OK folks, I'm not new to handguns or concealed carry - just wanted to harvest some opinions before I start testing a new pistol. I carry an HK VP9 almost every day OWB strong side with a dual mag carrier on the offhand. On those "light days" I'll carry a 3" or a 5" 1911. What I'm looking for is a smaller, all purpose grab it and go pistol that can be dropped into an EDC bag as a backup or worn when concealment is the top priority. I wear boots, so an ankle gun just isnt going to work. Nothing fancy, just a potential beater for a little added piece of mind. Shot a Ruger LCR in .38 and enjoyed it for what it was, but I'm not in love with it. My wife has a little Beretta Pico that she keeps close as a BUG, but the trigger pull is not my cup of tea. Anyone got any other ideas?
try one of the new generation Ruger LCPs.... better sights and better trigger with a "Glock" style trigger safety lever..not a long DA pull like my older LCP...
For those moments when concealment is paramount to anything else, I prefer a Kahr Cm9 paired with a smart carry rig.
The 642 is on my list, too. I dont have a wheelgun in the inventory right now, so I'm really leaning in that direction. Havent had a chance to fire one yet.
Seecamp in 32 or 380. I have a 32 fits in front pocket shoots where you point. Made for bad breath distance.
My wife loves hers, I just can't over the trigger, but she shoots it like a champ so atleast check one out.
I will freely admit to being a bit of a trigger snob - I got my first plastic carry gun (VP9) at 42 years old because I couldnt ever find another trigger I liked as much as a 1911. I can tolerate double action in a revolver, but I dont love it at all.
I love my LCR for this and I bet if you carry one for a while you would too. The great thing about the LCR is just the stupid simplicity and light weight of it for me. The LCP is hands down the tiniest thing I have and is great for tiny but I recently got a Walther PPS that is sweet for an as close to normal small 9mm option to me. I also have a Sig P290,Glock 43 and MP Compact 9 for perspective on my options.
I've shot my buddy's Bodyguard .380 and it was pretty doable. The trigger pull wasn't too bad, although it did seem overly long. I shot a Ruger LCP the same day, and the trigger on that one seemed nicer. Both the Bodyguard and the LCP are tiny! I can't get over how small/thin they are. I've owned an XD-S and just recently picked up a Beretta Nano (both of those are very similarly sized) and they feel huge in comparison. Nowadays, I'm pretty happy with my LCR-357. I typically only carry .38 +P, but I like having the option of full-house magnums now and then. The LCR trigger, like many double action guns, gets better with usage, but the trigger on my dad's S&W 642 is still smoother. Either one would be an excellent wheelgun choice. Wheelgun? Semi-auto? Any possibility you could get one of each?
I just cant justify one of each, as much as I'd love to. I've already got more carry guns than places to carry them, so this is more of a niche gun. Combine that with the fact that I'm trying to finish up an AR and I'm pushing the gun budget a little farther than normal this early in the year. After watching the new Magnificent Seven last night (Great movie for what it is, by the way), I'm pretty much sold on a revolver, either an LCR or a 642. Leaning pretty heavily towards an LCR, but the 642 still has a shot if I can find a range with one on the rental counter. You guys are awesome - thanks for the suggestions.
When I'm working in confined spaces such as rail cabin, aircraft, etc, where the FOF is truncated and potential collateral target spacing is abbreviated, I prefer a shorter revolver (vice my S&W 5-inch PC 627-5) or shorter semi-auto (vice my 5-inch 1911) such as the S&W J-Frame .357 Model 640 or Kahr .40 MK4043. I prefer the 125-grain .357 and 135-grain .40 loads with fast-burning powder to get max instantaneous velocity & hollowpoint projectile profile for optimum expansion. Although these are diminutive in size, the cartridges used are not. They are full-power and WILL display a significant amount of muzzle flash and recoil. They conceal well with a single garment and with a proper-fitting holster. They are not "beaters" in any definition of the word. I have carefully chosen them after many decades of handgun carry. Each of them back-up the aforementioned full-size models; however, they become the primary in the environment that I described in the previous paragraph. Regardless of the combination that I carry, my Seecamp .32 and a big folding knife fulfill tertiary duty.
If pocket carry is what your looking at I don't think you can beat a Ruger LCP II that just disappears in any style of pant pocket I've tried it in and the new trigger is night and day compared to the old LCP. If you don't mind going a little bigger then the world of single stack 9's gives you so many options. My BUG in an ankle carry is my Walther PPS M2 which I think is as close to perfection as I've seen in a single stack 9. Another option I'd highly recommend is the Ruger LC9s either the standard or pro model the Ruger has got an absolutely incredible trigger and the ones I've shot have been utterly reliable. I've tried both a Glock 43 and S&W Shield but didn't care for either of those triggers. While I've never shot a Pico I know it's a double action only and based on your dislike of its trigger you may not want to consider double action only but if your not turned off totally by that system I think the Sig P290rs is a hidden gem in the single stack 9 world, but I also do a lot of revolver shooting so I don't mind the longer trigger stroke.
Check out the Roger lcp2. It comes with a pocket holster which is very comfortable. It only comes with one mag so I purchased a promag which works perfect. I did have an original. lcp but the trigger pull was a bit long. Was fun to shoot though. If you can find an lcp custom which is the original lcp with a modified trigger and better sights go for it. I wish I'd seen one first. 269.00 lcp2. Or 239.00 lcp custom. Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk
Here is a list of my small carry guns. Each one besides the Sig P238 has a purpose (its redundant to the G42) NAA Mini .22 Sig P238 Seecamp .32 S&W 337 (j-Frame) G42 G43 G26
