Am considering getting a new pistol for "Pocket Carry". Top contenders right now are S&W 642 and Kahr PM9. Tritium night sights are a definate plus for me, I love them on my Kimber Tactical Ultra-II. My 625 also made me fall in love with moon clips. I think my ideal gun would be a 642 converted to shoot 9mm with moon clips, and fitted with tritium dot sights, though I'm afraid it might be cost prohibative to have all that done. Thoughts?

Am considering getting a new pistol for "Pocket Carry". Top contenders right now are S&W 642 and Kahr PM9. Tritium night sights are a definate plus for me, I love them on my Kimber Tactical Ultra-II. My 625 also made me fall in love with moon clips. I think my ideal gun would be a 642 converted to shoot 9mm with moon clips, and fitted with tritium dot sights, though I'm afraid it might be cost prohibative to have all that done. Thoughts?

I'm thinking that 9mm would be too high pressure for an Airweight like the 642. A Scandium gun would work. I think a J frame would be easier to hide than a PM9.

Why not just go with the 642 / Crimson Trace combo....?

okay, crimson trace is not exactly "night sites", and .38 is not exactly a 9mm., but darn close, and from personal experience, quite effective!

Personally, I wouldn't want an auto in my pocket... too many moving parts to get plugged up, and fairly difficult to fire from the pocket compared to the j-frame.

~GOV

642 in a Mika pocket holster. 'Nuff said.

Edit: I had the misses lengthen my pocket in my jeans by 2 1/2" and what a nice fit for the 642. She did 7 pairs for me. Good girl...I'll keep her.

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John

The 642 in a Mika pocket holster is tops. Although the 642 converted to 9mm and moonclips sounds appealing, it has a drawback as a pocket gun...the moonclip. Loaded, it's a bulky item to pocket effectively, and, without a case or holder to protect it can get bent and a round can fall out. The 642 in .38, on the other hand, can be used with speed strips, which are flat enough to permit easy concealment. They are also robust enough to hold up. I love moonclips, but in a full size gun where spares can be carried in proper holders.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

642. .38+P

I have very quickly fallen for mine. It's over a month old now, and I can't go anywhere without it. It's light, easy to carry, and with proper +P rounds really packs a punch. I have no issues with recoil or aim. I'd recommend this to anyone.

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- The Federalist #46 -

Actually if you want to get 9mm snubby power, I'll bet a 340 with Speer SB .357 will be about the equivalent and less expensive. For a reload, pack a second gun. I also prefer more power than a .38 +P, so I think your thinking is on the right track.

I'll second the 642. I'm an average size guy in T-shirt, shorts and flippies weather most of the year. A 642 in a pocket holster is handy, doesn't print and it keeps the body sweat off the gun.

My holsters are the $12.95 Uncle Mike's. Use them until they get a little grungy and then chuck it and buy another.

Bob

Just pick up a 940 and you have the 9mm plus the ability to use moon clips. I have one, and it my favorite pocket gun.

My "all the time" gun is a 642. .38+P's are both controllable and effective. Speed strips are good for top-off reloads, Safariland Comp 1's are just about as fast as moon clips, with practice.

The 642 in a Wild Bill's pocket holster is on me all year, summer or winter. On those rare occasions when intuition raises the hair on the back of my neck, it going to be a 3" 625 or a .45ACP Combat Commander, with 230 gr. Golden Sabers, IWB holster.

Buck

I just got my first ever 9 mm. Guess what's in the off side pocket? An old school .38 Special Centennial.
(EDIT) I should have said an Aluminum Ti, Centennial, sorry?

Throw it in the wash with your clothes. It will be almost like new, but still broken in. That's what I do for my Uncle Mike's holster for my P3AT.

Tried a 640 with custom D&L Sports night sights and it was too heavy and a touch big for my pockets (mostly the grip was too long) as I'm not a big guy. It's my wife's CCW gun, but I wanted to try it for pocket carry. The 340 would be better as the grip is a little shorter.

In the end we bought my wife a Kahr PM9 for her running gun (she's a hard core runner, but very petite so weight makes a big difference). It's about 100% easier to carry in your pocket...flatter, lighter and just easier. It's in my pocket right now and when I come home from work and take off my duty guns, it goes in my pocket and stays there until I go to bed. Most times I forget it's there. R,

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USPSA TY23298

I EDC a 642 in pocket holster in the summer (640 IWB in winter) but up to now I have had problem with jeans. It isn't just the length of pocket but also how they are cut across upper thighs.

After years of attempts to get a BERSA .380 to function well enough to trust, I traded it in on a 637. Voila! The 637 is just enough different in profile to slide into and hide within my jeans' pockets. I use the same pocket holsters but it just fits better. I still use 642 in dress pants and Dockers, but the 637 has become my "blue pants" gun.

I'm too stupid to have thought of anything like that. Sometimes I amaze myself. Great idea, thanks!

Bob

I often carry my PM9 in my pocket, works great, but its a bit heavier than my 340PD which is my normal pocket gun

I always washed my Uncle Mikes - once removed from the pocket. Great way to flush out crud. Desantis Nemesis holsters can also survive the washer and dryer. Of course bending up the cardboard from a box of Sponge Bob Cheezits and using some Gorilla tape also works just as well.

Anyway, how big are the pockets in question? I used to pocket carry a G27. Worked fine. Some people carry N frames in their pockets, in which case a snub, alloy frame, moonclipped .45 ACP can be had.

Otherwise use the search function or ask in the revolvers 1980 to present section. There was a thread some months ago about a shop that converted revolvers to 9mm and moonclips. It wasn't all that expensive. I'd think that a steel framed gun would hold up better though. Esp if you're firing hot ammo.

The 9mm snubbys are a pain to reload and spare ammo in moon clips bend easy and become useless. Have tryed the old ruger,Taurus,SW 9mm snubbys. Its a answer to problem that don,t need to be addressed. 9mm primers can back-up and lock up the wheelgun with there high pressure. THe 38+P is perfection in power and reload with positive ejection. No clips to bend and wear out and no locked up cly. When Charter arms brings out there abortion rimless wheelgun series history will repeat its self.

When you can wear heavy clothing to hide a belt holster, the bottom feeders can rule. they are the true combat handguns in wonderful calibers like 9MM, .40 S&W and the King .45 ACP. (I have a Glock 23 and carry it in Winter.)

When you have to stick a gun in slacks or shorts in 80 degree plus weather, the J-Frame in .38 spl and it's knockoffs is the queen of the day! The .38 Spl will survive because guns like the S&W 642 and Taurus 85 are being made in it. I have a 637 in my pocket as I type.

I EDC a MK9 in a Kramer pocket holster. It's heavy and I need to keep my belt cinched tight (but got used to doing that) cause I'm overweight. The MK9 is a heavy little bugger but you can get used to it. Plus I love the smooth trigger! Been carrying it about eight years now.

I hear that a lot. I live in VA currently. I've carried N frames, full size steel 1911s, and similar large guns here in the summer. For a while I was toting a Model 58 as constant companion. Either IWB or OWB, I just untucked my shirt.

I'm from Michigan, and in the summer there, I'd just keep my sport coats on, but would buy "tropical weight ones". The Italians still make these and they were popular with colonial oppressors in hot climates for years.

Of course I'd still stick a J frame in my pocket since I just always tend to do that.

Here are three that I routinely pocket carry. The 8 shot 327 and the 325 both use your preferred moon clips. 8 rounds of 357 is very comforting.

I find the Colt Agent .38 special with 6 rds, and a hammer shield, a lite pocket carry and my S&W 386pd for IWB carry for the other days, depending on my mood.

I guess I am going to be beaten up here, love the j frames, but once i put my new ruger lcp 380 auto with a desantis pocket holster in my pants, there was no going back. The key is to use the best 380 ammo, which i believe is the new Hornady critical defense load with the polymertip for deep penatration for the 380.you could alos put a few round of the buffalo bore 380 hard cast.......will penetrate very very deep.
Also, Again I will get beat up, if you have not picked up a kel-tec p9 9mm, your missing something too. Amazing little 9 shot 9mm.

I don't see why you'd get beat up, but I'd point out there are other similar choices that are as good, maybe better depending on your wants/needs. The LCP is 5.16" long and 3.6" tall, and weighs 10oz. The Kahr PM9 is 5.3" long, 4.0" tall and weighs 14oz. The Kel-Tec PF-9 is 5.85" long, 4.3" tall and weighs 13oz.

The best .380 ammo isn't as good as just decent 9mm ammo, and since there isn't enough difference in size, I don't see why anyone would opt for the LCP.

The Kel-Tec is longer, taller and weighs almost as much. The Kel-Tec lists one extra round, but you can use the slightly longer mag for the PM9 and have the same capacity with the height now equal, but still have it shorter which makes it fit your pocket easier.

I'm not a big guy and anything much longer than the PM9 is going to start poking out of my pocket.

The one downside to the Kahr is price....I don't put a whole lot of empahsis on price when it comes down to my security. Actually, the PM9 is my wife's running gun. Her normal CCW is a Smith 640 with D&L night sights....too heavy for running. The PM9 goes in my pocket when I get home and take off my duty guns...stays there until I go to bed and I never think about it being there. R,

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USPSA TY23298

642, CT grips and a Mika holster.

For pocket carry I prefer my Bersa .380 CC. Eight rounds of .380 Winchester 95 grain FMJ's work for me. In the pocket holster it doesn't print and is light enough to be comfortable even in warm weather (we have a lot of that here in Tucson). If I am going to have enough clothes on to cover the strong side OWB or IWB holsters then the choice is usually the MP9C or the 649.

I bought a 642 Airweight 12 yr ago with a Kramer pocket holster. Very pocketable, very reliable, great, what is not to like. Never been "spotted" or questioned in all the time I've carried it.
Me being an engineer type am always looking for something better. I had 2 Kahrs (MK9 and E9) and loved them. So after some thought I bought a P9Covert and a Kramer pocket holster. Carried it about 6 months. I noticed there was a printed line the entire length of the slide. One day a friend asked me "What's in your pocket?" This friend would not react favorably to pistol packing. After a brief discussion that amounted to a nice way of saying mind your own business I have never carried the Kahr in a pocket since. I'm back to the 642. I have the smalled grips that are cut to the backstrap and bottom of the grip (actually the Uncle Mikes boot grips that came on it).
I've heard all kinds of people say "semis are thinner than a revolver so they conceal better". The fact is the cylinder is thinner than the Kahr. In an area about 1.5 x .5 inches the revolver is thicker than the semi. The rest of the gun: the entire barrel, frame and especially grip the revolver is thinner than the semi. It is also rounder while the semi is square edged and those square edge print!!!
I am always looking for something better. And I have tried so many "pocket guns". Really I just can't picture anything better than an airweight 38 revolver.

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Happyhunter loves the outdoors and is thankful God made it. Praise the Lord!!

Happy hunter, a Mika pocket holster should print less than a Kramer. I own and like both for my J frames and that has been my experience. That might be the ticket for concealing a Kahr. A small wad of kleenex stuffed in the bottom of the pocket against the front of the holster may be of use breaking up the outline of the gun sometimes.

Since 1993, 9 out of 10 times I have my 442 in my front left pocket in an Uncle Mikes. Speed loader in the right pocket.

Forget the 642 and get the 640PD that way you can shoot not only .38 Special or .38 Special +P you can also shoot .357 Mags if you want to. They are the same size and weight also.

Smitty