So what is your idea of the best pocket gun around?

I'd nominate the S&W 642 or the old bodyguards like the S&W 49.

I have a 49 that is being paroled from the 10 day jail tomorrow, and will post a picture when I get it.

I suppose there might even be some semi-autos that qualify.

Pictures welcome.

I think the M 38 and M49 are the best pocket pistols ever made.

The old M 40 and 42 are close seconds.

I'm not enamored of the new j frames built on the larger 357 frame: they feel clunky to me compared to the older J's.

I carry a j frame, but it is too big for my pocket.
Seecamp gets my vote for a true pocket sized gun. I have a .25 and had a .32.
I hear the .380 is a handfull.

I pocket carry my J-frames, but they all wear boot grips. I have to agree with Ralph7, the Seecamp is the perfect sized pocket pistol, but its stainless steel construction means it's a bit heavy. Mine is a .32ACP, and I have no interest in trying one in .380ACP. Attached is a photo of my .32 caliber handgun collection to give an idea of the size differences between a J-frame (432PD in .32 H&R Magnum, a CZ-70 (.32ACP), and my .32ACP Seecamp.

Regards,

Dave

Attached Images

32 caliber handgun collection #1.jpg (51.2 KB, 582 views)

Any hammer less revolver. No semi autos. With the hammer less revolver, you can walk with your hand on it in your pocket and if need be never draw it but can shoot from inside a pocket or purse with no slide to hang up.

Ruger Custom LCP.

Centennial has my vote. Old or new, I love them all. My EDC is a pre-36 from 1957 with a bobbed hammer.....it is so ugly that it is cute and no amount of wear is going to make it any worse.

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On the Oak Savannah

It depends on if you are referring to pocket carry or use...I doubt any semi-auto qualifies as more than a single shot firing through a pocket, so a Bodyguard/Centennial revolver wins out here.

Pocket carry opens up all sorts of options depending on its size...a 2 3/4" 500ES would be a good compromise between size and power...to some .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Seecamp or NA .32

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John

I pocket carry A Colt Mustang .380 occasionally or a 642 J frame if I can get it away from my wife, she loves that thing.

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Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

Depending on pocket size, .32 Seecamp or .380 Govt Colt. I've been challenged upon the effectiveness of either round but never have someone take me up on my offer of being on the receiving end and giving me an objective comparison to a more powerful round

MP340. When I buy pants, I make sure the front pocket has room:

I have a M&P Bodyguard 380 and a Ruger LCP with the stainless slide. Both fit in my pocket very well.

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Endeavor To Persevere

I've been carrying an LCP for years. I am well pleased.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

LCP Custom.

My vote is for S&W 642
Steve W

I carried a J frame for over 40 years and recently got an M&P .380 for pocket carry. Either is perfect and the choice between revolver or semi auto is just personal. Don't fall victim to the caliber wars, anything from a .32, .380 or .38 will get the job done. Caliber only becomes important for street cops.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I like the little Kahr MK9.

Kahr P380 AFTER 500 rounds and it loosens up. Just out of the box, it's a nice looking but expensive paperweight.

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Life's not fair. But I am.

Help me out here, unless your belt is under your armpits and your pockets are the size of bowling bags, how can you stand and fire a pistol, through your pocket, perpendicular to your body and expect to hit anything?

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I got news for you. Even if I could rotate a revolver enough to fire it in my pocket I would NOT. Think how close the cylinder gap is to something you value dearly...

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Endeavor To Persevere

Shooting through a pocket means jacket pocket to me. Pants pocket shot, not so much.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I'd have already bought an RM380 if I did not think I might regret not getting a Seecamp instead. All this Seecamp talk.... hmm.... really would like to at least hold one to see how they feel.... I'll wait.... til I can.... really.... ....

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Luke 23:34

I held a Seecamp once, but have never shot one.

I'm a confirmed revolver person, but I may have to make an exception and buy one -- like I did with my Colt 1911.

I'm a revolver person too but when I broke down and got the M&P .380 it gets EDC duty these days. Reliable, accurate & light - what's not to like?

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I was in a LGS the other day looking in the consignment revolver case. The sales guy was talking to another customer looking at semis. The customer asked what was the small semi-auto at the end of the row.

The sales guy said it was a Seecamp .32 -- and told the customer he would have to be careful shooting anyone with that as it might piss him off.

Funny wise crack, but I have to believe for a non-LEO like myself who just wants a bad guy trying kill or injury me to back off -- a couple 32 acp rounds in the chest would do the job.

KEL-TEC .32 DAO. Also Duluth Trading Fire Hose Pants have deep pockets and the right front pocket has a pocket within a pocket perfect for carrying a small auto or a .32 or .38 revolver. They are a bit pricey but guaranteed for life. Ware them out, send them back get a new pair for free.

The one you left at the gun store.

Not a fan, sorry.

Same here but the BG380 has totally won all the pocket time

I'm a retired ER Nurse. Several years ago, while I was still on the job, a bunch of us (ER Nurses, EMTs, cops, and a couple of Doctors) were talking about guns and gunshot wounds. Someone mentioned the .32ACP Seecamp and one of the Doctors said what a puny an ineffective round it was. Perfect set-up...and one of my buddies casually asked: "...Dave, don't you have and carry one of those Seecamps?" "Yep" I replied. The doctor then said he hoped I never had to actually use one in a real shooting as even he might not be able to help me after my victim beat the heck out of me for shooting him with a pea shooter.

My response was that if I had to use the Seecamp in a life or death situation, my plan was to shove the piece up the bad guy's nose, shake hands with his brain stem, and then empty the Seecamp into his brain. I then told the doctor that even at his level of medical ability, the only professional services from him I would require in this situation would be to 1) remove my hand from whatever was left from the bad guys head, and 2) to testify to the DA that my assailant, prior to my terminal care, was once a human being.

Bet you can't guess what topics were banned from discussion in the ER from that point on? Eh, the look on the doctor's face made it worth it, and it was quite a while before I ever had to buy myself a beer once the story leaked.

Regards,

Dave

After carrying my S&W model 49 in my right pocket since the 1970's, I've gone to the Ruger LCP. Much lighter and more shots.

I like the Colt DS with the shrouded hammer. I own two of them, a .32 and a .38.

My Vote is the 442.

Attached Images

image.jpg (71.3 KB, 209 views)

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Two Handguns every day

The Glock 42 carries just fine in a Sticky holster and is a lot more accurate on follow up shots than the LCP.

Walther PPK/S in a Galco pocket holster.

Depends on the pocket.

I've carried a 642 in a Nemesis pocket holster in the front pocket of my jeans and it worked ok, but I think I would prefer either a slimmer holster or a thin semi-auto, like a LCP, for pants pocket carry.

For a jacket pocket, 642 would win, with a 638 being a very close 2nd.

340 PD. Never leave home without it.

And always in a Mika pocket holster.

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Pass it on.
Mark

My vote is for the J frame or similar revolver, including the Colt Cobra, Taurus 85series or Ruger LCR series. I've been through a number of small .32 and .380 pistols, don't trust them for contact range stuff.

I think the S&W 340/640 or 442/642 in a leather pocket holster are the ideals. In a pocket gun, I want an enclosed hammer, DAO, flat finish and maximum reliability. My personal preference is for the 340PD or 640 with bantam grips for better concealment. I won't buy any pants if the front pockets are too small for a 340.

My decision is made not by what is lighter or smaller, but by what I want to be holding in my hand when I need to defend myself. The centennial guns have me feeling like I'm holding a real tool. Small semiautos leave me with concerns about slide bite on my big hands or limp wristing in certain situations. My comfort level with the .38 Special +P is high enough that I would rather have five .38 +P rounds instead of 6 or seven of any lesser round.

340 if weight is the major concern but 640 for all-around utility because is has about 9 ounces more heft and it makes a better blunt force weapon if need arises.

I like that ammo case. Who made it? Does it hold speed strips or loose rounds?

Another vote for the MP340. I can't see carrying less than .38 Special if I don't have to. I know ammo design has come a long way, but old habits and biases die hard. Further, I just trust the J-frame more than a semi-auto in a pocket.

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Dave Frost

I've carried a 1990 640 daily for seventeen years. I've considered the a Ruger LCP but can't afford one at the moment. I trust the 640 implicitly.

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Oh well, what the hell.

The only thing I have light enough for comfortable PANTS pocket carry is a Taurus TCP, and it has worked just fine for that purpose. For a coat pocket any of my snubs will work.

As a rule I usually carry something bigger IWB instead. Like a K-frame snub or my Bulldog 44 (which both fit into the same holsters BTW).

The 340PD, carried every day.

terry

Though I carry a 442 often, no one has mentioned the Sig 938. Very thin, light, and conceals easily. For a 9mm, not too shabby.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

These days it's the S&W 432PD. It's a 6-Shot in .32 H&R Magnum. I picked up two of them at Grabagun last month and they are real honeys. HKS makes speedloaders for them. I keep them stoked with .32 H&R Magnum Hornady Critical Defense. They weigh almost nothing and there is very little recoil. I am surprised these didn't take off better. They are currently out of production. I can also shoot .32 S&W Long and .32 S&W in them. I've heard .32 acp also, but haven't tried them.

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Loyalty Above All.. but Honor

A photo of a few of my pocket guns, but I have other J frame Smiths and if the hammer is bobbed, shrouded, or enclosed, you're doing well, but I tend to favor these little guns for their power. Don't let anyone fool you, .357 from a snub is still is far more potent than the .38 (but the .38 in +P is plenty potent) and it is manageable if the recoil doesn't bother you. If you intend to shoot .38 do NOT buy a .357 as you will lose velocity by shooting .38 in a .357 gun, a google search will be informative. The 442 and 642 are nearly half the price of the scandium guns, lightweight, potent, pretty much the same size, AND you can buy them from the factory with the cylinders cut for moon clips. I would be almost as happy with the 442/642 as I am with my 340's but I liked the XS tritium sight and the .357 option and I do use .357's in these guns.

IF you spend the money for Buffalo Bore, or the specialty ammo makers for THEIR +P .38 Special ammo, you will be achieving power levels approaching that of the .357, BUT if you buy other +P factory ammo from other brands, you may be getting watered down stuff. Do your research on this, my research found that many who ran factory +P ammo through their snubs were getting much lower velocities than what was advertised. With Buffalo Bore, though, people testing this through their chronos were reporting that the ammo matched factory claims of velocity. On youtube there is a fellow, tnoutdoors9, he does a test running Buffalo Bore through his Smith 438, for example, and got the factory quoted velocities.

Anyway, here are my 340 M&P's:

Either a 642 or a SIG938 for me, year round. Actually they also fit into the same pocket holster great. Don't see the need to go below a 38Spl or 9mm platform as the weight and size are almost identical.

Loose in pairs. That's the Galco 2x2x2 tan which is more mahogany colored and matches their "tan" color on their leather holsters.

Hi Badge130:

I had heard the same thing about shooting .32ACP out of the 432PD and called the factory to ask about that. I was told that if the piece will safely chamber the .32ACP round, then you could safely shoot it. I would have doubts as to any accuracy, but this would only be in a dire situation anyway. I have a .32ACP Seecamp that I use as back-up for my 432. The 432PD was my first J-frame, and I am very happy with it. My daughter turns 21 yrs. old this August, and has expressed some interest in acquiring her CHL. If she follows through and obtains her CHL, I believe I'll pass the 432 down to her to start her J-frame addiction. By the way, your 432PD looks much better than mine. Mine gets carried a bunch.

Regards,

Dave