Summer carry
 

With summer coming soon I think this is the year to buy a true pocket gun in 9MM unless I can find a .380 with a muzzle velocity that's acceptable. I know that the proper ammo is needed also so if anybody is aware of a good combo please let me know. I already own a Walther PPK/S in .380 but believe me, it's not even close to being a pocket gun.
So far I've been investigating the following:
Kahr PM9
Kahr CM9
Ruger LC9
Sig P290
Ruger SR9

The overall length of these is close to 5" max. and mags are either 6 or 7 rounds.

I've seen many more but when I see a gun selling for $150 I just have to close my eyes and keep going.
Are there any more candidates I should consider before I try to make a decision? the parameters I have are:
1. 9mm
2. Close to 5" overall length
3. 6-7 round mags with pinky extensions as an option.
4. Plastic frame and steel slide
5. No Glocks--they all look the same to me.
6. I'd like to keep the price below $650

Any suggestions?
:D

Buy yourself a Sig P238 and never look back. I like them so much I bought two of them. Can be had for about $475, with night sights, if you catch one on GB just right. VERY concealable in pocket, reliable, 6 rd. mags, great sights, looks like a small 1911, very accurate. Carry cocked and locked.

http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/q...r/100_1260.jpg

http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/q...r/100_1248.jpg

http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/q...r/100_1256.jpg

What is your choice of target and PP ammo?

Why bother with .380 when you can get the same size package in a 9mm Kahr MK9?

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...0423111502.jpg

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 6+1, 7+1 (magazine with grip extension)
Operation: Trigger cocking DAO; lock breech; "Browning - type" recoil lug; passive striker block; no magazine disconnect
Barrel: 3.0", polygonal rifling; 1 - 10 right-hand twist
Length O/A: 5.3"
Height: 4.0"
Slide Width: .90"
Weight: Pistol 22.1 ounces, Magazine 1.9 ounces
Grips: Wraparound, textured hard nylon
Sights: Drift adjustable, white bar-dot combat sights
Finish: Polished stainless steel
Magazines: 1 each: 6 rd flush floorplate & 7 rd extended grip

Mine is the Elite model with night sights and a polished finish.

For lightweight carry, I've been very happy with a KelTec PF9. Granted, it is on the less expensive side, and they tend to be a bit fussy, but mine is accurate, light weight, and easy to carry. It'll hold 7+1, plus I carry with an extra magazine:

http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/a...O/holster5.jpg

Just my humble $0.02 worth...

Lane

I'm also a fan of the Sig P238, but reliability with them seem to be hit or miss. Mine occasionally (like once every couple hundred rounds) fails to eject, but I should receive the 3rd generation extended magazines with room for my pinky on Monday or Tuesday.

I developed a handload for it with Hornady's 90 grain XTP that I think chrono'd at a little over 1125 fps. For factory self defense ammo, I use Cor Bon's 90 grain JHP, and they clocked at a hair under 1050 fps.

The best part about the P238 is that it's really easy to shoot well (not I hit the target well, but easy 2" group at 10 yards well) and recoil is very mild.

Grizz

P238 is a good choice too

I carried a P11 for over a decade. Slipped on to my waist with the factory clip. Very reliable but a real PAIN to shoot. I hated the overly long for me trigger reach and the terrible pull. Yes it was fluffed and buffed but it still was not an enjoyable piece.

It always bothered me that I didn't feel I shot it enough to really feel uber comfortable with. I mean I shoot my carry 45s all the time and they feel like a second skin. So the P11 ultimately became my youngest sons. His hands are bigger and he doesn't seem to find the objections I did.

A friend tipped me off to a sale on the original Sig Nitron P238s. No night sites but on a pocket pea shooter I didn't think them necessary anyhow. Add a first responder discount and free shipping and I became a P238 owner. The price was simply way too low to ignore. Now I did have an AMT 380 Backup II which, like the P11, was reliable, but it too was no fun to shoot. It also required a change in my grip to operate the thumb safety which slowed things way down relegating the piece to a 3rd tier hideout only pistol. It ended up being traded in on a HD pump 12 gauge :)

Well the long and short of it is that the P238 is a joy to shoot. Easy to carry and quick to deploy. Accurate to boot for a pocket pistola. Stoked with 100 grain +P hardcast from Buffalo Bore or 95gr FMJ Flat Nose Winchester Q4206 ammunition, I'm comfortable with the gun as an effective tool.

http://rap.midco.net/bald1/P238.jpg

Here is a nice table I came across a while back. Unfortunatley it does not have any of the newer guns on it.

http://www.ilovemunich.net/PocketAutoComparison.jpg

I like the Sig 238 and almost bought one a while back. I decided for pocket carry I preferred the Ruger LCP. Its very light and comfortable to carry and my idea behind carrying it is it will be a get off of me gun. When I carry my LCP its when nothing else will do. I carry it with FMJ for this purpose.

To understand why I carry a 380 with FMJ, you have to look at my carry pool. I have 4 5" 1911s, a commander 1911, Glock 19, 2 HiPowers, Kahr P9, and a S&W 642. I prefer to carry my Kahr P9, which is an amazing carry gun, but you see why I say I carry my LCP when nothing else will do.