Concealable Pistols aka "Shorties"

[buglerbilly]

January 20, 2010

SHOT Show 2010: Springfield Armory Shortens XD(M) Pistol

Springfield Armory has introduced a 3.8-inch-barreled version of its XD(M) pistol at SHOT Show 2010.

The pistol employs the same frame as the full-size pistol and new slide serrations on a pistol available in 9mm and .40 caliber.

Like the full-size XD, the shorter-barrel version is available in 19+1 capacity in the 9mm and 16+1 in the .40 caliber. The pistol also retains the polymer frame for better recoil absorption.

[buglerbilly]

The P-3AT is a semi-automatic, locked breech pistol, chambered for the .380 Auto cartridge. It has been developed from our highly successful P-32 pistol with negligible increase in weight and size. The slidestop has been eliminated and the magazine capacity reduced to 6 rounds due to the larger cartridge.
The firing mechanism is double action only. The magazine has a 6 round capacity. The KEL-TEC P-3AT is the lightest .380 Auto pistol ever made. Thanks to its locking dynamics and superior ergonometry, perceived recoil and practical accuracy are comparable to much larger guns.
The P-3AT is mainly intended for plainclothes police officers as a secondary weapon, or for concealed carry by licensed citizens. The small grip size and light trigger pull make the P-3AT ideal for female shooters.



TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Calibers: .380 AUTO
Weight unloaded: 8.3 oz. 235g
Loaded magazine: 2.8 oz. 81g
Length: 5.2" 132mm
Height: 3.5" 89mm
Width: .77" 20mm
Barrel Length: 2.7" 68mm
Sight radius: 3.8" 97mm
Muzzle Energy Max: 250ft-lbs 340J
Capacity: 6 + 1 rounds
Trigger Pull: 5 lbs 23N



The P-3AT has five main component groups: barrel, slide, firing mechanism, grip, and magazine. The barrel is made of SAE 4140 ordnance steel, heat treated to 48 HRC. The slide is also 4140 steel, and contains the firing pin and the extractor. The rectangular frame is machined from solid 7075-T6 aluminum and houses the firing mechanism.

The trigger connects via a transfer bar to the hammer. The hammer is driven by a novel free floating extension spring. The light weight firing pin transmits the energy of the hammer to ignite the primer. After firing, the hammer block holds the hammer away from the firing pin, providing a mechanical safety.

Description MSRP
Blued Finish $ 318.00
Parkerized Finish $ 361.00
Hard Chrome Finish $ 377.00

[buglerbilly]

Interesting summary of Pocket Pistols from a US perspective............

http://gunsforsale.com/ghg/2011/02/15/almost-pocket-9-roundup/

..........worth a read!

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm Blog...........

Chiappa Rhino Review

Richard has reviewed the Chiappa Rhino Revolver ...

Felt recoil from .357 Magnum loads is almost non-existant.

Sounds like a pretty bold statement, I suppose. But after shooting the Chiappa Rhino at the 2011 Media Day at the Range, that sums up my feelings exactly. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning…

After I do a lot of shooting with heavy(ier) caliber guns, I find it really hard to judge recoil. By the time I got to the Chiappa guns I had done so much shooting I could not accurately judge the recoil. I can say that at the time the recoil did not seem bad. Bryan, who was with me at Media Day, took these photos of the Rhino ...


Photo © Bryan Jones


Photo © Bryan Jones

Shoot good, look funky BUT have the internals of a Hampton Maze! Really not sure how long these pistols will last under every-day conditions.................

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm Blog............

Taurus Protector Polymer Revolver .357 Magnum

Taurus has given the Protector Polymer revolver line a refresh for 2011. The 5-shot revolver now comes chambered in both .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum. Both are available with a stainless or blued finish.


.38 Special +P Model with wood colored grip


.357 Magnum model with black grip

Both models have 2.5" barrels and weigh 18.2 ounces. MSRP is between $445 and $461 depending on caliber and finish.

A bit ironic seeing this, I was just looking at .357 stubbies last night out of curiousity..................

[buglerbilly]

From the Firearm Blog............

MasterPiece Arms .380 Premium Protector

New from MasterPiece Arms is the .380 Premium Protector. The two-toned pistol features a blued frame with an aluminum grip. The grips are fully machined aluminum with a bead blasted finish that is protected by a clear anodize coating. I really like the look.



Like MasterPiece Arms' other Protector pistols, the Premium Protector has a 5+1 capacity. The MSRP is $345.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.......

Taurus 405 .40 S&W and 445 .44 Special revolver

The .40S&W looks potentially useful for a bunch of Glock Users?

Taurus has introduced two new revolvers.

The first, the Taurus 405, is the first Taurus revolver to be chambered in .40 S&W. Its chamber holds 5 rounds and uses Taurus Stellar moon clips. The gun has a 2" barrel, is available in blue or stainless finish and weighs 29 ounces. The MSRP is



Thier second new revolver is the Taurus 445. This .44 Special chambered revolver features an Ultra-Lite frame that weighs 22 ounces. It also has a 2" barrel and is available in blue or stainless finish.

The MSRP for both guns is $452 - $514.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm Blog...............

Ruger LC9 Review

When I talked to the folks at Ruger at the 2011 NRA convention, the buzz was all about the Ruger SR1911. Ruger’s offering for the 100th anniversary of John Moses Browning’s iconic pistol was well-received, and they had triplicate models highlighted as the centerpiece of their pistol display. Talking to several of the Ruger staff, they were quite eager to reach out to gun writers both print and online to get the SR1911 into the hands of folks who wanted to test it out.

Well, except those of us in Massachusetts.



Not to be daunted, the request was submitted for an LC9 – Ruger’s micro-9mm is pretty significant in its own right. Not content to rest on the success of the LCP, Ruger offered up the LC9 as a “bigger brother” to the diminutive .380. The LC9 lands between the compact SR9 and the LCP for size, a thin, nearly pocketable 9mm to rival the Kel-Tec PF9, Kahr PM9, and SIG SAUER P290. Pistols in this market segment are small, light, and chambered in “major” calibers – 9mm, .357 Sig, and .40 S&W.



The LC9 comes with an impressive assortment of gear – zippered pouch, lock, finger rest magazine floor plate as well as flush, etc. (Picture 1). Since it’s so new to the scene, magazines are somewhat scarce and accessories are still in the development stage; however I was still able to procure both a pocket holster (DeSantis Nemesis) and a tuckable IWB holster (DeSantis Sof-Tuk) for the LC9 (Picture 2). Despite the protestations of some, the LC9 can indeed be carried in a front pocket, although not as easily as its smaller sibling the LCP.

The LC9 is both exactly what you’d expect from Ruger – solidly built, plain-jane looks, and superfluous safety features (LCI) – and also nothing like you’d expect. This is a subcompact 9mm bordering on pocket size – obviously geared for the concealed carry market, something that Ruger resisted for decades. Smith & Wesson made their smallest revolvers lighter and lighter; until the debut of the LCR, Ruger’s had been charitably weighted similar to anchors. It is obvious that the folks at Ruger have embraced the civilian concealed carry market, and everybody benefits.

First impressions. The LC9, despite its diminutive size, manages to fill one’s hand nicely. The magazine comes with both a flush floor plate and one with a finger rest which are quickly interchanged depending on one’s preference; for this review the flush plate was left in place. The gun has smooth, rounded lines for carry; simple and well-placed controls; and a trigger with minimal creep that smoothed out very nicely after a few hundred dry fires. The light weight allows it to both be carried with ease and also shot extensively – the empty weight of 17.1 ounces makes it only slightly heavier than an Airweight revolver. It’s heavy enough to absorb the recoil of 9mm but light enough to carry all day long.



Takedown is simple and achieved with minimal tools – simply empty the gun, push the takedown plate down, push lightly on the muzzle, and drive the takedown pin out (picture 3). One criticism I heard from a friend in the business is that with repeated firing/jostling of the gun, the takedown gate may become loose and allow the pin to fall out if nudged the wrong way – it doesn’t appear likely that the sequence of events needed for that to occur would happen in every day shooting and carrying, but it is something to be aware of. Having a spare takedown plate and pin in case they get worn wouldn’t be a terribly idea.



Shooting the LC9. The LC9 was taken to the range for a preliminary shakedown testing. Several different types and manufacturers of ammunition were acquired for testing – including jacketed hollowpoints as would be used for concealed carry (picture 5). The LC9 did not like RWS 124 grain FMJ ammunition, having three failures to fire out of the two magazines; however all other ammunition fed, fired, and ejected flawlessly. Most ammunition used was 115 grain FMJ; two magazines of Remington jacketed hollow point ammunition was added.



Accuracy was surprisingly good for a lightweight gun with a short sight radius (picture 6). Recoil was very manageable, allowing for rapid shots that stayed on target. Shooting the LC9 offhand at a distance 25 feet, rapid fire, all seven shots stayed well within the confines of a standard NRA B-34 silhouette target. Felt recoil was no worse than a standard S&W J-frame revolver firing light .38 Special rounds. The LC9 trigger, while on the heavier side, was consistent from take-up to release and is similar to a double action revolver.



Conclusion: The LC9 is a solid hit for Ruger. It’s priced very competitively in the field of subcompact 9mm handguns, with competitors either significantly higher or statistically equal. The fit and finish is what one expects from Ruger – solid yet utilitarian. Further testing remains to be done with regards to how it carries as well as the long term reliability – less than 75 rounds were run through this model for the testing, which barely covers the break-in period. It will also need more time in the holster to see if the small size and light weight translate into “carry lots”.

[ We are proud to continue to have Jay G of the MArooned blog as a guest writer. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm Blog...............

SIG SAUER P250 Subcompact now with Accessory Rail



The subcompact SIG P250 is now available with an integral M1913 accessory rail.

Featuring the medium grip contoured to fit most hand sizes, the new P250 Subcompact allows users to mount lights and lasers on the smallest P250 frame. SIGLITE® Night Sights are standard on the Nitron®–coated, one-piece stainless steel slide.

The modular fire control system of the P250 allows users to choose the caliber, barrel length and frame size to fit their needs. Available in 9mm, .40S&W and .357SIG, the P250 Subcompact offers a consistent 6.5 double-action-only trigger pull.

An ambidextrous slide catch lever and reversible magazine catch makes the P250 user-friendly for both right- and left-handed shooters. With 12 rounds of 9mm or 10 rounds of .40S&W or .357SIG, the P250 Subcompact offers substantial firepower for a concealed carry pistol.

[buglerbilly]

Smith & Wesson J Frame Overview

VuurwapenBlog



Uploaded by VuurwapenBlog on Jun 27, 2011

A brief video describing the S&W J Frames. The handgun featured in this video is a 5 shot, .38 Special S&W M&P342, with Crimson Trace Lasergrips and an XS tritium night sight. It weighs 16oz loaded with 5 rounds of 148gr wadcutters - Federal Gold Medal Match - which is my "carry ammo."

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog...............

Ruger SR40c .40 S&W



Ruger has released a compact version of their SR40, the SR40c. It features a 3.5" barrel, flush 9 round magazine (or grip extension magazine with 15 round capacity), an accessory rail and the choice between a two-tone brushed stainless finish or Nitridox Pro black finish.

Specifications

Caliber - .40 S&W

Capacity - 9+1

Frame - Black, High Performance, Glass-Filled Nylon

Slide - Stainless / Brushed Stainless or Nitridox Pro Black finish

Barrel - 3.50"

Twist - 1:16" RH

Overall Length - 6.85"

Weight - 23.40 oz.

MA Approved - No

CA - Approved|Yes

Sights - Adjustable 3-Dot

MSRP (Price) $525.00

The pistol is approved for California, although it will ship with two 9 round magazines, rather than one 9 rounder and one 15 rounder.



From the press release ...


The SR40c is based on the same high-performance glass-filled nylon frame as those used on the popular SR9®, SR9c™ and SR40 pistols, offering the same, great ergonomic features, including a slim frame, short trigger reach, reversible backstrap, and ambidextrous controls. The SR40c features a through-hardened, stainless steel or alloy steel slide with Nitridox Pro Black finish. Serrations on the front portion of the slide make it easier to manipulate the slide and press check the chamber.

"The SR40c provides all of the benefits of a full-sized handgun without the recoil often associated with smaller .40 caliber pistols," said Mike Fifer, Ruger CEO. "The SR40c offers yet another strong concealed carry option from Ruger, perfect for personal protection or law enforcement plain clothes and backup applications," he continued.

[buglerbilly]

Kel-Tec P3AT Review - Vuurwapen Blog




Uploaded by VuurwapenBlog on Jul 6, 2011

As I state in the video, I first purchased a P3AT in 2007, seeking a smaller alternative to my Sig P232. I was so impressed with the P3AT that I purchased three more to give to family members and a (now ex-) girlfriend.

The two P3ATs you see in this video have each had around 600 rounds fired through them since I bought them.

Although the P3AT is rudimentary in design and construction, I have found it to be a reliable carry handgun, and one well-suited to concealed carry. The fact that it weighs just over 10oz loaded makes it great for carry with light clothing that would not normally be suitable for concealing - and holding in place - a handgun.

P3AT Specs:
Weight Loaded - 10.6oz
Magazine Capacity - 6 Rounds
Barrel Length - 2.7"
Width = .77"

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog............

Charter Arms Pit Bull .40 S&W Rimless Revolver

The Charter Arms Rimless Revolver was originally announced, along with pricing, about two and a half years ago. I never thought the day would arrive when the gun would actually go on sale, but it is finally here.



The Pit Bull .40 S&W Rimless Revolver allows the use of .40 S&W cartridges without the need for moonclips. Richard Johnson had the opportunity to handle the revolver earlier this year and wrote about the rimless system ...


Ecker explained that the revolver headpsaces off of the case mouth, and that the “plungers” that hold the rimless cartridges float. Working with some dummy rounds, the .40 S&W cartridges dropped right in the cylinder, and ejected just like any other rimmed cartridge. Frankly, it is a neat system.

The Pit Bull is built on the same frame as the Charter Arms .44 Special revolvers. The cylinder holds five rounds. The barrel is 2.3" long and it weighs 20 ounces. A double-action-only (DOA) hammer option is available on request. The MSRP is $455.

From the press release ...


After firing, this unique system allows the shooter easy ejection of spent cartridges for immediate reloading. Charter Arms has taken the difficulty of rimless loading and ejection to the simplicity of the rimmed cartridge in the revolver industry.

Nick Ecker, president of Charter Arms, said, "The Pit Bull is the ideal revolver for law enforcement officers to use as their back up, because they can now carry a revolver that utilizes the same ammo as their sidearm. And for the .40 caliber enthusiast, it gives them the first revolver that shoots their ammo without utilizing moon clips."

Earlier today I spoke to the PR firm representing Charter Arms. The acronym CARR (Charter Arms Rimless Revolver), which was used in the press releases over the past couple of years, is not longer in use by the company. It is officially called the Pit Bull.

[buglerbilly]

Via Soldier Systems blog...........useful info?

Grey Man Lesson: Spotting a Hidden Handgun

August 16th, 2011

This is an oldie but a goodie, first published by SSD in March, 2010. It’s just as poignant today as when we first mentioned it and has remained worth sharing since the data was initially prepared in 1992.

While this graphic actually dates from 1992, it does contain quite a few details that are of use both offensively as well as defensively. Originally, published in the New York Times the data came from NYPD Detective Robert Gallagher based on criteria he used to size up suspects. Megan Jaegerman, the artist who translated this information into a readily usable format has been lauded for this and other work. She succinctly synthesizes a great deal of information into a story that can be interpreted with the eye.

[buglerbilly]

Introducing the Beretta Nano

by Guns & Ammo News•August 15, 2011



With the brand new Beretta Nano, the Italian outfit best known for its world class shotguns has officially entered the concealed carry world.

The Nano will hit the shelves in early October providing yet another micro compact carry pistol option. In fact, it’s Beretta’s first ever striker-fired handgun, and they were nice enough to give GunsandAmmo.com one of the first looks at what will surely create a big buzz on the market.

The Nano, which will be initially offered in 9mm, is being touted as a modular, ergonomically sound compact that will be comfortable for shooters of all skill levels. The movable, serialized sub-chassis allows the user to easily replace grip frames and disassemble, and the Nano’s sights are user adjustable with a 1.5mm hexwrench. No gunsmith needed.

The initial word on the price will be around $475. Some other important info on the Nano:

• No pulling trigger for disassembly
• Completely snag free design
• Totally ambidextrous
• No external slide lock
• Different frame sizes
• Sub-chassis .40 cal capable
• Frame employs modern thermoplastic technology through the use of fiberglass reinforced technopolymer

Who’s excited about the Beretta Nano? Anything else you want to know?

Stay tuned for more information from Beretta as they prepare for a full scale launch.

[buglerbilly]

More on the Berreta Nano from the Firearm Blog.............

Beretta BU-9 Nano Pistol

The Beretta BU-9 Nano pistol has been officially announced by Beretta. The 9mm sub-compact carry pistol will go on sale in late October.



The most interesting feature of this gun is that the serial number is not attached to the polymer frame. The serial is attached to an inner steel chassis. In the future, owners of the Nano will be able to purchase aftermarket frames without having to worry about FFL transfers.

The Nano has no external safety (it does not a Glock-style trigger 'safety') but does have a striker deactivator, allowing the gun to be decocked before disassembly without having to pull the trigger.


The serialized steel chassis.

The pistol has the sleek Beretta Strom look. Its frame has no protruding levers or buttons for a snag-free draw. The slide has a ProNox black nitride finish and user removable/adjustable sights.


Uploaded by BerettaCommunity on Sep 8, 2011
An overview of the Beretta Nano concealed-carry semiautomatic handgun, the game-changer in CCW products!

The MSRP is $475. A .40 S&W will be released in the near future.

[ Many thanks to Darryl for emailing me the info. ]

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

Ruger / Talo LCR Deluxe Limited Editions



Talo and Ruger have developed two limited edition "Deluxe" Ruger LCR models. The first, pictured above, features five engraved and satin filled Ruger logos and a 24KT gold band on the cylinder. The MSRP is $596, which is about a $70 premium over the standard model MSRP.



The second model has the same engraved Ruger logos but has a silver band instead of the gold. This model has a MSRP of $570, which is about $40 more expensive than the standard model.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog.............

Heizer Defense DoubleTap .45 Pistol

The penultimate hide-out gun........??? Interesting design.........noisy fer sure!

Heizer Defense, a new gun maker from St. Louis, Missouri, has developed a nifty derringer type pistol. The Heizer Defense DoubleTap is chambered in .45 ACP and has two barrels in an over/under configuration. The frame is made of titanium and the trigger is double action. A thumb latch automatically opens and ejects the chambered rounds or empty cases. Ported barrels, to reduce recoil at the expense of making a noisy short barrel gun even more noisy, two round storage in the grip and snag-free design are nice touches.



The company could have gone the cheaper polymer route, but instead with Titanium which makes me think they are positioning this as a premium-priced weapon.

[buglerbilly]

Via Vuurwapen blog.............

Choosing the Right Concealed Carry Handgun for You

Posted by Andrew Tuohy


Uploaded by VuurwapenBlog on Oct 3, 2011

Earlier this year, I wrote a short article on how to choose the right concealed carry handgun. I've now turned it in to a video on choosing the right concealed carry handgun - an extremely lengthy one, by my standards - for your viewing enjoyment. I know that most of the people who read my blog regularly are experienced when it comes to firearms, because I'm consistently impressed with the quality of the comments I see, but perhaps it'll be useful to the friends or relatives of my regular readers.

Since I've been providing stats for the time involved to make videos recently, this one took 11 hours of work yesterday and 7 today, plus two hours to render. This is under my normal video production time of two hours per minute of video, possibly because the script was already laid out.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

New Improved Colt .380 Mustang Pocketlite Pistol



Colt has reintroduced the .380 Mustang Pocketlite. The original Mustang used cast parts and was all steel. This new model is CNC-machined and has an aluminum frame with a light tan finish.



Uploaded by fmgpubs on Apr 8, 2011
A look at the re-introduction of the Colt Mustang .380 pocketlite pistol. FMG's Shari LeGate discovers why it's new, improved, smaller and better.

The gun measures 5.5" in length, has a 2.75" barrel, weighs 12 ounces. Colt has not published pricing, but one forum user said he purchased his for $609. Read his range report (and the problems he faced) here.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

Ruger LCP-LM and LC9-LM with LaserMax



The new Ruger LCP-LM and LC9-LM incorporate LaserMax CenterFire lasers in their trigger guard. The on/off switch, which is forward of the trigger, is ambidextrous. The laser can be adjusted for both windage and elevation.

WHY would you adjust for windage OR elevation in a Shorty?

The MSRP of the LC9-LM (9mm) is $525 and the LCR-LM (.380 ACP) is $443. These prices are ~$80 more expensive than the standard laser-less models.

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..........

SIG P938 9mm Sub Compact



SIG has scaled up their .380 ACP P238 platform to create the 9mm P938. The P938 is all metal, single action and has a 6+1 capacity. I did not have the opportunity to fire the gun but what I saw I liked.

Specifications

Caliber 9mm NATO

Capacity 6+1

Finish Nitron or Stainless

Grip Wood or G-10

Barrel 3.0"

Overall Length 5.9"

Weight 16 oz

Sights Low-Profile SIGLITE Night Sights

MSRP (Price) $795-$838

[buglerbilly]

The New XP .45 Hand Gun



Uploaded by SOFREP on Jan 25, 2012
5 +1 magazine

[buglerbilly]

Via the Firearm blog..............

Heizer Defense Double Tap

We've had this one when it was first announced but no one had fired it then...............last ditch weapon for certain people of "dubious character", at least thats what regular Army think..............



I handled the Heizer Defense Double Tap on the SHOT Show floor and liked it far more than I thought I would. While I don't like the two round capacity, the gun just felt so good in my hand that I couldn't help but like it. It is light, there is a 12 oz. aluminum version and also a 14 oz. titanium version, has a slim profile and every corner is rounded. I don't recommend carrying a pistol inside a pocket without a holster, but if you have to do it, then this is the pistol you want.







Please note that I rarely write such glowing reviews of guns. It really did feel that good, but the proof is really in the shooting.