Purse gun reflections.

[Trooper224]

My youngest son arrived home on leave a few days ago. So, today was my first day off for the holidays and we, of course, went shooting. Since I had several baby guns he'd never shot, ie. the Browning BDA, the Beretta 70S and the Manurhin/Walther PP, he was keen to try those out. He also brought along his new manufacture Beretta 84 to add to the mix.

Between the BDA and the 84, the BDA wins the sexy contest hands down. It's sleek, shiny and blued, with pretty wood grips. The sights also suck sweaty camel balls compared to the 84, which are a bit small themselves. The 84 was far more controllable with its black plastic checkered grips and fore and aft serrations on the frame. I'm going to have to obtain an 84 and leave the BDA on the "ain't it cool" shelf. The frame mounted safety/decocker on the 84 is also an improvement.

We both agree, the Beretta 70S is by far the coolest of all the pistols present and also the biggest hand slapper. The recoil is actually pretty snappy when compared to the larger Beretta/Browning guns. I intended for that one to remain on the "cool" shelf from the get go, so no concerns over performance. It's just all style and it is accurate. If I ever find myself driving an Alfa Romeo I may slap it on in a shoulder rig, but otherwise: cool stuff.

The PP was the biggest nail driver of the bunch. I've only shot it twice, but at ten yards it really lays those .32 BBs in there. It also abrades the top of my hand like a cheese grader as Walthers always have. Too bad, as it's got a great trigger and is quite fun to shoot otherwise. I bought it because every collection needs a 007 gun. I may never shoot it again.

Everything was pretty accurate in my hands, because I've been fooling around with these little guns lately. My son wasn't so lucky. His 84 was fine, but he really pulled off to the left with the others. They're obviously too small for his hands and I sympathize. I was standing behind him while he was throwing his shots, with comments consisting of, "oh my", "good god magnum!", "did you spring from my loins?" and the like. He's a pretty good shot and he's been spending his off time training with some Devgru and MARSOC guys. On the other hand, he's 25 and becoming a bit arrogant, so I take every opportunity to prick his bubble. He says, "I tell the guys, every time I start getting happy with myself I go home and some old guy puts me in my place." I then dumped nine rounds out of the PP, at ten yards one-handed and managed to put them into a single dime sized hole. My instant gratification was the response of, "you suck old man." He then had his first opportunity to shot my Centac. His opinion agreed with mine: it's nice, but not twice the price of a standard 92 nice.

I didn't have the heart to tell him his older brother, who isn't a gun guy or regular shooter, previously out shot him with all of them.

After a three hundred or so round session, we both left with red, lacerated and swollen hands. I was also reminded why I tend to favor full size service pistols.

[MattyD380]

The old school blowbacks will always have a place in my heart. And often my hand. The Mak is my personal favorite. Stoopid accurate (for me) while still being fairly small. Yet, subjectively, it feels robust enough to be service pistol. Which it is, I guess.

I keep a Sig P230 in my glovebox. It's a nice shooter too--and slightly more svelte--but the Mak handles better for me. I've had a PPK and a PP. Both were accurate. But ended up selling both.

Always wanted to try a Cheetah. One day I'll have to grab one.

[Caballoflaco]

The old school blowbacks will always have a place in my heart. And often my hand. The Mak is my personal favorite. Stoopid accurate (for me) while still being fairly small. Yet, subjectively, it feels robust enough to be service pistol. Which it is, I guess.

I keep a Sig P230 in my glovebox. It's a nice shooter too--and slightly more svelte--but the Mak handles better for me. I've had a PPK and a PP. Both were accurate. But ended up selling both.

Always wanted to try a Cheetah. One day I'll have to grab one.

Please don’t. Five of the six cops killed here in Alabam this year were killed with stolen guns.

[Clay1]

One forum that I frequent lays the love down for the Seacamp 32. Just looking for another view of the small pocket carry piece. Anyone have an opinion of a Seacamp?

Another thread that is going on right now is talking about the larger Kahr, but they make a small gun as well like the PM9. I've heard the Seacamp 380 is miserable on the hand too, so many shoot the 32. I haven't shot the PM9 or the Seacamp 380 or 32.

Thanks

[TGS]

One forum that I frequent lays the love down for the Seacamp 32. Just looking for another view of the small pocket carry piece. Anyone have an opinion of a Seacamp?

Another thread that is going on right now is talking about the larger Kahr, but they make a small gun as well like the PM9. I've heard the Seacamp 380 is miserable on the hand too, so many shoot the 32. I haven't shot the PM9 or the Seacamp 380 or 32.

Thanks

A small 380 like that Seecamp is in a different world compared to a PM9.

The PM9 has brisk recoil, but it's not unpleasant or painful.

[Beat Trash]

One forum that I frequent lays the love down for the Seacamp 32. Just looking for another view of the small pocket carry piece. Anyone have an opinion of a Seacamp?

Another thread that is going on right now is talking about the larger Kahr, but they make a small gun as well like the PM9. I've heard the Seacamp 380 is miserable on the hand too, so many shoot the 32. I haven't shot the PM9 or the Seacamp 380 or 32.

Thanks

I owned a .32 Seecamp about 25 years ago. It was only useable with the Winchester Silvertip round.

It was the latest and greatest of its time. All the rage in gun magazines (a time before the internet), and according to the “expert” advice printed at the time about one shot stopping power, the .32 acp Silvertip was acceptable. So I ordered a Seecamp .32 to use as a BUG as a newer officer. About six months later it showed up. During that time the mystique for this gun went through the roof, and prices were insane for one that was actually available for sale.

I was excited about my new pocket death ray blaster. Until I discovered the rounds would keyhole at 5-7 feet! I walked into a gun show. The first dealer I showed it to offered me twice what I paid for it. I sold it and then bought a S&W J-frame.

I’ve sold a lot of guns over the years that I later ended up regretting selling. I’ve never regretted selling that Seecamp.

[MattyD380]

Please don’t. Five of the six cops killed here in Alabam this year were killed with stolen guns.

I guess it never really clicked that a gun left in a car was at higher risk of theft. I mean, that's obvious, I suppose. Just wasn't a tangible reality.

I'll reconsider that approach. Thanks.

[Ed L]

One forum that I frequent lays the love down for the Seacamp 32. Just looking for another view of the small pocket carry piece. Anyone have an opinion of a Seacamp?

Another thread that is going on right now is talking about the larger Kahr, but they make a small gun as well like the PM9. I've heard the Seacamp 380 is miserable on the hand too, so many shoot the 32. I haven't shot the PM9 or the Seacamp 380 or 32.

Seecamp .32s are not great gun choices. They often break within a few hundred rounds and then the company takes forever to fix them and is impossible to communicate with. I have had this happen with 3 different Seecamps over the years.

Mention on that forum that you have a problem with your Seecamp and your post will be deleted and you will be banned.

I have never had a Seecamp that either came from the factory that worked OR lasted more than 200 rounds without breaking.

I picked up my first Seecamp .32 in the early 1990s at an out of the way Dallas gun store that has long since closed down. It was $380 at a time when these guns were selling for something like $800+ on the open market, and the company had at least a year waiting list on orders. I put about 200 rounds of Silvertip through the gun and it worked. So when I found a second one at the same store for the same price I bought it, but it did not work. It took 8 months of faxes and letters and certified letters to the factory to get it repaired. I got it back and it worked.

A few years later I was firing the original Seecamp and it broke. I doubt the gun had more than 400 rounds through it. Sent it back to the factory for repair and went through the same thing. Finally after 10 months the factory called me back and told me that they could not fix it because they changed their machinery so they would send me a replacement. I accepted their offer, testfired it for 200 rounds, and called it good. I later wound up selling the older one, while the newer one languished in the safe. In 2013 I took it shooting and it broke within a box of ammo. Sent it back and it took forever to get repaired. It now resides somewhere in my safe. I am not really sure why I still have it, but I am afraid to test fire it for fear it may break. I probably need to sell it along with a number of other things.

I am actually a big fan of the Kahr PM-9. I have had good luck with the two that I own. They are a great gun for pocket carry in suit and dress slacks. I have somewhere north of 2000 rounds through them. I actually shoot better with them than I do with a S&W Shield. I have found them to be quite accurate for a small gun and to have a great d/a only trigger. The last comment comes from someone who dislikes d/a autos. However, I have a heard a fair number of bad stories stories about Khars.

[john c]

Ed;

What broke on your Seecamps? Was it the same thing each time, or a different problem?

[Vandal320]

I have a Manurhin PP in .32acp. One sweet shooting gun.