I approach concealed carry with the toolbox idea. It’s simple: You have a toolbox to pick the right tool for the job, and there is no perfect tool.
The self-defense toolbox involves different guns and different holsters for various purposes. One of the many tools in my box is the Safariland Model 25 pocket holster, which I can use with various pocket pistols.
Why Pocket Pistols?
The only thing less understood than pocket pistols is the posi-trac rear-end on a Plymouth. These little pocket rockets aren’t the best option in a gunfight, but they are better than harsh language. While they might lack Mike Tyson’s punch power, they are very convenient to carry and conceal better than Sephora’s expensive stuff.
Everything is give and take and the pocket pistol really shines for deep concealment and convenience.
If I’m running to the store to get milk at 8 PM, I’m likely going in gym shorts with a pocket pistol. If I’m dressing up for an event in nice clothes, I don’t have room for my typical pistol, so I don a pocket pistol. The same goes for exercising, the beach, and similar oddball events when an appendix rig and a Glock 19 won’t cut it.
Don’t Forget the pocket Holster
When you hear the phrase “pocket carry,” you might picture just dropping a gun in your pocket and going about your day. In reality, you need a holster. A good holster.
A pocket holster like the Safariland 25 protects the trigger and prevents negligent discharges. Pocket holsters orient the gun for a quick and intuitive draw and keep the weapon consistently in one place in your pocket.
Without further ado, let’s get down to our list of the top five pocket pistols. We’ll start out with Beretta’s recent launch.
1. S&W Bodyguard 2.0
I hated the original S&W Bodyguard .380 ACP, so I was surprised that I loved the S&W Bodyguard 2.0 to name it the all-time best .380 ACP pocket pistol. It beats the bricks of the competition in five different ways.
First, it’s hardly any larger or thicker than the original Bodyguard. The original .380 ACP only had one thing going for it: its small size. The BG 2.0 is barely bigger, like fractions of an inch, but outperforms the original BG in every way.
Next, it holds 10 to 12 rounds without being that much thicker than every other pocket .380. Again, it’s fractions of an inch thicker at most. That’s a lot of .380 ACP in a very pocket-friendly gun.
It has outstanding sights that make it easy to hit threats beyond bad breath distance. The front sight is large and easy to acquire, making it quick and easy to land hits quickly. The Bodyguard 2.0 is too small to be optics-ready, so this is as good as it gets.
The only pocket .380 doesn’t feel like a firecracker going off in my hand. It’s controllable, and the recoil doesn’t cause any pain. It has some slide bite, so watch out for that if you’re a 2XL gloves guy.
Finally, the move to a striker meant we got a much better trigger than the DAO hammer-fired design. It’s light and sweet, breaks at about five pounds, and has a short reset for rapid follow-ups.
The Bodyguard 2.0 still fits in your pocket and still conceals with ease.
2. Ruger LCP 2 Literack
Ruger might be the foremost pocket pistol company. They made waves with the LCP in .380 ACP, and this is the first of two LCPs to make the list.
When the LCP blasted its way into a generation 2 design, it brought a new caliber, the .22LR. The LCP 2 Literack gives us a direct blowback .22LR pistol capable of holding a mighty 10 rounds in an ultra-small magazine.
The slide doesn’t give much purchase, but you won’t need much to rack the gun. It glides back effortlessly.
A set of nice-sized sights makes shooting easy, and you’ll be surprised by how accurate you can be with this little gun. The lack of perceptible recoil generated by .22LR makes this the softest shooting 11-ounce pistol out there.
I purchased one and quickly lost it to the needs of my wife, who actually enjoys shooting and will actively carry the LCP 2 Literack. You’ll need to keep it fed with modern premium grade .22LR ammo from sources like CCI or Federal for reliable ignition, but you can practice with the cheap bulk stuff without a problem.
3. Ruger LCP Max
One good turn deserves another, and Ruger might as well be a merry-go-round for pocket pistols.
The LCP Max takes pocket pistols to the next level by almost seamlessly blending them with micro compacts. The “Max” in LCP Max comes from the 10-round flush-fitting magazine or slightly extended 12-round magazine. Ruger had to make the LCP Max fractionally wider and longer, but not enough to remove it from the pocket pistol realm.
Ruger found a way to make the LCP Max weigh the same as the original LCP. This is the gunfighter’s pocket pistol.
It still packs some nasty 380 recoil, but you get 10 or 12 rounds to get through. We even get a big set of sights that easily outperform the old-school LCP.
If you are unsure about the idea of a pocket pistol, the Ruger LCP Max is for you. It offers the capacity of a subcompact, a good set of sights, a decent trigger, and a grip just long enough to hold. It packs a punch without exceeding the characteristics of the small pocket pistol genre.
4. S&W 432 UC
The S&W 432 Ultimate Carry is a Lipsey’s exclusive revolver that’s gotten quite popular as of late. The S&W 432 chambers the .32 H&R Magnum, which is odd these days but a natural cartridge for a pocketable revolver.
Alongside the .32 H&R Magnum, the little gun can chamber the .32 S&W, the .32 S&W Long, and even the .32 ACP. The .32 H&R Magnum is the best choice for self-defense of these many calibers.
The 432 UC comes with real sights! Not just a trench across the top strap and a front sight. We get a high visibility front night sight and an all-black fixed rear sight.
The grips are nicely sized and rounded for a good grip. The trigger is impressively smooth for a double-action-only revolver. Shooting straight won’t be tough for most shooters.
The S&W 432 UC holds six rounds in a very compact frame. It’s my pocket carry gun of choice at the moment, and it is riding in my right pocket as I type this out. The recoil is light, and the gun’s easily fired with a single hand.
It’s nice to see the J-frame stumble out of the .38 Special and into a light recoiling caliber that gives you one extra round.
5. KelTec P32
The KelTec P32 is the best production .32 ACP on the market. That’s not a big market, but it’s impressive to see KelTec take the lead. The P32 has been around since 1999, and it’s only recently that the gun is getting the credit it deserves.
The .32 ACP round means this 6.9-ounce gun doesn’t beat the hell out of you. It’s super easy to control, and you can put the entire magazine downrange without the recoil pulling you off target. Even shooting with a single hand is easy and controllable.
The KelTec P32 holds seven rounds of .32 ACP and might be the thinnest and lightest semi-auto pistol ever made. The DAO trigger is long but surprisingly light. The sights are nothing more than nubs, but they provide just enough sight to make it work.
KelTec also trimmed and melted the corners of the P32 in every possible way. They made the gun easy to carry in your pocket and easy to draw from your pocket without worrying about snags. With a pre-staged draw, I can draw and get a shot off problem-free in less than a second.
The P32 provides a soft-shooting, reliable, and affordable pocket option for those who despise .380 ACP pocket pistol recoil.
Pocket Carry Pistols
Pocket Carry and pocket pistols aren’t for everyone. They require a good deal of training to use effectively, and even in the hands of a competent shooter, these guns are limited in their capability.
Even with their downsides, the small size, ease of concealment, and convenience of carry make pocket pistols a valuable tool to keep in the box.
