Looking for very small carry -

[gasaman]

Seecamp 380

 

[BabaBlueJay]

Ruger, I just do not enjoy S&W autoloaders. They work fine, just not my cup of tea. If I am buying a Smith & Wesson, there is 100% certainty that it's a revolver.

 

[robvious]

sad to say, not the S&W.. big brother has a Body Guard.. I have a Ruger LCP and a Taurus TCP... Ruger pretty much stays in the safe.. Taurus goes in the cargo shorts pocket when the weather is just right... some times a Kahr PM9, but mostly the Taurus... or a FEG PA-63..

 

[haywood]

For me, the smallest I carry is a J-Frame S&W. I can carry it in any clothes that I wear including Pajamas. It fits all my pockets. If I have to go to the utmost of keeping it hid I'll use a belly band bellow my belt line in the appendix area. Actually my Glock 26 would do 90% of the time.

 

[smoothshooter]

I have a Bodyguard, but don't have anything against the Ruger... as suggested, shoot both. Also as suggested, the .380 you have with you is better than the .357 you left at home.

I will throw this out there.... here's a Bodyguard .380 compared to a Sig P365 in 9mm:

The P365 is wider and heavier, but the overall size is about the same. 6+1 of .380 vs. 10+1 of 9mm.

My Bodyguard only comes out of the safe very rarely, and only for when the smallest possible profile is necessary and when pocket carry is the only option. Most of the time, the P365 gets the nod.

LOTS of Bodyguards develop light hammer strike issues. I have two of them, and quit carrying them because of that.
For some reason, S & W has not been able to figure out how to re-engineer the design and eliminate the problem.
My guns are accurate, thin, and easy to carry. But not reliable.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I swap between a lightweight Colt Mustang and a lightweight J frame. Carry them in a pocket holster. Been carrying the Colt for a while now. I use Hornady critical defense ammo in both. I've never shot the guns the op mentions. Just my .02.

 

[Bald1]

If small is the main concern, and I think it is. You simply can't beat the LCP II. It disappears in pocket. And I don't find it difficult or painful to shoot AT ALL.

 

[Farmer17]

I had the Ruger LCP and traded it for the LCP II. The trigger pull was short and light on the LCP II and I was never comfortable pocket carrying it so I got rid of it and got the regular LCP and I'm quite happy with it. If I were to carry anything in a bigger, it would be my Sig 365, which is an excellent pistol and not a whole lot larger.

 

[ACORN]

I EDC a Ruger EC9S.

 

[Pisgah]

I prefer REALLY small -- Beretta Pico.

 

[Mike-4]

I recently purchased the 380 Max and so far am happy with the size and capacity. I've only put 50 rds of 95gr FMJs through it, so far no issues. I'll put another 200 or so rounds and re-evaluate after that. Not the most pleasant sub-compact to shoot but neither are my j-frames. The 380 Max, however, is easier to conceal.

Watched a bunch of YT videos about the 380 Max. While there were some that had issues, a majority of the videos were very positive. One thing that is constant is that Ruger has very good customer service should there be an issue.

I'm a S&W j frame fan so this will not replace them, just another option to choose from.

Regards

 

[BSA1]

I have the Max and the 365, but if I need Speedo concealment , this…

I prefer mine in .32 Auto.

 

[Guevera]

I've become a big fan of the SIG P238 and P938 pistols, principally because they have real, big-boy sights that I can actually hit something with. I've found both to be accurate and perfectly reliable.

 

[Old cop]

Picked up a Bodyguard in 2014 and everything was great until I started to experience light strikes. Had it repaired by S&W then sold it w/full disclosure in 2015. Got the MAX at a gunshow a couple of months ago and it's been problem free for hundreds of rounds of FMJ & HP. I pocket carry w/the factory 12 round mag. It recoils less than a J Frame, hits to POA @ 7 - 10 yards, carries twice the ammo and fits easily into a pocket holster.

 

[10mmauto]

I carry the BG but only when I need to put something in my pocket. Other than that, I use the Glock 42.

 

[studenygreg]

J frame or seecamp if you like metal frames. Lcp or lcp max for polymer

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[xfarfuldog]

When I pocket carry a 380, it is a Colt Pony DAO.

 

[gmiller0737]

I have the Non Max LCP & carried it for quite a few years no reliability issues but Replaced it with a Glock 42 not much bigger far superior Night Sights & Way better Trigger

 

[S&W629]

My M-60 is my small carry.....but my wife has a Browning 1911-380....that has been very impressive.....being a locked breech the recoil is not as snappy as the blowback actions of so many others....and the extra inch or so of barrel....sure makes a difference in 380 performance....

1911-380 Pistol Overview - Browning
.

 

[rwsmith]

I voted...

...but after reading the comments I think I might prefer the Ruger. It is talked up everywhere, like the Shield is in 9mm. I remember people finding things not to like about the Bodyguard, but I thought all that was past.