I just HAD to make a detour past the gun shop...

[Evil One]

I am off work this week, Caryn and I have been making packing and making our arrangements for our move to Pa sunday.
We decided to go for a drive.
Went past a small local gun shop and just popped in to look around.
They had a Taurus TCP there that I looked over.
Just from handling it, it seemed like a pretty decent little pocket gun.
I have been talking about and looking for a pocket gun for a year now.
This rekindled the itch for one.
Right now the smallest handguns we have are our Taurus 445 .44 special snubbies and Caryn's 1911 compact.
Yes, you CAN stick them in a pocket... and I pocket carry the .44s now and then... but well... its a bit of size and weight to deal with.
Add to that that I am not 100% comfortable with a cocked and locked 1911 floating in a pocket by the family jewels.
So... we hopped back in the Ramcharger and headed out about 35 miles to the shop where we have bought our last 2 in store purchases.
While there I started looking at the pocket .380s they had.
LCP, P3AT, TCP, P238... all pretty much disappeared in my pocket.
They are PERFECT deep concealment pistols.
However I have decent sized mitts. They fit the pocket... the hand, not so much.
I just could NOT get a grip on one that I was happy/comfortable with.
So, I designed myself to the fact that I needed to step up and look at a slightly larger hand gun.
I looked at the next shelf down and right up front was an LC9, I remember that Huey just got one and seemed to be rather pleased... so I asked to look at it.
While they were pulling it out I asked for the Kel Tec PF9 and the Taurus 709 slim.
I checked them all out...
Hand fit, pocket fit, trigger...
Taurus went back immediately.
That left the PF9 and the LC9.
About a $90 price diff between them.
After a bit more fondling I had pretty much decided on the LC9.
Then one of the guys said "hold on a sec".
Ran to the back and brought out a box.
Inside was a Kel Tec P11.
Close... VERY close in size to the PF9 and LC9, a little thicker grip... which felt WORLDS ahead of the other 2.
Acceptable trigger, I am a 1911 guy and almost all other triggers feel like **** to me... so this one didnt feel any worse that the others.
11 round capacity... yessssssssssssssssssssss.
If I am carrying something smaller than my .45, I would like a few more rounds.
I had almost decided on the P11 when the guy who went to the back after it said "let me show you something".
And pulled out a S&W 59 15 round mag.
*Click*
*shock and joy*
SO yea...
I now have a Kel Tec P11 on layaway, since my funds are for moving right now.
I paid a little more for it than I would have ordering it online, but well... I deal with these guys a bit and try to support my LGS whenever I can.
I didnt think it would happen, but I am soon to be a polymer pocket pistol owner.
11 rounds of 9mm with 15 on deck is more than suitable to me.


Jim

 

[JcMack]

CDNN has the hard chrome slide version P11 for $229. I've had a couple of P11's. They require a little fluffing and buffing (as they call it) and you wind up with a reliable carry gun. The Smith mags. do fit but they must be genuine. Even the best aftermarket mags. have a little different angle at the top and do not want to fit. I like the standard 10 round mags with the available extension. The slip on rubber grip is a real worthwhile investment. I had one that I didn't do enough regular maint. on. One day I pulled it out to clean and oil it after carrying it in my back pocket for a while. The extractor had rusted tight to the slide and I had a heck of a time ejecting the chambered round. I don't like 2 tone guns, but in this case I think the chrome slide is a good investment. It's not recommended to dry fire this gun without a snap cap. The relatively long and stiff trigger pull is one of the reason I feel safer putting this gun in a pocket. I don't have one now, but might pick another up soon.

 

[normanvin]

When you get settled in Pa. I can steer you to a few shops. One of them has a yearly safe sale coming up in a month or so.

 

[Evil One]

The LC9 having an actual safety was a huge plus in its favor.
I don't care for the length of trigger pull on the P11, however it makes it pretty safe in the pocket.
The fact that it is a true DAO with second strike ability was a big plus in the P11s favor.
I think I will be fairly happy with it once I put a few hundred rounds thru it, and know I can trust it.

Normanvin, what part of Pa?


Jim

 

[normanvin]

The LC9 having an actual safety was a huge plus in its favor.
I don't care for the length of trigger pull on the P11, however it makes it pretty safe in the pocket.
The fact that it is a true DAO with second strike ability was a big plus in the P11s favor.
I think I will be fairly happy with it once I put a few hundred rounds thru it, and know I can trust it.

Normanvin, what part of Pa?


Jim

Between Scranton and Wilkes Barre

 

[Evil One]

Excellent, been that area many times.
I am moving a few miles south of Hazleton.


Jim