Deep Carry: Which do you recommend?

[hornblower]

I have, and I carry, a S&W M&P 340 CT.

I carry it everyday, everywhere I go.

It is about 13 ounces unloaded.

I carry it in a Mikka Square Cut Pocket Holster and it is virtually invisible in shorts, kakkis, and dress pants.

It is loaded with 3 38 Special +P and 2 .357 Magnum Speer Gold Dot for short barrel.

Also, I carry a Bianchi speed strip with a backup to the rounds loaded in the 340.

The gun and the holster are great.

I practice drawing it from the pocket and the Mikka holster remains in the pocket everytime.

I don't feel undergunned in the least.

I believe that the S&W is better made than either the Ruger LCP or the Kel-Tec, but that is just my opinion from reading extensively on many of the gun forums.

I do not own, nor have I fired either of the other two guns.

In the end, perhaps it comes down to personal preference.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

Deep Carry is a great subject but prompts other questions. Deep to evade a quick search? Deep with easy, quick access (cant do it in my book) Deep with comfort? Will you compromise calibre and capacity for 'deep carry'? Dont forget secure carry, you dont want your shiny new Smith appearing out of your pants leg at the drugstore checkout.

I find it interesting that you mention the issue of comfort, Tranter, for I feel it is an often overlooked factor. Humans being humans, the weapon that is uncomfortable to carry is usually the one that gets left at home . . . where it is rather unlikely to do one much good if a confrontation occurs. I do not discount the other important issues--caliber, etc.--, but I do believe that a daily carry weapon must be small and light enough not to be overly intrusive. This is one reason I have long been a staunch advocate of the 2" .38 snubbie for regular carry. Let's be honest, if one KNEW he was going to be involved in a firefight, he would probably pack a 12 gauge and be done with it. Carrying one of those daily, however, does tend to cause talk.

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

I find it interesting that you mention the issue of comfort, Tranter, for I feel it is an often overlooked factor. Humans being humans, the weapon that is uncomfortable to carry is usually the one that gets left at home

Pistol, the comfort factor is a big one, especially in hot, humid areas. A heavy weapon, even with a good quality holster and belt becomes a pain. Though not my favourite handgun the best I ever had for carry was the one you mention, a .38 S&W J Frame 'Airweight'. It was so light it never pulled at clothes and you just forgot it was there, but it was.

If anyone on the forum is interested in deep carry I highly recommend Andy at Horseshoe Leather in the UK. Checkout his web site and look at the deep cover items. He really is the best, but has a waiting list.

[sabashimon]

Great thread, and thank you UncleFudd for some wise words.

[user]

In looking over this thread again, I figured out what it was I didn't like about it to begin with. The choices in the poll are between a specific model of a gun with a quality control rating of "adequate" (my opinion), versus a very general list of good-value revolvers, even given the alloy frame limitation. The Kel-Tec would no doubt be more useful than a S&W model 317, which while it's an alloy J frame, is chambered in .22 LR.; the M&P 360 (msrp=$900.00 or so), would be a very competent alternative, but at three times the cost of the Kel Tec. Or perhaps a 340PD, msrp over a thousand?

It's a specific apple to citrus-varieties generally sort of choice.

And as to the options as limited (kel tec v. alloy frame revolver), I wouldn't buy either one for myself.

[conan1]

I know it hasn't been out long but the Ruger LCP is much better than the Keltec 3AT. I recommend Remington Golden Sabers 102 grain HP's in this gun.

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by conan1

I know it hasn't been out long but the Ruger LCP is much better than the Keltec 3AT. I recommend Remington Golden Sabers 102 grain HP's in this gun.

How do you mean better, Conan?
I don't really have experience with either of them, but I've been looking at both of these guns recently as a full-time pocket pistol. I was leaning toward the Keltec simply because it's been around long enough that any real problems should have surfaced by now and nothing major has.

I really would like to hear a comparison of the two from someone who has used them both.

[Bill DeShivs]

I'll admit the Ruger LOOKS better than the Keltec, but they are the same gun. There is nothing wrong with Keltec.

[travihanson]

I like stopping power, so I would have to choose the smith's. The air-weight in .357, running .38+p's. Don't get me wrong I love Auto's, but something that small, your not going to find something with the stopping power of a .357 in an auto. If it had to be auto, it would be the MK40.

[stash247]

Originally Posted by travihanson

I like stopping power, so I would have to choose the smith's. The air-weight in .357, running .38+p's. Don't get me wrong I love Auto's, but something that small, your not going to find something with the stopping power of a .357 in an auto. If it had to be auto, it would be the MK40.

Travi, in a two inch gun, a .357 is one hell of a flashlight, but does not have enough 'pipe' to develop velocity, so energy is down, at or below the level of a +P 9mm round from, say, a MK9, by Kahr.
The advantage I see in the five shot Smiths, is weight, and 'form factor' making them much more difficult to identify, carried well.
My Mk9 is close to two pounds, loaded, my little three inch Smith, under a pound!
If I expect trouble, everything moves in the other direction; a 5" 1911, strong side, high and aft, with a compact 1911, Left side, butt forward.
All shoot the same ammo, and can share the full size mags, so this could be a serious party.

[infidel_2_dabone]

Originally Posted by FranklyTodd

Did I say don't worry about $$$ ??

I just bought a Smith 340 with the compact overmold Crimson Trace and spent more than 2x what the Glock 27 set me back...

Doesn't seem right, but in reality, will probably carry the 340 twice as often, so maybe all is right with the world.... It "shows" in a pocket, but doesn't really look much like a gun, and weighs next to nothing... I'll be shocked it I can't carry it consistently without worry of being "made."

Now what to shoot in it... 357s sound painful, but the overmold CT is supposed to help! Probably +p for me!

Thanks everybody - and nothing against Kel-tec. That will be my next purchase if the 340 seems too bulky next summer...

Try 125 gr. jhp's you pick the brand, and if thats to much recoil/muzzle flip back it down to just plain old .38.Reason being I didn't feel much difference with the .38 +p and the .357 mag loads
The follow up 2nd shot comes much quicker than with full house .357 or .38+p.
Also you may want to ship it of to magnaport, for about another $300 they will port the barrel and do a custom trigger job. Thats what I did and I 'm very pleased now!
Good Luck!

[graehaven]

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

I'll admit the Ruger LOOKS better than the Keltec, but they are the same gun. There is nothing wrong with Keltec.

Absolutely true!

In fact, the Keltec P-11 (9 mm) weighs the same or less than the S&W 642 and gives you twice the rounds. Plus, it's light and easy to conceal/carry all day long.

[getgot]

Ruger LCP .380...any day

[Old Timer]

This one is too good to pass up. Doesn't Taurus or somebody make a .45/70 pistol that would look good in an ankle holster, with gym shorts? First, define deep carry. To me that means a hide-out or back-up gun. Mine used to be a AMT .380 ACP. Of a nice size, but weighing a whopping 18 oz. After I stopped needing (if I ever did) a back-up gun Kel-Tec brought out its P-32. I've carried it in a Bianchi ankle holster. Works good, where a S&W M-36 flopped around (before aluminum frames) like a loose anchor. You hardly know you are carrying the 6 oz P-32. I actually had a son (drug task force) who carried a Glock 27 in an ankle holster. He still walks funny. I often today carry a aluminum framed S&W snubby in my coat pocket. Deep carry was the service auto lodged in a shoulder holster under my overcoat and suit coat on bad weather days years ago. I had to call a King's X just to retrieve that gun so I could play too. How embarrassing. After that my S&W M-36 went into my right overcoat/parka pocket. If you survive, you learn.
Deep carry is carry so deep it is invisable to anything except a serious search. It is a gun which by necessity is difficult to reach, worn to back up your primary gun after your loose it, or as primary in situations where a gun is an absolute no-no. It is concealed in such a way that a routine search will not expose it. That usually means ankle or crotch carry for the boys. Somebody gave me a little harness (looks it was made for my Jack Russell) that clips to my short's waistband and hangs a small autoloader right over my pubic hair. Wait a minute and I'll whip it out for you; zip, fumble, cuss, ouch, but it is deep.
Back-up guns were big after the Onion Field thing. I knew a DC narc who carried three guns and would have carried four, but three was all he had.
Admittedly, I've never carried a deep carry gun on duty when it was primary; one tiny gun against the big, bad world, and it buried in some unmentionabloe place, but then I was never a narc cop either. They are wierd and live in a paranoid world all their own. Know the difference between deep carry and concealed carry. There's no point in discussing concealed carry guns. Some yahoo with an extended slide 1911A or Desert Eagle .50 cal would be offended. Old Timer

Old Timer

[TranterUK]

Ah ankle holsters. I have thoughts..

Have you ever worn one? I have and it felt really weird, kinda out of balance. Perhaps one should wear a weight on the other leg to even things out. But then you may as well have a second gun on the other ankle, no point in heaving about a pointless weight.

The first time someone gave me one it had a sort of wool fleece on the inside for comfort. One other guy who saw me with it asked if I had shot it myself!

I also had a friend who was an American Narc Cop, I can still see him hopping down the middle of the road trying to release his ankle gun as the suspect car sped away !!!!