Torn On 2 CCW Pistols

[bogeycentral]

So been going back and forth on a couple ideas for carry. Torn between the Ruger SR22 and the KelTec P3AT so far. Looked at a Kahr CW9 and wasn't my cup of tea. Always have gone on shot placement is king and practicing/plinking with the Ruger is far cheaper. I know its only a .22 pistol, but I have had great luck with them hunting cougars in Oregon. The benefit of the KelTec is the .380 and ease of concealment. For the Ruger its a few extra rounds and looks great, but not quite the mass. I figure in a self defense situation it won't come down so much to what you are shooting, just that you are shooting. Any input or thoughts?

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[PDXWolf]

Or you could also consider the Sig P238 if you are considering a .380! I am VERY happy with mine! I was looking at the P3AT, Bodyguard and LCP but came across the P238 and feel in love!

 

[kukusya]

Wheel gun will never let you down

 

[gunjunky]

There is something to be said for "the gun you have" and it being available to you when you need it and having shot it a lot. That being said I don't think you will find anyone that will recomend a .22 LR as your primary self defense round. The 380 is a handy little pistol and would work in a pinch. Kukusya offered an excellent idea, a .38 wheel gun is a great carry piece that is easy to have with you all the time and there are .22 companion guns available to practice with.

 

[bogeycentral]

Tried the Sig P238, but hands were too big and kept getting bit by slide which caused plenty of FTE's. I had a couple Keltec P3AT's, but gave them both to a buddy. Might have to look at the .38 airweights or something along those lines. Might have to find somewhere to try both.

 

[gunjunky]

Well you don't live far from the best gun shop in the state, drive on down to Kesselrings and handle a buch of em.

 

[raindog]

One of the gun rags had a comparison of .380 pocket pistols...I don't remember which mag but I looked through it at the newsstand.

If you want a .380, my mental list would be:

(a) Sig P238. I had one and sold it. Nice gun. I like single action triggers.

(b) Ruger LCP. Never owned one.

(c) Kahr's .380. Never owned one.

(d) S&W Bodyguard. That was the top pick of this magazine article. It has an integrated laser.

I'm sure I'm missing one or two.

Personally, I carry an LCR and it's very light. Not quite as small as some of the .380s but it's almost always in my front pocket holster and I rarely notice it's there.

 

[MarkAd]

You want a 380, one of the best is the Bersa Thunder.
A 22 mag is a reasonable defense round.

 

[oknow]

a 22 is like an aspirin it might do the job but it will take a while an if you need a self defense gun you need it to work now. a lot of damage can be done to you in 10 or so min. waiting for the 22 to do the job

 

[EJ20Legacy]

You've hunted cougars with a .22 pistol?

Not willing to go 9mm? Beretta Nano shoots pretty softly considering its size -- similar in size to the CM9/PM9 but a little more weight makes it a lot more controllable. 9mm is cheap to practice with. Not .22 LR cheap, but you can get decent ammo in the $95 per 500 rounds range. If you are carrying something to save your life, it's not much of an investment. M&P Shield apparently shoots even softer and offers a slightly longer grip. Both of these guns are affordably priced, but the Shield is still hard to find in stock. Both are easy to conceal. ...possibly easier than the SR22 because the grips are shorter (I believe... didn't look it up just now)...





That said, I often do carry a .22 LR when I don't feel like putting a holster on or am wearing something that wouldn't conceal my carry gun(s) well. I have an NAA Mini revolver and it fits perfectly in the 5th pocket of a pair of jeans, or just about anywhere else for that matter. No excuse not to carry when you have one of these things available.

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[Blitzkrieg]

I would not recommend either caliber for primary self defense. You should start at .38 Special and 9MM, both in +P

My little gal packs a full house S & W .357 magnum. We have new matching G23s and are looking at the Nanos for BUGs

 

[raindog]

Speaking of the P238...Colt has rereleased the Mustang it was designed after.

The magazine I was referred to was the Guns & Ammo 2013 Annual Handguns issue. They rank the pocket pistols they reviewed as:

S&W Bodyguard
Kahr P380
Taurus TCP or Ruger LCP

Oddly, they didn't mention the P3AT (which they also reviewed) in their conclusions...no idea why not.

 

[deen_ad]

Oddly, they didn't mention the P3AT (which they also reviewed) in their conclusions...no idea why not.

One of the P3AT's failed during the test.

 

[raindog]

Thanks - I didn't want to spend $9 just to reply here, so I just stopped and reread the ending in the store and missed that part.

 

[SynapticSilence]

Try the Kahr CM9. It's much more compact and concealable than the CW9, comes in at under $350, is accurate beyond almost anyone's capabilities even at distance, and feeds any ammo with ease. Totally reliable. Mine has over 500 rounds through it with zero defects of any kind.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Watermelon Ballistics Demonstration - YouTube

 

[MarkAd]

watermelon blows up nice, but for testing is meaningless.

 

[biggie24420]

Don't trust a .22 when it comes to defending your life. Go with a 9mm and a decent capacity Firearm. If a Glock is too heavy for you or too thick, look into the M&P shield. If you carry a good round like Federal HST or Winchester Talon, you will have better odds. shot placement is also important as you may already know.

 

[metrotps]

Tried the Sig P238, but hands were too big and kept getting bit by slide which caused plenty of FTE's. I had a couple Keltec P3AT's, but gave them both to a buddy. Might have to look at the .38 airweights or something along those lines. Might have to find somewhere to try both.

Since you mention here both a semi-auto and a revolver, have you looked at the Walther PPS or the S&W Shield in autos or the S&W 442 or the Taurus 941UL since you like 22's. It's a 22 mag and holds 8 rounds. Has lots of penetration through heavy clothing. In winter I carry two 442's in a Galco shoulder rig or my 941 in one holster and the other is a Smith. In summer I carry a LCP or my stainless PPK in .380 but then I have small hands and don't get slide bite.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

watermelon blows up nice, but for testing is meaningless.

No it's not.. it demonstrates the relative energy of each caliber. .22 LR is a small game caliber