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Choice for deep concealment

  • Beretta auto, such as the 21A (.22 or .25)

    Votes: 17 20.5%
  • Derringer style weapon

    Votes: 3 3.6%
  • Mini .22 like the NAA revovers

    Votes: 9 10.8%
  • Something else

    Votes: 54 65.1%

Teeny Tiny Hideouts

12K views 63 replies 32 participants last post by  graehaven 
G
#1 · (Edited)
We talk often here on TFF about appropriate pistols and revolvers, and also about adequate calibers, for use in concealed carry. I suspect just about anyone here would agree that, given the option, most all of us would prefer at least a 9mm or better for self-defense. I have no argument with that and I know I myself certainly prefer something with reasonable stopping power given the choice. Yet, I would argue also that there are times, for some of us anyway, when a weapon large enough to handle a 9mm or .38 special simply can't be concealed adequately. I'm talking here about really "deep" concealment, a firearm that can truly be totally concealed in a front or hip pocket, or perhaps elsewhere, and not reveal its existance short of a full body search. Given that sort of perameter, what would you choose? I've given some possible choices in the poll, but please do not feel limited by those. Also, while we are on the subject, what would you carry it in? Loose in a pocket? In some kind of pocket holster? If so, what kind?
 
#29 ·
It's funny-anytime anybody asks about tiny, little, or pocket guns the thread always ends up with everyone discussing .357 "J" frames, Kahr 9mms and such.
I'll tell ya man, I can't miss with either. I'm pretty fast with em too. My father has the Airlite .357 with a set of Crimson Laser grips, and wow. I can point/shoot just about anything. Practicing with that gun makes me a lot better with others.
 
G
#31 ·
My point is: these guns are NOT pocket, or hideout guns! Seems to go over most people's heads.
Exactly so, Bill. The thrust of my original post was indeed limited to VERY small hideout weapons of relatively small caliber. To me at least, that does not include even a 9mm auto, much less anything in the .357 mag range. It seems to me that 9mm or .357 chambered in any pistol or revolver small enough to qualify as a true deep concealment weapon simply recoils too heavily to be really useful. The only possible exception might be a .38 J-frame snubbie, but even that is a fairly hefty handgun for what I had in mind.
 
#37 ·
Kel-Tec P-32. Daily carry in summer wear weather, and can carry IWB with the shirt tucked in if I have to.:D

Very light, very concealable. Gotta get a P3AT too though. :cool:

Plus, I'd like one of each in the poll......:D
 
#38 ·
I recently bought a NAA 22/22mag mini revolver. Fired it once. As my son observed, if you pushed it directly against the BG's stomach and fired, you'd stand a 50-50 chance of hitting him. I have to say that I've never fired a gun with such bad accuracy. I didn't expect much and I wasn't disappointed. This is just my opinion and I'm not knocking anyone who likes these tiny guns. I sold mine shortly after the initial range session. I'd prefer my Beretta Cheetah in .380, my Stoeger (Beretta) Cougar in .40SW, and hopefully my SW mod. 637 that should arrive in the next day or two.
 
#40 ·
Raveneap wrote
"I recently bought a NAA 22/22mag mini revolver. Fired it once. As my son observed, if you pushed it directly against the BG's stomach and fired, you'd stand a 50-50 chance of hitting him. I have to say that I've never fired a gun with such bad accuracy".

I put the oversized rubber grips from NAA on my .22mag/22Lr combo and it makes a great difference in accuracy and control. It does not compromise the concealability too much IMO.
 
#41 · (Edited)
I have a Titan .25acp (old model made in Italy, so reliable compared to the later USA-made models). It is currently my "when I can't really carry," carry piece.

However, after much searching, I will be a P-3AT guy in the next week or so. Looked at the Rohrbaugh 9mm, but I really don't want to spend that much on a gun that will be left in the car 50% of the time. Ohio CCW is "must-issue" but only "sometimes carry." :(

Update - bailed on the P3AT for a Smith M&P340 instead - small and light, but not a "teeny tiny" gun... So the Titan remains my sole "tiny" gun... If I find myself leaving the 340 at home b/c of size, the P3AT is still on my short list of tiny guns...
 
#43 ·
Somebody, a while ago, threw in the idea of an ultralight j-frame smith; 10 1/2 ozs, in the Ti-light line, in present production!
I own a couple, and, while the Cz will, never be a 'homebody' kinda weapon, the little smith exhibits much merit: it can fall into a pocket, and remain there, for weeks at a time, un noticed, even by the wearer; condider it closely, and should you find one, in 3" format, with a black ramp sight, call me, if you are not gonna buy it; I'd love to have another!
 
#45 ·
Somebody, a while ago, threw in the idea of an ultralight j-frame smith; 10 1/2 ozs, in the Ti-light line, in present production!
I own a couple, and, while the Cz will, never be a 'homebody' kinda weapon, the little smith exhibits much merit: it can fall into a pocket, and remain there, for weeks at a time, un noticed, even by the wearer; condider it closely, and should you find one, in 3" format, with a black ramp sight, call me, if you are not gonna buy it; I'd love to have another!
What load do ya prefer in a 10 1/2 oz J-frame?
 
#46 ·
What load do ya prefer in a 10 1/2 oz J-frame?
A 88 gr bullet, Hornady, marketed for the .380, resized and loaded over enough Bullseye to light up a dark room!
Expansion is awesome, at close to 900 fps, sorta like popcorn.
But, as previously mentioned, this is not the 'mainstream', of the thread.
Delta, I shoot little but handloads, and this could be a 'legal issue', down the road, if I have to shoot somebody, as the arguement can and has been made, in several courtrooms, that such ammo was 'designed to kill'; let your conscience be your guide, here.
I will say, for the record, that if I draw and fire on another human being, that is certainly the intent.
I will talk, walk, run, from a confrontation, before taking this approach, but at the point that these options cease to be viable, my intent is to survive.
To answer the next round of questions; yes, the load results in substantial recoil, close to painful, and my hands are almost numb, and yes, a second shot, in the dark, is delayed a bit.
 
#48 ·
A 88 gr bullet, Hornady, marketed for the .380, resized and loaded over enough Bullseye to light up a dark room!
Expansion is awesome, at close to 900 fps, sorta like popcorn.
But, as previously mentioned, this is not the 'mainstream', of the thread.
Delta, I shoot little but handloads, and this could be a 'legal issue', down the road, if I have to shoot somebody, as the arguement can and has been made, in several courtrooms, that such ammo was 'designed to kill'; let your conscience be your guide, here.
I will say, for the record, that if I draw and fire on another human being, that is certainly the intent.
I will talk, walk, run, from a confrontation, before taking this approach, but at the point that these options cease to be viable, my intent is to survive.
To answer the next round of questions; yes, the load results in substantial recoil, close to painful, and my hands are almost numb, and yes, a second shot, in the dark, is delayed a bit.
Ah okay. Sounds pretty hot. Stash, I shoulda known you had something mean cooked up for your bellygun. :D

As of yet I've only owned/carried the all-steel type snubbies. Favorite load is 110 grain Federal Hydrashocks. Rated about 1,000 fps from a 4 inch. I figure fast enough to reliably expand from a 2 inch (900 fps after losing 2"?) and the blast/recoil is pretty much like shooting 158 grain target wadcutters.
 
#49 ·
Here's another vote for the P32. But since I don't have it anymore I'll have to choose from my three .25 cal. mini pistols....

1. A US made Colt Junior

2. A Baby Browning

3. A 1908 Colt

All three are semi-autos and perform flawlessly and are absolutely invisible. The Baby Browning being the smallest of the three.
 
#50 ·
Exactly so, Bill. The thrust of my original post was indeed limited to VERY small hideout weapons of relatively small caliber. To me at least, that does not include even a 9mm auto, much less anything in the .357 mag range. It seems to me that 9mm or .357 chambered in any pistol or revolver small enough to qualify as a true deep concealment weapon simply recoils too heavily to be really useful. The only possible exception might be a .38 J-frame snubbie, but even that is a fairly hefty handgun for what I had in mind.
I've been looking into the .22 NAA widowmaker, myself, for just such situations. But one thing to consider is my cardinal rule: "act like you know what you're doing and everyone will assume that you do." I generally don't try really hard to hide the bulges, and I've noticed that people who know about guns will notice them, but they usually just smile and keep their mouths shut. Some of them don't smile. So I got a galco pocket holster for my Kahr PM9, and I'm not doing anything more than think about the NAA.

I do like the fact that you can put shotshells, shorts, & longs through it as well as .22LR. I don't have anything else that will do that, and what if I have to kill a snake or a rat under the house?
 
#51 ·
[.

I do like the fact that you can put shotshells, shorts, & longs through it as well as .22LR. I don't have anything else that will do that, and what if I have to kill a snake or a rat under the house?[/QUOTE]
Bro, that's what a 'barn cat' is for!
I got guns, but also dogs and cats, and everything has a purpose; the cats do just fine with the vermin, of the small variety, and the dogs do well on larger problems; IMHO the pistols are the tool to get to the real weapon, a rifle, or to keep a dog from being hurt.
I seriously doubt that a 'Warrant Team', could make entry, into my home, with the doors unlocked, in less than a half hour, and my animals are or were all 'problem children', when they came here.
I do not like the mini revolvers, out of the mini handles, they wear; still, in .22 mag, a shot load could well save the day, just, not on stuff the cat should handle!
 
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