New to concealed carry

[Dave]

And how does this thing work? The magnum holster grip.

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

I find these little pistols intriguing.

You are talking over my head on plugs and locks but I will figure it out with some googling, I'm sure.

[randy]

Randy, are those things really $900? I looked on the S&W website and couldn't comprehend those prices.

How about the Kim endorsed mini revolver?

http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/ggps/4675/

I've never bought one new, and any gunstore that sells at only Suggested Manufacturer Retail on new guns with no dealing doesn't tend to get my business. That being said, I haven't priced them for a while so I don't know what the "real" prices are like currently.

I don't have any direct experience with the min revolver, but I do trust Kim's judgment (even when I disagree with him, at least I know it's an honest difference of opinion). Within the parameters he specified (i.e., last ditch hold out piece, in the hand beats in the gunsafe, etc.) it looks like a good one.

[Aglifter]

They're decent little guns -- great snake guns. (22 mag isn't completely awful, but a 32 is a heck of a lot more.) IMO, where they really shine is as a small snake gun -- the factory 22 mag shot shells work well against snakes, and the mustard seed shot won't put a hole in an Al john boat.

It's pretty to CC a more effective gun, and a Kel-Tec P3AT isn't much more in price -- the 380 is not perfect, but it's a bit more effective than a 22 mag. The NAA minis are also single-action, which could be a problem, unless you've done lots of Single-action revolver shooting.

[randy]

You are talking over my head on plugs and locks but I will figure it out with some googling, I'm sure.

S&W (and others) started manufacturing their weapons with integral trigger locks. AKA Lawyer Locks, put there to appease the lawyers in their legal department, and those of anti-civil rights groups wanting to put them out of business.

They require a key to unlock the weapon. When locked, the trigger can't be pulled, and you have an expensive paper weight.

CC (among others) have had them lock themselves while shooting. NOT what you want on a piece of life support equipment.

One solution is to only buy older ones that don't have the Rube Goldberg piece of garbage.

Another it to permanently remove the lock, thus voiding your warranty.

I'm not familiar with the plug mentioned by Aglifter, so perhaps he can elaborate.

[Aglifter]

It's a pretty simple device. You remove the small lock from the frame, and replace it w. a small steel plug to fill the hole -- helps keep your action clean, and looks better. You can keep the parts, and put them back in, should you ever have to return it. I've sent my 500 back, w. the lock removed, and it wasn't mentioned, but a new one was reinstalled.

[Dave]

Ah, yes. I've got one of those on my 870. I've ignored it and it hasn't given me any problems. I don't like hearing that they can self lock.

[Dave]

Does anyone have any experience with or thoughts on the P3AT vs. the Ruger LCP? Or any other little semis out there that you particularly like. I saw this review but wasn't sure if it was a widely held view that the Ruger is superior to the Kel Tec.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/newforums/s ... php?t=1962

Dave

[Aglifter]

IMO, for pocket semis

At the top, in both price, capability and quality, is the Rohrbaugh -- you can get it in a locked breech 380, in addition to a 9 -- it is also, as big as you can go and still be a pocket pistol and fit in typical modern pockets w. larger hands. It is a simple matter to modify the inside of a pocket, but if you need a larger opening, you'll probably need a tailor.

After that, about equal in quality, a bit less expensive, smaller, but heavier, is the Seecamp. Fairly expensive in 380, but remarkably reasonable in 32. They are a bit "fussier" than Rohrbaughs, IMO. Not less reliable, just, well, more complicated.

Both Rohrbaughs and Seecamps demand certain ammo, but my Rohrbaugh has been quite reliable when given the proper ammo. (Some factory ammo, esp. the practice ammo, varies too much in OAL to function well in the pistol.)

IMI, the company that makes the Desert Eagle, makes a pocket 380, about the same size as the Rohrbaugh, but much heavier -- don't know much else about it, but it does seem to be well-made.

There's a small knock-off of a Glock, w. a beavertail in 380. Don't know that much about it, but it seems somewhat cheaply made.

Personally, I, and various members of my family have P3ATs. They've had enough pistols out, for long enough, that the problems are more likely to be sorted. From what I've read on the Kel-Tec forum, if it makes it through the first 50 rounds flawlessly, it will be fine, if there are any problems, send it back.

Kel-Tec's customer service is very, very good. I sent back a P3AT that had misplaced under a car seat for about a year (We don't usually carry them. Dad and I usually carry Rohrbaughs, Mom and my brother usually carry J frames, and my sister in law carries a Seecamp.), and they fixed all the corrosion, replaced the springs, etc w/o charge.

Ruger has had a recall out on their pistol. I'm sure they took care of any issue, but on a production gun, or any other mass-produced item, you have to refine your process, rather than the final product -- the longer an item has been produced, and the greater the quantity produced, the more feedback is created to refine your process.

Kel-Tec also makes the PF-9 -- which, probably, can fit in your pocket, but I doubt you'd be able to get it out very fast, or securely.

Now, you didn't ask this, but... A 38 special, from a snub nose, is a lot more cartridge than a 380. A 380 will not pass the penetration test, a 38 will. In some ways, even though the 38 will be thicker than the semi, it's easier to conceal, due to it's lumpiness in your pocket.

A used J frame should be comparable in price to the Kel-Tec, or Ruger.