple pairs of Rustler jeans instead of the Wranglers I usually well because they were only 11 bucks. Turns out the pockets are too tight to draw my LCP, but my P32 works just fine, so I was glad to still have it.
For really deep cover. maybe a Beretta .25 acp with a tip up barrel. Surprising number of shots and certainly better than harsh language.
OK… I agree with the LCP for deep concealment, at least in principle. I do carry one if deep concealment is the overiding requirement for the day.
But two-shot derringer’s for self-defense?
You, Mr. Farago, are an extreme optimist. /;-D
I chose a Taurus TCP because unlike the LCP, it has last shot hold-open and was under $200. I have been pleased with the little thing. It is being replaced by the Spectrum which I think will be better because of the DA only trigger.
Keep your tiny pistols. I carry a S&W 642 every day, even when I shouldn’t.
I have a not-so-rare Beretta .22 cal Model 21a Bobcat that fits in (usually my front) pocket better, is lighter and that not only holds more rounds, it’s a better all-around real pocket pistol than any 2 shot Derringer deep-carry type pistol imo. Although very finicky with the kind and quality of ammo, Stinger’s or Mini-Mags and a clean, well lubricated Bobcat will surely even out some of those odds of that lesser though just as lethal and always respectable .22 LR caliber. Especially so in the hands of someone trained and proficient in the defensive use of a handgun.
In regards to the NAA mini, I suggest you look up “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Torture Interrogation Scene” on Youtube. Start watching at about 2:20.
I can’t think of any situation since I left DC area were I could not conceal my XD subcompact. The only case I can make for deep concealment is if I am going to aubjected to a pat down. No such place exists for me now. I think I can even make my 1911-380 disappear in my Duluth Trading Co. presentation jacket. There is also the RIA “Baby Rock” that is a 1/2″ shorter that will easily disappear in jacket or cargo pants pocket, you don’t have to go tiny for deep concealment
Keltec p3at is same size as the Ruger just not loved as much. I like mine.
I have had a bunch of small and extra small guns over the years, one of the most reliable was a Walther Model 8 in .25 ACP, yeah, not the greatest round but the gun was extremely thin and I could carry it when most other guns were just too large. There are some other really cheap carry guns, like the Polish P64 in 9mm Makarov.
The NAA 22lr fits in a jeans watch pocket. Its the perfect can’t wear a holster due to outfit or reasons gun.
Missing some of the most popular pocket guns available today. How about the Kel-Tec P-32 or P3AT, NAA Guardian, Beretta Tomcat, and the smallest of them all, the SEECAMP?
You can jock a NAA .22 mag to get through places like nightclub and concert security checks…so I heard.
Colt Pony Pocketlite for me.
Lhstr, Glock 26!
You’re kidding with the last two, Right ?
WHO is buying the Bond derringer in any numbers ? A 2-shot boat anchor when you could simply get another Ruger, Kel-Tec, Taurus, etc. for less money and 7 more shots on a New York reload ? Same thing with the single action NAA. Numbers 2 & 3 are curiosities. They have saved lives, but are hardly ideal when even several efficient and inexpensive .380’s can be carried and hidden effectively under any dress code but a nudist colony. In 80’s when micro semi autos in effective calibers were unknown, the Bond and NAA might have been viable back-ups, or third guns. But today, the market has made them obsolete.
LCP II is it.
Kahr CW380 is a much better deep concealment gun. It’s thinner(due to Kahr’s offset feed ramp), cheaper, has a better trigger, has real sights, and locks open on the last round. You can buy them all day long for sub $300, and I’ve seen them online for $250. I put a CT Laserguard on it, carry it in a Desantis pocket holster, and can make headshots at 25 yards with it all day long.
Plus, mine is bi-tone, and everybody knows shiny guns are classier.
This thread rocks, its got me thinking about summer while im buried under a few feet of snow, and could conceal carry my 590 because i have so much on right now.
Oh, ps, colour me down for two SS LCP’s for summer CC, because one is none and i got the second one for a measly $239…both loaded with Buffalo Bores best 100 grain FU rounds.
Careful, LCP is not rated for +P rounds. I carry mine in a Meco hip pocket holster.
http://www.mecopocketholsters.com/RearThumbPushOff.htm
Use Ruger ARX ammo & there is NO need for +P. Standard pressure, more power, less recoil.
I found out the +P thing AFTER I bought some hot Buffalo Bore rounds. I relegated them to another pistol. I will look into the ARX’s.
Don’t know if you’ve seen other posts about ARX ammo, but the results speak for themselves. When even a high quality .380 JHP literally does nothing to a water jug, the .380 ARX blows it apart.
Hated the LCP… go with the Glock 42 instead if you must carry a mousegun. I sold my LCP after about a year. The LCP is the worst pistol I’ve ever owned. “Friends don’t let friends buy mouseguns!”
Look at the LCP2 huge improvement compared to the LCP.
Glock 42 too big for deep cover. LCP from 2013 on is improved from earlier ones.
The guy in the picture at the top of the article will be fine – until he walks into a stiff breeze.
North American Arms builds these guns in .22 mag. capable of much better penetration and stopping power with almost the same weight and concealability…..have carried one for over 3 years. They are of great quality and reliability.
I have the P3AT and the NAA .22 mag. Both are good for micro-carry. I used it just last night to go out to dinner and dancing. Using the ARX rounds in the P3AT. I feel safe. I have had none of the “internet” problems with the P3AT. Ball,HP,Poly all cycle and come out the end. Killed a rattlesnake with the NAA it took 3 shots to hit it but when I did it was DRT. Biggest problem I’ve had is all the grit and crap the guns pick up in your pocket. If your not cleaning your pocket guns once a week at least,your an idiot. I like that ruger “copied” the design of the P3AT, I find it amusing.
Using the ARX rounds is smart, sustainably increases power of the 380.
Does anyone make a drop safe derringer? That’s one of those things worth noting. Most of the negligent discharges I’ve heard about in store are old dude carrying derringer in pocket. :p
None of those in the article are in the top 3.
Interestingly, “less than an inch wide” is not that impressive for a pocket pistol. My Springfield XDs-9 is 0.9″ (I measure it at about 7/8″ wide). I think guns like the Ruger LCP, Taurus TCP, Bodyguard, etc., are more like 3/4″ wide. That extra thinness makes a huge difference when compared to 0.9″ like the XDs and S&W Shield single stack pistols that stick out like a sore thumb in a pocket. I guess I’m saying, give credit where credit is due to the tininess! Also – didn’t the Taurus get better reviews on here than the LCP? I recall that the trigger and reliability were superior to the LCP and other pocket pistols.
The one thing I didn’t like about the Taurus ( and maybe it’s been addressed), was it had a freguent tendancy to eject brass right back at ones face….
Kel-Tec P-32 is thinner and lighter than the LCP or Bond Arms derringer.
It’s the thinnest and lightest semi-auto on the market.
But if you load the LCP with Ruger ARX (by Polycase) ammo you get 9mm performance with less ammo weight added to the gun and less recoil. This ARX stuff takes power, performance, barrier penetration and recoil reduction to new levels.
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