Small back up recommendations?

goldshop · #1

My daily carry is a Kahr K9. The Kahr is an excellent pistol, but I want something smaller and lighter as a back up. During Houston's hot summers the Khar is hard to conceal while wearing a tee shirt so I want something I can carry in a pocket. Anyone have any recommendations?

longtooth · #2

Welcome aboard.
Taraus T-85 .38sp Ultra Lite. My pocket carry
J-frame Smith .38sp

Smaller
Keltec P32.
Keltec 3AT
Baretta Tomcat.
I have carried all 3 of these. They are difinately contact distance EENT guns.
I highly suggest verifying reliability in any KelTec. The .32s have historically been reliable out of the box. The 3ATs have a less than stellar reputation for going bact to the factory.
You will get other recomendations too I am sure.

GaryTx · #3

North American Arms makes a nice little pocket simi-auto called the Guardian. It's a bit pricey but high quality.

http://www.naaminis.com/index02.html

fm2 · #4

Goldshop, please post an intro. here:
http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... c.php?t=33

That will help folks here to answer your questions.

What kind of clothes are you wearing and finding difficulty concealing such a small pistol?
Maybe one of the polymer Kahrs?
S&W 642, tyler T-grip, and a Barahmi hip grip.

PhilR. · #5

Some others to consider:
Seecamp .32auto or .380
Kel-Tec P32 or P3AT
Kahr PM9
NAA .22 revolvers
Rorbaugh (sp?) 9mm

hth,
PhilR.

#6

I have a S&W 340PD. My wife bought it for my birthday about 3 years ago. I don't leave home without it. It is tuff with .357, but with .38 +P is no problem.

Diode · #7

Ruger SP-101 bobbed hammer 2.5 in barrel. .357 magnum and shoots them well. My daily summer carry, under a t-shirt in a Tucker pancake holster.

pbandjelly · #8

I like
one ah deez

or

one ah deez

oilman · #9

Kahr PM9

stroo · #10

I have an old colt vest pocket .25. Not an adequate caliber for primary carry but boy does it hide in the pocket.

goldshop · #11

Thanks for all of your replies.

My Kahr is fairly small but I still find times when it is not with me because of its size. Why I decided to get a smaller pocket gun was when helping a friend move I left the Kahr in my car because it was being exposed while carrying furniture up stairs. It was late by the time we finished the move, nothing happened but I just did not feel comfortable walking back thru the apartments to get to my car.

I have checked out most of your recommendations online. Due to the weight and size I am leaning toward the Kel-Tec P32 or Kel-Tec 3AT. I found mixed reviews for the Kel-Tecs online but would like to see them for my self. I stopped by two gun shops today but neither had one in stock. Anyone know where I maybe able to find one in the Houston Area? Thank again for all of the replies.

T3hK1w1 · #12

Stroo, you mean one of THESE?

as for a powerful yet small gun, have you considered American Derringer's Derringer in .45-70??

There's a thread running on it HERE
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.p ... 113&page=1
If you hold on to it loosely when you fire it could take out someone behind you as well

barnez · #13

i've owned a keltec in .380 but was always worried about it's reliability. i had a dozen jams or so in the first 50-60 round of winchester FMJ. i then shot around 75 rounds of winchester FMJ w/ no jams, but i always felt like it was going to start jamming again.

i'd say get the PM9 for a pocket gun, a little more size/weight/power than the P3-AT but an easier gun to shoot accurately IMO.

#14

T3hK1w1 wrote:Stroo, you mean one of THESE?

as for a powerful yet small gun, have you considered American Derringer's Derringer in .45-70??
There's a thread running on it HERE
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.p ... 113&page=1
If you hold on to it loosely when you fire it could take out someone behind you as well

THAT IS THE WORSE LOOKING GUN I HAVE EVER SEEN! You should send me your address and let me take that so you don't have to look at anymore. I want to help.

mr surveyor · #15

my Kel-Tecs are all 100% reliable, and I trust them. I did have some problems with my early production Second Generation P3AT, but Kel Tec's customer service and lifetime warranty are unmatched. My wife's P32 is flawless, particularly in her hands, my P3AT is a perfect always companion, my PF9 has now become my only 9mm pistol, and my former P11 and Sub2000 rifle were 100% reliable.

Obviously KT has had some problems with a few products, but you gotta remember that they are the lightest/smallest boom per caliber handguns on the market (in general), and designing high power in small packages is on the edge of technology.

Buy a new one (for the original owner warranty), give it a couple hundred rounds of good quality brass ammo (no commie steel or "bi-metal" junk) and if you have any issues at all, KT will make it right. It just ain't all that hard to ship it back for a couple of weeks if necessary, but odds are it is no more necessary than if you'd bought something from Brazil.

just my personal opinions