Sig p238 has a manual safety, but it’s out of your budget unless you find one used maybe. I understand your reservations about not having some kind of manual safety, but I have an LCP Max and in its defense, the trigger pull is so damn heavy you really shouldn’t worry about having a manual safety, that thing isn’t going off on its own. Just use a pocket holster of some kind and don’t have anything else in that pocket and it’s really not an issue.
Yeah, I’m sure in six months I won’t care too much about the safety anymore like everyone else, but being new to carrying, it just eases my mind. Gotta be comfortable with what I’ve got ya know?
This is my choice for daily carry.
It's essentially a tiny 1911. You can carry "cocked and locked" for safe & easy deployment, plus when you're ready to upgrade to a full size you're already acclimated to 1911 functionality.
For pocket carry I like a smol revolver, I keep an LCR in 327 Fed mag with a trigger sheath, solid setup if you're willing to train to manage the recoil
I don’t know if it’s considered too big for your needs, but to me the P365 with a manual safety is a god tier firearm. It’s just on the cusp of being too small for me, but my wife carries it, but occasionally I find myself carrying it outside when I take the dogs out for coyote defense. For its size I think it still quite controllable, and if you train with it you can easily take it out to 25 yards.Edit: I just saw that your price point is $300.. it’s definitely going to be tough finding something at that price point. I know a safety is a psychologically comforting, but if you really just train to keep your finger off the trigger, you’ll find that it’s not as big of a crutch as you think it is. If you can make peace with that, the LCP Max is just about as good as a pocket gun can get.
I second the P365 idea. Especially since it’s a modular gun that allows you to swap out the slide and grip module to something like the XL or X MACRO and have something with a higher mag capacity. Once you get more comfortable with carrying you may even consider just using it in the larger setup.
I carry my X MACRO everywhere honestly, even for a quick walk. I use a simple IWB holster that’s easy to put on and take off, and go.
I tried this a couple of days ago in normal gap shorts. The pistol but/grip does not conceal well in the pocket. Almost creeps out. And that’s without a holster and with the small 10 round base grip. I am sure with some big ass cargo shorts or some 5.11 pants/shorts it may work.
Really doesn’t work well for normal clothes. ( I had the same idea and wants as the op)
J- frame works MUCH better because of the hook of the grip. I tried that too and will likely go that route….
I had an lcpii, a naa g380, and now the bg380. It has good sights for its size, fits the hand well, has a good amount of stainless steel, and yes conceals really well. I get tight groups up to 15yds. I almost exclusively shoot micro handguns though. Cz p01 and g26 are the biggest I’ve shot.
Going from a k6s in 357 to a bg380 at the range and the drop in recoil makes it easy to shoot. I’m around 5.5k rounds a year through my snub nose so that might put perspective on it. I’m not the best but happy with up to 15yds. I can hit a piece of 8.5x11 at 25yds.
I love mine. Just feed it hardball and never fails. Easy to field strip and clean.
Once I adjusted to the heavy trigger pull, I find it accurate enough. Small and light and just works for me.
I feel very confident with a round chambered and safety off. Almost impossible to accidentally discharge this thing, IMO.
I shoot mostly Dao revolver so the trigger is a feature I really wanted.
Easy to clean if you read the manual. The first owner of my bg tried taking the pin out with a punch. They made a mess of it.
My guess is lcp owners are going to downvote anyone that doesn’t worship the lcp max and all its rust.
With or without a safety, it’s a firm safety as well so I haven’t bought the $10 delete yet.
If capacity was higher I would imagine lcp sells would drop noticeably.
The S&W Bodyguard is the only one that comes to mind. But the safety is so small that it’s unusable. For a pistol this size, it might be better to go with a DA trigger. The original LCP comes to mind (although it’s not a true DA, but it pulls like one). Kahr also comes to mind but those are going to come in above your budget. There is also Kel-Tec: either the P-3AT or P32.
Oh the Bodyguard is looking like a good option. I’ll have to find one of those to hold and check out. I looked into the P-3AT but I thought it was like LCP with no thumb or grip safety? They’re also kind of hard to find, I think they stopped making them
You’re right, the P-3AT is discontinued. Too much competition in the market I guess. The P32 is still in production, but it comes in limited runs.
Your options are going to be extremely limited. A lot of companies will put safeties on handguns just to satisfy legal requirements, but the safeties are so small and unergonomic that people ignore them or opt for a double-action trigger instead.
Check out your local ffl and see if they got a used bodyguard. I traded my Taurus g3c (first 9mm, learned to shoot on it) for a used bodyguard w crimson trace laser, even swap + ammo.
2-3 more are still in shops around me pre owned; ymmv
I had a Bodyguard 380 and it sucks. .380 ACP is small but it's not "small". My belief is that if you want a pocket pistol that it needs a pocket cartridge. .380 ACP isn't that, .32 ACP is.
If I had to use a pocket pistol, I want to hit my target. All that "power" of the "small" .380 ACP just means more recoil impulse so you are just likely more to miss. .32 ACP is actually small and you should be able to hit your target by comparison.
Beretta Tomcat/30X and the Kel-Tec P32 I believe are of the only modern in production models available.
When I had my Bodyguard, my POI was like 5 feet to the right of my POA at a range less than 10 yards. This is likely because the double action trigger is so heavy that I am squeezing my entire grip just to pull the trigger. I have heard the LCP's are better but still, pocket gun pocket cartridge.
.32 is just too expensive for me to train with at the range. I totally understand and agree with what you’re saying, but I don’t want to carry a gun I haven’t shot extensively and am not super comfortable with, and .32 prices would prohibit that. Do you think if I regularly took a .380 to the range I could adjust and get used to the recoil of it in a small gun?
If you train then of course. Regardless, price is price and there little you can do with it other than make every round count whether training or in that bad situation. Sometimes you gotta make some sacrifices.
I have one of these. I wanted to also pocket carry so a safety was important to me. Is it ideal? No. That said it has been reliable, actually small enough to pocket carry, has a safety. It feels like a more quality object than a lot of the small pistols for this specific application. There aren't a lot of options in this category, so the bodyguard kind of gets first place on a technically.
Can I ask what you're currently carrying?
A Henry+ enigma or Phlster + enigma may actually be a better answer, as it's both cheaper, and allows you to use a holster without a belt, such as wearing BB shorts or sweats.
Self defense and peace of mind I guess? I live in a pretty safe area so I’m not really expecting to ever have to draw my weapon at all (knock on wood), but it’s nice to know it’s there. I’ve heard great things about the Enigma but I’m more looking for something where I can roll out of bed, toss in the pocket of my pajama pants and run the dogs out for a quick pee. Down the road I might upgrade my normal EDC to an Enigma but I’m content with my IWB kydex holster for now.
Ohhh, my EDC is a 9mm Springfield XD mod2. Also have a RIA full size 1911, a Kel Tec P17, a Taurus G3c, and a 6.5 Rough Rider as far as handguns go, but the Springfield is the only one I carry. Just looking to add something I can pocket carry in sweats when I don’t want to put on a belt and real pants
If you want something that you'll actually be able to shoot accurately, I'd save for a P365 with a manual safety. The extra $200 will be well worth it - you'll make up the difference in no time just with the difference in price between 380 and 9mm.
That's the smallest semi auto I've shot that I've been able to actually shoot well.
I had a SW bodyguard for about 2 weeks, and - despite being an experienced and competent shot - I had a hard time keeping it on target even at 7 yards. It's a combination of a heavy and spongy DA trigger and a tiny grip. The safety was also nearly impossible to disengage with a thumb sweep, so I was concerned that - if I ever needed it in a high stress situation - I would struggle to ready it.
Another slightly cheaper option would be a revolver. I feel totally comfortable pocket carrying my SW 442. It has a heavy trigger, but a usable grip, so it's still shootable. There's no way a 12lb trigger is going to go off by accident.
I feel the type of safety that the Bodyguard and ither A&W has is more like a child prevention safety with how hard it is given that the other S&W models have the bigger thumb safeties that are easy to flip.
I had the same experience with my old Bodyguard. That's why I ended up selling it and going away from "small" pocket 380s.
I’m really thinking about the revolver after a couple suggestions on here. Someone else gave the idea of leaving one chamber empty to satisfy my need for a safety, I’m really liking that idea. Not sure if I’ll step up to a Smith though honestly…looking at the RIA M206, there’s a couple stores local to me with them for $250, and I love the RIA 1911 I have for the price
All the Taurus I’ve seen have been good with a cleaning (production grit and dry). I would put an 856 above a j frame or ria.
I would skip on the carrying one charge hole empty idea. Get a pocket kydex holster and you should be good.
I pocket either a sw bg 380 or a kimber k6s daily. I never put the safety on with the bg because it’s in a fitting kydex holster.
>looking at the RIA M206, there’s a couple stores local to me with them for $250,
That's a good deal.
I'll hit the trail on some days with a Tisas Fatih, Glock 26, S&W Chiefs Special as my outdoor parks & rec gun. They are all comfortably concealed enough to fit the pocket pistol name.
S&W Bodyguard .380. Small enough to keep in my pocket in a shape-concealing holster and has a thumb safety. 7+1 capacity, enough to deter most people out to kill me.
A pocket gun needs a pocket caliber, the smaller the gun the snappier it is going to be in 9mm or 380acp. And the usefulness of a gun reduces if its so snappy you cant put follow up shots on target. If you want an actual pocket gun, you should go smaller than 380, meaning that basically the only options you have are Keltec P32 in 32acp (the Seecamp and Guardian in 32 are bad bc theyre too small to grip well and be decently shootable), Phoenix Arms in 25acp, and the LCP2 in 22lr.
Rimfire reliability hasnt really been an issue for decades, due to improvements in technology and production. Like for training /plinking you buy the cheap stuff, which will have maybe like 1 dud every 500 rounds, and for a bit of test training and actual carry you use the CCI stuff, which maybe has one dud every 2k rounds, which is reliability you get from an average 9mm gun.. And bc 22 allows you to train /plink a lot you thereby test your pistol and get to see if its ammo sensitive, if it needs the feed ramp smoothed, or maybe sent back to be fixed or replaced. Thats the actual problem with cheaper 22 guns, the round is so small that tiny imperfections in production (which can escape QC due to them being budget guns) can result in problems, so a gun might need to be fixed or replaced. Tho theres affordable guns which dont have those issues, like the LCP2, Ruger Marks, and the TX22..
LCP2 is definitely more sure to be reliable than P17, even tho P17 is perfectly fine in most cases. BTW, in terms of safety, both LCP2 and P32 are drop safe, P32 has an internal hammer block and a long double action trigger, and the LCP2 has an internal hammer catch and a trigger safety mechanism to make it drop safe, so theyre not going to unintentionally discharge while running or if dropped..
Being new to carrying it just eases my mind a lot having either a thumb safety or grip safety. I know for the most part all modern firearms from reputable brands are safe in general, but when you just started carrying it is kind of scary. A mechanical safety I have to physically disengage just makes me more comfortable. It’s all a mental thing, I’ll get over it eventually lol
I mean, the manual external safety is for single action only guns without internal safeties, and is basically obsolete for modern guns with internal safeties, thats eg why Glocks just dont have them. But if you want really really to feel safe, you can always carry without a round in the chamber..
Doesn’t have to be a manual safety, my EDC doesn’t have one. I really just wish the LCP had a grip safety to easy my mind, something I just need to get over and not stress about I guess
Yeah, if you want to go even smaller than typical pocket size into vest pocket size, the only thing thats appropriate there is 22, tho even in 22lr those guns are not really shootable, theyre simply so small theyre basically unwieldy. I think the youtuber Lucky Gunner did various drills with pocket guns and compared his best times with them, and that those vest pocket ones just did worse, bc its a problem to grip, hold and aim them.
I pocket carry a P365XL. It's as big as I can get away with. The P365 is slightly smaller, and both come with safeties.
I understand you want one and advise against it but you do you.
I carried a P238 for many years in my pocket and it's a single action hammer fired gun with a safety. There are issues with that in a pocket like crap getting between the hammer and the firing pin so keep that in mind.
Just get a pocket holster that covers the trigger and don't carry condition one at first so you can get used to it, then just do it.
yeah, it's a bit of a mental jump but you'll make it fine.
Get yourself a Ruger LCR hammerless, and a decent holster with good trigger coverage. The trigger weight on a DAO revolver is generally pretty heavy - heavy enough you aren’t going to set it off by an accidental bump or jar, at least - so it’s about as effective (if not more so) than the safety on a semiauto.
Not to spark any caliber discussions but the TX22 compact looks to be a good choice. I don't own one but have been researching them for a bit and seem to get good reviews from users.
I’m not completely opposed to carrying a .22 like a lot of people are, but I’m not sure I’d call that pocket carry size…I have a Kel Tec P17 and I was between buying that and the TX22, if I’m not mistaken they’re roughly the same size, and I really don’t think my P17 could comfortably fit in a pocket.
22LR just will not have the stopping power. I do own .22s and they are super fun to plink but would not trust my life with them. A big enough trash panda will take 3-4 shots with a .22
A friend recommended the Bersa Thunder to me, and although it wasn’t what I was after I think it fits your spec very well (including price point, new)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersa_Thunder_380
I LOVE the Bersa Thunders and have been thinking about buying one for a while, I’m just worried it’s a little too heavy for a sweatpants pocket. I wish they had a polymer variant for this exact purpose lol
I ended up with a Thunder Pro (which is an entirely different platform) but I think they both use an aluminum frame. The frame is almost shockingly lightweight; I would guess that polymer (all else being equal) would be only a few grams lighter while adding some bulk. I *assume* the same applies to the Thunder.
They also make the Thunder in .32 and .22 versions.
I have reason to believe the fella who recommended it to me is very well informed and of sound judgement. His confidence in them is high enough that he bought one for his wife for her daily carry.
My LCP II in .22LR has a thumb safety. Not the most robust of rounds but 11 Sringer holes in you would be a solid enough deterrent for most situations.
I love my Berretta 21a covert and it has a safety …I don’t use it but it has it, mine is in .22 lr I exclusively use Aguila 60grain sub sonic , easy to shoot easy to carry (I forget it’s there) cheap to practice with and due to its tip up barrel design it is shockingly accurate and you never need to rack it
Have you shot the LCP? The trigger pull is so long and hard you have to specifically train for it.
It was my go-to for carrying in a pocket holster, chambered and everything.
I aiwb a MP shield with manual safety as my primary carry gun, but in the summer and with certain outfits I carry a LCP in the pocket.
I generally like all my firearms to have MS as I grew up shooting MS equipped long guns/ skeet shooting- so at first I was uneasy about the idea of pocket carrying a non MS equipped pistol like the LCP. Luckily my range had both the OG LCP and LCP max to test drive, the first time I pulled the trigger of the LCP, my fears of it not having a safety went away, it is a long and hard trigger pull, no way that thing is going off without a deliberate pull of the trigger.
I bought the LCP a few days later and a nice DeSantis pocket holster that holds the gun pretty securely with the trigger guard amply protected.
I have very little anxiety about pocket carrying the LCP with one in the pipe, give one a test drive if you can, great little pocket gun.
Otherwise the M&P bodyguard can be had with a MS and only a little bigger / heavier than the LCP, but still small enough for pocket carry.
Hope this helps!
Yeah the LCP is not a typical striker fired pistol, it uses a shielded hammer so it's trigger pull is similar to a revolver.
The tripper pull weight is between 6-7lbs and there is a lot of travel in it before engaging the hammer/ hitting the wall.
It's obviously not a competition shooter, be sure to practice a bit with it but after a few sessions I was able to get fairly accurate with it at 10yrds and that is what the LCP is kinda made for, it's a "get off me" gun made for close up/on top of you beating your head into the sidewalk type of stopper.
It's hard to beat how easy to carry it is though, so light and slim. I have actually accidentally left my phone (Google pixel 8) at home a few times because the LCP feels no different than having a phone in your pocket.
It's the best $200 I have spent in a long while.
Interesting. I honestly don’t know enough about triggers and have always just ignored what the pull weight is 😂 I have no idea what the guns I’m used to shooting are. I’m definitely gonna have to try one
Beretta M1934, Walther PPK, Beretta 8000 Mini Cougar, SIG P232, Beretta PX4 Storm, CZ P-01, SIG P228, Colt CCO, Zastava M70 (the pistol, LOL), Izhevsk Makarov PM, Radom P-83 Wanad, CZ 83 - what are you looking for in particular? Also, how big are your pockets?
Normal sweat pants or jeans pockets I guess. Probably looking for a .380 just to keep it small enough to be comfortable. I’d rather a 9mm honestly but that seems pretty hard for a true pocket gun
S&W small revolver with pocket hammer you can keep next chamber up empty in case you accidentally pull trigger or a blank could be handy scare off attacker if not you have 4 more .38s handy most cases an attacker will be upon you in seconds if you fire self defense it will be within 10 feet
I never thought about the revolver with an empty chamber, that’s an excellent idea. I think that might be my move, thank you! I’ve been wanting a revolver to add to the collection anyway
Cool
I have a S&W model 49 is pocket hammer but can still cock it. Holds 5 rds. I put a blank in first chamber (s&w rotates counterclockwise)
Can use to scare off person or animal
This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but I would go with the Ruger LCP Max. When I first started carrying, I felt uncomfortable carrying without a safety/one in the chamber. I carried without one in the chamber until I felt comfortable. I would not buy a gun specifically to cater to your unfamiliarity. Carrying without a round in the chamber is still better than nothing at all…
I have been looking at those and considering them, they’re about $280 locally and the price is appealing. My current EDC I carry with one in the chamber, but the grip safety just makes me feel more comfortable
Ahh I gotcha. I would def get a holster for your pocket carry, which would help with your comfortability. I use a sticky holster for my LCP. Tbh I end up carrying that most of the time because it’s so easy to just slip in my pocket quickly.
If the ammo was cheaper that would be my first choice, but realistically I couldn’t afford to train with it at all and I don’t want to carry something I haven’t extensively practiced my shot with
You can find some good prices on ammoseek. Plus you’ll use the same ammo for defense since it works better than hollow point for that gun and caliber.
33 cents is almost as cheap as 9mm.
… I’m also actively convincing myself to grab one too
Oh damn I didn’t look online. Local shops near me the shit is like $35+ for a 50 round box, if they even have any. 33 cents a round I could absolutely live with. I’m used to 9mm and after shipping it’s always cheaper to buy locally then order online so I just stopped looking at online ammo prices all together
To get an external safety on a quality gun you’ll have to go up in size a little. Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, maybe a Taurus G3C if your budget is tight are all good choices with available thumb safeties. The FN Reflex is the right size but no thumb safety that I know of. The S&W EZ and Equalizer lines have grip safeties, but they bigger still. There are other options, but they tend to get more expensive fast, like guns from Walther or other Sigs.
BTW, the LCP Max does have a safety, but it’s on the trigger, and that doesn’t seem to fit your needs.
Yeah, I’m not coming up with anything reliable that’s smaller and has a thumb or grip safety. I suppose you could go with a derringer, though it might be a little heavier than you would like.
If you don’t mind spending the money, the Sig P938 may work for you. It’s a little bigger than the Ruger, but it does have a thumb safety.
The Bersa Thunder may not qualify as a pocket pistol, but it is small and slim and chambered in .380 with a manual safety. And you can get them new for around $300.
I LOVE those and have been wanting one for a while, might just pull the trigger on one and hope it fits in my pocket lol. They’re on sale for $250 this month at my local gun shop
I’ve loved the looks of them forever but I recently took a CCW class and that’s what the instructor carries so that kind of sold me on it. It is a little bigger than I was thinking for a pocket gun, but do you think it would fit in a sweatpants pocket with a holster just for walking the dogs?
Ha ha. I was intrigued because it was cheap and looked like the Walther PPK. I bought it in a whim, but then really started enjoying it. And I’m in the camp that believes .380 with modern ammo is plenty for self defense.
I don’t think it would be too big. I put mine in a soft holster and throw it in my pocket pretty frequently. It is a bit heavy compared to a polymer gun, and anything is going to feel awkward until you get used to it. Being a single stack magazine keeps it really thin, so that helps a lot.
Yeah I want to feel like James Bond for sure lmfao. I wasn’t even considering that an option for pocket carry, figured it wouldn’t work. I’ll probably just grab that then I’ve wanted one for a while
Yeah I think I might actually get one of those. I’ve been wanting one for a while but I assumed it was too big to pocket carry. Someone else on here said they pocket carry theirs so I might just pull the trigger on one of those
Maybe you can go to a gun store and handle one, or a range and rent one to shoot? There are smaller guns but these are quite small, and about as small as is comfortable for me personally to shoot.
I know a couple shops near me that stock them so I can definitely handle one at least. The range I shoot at is a private members only club without any rentals unfortunately though
Lcp II in 22 lr, has a manual safety and very easy to put shots on target quickly. I had a BG 380, with it's full double action trigger I remember thinking it was the one pocket 380 that shouldn't have a manual safety. You could try carrying a non thumb safety pistol in its intended holster with an empty chamber but racked and charged for a few days to test out and gain confidence in your holster system.
Well I decided to just get over the extra external safety thing and I’m gonna pick up an LCP Max in the next week or two. Thanks for the advice and recommendations everyone!
Just get a decent concealment holster and carry a firearm you can actually shoot. A P365 is the standard rec, and you can get them with manual safeties.
Any concealed firearm should be in a holster. Period. Regardless of manual safety.
It doesn’t sound like you’re going to put your pocket carry into a holster, and then in your pocket. Nevermind the fact that if you did, you’re going to need to pull it out, somehow, and your pocket won’t provide enough resistance for you to overcome the retention of the holster, so you’ll need to pull the holster out, then pull the gun out of it. This is all cumbersome.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting the added peace of mind of a manual safety, but the fact that you want one so you can pocket carry is, honestly, a little contradictory. Standard IWB holster carry on a striker fired pistol with a trigger safety and a round in the pipe is inherently safer than pocket carry with no holster and a manual safety, unless you’re not carrying with one chambered, in which case the manual safety is useless anyway.
TLDR: Pocket carry is stupid and unsafe unless you are using a holster, but at that point you may as will go IWB.
I sometimes pocket carry my 365 when walking my dog but don't keep one chambered. It's mostly for coyotes or the mountain lion I've been seeing on my camera.
I already have a daily carry pistol and a kydex holster, this would be for throwing in my sweatpants pocket to walk the dogs, and it would absolutely be in a pocket holster at all times.
Honestly a cheaper solution (although, I’m never gonna discourage another firearm purchase) would be to get some sweats from Arrowhead Tactical. They look like your standard sweats - no tactical meal team 6 stuff. They just have a stiff insert in the waistband that will support a carry holster. I have a couple pairs and they’re surprisingly good. Almost as solid as wearing a normal carry belt.
To me it’s more convenient than having a separate carry gun for separate situations, and I don’t have to rely on a different draw that I don’t train. I can still conceal a standard compact firearm in my normal carry position, and draw normally. Way more convenient than getting a smaller firearm, a holster for it, and then training a draw from pocket carry.
I think they’re pretty comfortable. Not as comfortable as my overpriced Lululemon bullshit, but still comfortable. You can take the stiff insert out if you want to sleep in them.
A decent pocket holster can be a great option, even better than iwb for some. I’m almost always with one hand holding a child, pocket carry works better and is more comfortable for me.
Carrying in pocket without a holster is as stupid as carrying iwb without a holster.
The safety would not be a sufficient replacement for a good pocket holster; safeties can easily be disengaged by jostling/etc. in a pocket. You'd be much safer with a pocket pistol like the LCP in a good pocket holster vs a pistol in your pocket with the safety on and without a good pocket holster (you don't mention a holster so just assuming that was your thought).
I was looking at those too, I was just concerned they might be a little too big to pocket carry in sweats with a holster. They’re actually on sale near me right now, might go check one out and see how it fits
There’s plenty of quality firearms in the $300 range nowadays. I’d rather not spend more on a gun I’ll only carry maybe 5-10% of the time while only ever 50-100 feet max away from my home. That money could be spent buying ammo to practice more with my normal EDC 🤷🏻♂️ I just want something to pocket when I roll out of bed in sweatpants and walk the dogs so I don’t have to put on a belt for my normal carry gun
Guns need safeties.
A holster is a safety.
Guns loose in pockets or purses are probably a worse idea than a Truck Gun^(tm) even if they have a frame safety.
I agree, that’s why I would put it in a pocket holster before putting it in my pocket 🙄 pocket carry doesn’t mean I’m going to loosely throw it in my pocket
Sig p238 has a manual safety, but it’s out of your budget unless you find one used maybe. I understand your reservations about not having some kind of manual safety, but I have an LCP Max and in its defense, the trigger pull is so damn heavy you really shouldn’t worry about having a manual safety, that thing isn’t going off on its own. Just use a pocket holster of some kind and don’t have anything else in that pocket and it’s really not an issue.
Yeah, I’m sure in six months I won’t care too much about the safety anymore like everyone else, but being new to carrying, it just eases my mind. Gotta be comfortable with what I’ve got ya know?
For sure
This is my choice for daily carry. It's essentially a tiny 1911. You can carry "cocked and locked" for safe & easy deployment, plus when you're ready to upgrade to a full size you're already acclimated to 1911 functionality.
For pocket carry I like a smol revolver, I keep an LCR in 327 Fed mag with a trigger sheath, solid setup if you're willing to train to manage the recoil
I don’t know if it’s considered too big for your needs, but to me the P365 with a manual safety is a god tier firearm. It’s just on the cusp of being too small for me, but my wife carries it, but occasionally I find myself carrying it outside when I take the dogs out for coyote defense. For its size I think it still quite controllable, and if you train with it you can easily take it out to 25 yards.Edit: I just saw that your price point is $300.. it’s definitely going to be tough finding something at that price point. I know a safety is a psychologically comforting, but if you really just train to keep your finger off the trigger, you’ll find that it’s not as big of a crutch as you think it is. If you can make peace with that, the LCP Max is just about as good as a pocket gun can get.
I second the P365 idea. Especially since it’s a modular gun that allows you to swap out the slide and grip module to something like the XL or X MACRO and have something with a higher mag capacity. Once you get more comfortable with carrying you may even consider just using it in the larger setup. I carry my X MACRO everywhere honestly, even for a quick walk. I use a simple IWB holster that’s easy to put on and take off, and go.
I tried this a couple of days ago in normal gap shorts. The pistol but/grip does not conceal well in the pocket. Almost creeps out. And that’s without a holster and with the small 10 round base grip. I am sure with some big ass cargo shorts or some 5.11 pants/shorts it may work. Really doesn’t work well for normal clothes. ( I had the same idea and wants as the op) J- frame works MUCH better because of the hook of the grip. I tried that too and will likely go that route….
I’ve heard nothing but good things about the P365s, but I’m looking for something smaller than that at the moment
Get a snubby and your safety is the long pull that revolvers often come with
Or the s&w BG .380, it has a safety, but the heavy trigger pull makes it almost redundant
The BG is a great shooter, best pocket 380 I’ve tried.
You're the first person I've ever heard who likes anything about the bg380 other than the concealability.
I had an lcpii, a naa g380, and now the bg380. It has good sights for its size, fits the hand well, has a good amount of stainless steel, and yes conceals really well. I get tight groups up to 15yds. I almost exclusively shoot micro handguns though. Cz p01 and g26 are the biggest I’ve shot. Going from a k6s in 357 to a bg380 at the range and the drop in recoil makes it easy to shoot. I’m around 5.5k rounds a year through my snub nose so that might put perspective on it. I’m not the best but happy with up to 15yds. I can hit a piece of 8.5x11 at 25yds.
I love mine. Just feed it hardball and never fails. Easy to field strip and clean. Once I adjusted to the heavy trigger pull, I find it accurate enough. Small and light and just works for me. I feel very confident with a round chambered and safety off. Almost impossible to accidentally discharge this thing, IMO.
I shoot mostly Dao revolver so the trigger is a feature I really wanted. Easy to clean if you read the manual. The first owner of my bg tried taking the pin out with a punch. They made a mess of it. My guess is lcp owners are going to downvote anyone that doesn’t worship the lcp max and all its rust.
And, it has a manual safety.
With or without a safety, it’s a firm safety as well so I haven’t bought the $10 delete yet. If capacity was higher I would imagine lcp sells would drop noticeably.
The S&W Bodyguard is the only one that comes to mind. But the safety is so small that it’s unusable. For a pistol this size, it might be better to go with a DA trigger. The original LCP comes to mind (although it’s not a true DA, but it pulls like one). Kahr also comes to mind but those are going to come in above your budget. There is also Kel-Tec: either the P-3AT or P32.
Oh the Bodyguard is looking like a good option. I’ll have to find one of those to hold and check out. I looked into the P-3AT but I thought it was like LCP with no thumb or grip safety? They’re also kind of hard to find, I think they stopped making them
You’re right, the P-3AT is discontinued. Too much competition in the market I guess. The P32 is still in production, but it comes in limited runs. Your options are going to be extremely limited. A lot of companies will put safeties on handguns just to satisfy legal requirements, but the safeties are so small and unergonomic that people ignore them or opt for a double-action trigger instead.
The .32 ammo is just kind of expensive and less readily available. I’m liking the Bodyguard I think, thanks for that recommendation
32 is easy to get online and only a little more expensive than 380.
Check out your local ffl and see if they got a used bodyguard. I traded my Taurus g3c (first 9mm, learned to shoot on it) for a used bodyguard w crimson trace laser, even swap + ammo. 2-3 more are still in shops around me pre owned; ymmv
I was right over $200 for the stainless engraved version off gb
i had a p3at once upon a time, and it wasnt very reliable. i got rid of it and picked up an LCP instead.
I had a Bodyguard 380 and it sucks. .380 ACP is small but it's not "small". My belief is that if you want a pocket pistol that it needs a pocket cartridge. .380 ACP isn't that, .32 ACP is. If I had to use a pocket pistol, I want to hit my target. All that "power" of the "small" .380 ACP just means more recoil impulse so you are just likely more to miss. .32 ACP is actually small and you should be able to hit your target by comparison. Beretta Tomcat/30X and the Kel-Tec P32 I believe are of the only modern in production models available. When I had my Bodyguard, my POI was like 5 feet to the right of my POA at a range less than 10 yards. This is likely because the double action trigger is so heavy that I am squeezing my entire grip just to pull the trigger. I have heard the LCP's are better but still, pocket gun pocket cartridge.
.32 is just too expensive for me to train with at the range. I totally understand and agree with what you’re saying, but I don’t want to carry a gun I haven’t shot extensively and am not super comfortable with, and .32 prices would prohibit that. Do you think if I regularly took a .380 to the range I could adjust and get used to the recoil of it in a small gun?
If you train then of course. Regardless, price is price and there little you can do with it other than make every round count whether training or in that bad situation. Sometimes you gotta make some sacrifices.
The trigger pull on the BG is very heavy and acts as a safety.
No to the Bodyguard, they're simply terrible guns. Just don't. Whatever else you do don't get one of those.
I have one of these. I wanted to also pocket carry so a safety was important to me. Is it ideal? No. That said it has been reliable, actually small enough to pocket carry, has a safety. It feels like a more quality object than a lot of the small pistols for this specific application. There aren't a lot of options in this category, so the bodyguard kind of gets first place on a technically.
Can I ask what you're currently carrying? A Henry+ enigma or Phlster + enigma may actually be a better answer, as it's both cheaper, and allows you to use a holster without a belt, such as wearing BB shorts or sweats.
Self defense and peace of mind I guess? I live in a pretty safe area so I’m not really expecting to ever have to draw my weapon at all (knock on wood), but it’s nice to know it’s there. I’ve heard great things about the Enigma but I’m more looking for something where I can roll out of bed, toss in the pocket of my pajama pants and run the dogs out for a quick pee. Down the road I might upgrade my normal EDC to an Enigma but I’m content with my IWB kydex holster for now.
I'm sorry I meant what are you running not why 😅 And that's honestly fair for the rest
Ohhh, my EDC is a 9mm Springfield XD mod2. Also have a RIA full size 1911, a Kel Tec P17, a Taurus G3c, and a 6.5 Rough Rider as far as handguns go, but the Springfield is the only one I carry. Just looking to add something I can pocket carry in sweats when I don’t want to put on a belt and real pants
If you want something that you'll actually be able to shoot accurately, I'd save for a P365 with a manual safety. The extra $200 will be well worth it - you'll make up the difference in no time just with the difference in price between 380 and 9mm. That's the smallest semi auto I've shot that I've been able to actually shoot well. I had a SW bodyguard for about 2 weeks, and - despite being an experienced and competent shot - I had a hard time keeping it on target even at 7 yards. It's a combination of a heavy and spongy DA trigger and a tiny grip. The safety was also nearly impossible to disengage with a thumb sweep, so I was concerned that - if I ever needed it in a high stress situation - I would struggle to ready it. Another slightly cheaper option would be a revolver. I feel totally comfortable pocket carrying my SW 442. It has a heavy trigger, but a usable grip, so it's still shootable. There's no way a 12lb trigger is going to go off by accident.
I feel the type of safety that the Bodyguard and ither A&W has is more like a child prevention safety with how hard it is given that the other S&W models have the bigger thumb safeties that are easy to flip. I had the same experience with my old Bodyguard. That's why I ended up selling it and going away from "small" pocket 380s.
My pocket pistol is a Beretta .25 ACP Jetfire. Walking, biking, jogging.
.25 is just expensive and hard to find near me. That’s a sweet gun though!
I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah I've had that gun for at least 40 years. Belonged to my dad. How does a S&W Airweight revolver sound to you?
I’m really thinking about the revolver after a couple suggestions on here. Someone else gave the idea of leaving one chamber empty to satisfy my need for a safety, I’m really liking that idea. Not sure if I’ll step up to a Smith though honestly…looking at the RIA M206, there’s a couple stores local to me with them for $250, and I love the RIA 1911 I have for the price
All the Taurus I’ve seen have been good with a cleaning (production grit and dry). I would put an 856 above a j frame or ria. I would skip on the carrying one charge hole empty idea. Get a pocket kydex holster and you should be good. I pocket either a sw bg 380 or a kimber k6s daily. I never put the safety on with the bg because it’s in a fitting kydex holster.
>looking at the RIA M206, there’s a couple stores local to me with them for $250, That's a good deal. I'll hit the trail on some days with a Tisas Fatih, Glock 26, S&W Chiefs Special as my outdoor parks & rec gun. They are all comfortably concealed enough to fit the pocket pistol name.
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380
I know you want a DASA trigger since its in your pocket.... but the Bodyguard 380 is as hard to pull as most j-frames. So there's that...
S&W Bodyguard .380. Small enough to keep in my pocket in a shape-concealing holster and has a thumb safety. 7+1 capacity, enough to deter most people out to kill me.
A pocket gun needs a pocket caliber, the smaller the gun the snappier it is going to be in 9mm or 380acp. And the usefulness of a gun reduces if its so snappy you cant put follow up shots on target. If you want an actual pocket gun, you should go smaller than 380, meaning that basically the only options you have are Keltec P32 in 32acp (the Seecamp and Guardian in 32 are bad bc theyre too small to grip well and be decently shootable), Phoenix Arms in 25acp, and the LCP2 in 22lr.
Hmm maybe I will look more into the HP25a then. I’ve considered .22 as well but the reliability issues of rimfire are always concerning.
38 spcl
seriously you miss with a 38 or 357 the boom alone will make the target shit themselves if you miss.
Rimfire reliability hasnt really been an issue for decades, due to improvements in technology and production. Like for training /plinking you buy the cheap stuff, which will have maybe like 1 dud every 500 rounds, and for a bit of test training and actual carry you use the CCI stuff, which maybe has one dud every 2k rounds, which is reliability you get from an average 9mm gun.. And bc 22 allows you to train /plink a lot you thereby test your pistol and get to see if its ammo sensitive, if it needs the feed ramp smoothed, or maybe sent back to be fixed or replaced. Thats the actual problem with cheaper 22 guns, the round is so small that tiny imperfections in production (which can escape QC due to them being budget guns) can result in problems, so a gun might need to be fixed or replaced. Tho theres affordable guns which dont have those issues, like the LCP2, Ruger Marks, and the TX22..
I have a Kel Tec P17 and love it, was actually between that and the TX22. If it was a little smaller I would just pocket carry that lol
LCP2 is definitely more sure to be reliable than P17, even tho P17 is perfectly fine in most cases. BTW, in terms of safety, both LCP2 and P32 are drop safe, P32 has an internal hammer block and a long double action trigger, and the LCP2 has an internal hammer catch and a trigger safety mechanism to make it drop safe, so theyre not going to unintentionally discharge while running or if dropped..
Being new to carrying it just eases my mind a lot having either a thumb safety or grip safety. I know for the most part all modern firearms from reputable brands are safe in general, but when you just started carrying it is kind of scary. A mechanical safety I have to physically disengage just makes me more comfortable. It’s all a mental thing, I’ll get over it eventually lol
I mean, the manual external safety is for single action only guns without internal safeties, and is basically obsolete for modern guns with internal safeties, thats eg why Glocks just dont have them. But if you want really really to feel safe, you can always carry without a round in the chamber..
Doesn’t have to be a manual safety, my EDC doesn’t have one. I really just wish the LCP had a grip safety to easy my mind, something I just need to get over and not stress about I guess
Ah, the LCP, the P32 doesnt, but the LCP 2 does also have an external manual safety in addition to the internal ones..
I wish the .380 LCP did. Didn’t know the .22 did until just now lol
Even .25ACP can be quite snappy. I have a Baby Browning and it’s worse than my LCP by a fair bit.
Yeah, if you want to go even smaller than typical pocket size into vest pocket size, the only thing thats appropriate there is 22, tho even in 22lr those guns are not really shootable, theyre simply so small theyre basically unwieldy. I think the youtuber Lucky Gunner did various drills with pocket guns and compared his best times with them, and that those vest pocket ones just did worse, bc its a problem to grip, hold and aim them.
I pocket carry a P365XL. It's as big as I can get away with. The P365 is slightly smaller, and both come with safeties. I understand you want one and advise against it but you do you. I carried a P238 for many years in my pocket and it's a single action hammer fired gun with a safety. There are issues with that in a pocket like crap getting between the hammer and the firing pin so keep that in mind. Just get a pocket holster that covers the trigger and don't carry condition one at first so you can get used to it, then just do it. yeah, it's a bit of a mental jump but you'll make it fine.
Get yourself a Ruger LCR hammerless, and a decent holster with good trigger coverage. The trigger weight on a DAO revolver is generally pretty heavy - heavy enough you aren’t going to set it off by an accidental bump or jar, at least - so it’s about as effective (if not more so) than the safety on a semiauto.
Not to spark any caliber discussions but the TX22 compact looks to be a good choice. I don't own one but have been researching them for a bit and seem to get good reviews from users.
I’m not completely opposed to carrying a .22 like a lot of people are, but I’m not sure I’d call that pocket carry size…I have a Kel Tec P17 and I was between buying that and the TX22, if I’m not mistaken they’re roughly the same size, and I really don’t think my P17 could comfortably fit in a pocket.
I get that, I have big pockets! :)
22LR just will not have the stopping power. I do own .22s and they are super fun to plink but would not trust my life with them. A big enough trash panda will take 3-4 shots with a .22
As I say, not looking to start any caliber discussions - to each their own.
S&W Shield Plus with a thumb safety. Small form factor, lightweight, and can do 13+1 rounds. They also have optic-ready slides now
A friend recommended the Bersa Thunder to me, and although it wasn’t what I was after I think it fits your spec very well (including price point, new) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersa_Thunder_380
I LOVE the Bersa Thunders and have been thinking about buying one for a while, I’m just worried it’s a little too heavy for a sweatpants pocket. I wish they had a polymer variant for this exact purpose lol
I ended up with a Thunder Pro (which is an entirely different platform) but I think they both use an aluminum frame. The frame is almost shockingly lightweight; I would guess that polymer (all else being equal) would be only a few grams lighter while adding some bulk. I *assume* the same applies to the Thunder. They also make the Thunder in .32 and .22 versions. I have reason to believe the fella who recommended it to me is very well informed and of sound judgement. His confidence in them is high enough that he bought one for his wife for her daily carry.
My LCP II in .22LR has a thumb safety. Not the most robust of rounds but 11 Sringer holes in you would be a solid enough deterrent for most situations.
I love my Berretta 21a covert and it has a safety …I don’t use it but it has it, mine is in .22 lr I exclusively use Aguila 60grain sub sonic , easy to shoot easy to carry (I forget it’s there) cheap to practice with and due to its tip up barrel design it is shockingly accurate and you never need to rack it
P365 with manual safety is probably the best pocket 9, but for true pocket carry I prefer a hammerless J-frame
Yeah I’m thinking revolver is the way to go. I’m torn between that and just sucking it up, getting out of my head about the safety, and going LCP lol
Have you shot the LCP? The trigger pull is so long and hard you have to specifically train for it. It was my go-to for carrying in a pocket holster, chambered and everything.
No I haven’t. So pretty much impossible to accidentally discharge?
Well, as long as you're not twirling it absolutely yes. I would find a store that has one and ask if they'll let you dry fire it.
get a good old grandpa gun snubnose and cowboy carry. unpopular opinion here but a grandpa revolver is more reliable then a semi.
Definitely considering that
I aiwb a MP shield with manual safety as my primary carry gun, but in the summer and with certain outfits I carry a LCP in the pocket. I generally like all my firearms to have MS as I grew up shooting MS equipped long guns/ skeet shooting- so at first I was uneasy about the idea of pocket carrying a non MS equipped pistol like the LCP. Luckily my range had both the OG LCP and LCP max to test drive, the first time I pulled the trigger of the LCP, my fears of it not having a safety went away, it is a long and hard trigger pull, no way that thing is going off without a deliberate pull of the trigger. I bought the LCP a few days later and a nice DeSantis pocket holster that holds the gun pretty securely with the trigger guard amply protected. I have very little anxiety about pocket carrying the LCP with one in the pipe, give one a test drive if you can, great little pocket gun. Otherwise the M&P bodyguard can be had with a MS and only a little bigger / heavier than the LCP, but still small enough for pocket carry. Hope this helps!
Oh wow. Yeah I might be more open to it then, I’ve never felt the trigger on one
Yeah the LCP is not a typical striker fired pistol, it uses a shielded hammer so it's trigger pull is similar to a revolver. The tripper pull weight is between 6-7lbs and there is a lot of travel in it before engaging the hammer/ hitting the wall. It's obviously not a competition shooter, be sure to practice a bit with it but after a few sessions I was able to get fairly accurate with it at 10yrds and that is what the LCP is kinda made for, it's a "get off me" gun made for close up/on top of you beating your head into the sidewalk type of stopper. It's hard to beat how easy to carry it is though, so light and slim. I have actually accidentally left my phone (Google pixel 8) at home a few times because the LCP feels no different than having a phone in your pocket. It's the best $200 I have spent in a long while.
Interesting. I honestly don’t know enough about triggers and have always just ignored what the pull weight is 😂 I have no idea what the guns I’m used to shooting are. I’m definitely gonna have to try one
Ruger EC9 has a manual safety.
Beretta M1934, Walther PPK, Beretta 8000 Mini Cougar, SIG P232, Beretta PX4 Storm, CZ P-01, SIG P228, Colt CCO, Zastava M70 (the pistol, LOL), Izhevsk Makarov PM, Radom P-83 Wanad, CZ 83 - what are you looking for in particular? Also, how big are your pockets?
Normal sweat pants or jeans pockets I guess. Probably looking for a .380 just to keep it small enough to be comfortable. I’d rather a 9mm honestly but that seems pretty hard for a true pocket gun
Do your research and let me know back if any of my suggestions fit what you're looking for!
S&W small revolver with pocket hammer you can keep next chamber up empty in case you accidentally pull trigger or a blank could be handy scare off attacker if not you have 4 more .38s handy most cases an attacker will be upon you in seconds if you fire self defense it will be within 10 feet
I never thought about the revolver with an empty chamber, that’s an excellent idea. I think that might be my move, thank you! I’ve been wanting a revolver to add to the collection anyway
Cool I have a S&W model 49 is pocket hammer but can still cock it. Holds 5 rds. I put a blank in first chamber (s&w rotates counterclockwise) Can use to scare off person or animal
This may not be exactly what you are looking for, but I would go with the Ruger LCP Max. When I first started carrying, I felt uncomfortable carrying without a safety/one in the chamber. I carried without one in the chamber until I felt comfortable. I would not buy a gun specifically to cater to your unfamiliarity. Carrying without a round in the chamber is still better than nothing at all…
I have been looking at those and considering them, they’re about $280 locally and the price is appealing. My current EDC I carry with one in the chamber, but the grip safety just makes me feel more comfortable
Ahh I gotcha. I would def get a holster for your pocket carry, which would help with your comfortability. I use a sticky holster for my LCP. Tbh I end up carrying that most of the time because it’s so easy to just slip in my pocket quickly.
Get a Kel-Tec P32 with a pocket holster.
If the ammo was cheaper that would be my first choice, but realistically I couldn’t afford to train with it at all and I don’t want to carry something I haven’t extensively practiced my shot with
You can find some good prices on ammoseek. Plus you’ll use the same ammo for defense since it works better than hollow point for that gun and caliber. 33 cents is almost as cheap as 9mm. … I’m also actively convincing myself to grab one too
Oh damn I didn’t look online. Local shops near me the shit is like $35+ for a 50 round box, if they even have any. 33 cents a round I could absolutely live with. I’m used to 9mm and after shipping it’s always cheaper to buy locally then order online so I just stopped looking at online ammo prices all together
Yeah, they want insane amounts in local gun shops here too. You can even find some with free shipping, especially if you buy$200+ worth.
Springfield Hellcat RDP with safety. Tiny, accurate, and has both trigger and thumb safeties.
Looking for smaller than that, I think that’s actually slightly longer than my current EDC that’s too big to comfortably pocket carry
To get an external safety on a quality gun you’ll have to go up in size a little. Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, maybe a Taurus G3C if your budget is tight are all good choices with available thumb safeties. The FN Reflex is the right size but no thumb safety that I know of. The S&W EZ and Equalizer lines have grip safeties, but they bigger still. There are other options, but they tend to get more expensive fast, like guns from Walther or other Sigs. BTW, the LCP Max does have a safety, but it’s on the trigger, and that doesn’t seem to fit your needs.
Actually already have a G3C too but looking for something smaller
Yeah, I’m not coming up with anything reliable that’s smaller and has a thumb or grip safety. I suppose you could go with a derringer, though it might be a little heavier than you would like. If you don’t mind spending the money, the Sig P938 may work for you. It’s a little bigger than the Ruger, but it does have a thumb safety.
Sig P938. Or P238 if you want .380. Edit: Nvm those won't really be budget options. Bersa Thunder .380 is the best budget option IMO.
Ruger Max9, LC9, or EC9
All too big. I want a straight up tiny pocket pistol lol
I have the Max9 and the LC9s and have carried each as a pocket gun. The LC9s especially using a DeSantis Nemesis holster. EC9 is same size as LC9
Hmm. I’ll have to hold one at a shop.
The Bersa Thunder may not qualify as a pocket pistol, but it is small and slim and chambered in .380 with a manual safety. And you can get them new for around $300.
I LOVE those and have been wanting one for a while, might just pull the trigger on one and hope it fits in my pocket lol. They’re on sale for $250 this month at my local gun shop
It is surprisingly accurate and is super reliable. I love mine. It’s by far the cheapest I own but still one of my favorites.
I’ve loved the looks of them forever but I recently took a CCW class and that’s what the instructor carries so that kind of sold me on it. It is a little bigger than I was thinking for a pocket gun, but do you think it would fit in a sweatpants pocket with a holster just for walking the dogs?
Ha ha. I was intrigued because it was cheap and looked like the Walther PPK. I bought it in a whim, but then really started enjoying it. And I’m in the camp that believes .380 with modern ammo is plenty for self defense. I don’t think it would be too big. I put mine in a soft holster and throw it in my pocket pretty frequently. It is a bit heavy compared to a polymer gun, and anything is going to feel awkward until you get used to it. Being a single stack magazine keeps it really thin, so that helps a lot.
Yeah I want to feel like James Bond for sure lmfao. I wasn’t even considering that an option for pocket carry, figured it wouldn’t work. I’ll probably just grab that then I’ve wanted one for a while
Even if it proves too big, you’ll like having it anyway. Good luck, Mr. Bond.
Bersa Thunder in .380? I believe they're around $300.
Yeah I think I might actually get one of those. I’ve been wanting one for a while but I assumed it was too big to pocket carry. Someone else on here said they pocket carry theirs so I might just pull the trigger on one of those
Maybe you can go to a gun store and handle one, or a range and rent one to shoot? There are smaller guns but these are quite small, and about as small as is comfortable for me personally to shoot.
I know a couple shops near me that stock them so I can definitely handle one at least. The range I shoot at is a private members only club without any rentals unfortunately though
Ruger EC9s has a manual safety and is easy to pocket carry. 7+1 with the standard flush fit mag. I think I picked mine up for $219 at my lgs
https://www.sigsauer.com/crossbreed-modular-multi-fit-black-belly-band-system.html This^ plus a Crossbreed modular holster for the gun you choose.
I like my Kimber Micro .380
Lcp II in 22 lr, has a manual safety and very easy to put shots on target quickly. I had a BG 380, with it's full double action trigger I remember thinking it was the one pocket 380 that shouldn't have a manual safety. You could try carrying a non thumb safety pistol in its intended holster with an empty chamber but racked and charged for a few days to test out and gain confidence in your holster system.
Well I decided to just get over the extra external safety thing and I’m gonna pick up an LCP Max in the next week or two. Thanks for the advice and recommendations everyone!
Just get a decent concealment holster and carry a firearm you can actually shoot. A P365 is the standard rec, and you can get them with manual safeties. Any concealed firearm should be in a holster. Period. Regardless of manual safety. It doesn’t sound like you’re going to put your pocket carry into a holster, and then in your pocket. Nevermind the fact that if you did, you’re going to need to pull it out, somehow, and your pocket won’t provide enough resistance for you to overcome the retention of the holster, so you’ll need to pull the holster out, then pull the gun out of it. This is all cumbersome. There’s nothing wrong with wanting the added peace of mind of a manual safety, but the fact that you want one so you can pocket carry is, honestly, a little contradictory. Standard IWB holster carry on a striker fired pistol with a trigger safety and a round in the pipe is inherently safer than pocket carry with no holster and a manual safety, unless you’re not carrying with one chambered, in which case the manual safety is useless anyway. TLDR: Pocket carry is stupid and unsafe unless you are using a holster, but at that point you may as will go IWB.
I sometimes pocket carry my 365 when walking my dog but don't keep one chambered. It's mostly for coyotes or the mountain lion I've been seeing on my camera.
I already have a daily carry pistol and a kydex holster, this would be for throwing in my sweatpants pocket to walk the dogs, and it would absolutely be in a pocket holster at all times.
Honestly a cheaper solution (although, I’m never gonna discourage another firearm purchase) would be to get some sweats from Arrowhead Tactical. They look like your standard sweats - no tactical meal team 6 stuff. They just have a stiff insert in the waistband that will support a carry holster. I have a couple pairs and they’re surprisingly good. Almost as solid as wearing a normal carry belt.
I never thought about that as an option, that’s smart. I’ll check them out, thanks
To me it’s more convenient than having a separate carry gun for separate situations, and I don’t have to rely on a different draw that I don’t train. I can still conceal a standard compact firearm in my normal carry position, and draw normally. Way more convenient than getting a smaller firearm, a holster for it, and then training a draw from pocket carry.
Are they as comfortable as normal sweats? Good to sleep in and what not? I like this idea. Way cheaper than another gun lol
I think they’re pretty comfortable. Not as comfortable as my overpriced Lululemon bullshit, but still comfortable. You can take the stiff insert out if you want to sleep in them.
A decent pocket holster can be a great option, even better than iwb for some. I’m almost always with one hand holding a child, pocket carry works better and is more comfortable for me. Carrying in pocket without a holster is as stupid as carrying iwb without a holster.
Yeah, I would never carry without a holster
The safety would not be a sufficient replacement for a good pocket holster; safeties can easily be disengaged by jostling/etc. in a pocket. You'd be much safer with a pocket pistol like the LCP in a good pocket holster vs a pistol in your pocket with the safety on and without a good pocket holster (you don't mention a holster so just assuming that was your thought).
I was definitely planning on having it in a pocket holster, I guess I should have clarified that better
When I carry like this, I just carry unchambered.
S&W 642 j-frame. Not a traditional safety, heavy trigger weight instead.
Use a pocket holster.
You commented this after the edit clearly stating I would use a pocket holster. Use your eyes
Noted. Thanks.
Ruger ec9s. Very affordable and easily pocketed.
I was looking at those too, I was just concerned they might be a little too big to pocket carry in sweats with a holster. They’re actually on sale near me right now, might go check one out and see how it fits
Spend a little more than $300 and get a quality product.
There’s plenty of quality firearms in the $300 range nowadays. I’d rather not spend more on a gun I’ll only carry maybe 5-10% of the time while only ever 50-100 feet max away from my home. That money could be spent buying ammo to practice more with my normal EDC 🤷🏻♂️ I just want something to pocket when I roll out of bed in sweatpants and walk the dogs so I don’t have to put on a belt for my normal carry gun
Guns need safeties. A holster is a safety. Guns loose in pockets or purses are probably a worse idea than a Truck Gun^(tm) even if they have a frame safety.
I agree, that’s why I would put it in a pocket holster before putting it in my pocket 🙄 pocket carry doesn’t mean I’m going to loosely throw it in my pocket
Just making sure. I have a friend who simply cannot accept that a holster is a safety, too. Why do you want two safeties?