Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Looked these two over very closely and decided on the Ruger. My take on it was that the Ruger was a little smaller in width and although I did like the SW safety... and it had a steel guide rod I think... they are both double action and the little Ruger (both in .380) just seemed to fit better... both had lazer sights attached to the trigger guard... the lazer on the Bodyguard had two different settings as opposed to simple on and off on the Ruger... but it was a bit harder to turn on and off, recoil is a bit less in the SW because of the additional small amount of weight.... Ruger is a tad lighter... both are Poly guns... it was a hard choice but the Ruger is now in my pocket...

I was simply looking for a very concealable small caliber weapon that I did not have to tote on my belt ... for some reason, I have always felt self conscious and looked like a "cowboy" when I had a gun stuck in my waistband or shoulder holster or small of the back... in the pocket and it is virtually invisible...

I always have a gun in the car, usually a .45 or .40... but what good is that if it is in the car and you are in a restaurant.. or a MOVIE THEATER... UNARMED?!!

.380... IMHO, is a rather light round but will still deter most... it certainly will still put a nice hole in whatever.... I load hollow points, but whether they will expand or not is questionable... I recon they will....

comments welcome...

Both seam like very nice CCW pieces, though I would likely go with Ruger.

I think after that Colorado shooting I'm going to start looking for larger-caliber carry guns. I like the 17 rds in my 9mm, but I'd like it a lot more if the one shot I hit him with would put him down.

I have an LCP and really like it. The gun you're most likely to always carry is the best gun to have.

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Yeah, I have a number of subcompacts but they all stick out from the belt or even inside the waist band they are uncomfortable and I have always felt like I was trying to be a "cowboy" when I carried.... anyway... I did buy the Ruger and it is only a .380 but I load the best defense stuff I can find and I like the lazer sight which really helps put the round on target.... and the #1 reason is because it is totally concealable in my pocket and is ready to go and pretty safe even though it has no safety... but being double action it would require pulling the trigger to go off... and of course... revolvers have no safety also.... so there ya have it... I would have liked to have a little more gun but this is better than nothing and I do feel less conspicuous with it in pocket. I do carry a .45 or .40 in the car between the seats.... but outside as mentioned... this will work fine.

Do ya get the feeling that society is changing us.... only recently have I actually felt the need to carry... I always felt like I could take care of myself physically if the need arose but now.. with all the crazy sht out here... I have finally come to the conclusion that you better damn well have a decent weapon in order to keep yourself and your family safe... and that is, unfortunately, a very sad state of affairs.... I'm 68 and I can tell you when I grew up... no one was the least bit concerned about someone pulling a gun in a fight.... at least not where I was raised..... oh, well.... things change... sorry... just got a bit carried away....

speezack wrote:Yeah, I have a number of subcompacts but they all stick out from the belt or even inside the waist band they are uncomfortable and I have always felt like I was trying to be a "cowboy" when I carried.... anyway... I did buy the Ruger and it is only a .380 but I load the best defense stuff I can find and I like the lazer sight which really helps put the round on target.... and the #1 reason is because it is totally concealable in my pocket and is ready to go and pretty safe even though it has no safety... but being double action it would require pulling the trigger to go off... and of course... revolvers have no safety also.... so there ya have it... I would have liked to have a little more gun but this is better than nothing and I do feel less conspicuous with it in pocket. I do carry a .45 or .40 in the car between the seats.... but outside as mentioned... this will work fine.

Do ya get the feeling that society is changing us.... only recently have I actually felt the need to carry... I always felt like I could take care of myself physically if the need arose but now.. with all the crazy sht out here... I have finally come to the conclusion that you better damn well have a decent weapon in order to keep yourself and your family safe... and that is, unfortunately, a very sad state of affairs.... I'm 68 and I can tell you when I grew up... no one was the least bit concerned about someone pulling a gun in a fight.... at least not where I was raised..... oh, well.... things change... sorry... just got a bit carried away....

you might want to investigate and invest in a pocket holster. it's easier than you think get a finger or something else caught in the trigger guard when presenting from a pocket. i've seen some holsters that are designed to stay put in the pocket as the gun is drawn, while others come out with it and must be shucked off before firing.

another thing to consider is that pocket carry and presentation are quite different than iwb or owb. for one thing, you initial grip on the firearm won't likely be a true full combat grip which means there's a grip readjustment needed in the process. one of Mas Ayoob's books does a great job detailing the differences/strengths/weaknesses of the various carry modes.

I looked at the LCP myself until I realized that I could carry a Kahr CM9 in pocket just as easily. I'd rather carry 9mm over .380.

But, it's always better to carry something than nothing at all. So if you're sure the tiny 9mms would still be too big, I'd probably opt for the LCP. It's well built and gets great reviews. One of these days I might still pick one up just to have.

Oh, and ALWAYS carry with a holster. I'd never even think about throwing a chambered pistol in my pocket without a holster. It's far to easy for something to snag and result in a ND, double-action or otherwise.

M4A1, that is very good advice... I will take a look at a holster... in fact, the shop I got it from had one but it seemed a little restrictive, but it may be a good thing to have... I will check them out. I have at least 4 other small frame, subcompacts ranging from 9's to .45... but I just always, as said, felt a little self conscious about carrying on my belt... because no matter how I tried, it was always pretty much visible and I felt like I was trying to be a cowboy... this little pocket pistol is light and very concealable... and as with most things in life.... personal preference and your own value judgement is all that matters... nuff said.

The holster will be tight at first but once it forms to the gun it won't be so restrictive.

Pocket draw takes practice, too. You've to to pull out and hook the hooked portion of the holster on the side of your pocket. That causes it to snag and allows you to pull the pistol out easily.

I highly recommend a holster. The last thing you want to do is shoot yourself in the leg because something gets snagged (or you fumble your draw), or worse yet shoot someone else on accident. You'd be surprised at how easy it is for the trigger to get caught up on fabric or debris in your pocket and result in a ND!

I'd definitely go with the 9mm over the .380. I bought an LC9 as my carry gun and I'm very happy with it, Ruger definitely got a lot of things right with this gun. I carry in an IWB Kusiak holster with Crimson Trace and extra magazine holder. Wearing a shirt that's one size bigger, no one ever knows I'm carrying, and getting to the gun is no problem at all.

Any gun is better than no gun. I looked at the LCP and LC9 as slimmer deep conceal guns compared to my Airweight 642. Then the M&P Shield came out and I was sold!

In any case get a pocket holster. It will ensure a draw is clean and protect the trigger.

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I have a Mika pocket holster for my LCP. It works very well for me, and is very reasonably priced.

www.frontiernet.net/~akim/

I'll echo the pocket holster suggestions. They are made in many different shapes, sizes, and materials, so you can find one for your gun. The attached picture isn't mine, but is a good representation. I usually carry on my belt. But depending on my clothing choice for the day, I carry a S&W j-frame in a simple Blackhawk pocket holster, similar to the Uncle Mike's in the pic. Covers the trigger guard to keep junk out, and makes it so that the gun stays upright in my pocket. Also keeps the gun from printing. The exterior is kinda rubbery/tacky, so the holster stays in my pocket when drawing the gun.
One nice thing about pocket carry is that you can put your hand on the grip, if your Spidey sense says something's not right, and will not draw notice from others.

Parry

If I had to choose a .380 for carry, I would choose the S&W Bodyguard over the LCP. Fit, finish, features and feel are superior to other pocket .380s. Plus it comes with a laser by default, which is nice but not a gamechanger. Also, it has usable iron sights unlike the LCP.

Pocket holsters are a great way to go, but there are very nice IWB options for the Bodyguard as well.

But yes, I would echo getting a quality micro 9mm if I had the choice.

I went with the Sig P238. After doing a lot of comparisons, I found it to be the best gun for me. Fits in the hand better and I am able to hide it quite nicely. The quality is top-notch, it shoots like a dream and is accurate right out of the box.

Jamie wrote:I think after that Colorado shooting I'm going to start looking for larger-caliber carry guns. I like the 17 rds in my 9mm, but I'd like it a lot more if the one shot I hit him with would put him down.

Between the four most common semi-auto defense calibers, 9mm, .357SIG, .40S&W, and .45ACP there really isn't much difference at all if you're shooting quality HPs. When they work as designed they are all about the same for stopping a threat. Good info can be found here: http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defen ... /index.htm

Where things differ is their failure modes. Obviously, if both a 9mm and a .45" bullet fail to expand the larger initial size of the .45 is a benefit. On the downside, .45s appear to clog on heavy clothing much more frequently than say 9mm. Make your choices and pays your money, but there is rarely a one stop hit for any of these defense calibers. They're all underpowered, but represent the best general compromise.

gunderwood wrote:
Where things differ is their failure modes. Obviously, if both a 9mm and a .45" bullet fail to expand the larger initial size of the .45 is a benefit. On the downside, .45s appear to clog on heavy clothing much more frequently than say 9mm. Make your choices and pays your money, but there is rarely a one stop hit for any of these defense calibers. They're all underpowered, but represent the best general compromise.

Says the guy I suspect has a desert eagle 50. I myself think that a head shot is usually a one stop hit... which is no reason to forget to double tap.

I have a Ruger LCP and love it for everyday CC.
I bought this holster from Sportsman's Guide and it is a perfect fit.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/b ... x?a=789164

I tried the LCP, LC9, and even the Shield, but all seemed too small in my hand. Even my wife felt the LCP was too tiny and she eventually went with a Bodyguard 380. To me, that one feels the most comfortable in my hand, as far as small frame pistols go. My cc is an M&P9c because it's just the right size (to me). Although my favorite gun is my Sig 226, it's not a realistic carry weapon unless open carrying.

Also never been into the idea of a pocket holster, but then again none of my guns are suited for that type of carry. I did order an IWB/OWB holster from Hidden Hybrid for both my wife's Bodyguard and my M&P9c and we love them. Crossbreed is another good IWB holster for cc, but unlike the Hidden Hybrid, it cannot be converted quickly to OWB as well. Hidden Hybrid's small holster for the Bodyguard (and other subcompacts like the LC9 & LCP) is a comfortable fit. Check it out if you haven't yet -- it's their HHH M1 model and they also have one with a pocket for a spare mag.

kanata67 wrote:

gunderwood wrote:
Where things differ is their failure modes. Obviously, if both a 9mm and a .45" bullet fail to expand the larger initial size of the .45 is a benefit. On the downside, .45s appear to clog on heavy clothing much more frequently than say 9mm. Make your choices and pays your money, but there is rarely a one stop hit for any of these defense calibers. They're all underpowered, but represent the best general compromise.

Says the guy I suspect has a desert eagle 50. I myself think that a head shot is usually a one stop hit... which is no reason to forget to double tap.

I've never carried anything larger than a 1911 in .45acp. I usually carry a compact Glock in .357SIg or 9mm. Yes, a head shot is usually a one shot deal, but head shots in real self-defense/LE situations are relatively rare.