Pocket Handgun: Small 9mm Auto or 642 Airweight?

[JAH 3rd]

I carry a S&W 340PD in an Uncle Mike's size 3 pocket holster. Never had a problem of any kind with that holster. It stays in the pocket when I draw the revolver.

And yeah, like many of you, I've been asked, "What should I conceal carry now that I've gotten my CCW permit?" The ultimate answer is based on the experience of the individual. We've seen people who buy a handgun and a 50 round box of ammo and are set for life. Others may be life-long shooters, but never considered concealed carry until now.

There no magical formula that quickly leads to the perfect CCW handgun. It's a matter of trying various handgun platforms and see what works. What works is putting holes where you want them....on a paper target of course. Practice and hone one's skills. Be confident in yourself, handgun/ammo, and related equipment for concealed carry. Hits on the target is what we are after. I'll take hits with a .22 anytime over misses with any other caliber. While a .22 is not ideal, I certainly don't want one of those bouncing around in me!

[Half Moon]

Sample of one: exact quote from my wife - "revolvers are stupid". As a mostly revolver guy, not sure how this reflects on me 😉

[blues]

Sample of one: exact quote from my wife - "revolvers are stupid". As a mostly revolver guy, not sure how this reflects on me 😉

On the bright side, being "Half Moon", it only makes you half-assed. Imagine if you had been "Full Moon"...




(Nobody said there'd be math fractions.)

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I agree with what most are saying about women and guns. A few thoughts. Most males don't train or compete, show given pretty well known difference views in the sexes tendency towards physical aggression (debatable and certainly there are physically aggressive females) it makes sense that they would be less likely train up or compete.

Most competition venues are not in scenarios which seem practical to female self-defense. Folks can figure that out without a DA STREETZ discussion. Having 22s and 32s might help - power factors would seem like nonsense to the self-defense oriented shooter. 18 to 32 round runs, in a track meet - same thing. The male culture might be a touch off. Many competition venues don't have a decent restroom. That's a big thing. Not that I'm saying anything new, the industry literature has said this for quite a bit of time. For our outdoor matches you would have to take a hike to a vile port-a-potty.

I've heard from female trainers that many women come to SD shooting from trauma and don't need males blathering to them about this or that. They find it offensive.

As an aside. We were watching Dr. Pol. Pol has been a gun person in the past. In an early season, his family were on their porch blazing away with all kinds of guns - long arms, semis and even IIRC his wife with a J frame. Not so much now - PC rules.

However, on this episode they were going into the personal life of Dr. Nicole. She has three dogs and named them: Remington, Kimber and Ruger. I say to my wife that's gun person - she says why - I say those are gun names. She says I know Ruger - and Remington. I say - you don't name a dog Kimber for a rather obscure gun company if you aren't in the know.

[Ed L]

I would NOT fire +P loads out of a lighter weight versions of a J-frame. I would use standard velocity wadcutters. +P loads have too much recoil when fired from a lightweight or airweight gun. +P loads should be reserved for full weight J frames like S&W 638, 640, and 640 Pro, etc.

I also would not use a .22 unless that was all that the shooter could handle.

Here is a comparison photo of a .38 wadcutter next to a .22.



The .38 wadcutter bullet weighs 3.5-5 times the weight of a .22 round--depending on the particular .22 round. The .38 wadcutter has 2.579 times the surface area of the .22 round--probably more because the wadcutter has a full surface whereas the .22 round does not. The .38 wadcutter will penetrate better and more reliably that a .22 round in the body of an actual human attacker--especially through bones and other obstructions. The .38 will make a larger permanent cavity while doing so. This is especially the case with a .38 wadcutter.

People talk about a "get-off-me" gun.

I am not just trying to scare them away to get them off me; I am trying to inflict as much damage as possible to make it harder for them to continue the attack. A .38 wadcutter inlicts significantly more damage than a .22 longrifle.

[BN]

Over the past few months the P&S guys have sold me on the merits of the “get out of trouble” gun.

Is there anything to suggest a .22 Magnum snub is any better or worse than LR? I’m thinking along the lines of the idea that a .357 snub is a .38+P attached to a flash-bang.

I know the muzzle blast of the 4” or 4.5” Automag II I had for a short while a long time ago was…impressive.

My ears are bad enough now without any "Flash Bangs".

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I've mentioned that a 22 Mag out of a NAA mini with a 1 5/8 barrel between two partitions of an indoor lane scared the crap out of me. I though I blew up. My eyes slammed shut and I felt a air pressure wave under my shooting glasses. BLAM! It was like that cricket gun in Men in Black!

[awp_101]

My ears are bad enough now without any "Flash Bangs".

I'm sorry, can you type louder?

[Spartan1980]

I've mentioned that a 22 Mag out of a NAA mini with a 1 5/8 barrel between two partitions of an indoor lane scared the crap out of me. I though I blew up. My eyes slammed shut and I felt a air pressure wave under my shooting glasses. BLAM! It was like that cricket gun in Men in Black!

I've got one of those in the safe. It was my step father's gun and was in his pocket almost constantly. I find them basically silly little talismans and I'll probably never shoot it.

[Joe in PNG]

I thought the NAA was the coolest thing ever, until I finally shot one.