Small concealable?

[Adventure Wolf]

Sometime ago the company I work for took on several construction projects down in the Maxton-Laurinburg Area of North Carolina. That area is well known to be rough. It is an area of former textile and furniture mill towns where the mills have all been outsourced to India, China and other areas where people will work for five cents a day. The area has a high crime rate. I'm a 230 pound farm boy, but you won't see me walking some of those areas at night, especially alone.

I invested in a Fraser-25. I bought it used, and it was probably older then I was. Thank god I never had to use it.

Some of the other guys on site made fun of my "little pea shooter", but it isn't a bad gun. I've put about 500 rounds through it and it never jammed, and still carry it when I'm working out in Durham.

[Phaedrus]

A Ruger LCP is perhaps the smallest gun there is that I would be comfortable with. The Beretta Pico is a little tiny bit smaller but it has no track record yet having been released just this month. I suppose one of the little Minx/Jetfire .22/.25's with the tip-up barrel would be even tinier but personally I put the .380 at the lower limit unless we're talking pure back up gun. To be honest I'd rather carry a .38 Special or 9mm The Ruger LCR is just slightly lighter than a Smith 642 and has a bit better trigger. Probably wouldn't make much difference at bad breath distance but it's more fun to shoot to me which means you'll practice with it more. Lots of good options out there but the Ruger LCR is the smallest gun that I ever CCW.

Now that it's cold enough that I'm always bundled up though I carry an HK P30S.

[1stimestar]

Yea it has to be concealable in office casual lol.

[Rick]

Even though it's winter how do you guys manage large weapons when you go inside a restaurant or other place where you normally take off your coat? I live in an open or conceal state but some of you can't even print. How do you handle that with the big guns?

I'm not comfortable carrying open in public places only because I don't want bad guys to know I carry.

[crashdive123]

1st - do you have a "smallest caliber" in mind that you want to carry?

[natertot]

Another option for you is the Ruger LC9 or LC380 (NOT LCP380). They are a little larger than the LCP, but not much. Very pleasant to shoot because you can actually hold on to them. I find it easy to conceal by using an in the waist band holster where only the handle is shown parallel to my belt. To hide the handle, I simply put my shirt or jacket over it. In an office setting, I usually will wear a suit jacket over it or I will blouse my dress shirt a bit. Never had any issues.

A lady that I work with, she uses what she calls a "gun rack". I don't know if that is the actual name or not. It is a special holster the attaches to bras.

[RangerXanatos]

Another option for you is the Ruger LC9 or LC380 (NOT LCP380). They are a little larger than the LCP, but not much. Very pleasant to shoot because you can actually hold on to them.

I have the LC9 and if you get the 9rd extended magazine it fills like a full sized gun in the hand. Or you can stick with the regular 7 round magazine and choose with the flat-butt or the pinky extension.

Not my pictures.
1-Ruger-LC9S-with-Finger-Ext-Floorplate-Mag.jpg
ruger-lc9-cover.jpg
lc9-9-round-magazine.jpg

[1stimestar]

1st - do you have a "smallest caliber" in mind that you want to carry?

Yep, .22. I really just need something small.

[rebel]

How about this: http://www.beretta.com/en-us/21-a-bobcat/

[Old Professor]

If you would be satisfied with a 22 caliber, there is the North American Arms five shot derringer in 22 Mag. I just traded off the one I had for the S&W Shield 9mm. The 22 WMR was a joy to shoot. No recoil, very accurate at seven yards, Using Hornady Critical Defense 22 WMR ammo. I traded it off because I had difficulty gripping it in a comfortable way that actually let me pull the trigger.

[hunter63]

If you would be satisfied with a 22 caliber, there is the North American Arms five shot derringer in 22 Mag. I just traded off the one I had for the S&W Shield 9mm. The 22 WMR was a joy to shoot. No recoil, very accurate at seven yards, Using Hornady Critical Defense 22 WMR ammo. I traded it off because I had difficulty gripping it in a comfortable way that actually let me pull the trigger.

That's my back up to the LCP.....a leather sheath for a sharpening stone makes a good pocket holster.


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[crashdive123]

Yep, .22. I really just need something small.

I recently purchased a Taurus TCP http://www.taurususa.com/gun-selecto...cfm?series=738

Good price ($289) and fits the bill of small and concealable. I carry mine in my pocket with a small pocket holster. It is intended for close up use (I would say 20 feet or less). It is very comfortable in the hand and shoots well. I've put about 600 rounds through it so far and have not had a single issue.

[Phaedrus]

Even though it's winter how do you guys manage large weapons when you go inside a restaurant or other place where you normally take off your coat? I live in an open or conceal state but some of you can't even print. How do you handle that with the big guns?

I'm not comfortable carrying open in public places only because I don't want bad guys to know I carry.

Speaking just for myself I generally wear a zip up fleece (unzipped) when it's cool. It's not nearly warm enough to be a coat when it's cold but I will wear it under a coat. Inside at a restaurant or whatever I take off my jacket but leave on my fleece since I just have a T-shirt under it. When I do this I'll have my T-shirt tucked in so I can quickly and easily sweep the fleece back and draw. If there's some chance I'll take off the fleece I leave my T-shirt untucked; not quite as fast but a baggy tee will hide a gun pretty well, too.

So far I've never gotten a strange look (that I can attribute to someone seeing my gun at least!).

[Rick]

Are you wanting the .22 for defense?

[natertot]

I recently purchased a Taurus TCP http://www.taurususa.com/gun-selecto...cfm?series=738

Good price ($289) and fits the bill of small and concealable. I carry mine in my pocket with a small pocket holster. It is intended for close up use (I would say 20 feet or less). It is very comfortable in the hand and shoots well. I've put about 600 rounds through it so far and have not had a single issue.

I'm glad you have success with it. I had two of them, hated them both. Stove pipes, double feeds, fail to feeds were occurring pretty much during every mag. New mags, used mags, Taurus mags, Pro mags.... It didn't matter. Probably tried about 15 types of ammo too. It was also so small I had to readjust after 2 or 3 shots, if I could get that many off in a row. I also hated the disassembly on those things. Have to have a tool to pop out that side pin and it was a pain to get it to go back in. The other issue I had was I got a pocket holster for it and could carry it in a way that it looked like a wallet. But every time I sat down or leaned against something, the mag release would get bumped on it. I hated checking every 5 minutes to ensure the mag was still seated.

I got rid of them both, made a few $$ off of them at a show. I Like a lot of Taurus stuff, the TCP is not one of them.

[RangerXanatos]

Taurus is coming out with a new concealed carry pistol that is... er... interesting. Wonder how it would feel in hand.

http://www.taurususa.com/whats-new-the-curve.cfm

[natertot]

I'm already against it because it has a laser and a flashlight built into it. I don't do laser because statistically, those that rely on them don't shoot as many shots or sometimes don't even shoot at all. What happens is, people are in a high stress situation with an adrenaline dump. This causes the body, especially arms and hands, to shake. When the body shakes, the laser shakes and people second guess themselves on pulling the trigger because they don't think the shot will be just right. On the other hand, when you change your concerns to putting bullets at least towards the attacker, even if you don't hit them, they will start to turn and run.

Reason I don't like flashlights on guns is you can't point the flashlight at something without pointing the gun at it too. Rather have the light in my other hand and be able to separate the two points of aim at will.

I know Hunter also posted the .22Mag revolver. Those are neat little guns, but I also refuse to carry something without a trigger guard for obvious reasons.

This are just my preferences. Your opinion can be different.

[cwlongshot]

I know Hunter also posted the .22Mag revolver. Those are neat little guns, but I also refuse to carry something without a trigger guard for obvious reasons.

This are just my preferences. Your opinion can be different.

I respect your decision, just want to point out this is a SINGLE ACTION revolver, it dosent need a trigger guard, it cannot fire unless you cock the hammer.

Its a daily companion for me too.. For most of the last 20+ years.

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CW

[hunter63]

Carried with the hammer locked in the "in between groove".....hammer has to be pulled back all the way to index and put in firing position....
Trust it more than the auto w/ no safety

[natertot]

I carry autos with no safety, but I keep the trigger guard covered.