Smallest caliber you'd feel comfortable carrying?

[Mac66]

I think you'll be happy with the LCP II

I put a full review in the 'Range Report' thread, but I'll include a few thoughts here as well because it's applicable to the thread. You're right, liked the LCP II quite a bit. It was immediately apparent to me that it's a softer shooting pistol than the LCP. The LCP, without a Hogue Handall or mag extension is a very snappy little pistol that can actually hurt. And I'm not a wimp about recoil. But it's such a light pistol that even .380 snaps it enough to hurt my fingers and thump the palm of my hand. After just a mag or two I'm ready to call it quits. The Hogue Handall and the mag extension go a LONG way to taming it and I can shoot a box or more before I'm ready to be done with it.

The LCP II though was fairly pleasant to shoot. And I don't have any type of grip wrap on it at all. The 7-round magazine give me a full three-finger grip which helps as well. In some of the reviews they mention that the shape of the grip in the back of the LCP II is wider which helps to distribute the recoil. I think they're right on that point. I had already shot 45+P, 40 S&W, 357sig and 9mm and the LCP II was the last pistol of the range trip. Even after shooting all of those other pistols/calibers I shot more than a box out of the LCP II including the Fiocchi XTP's which have a little more pepper on them than the range ammo. And I could have shot a lot more. Very impressed.

We bought the LCP II for my wife. But women of course change their minds and she decided to go with the pink Muddy Girl camo LCP. Basically because I already have a laser on it and she likes laser and doesn't want to put one on the LCP II. That's fine. With the grip and the extension she should be able to handle it well enough. And she feels safer with the long DA trigger on the LCP as well as that trigger stop that arrived. She's considering a Flash Bang bra holster so it's important for it to be safe. This means the LCP II will become my pocket pistol and I'm fine with that. It will actually be even better as it will be just a tad flatter in my pocket since I don't need a grip wrap to tame the recoil. I just need to put a little red or orange paint on the front sight and I'll be good to go.

I'll have to take another look at the LCP II. I looked at them side by side with the regular LCP when they first came out. It didn't seem much different in terms of trigger pull to justify the $70 difference in price (at the time) and I liked the LCP ergonomics better so I bought the LCP. Got used to pocket carrying it when I would visit my dad in the nursing home. Now that he's gone I went back to pocket EDCing my LC9 pro. Of course I was happy with my regular LC9 until I got the Pro version. I'll have to give the deuce another chance.

[David]

If you can find one at a decent price it may be worth a second look. We paid $325 for it last week. That's a bit more than I would have liked, but at the time I was just wanting her to have something she'd carry on-body rather that in the purse. Purse is fine for a secondary but I think on-body is better all the way around. So I was willing to pay a little more. I don't recall what they were pre-panic but I'm thinking maybe the $250-$300 range?

I only paid $150 for the LCP though so it kinda evens it out I suppose. It was practically brand new, less than a box through it. Buddy I shoot with bought it for his wife but she ended up with a revolver. So it just sat in his safe. I put the word out I was looking for one and he offered it for $150 and I snapped it up. So yeah, I think it all evened out in the end.

[David]

Touched up the front sight with some of the wife's red nail polish. It does make a difference.




Pic with the 7-round mag. Surprisingly it gives a full 3-finger grip.




With it's pink partner.

[Mac66]

I took a recent firearms class with my Ruger LC9s Pro 9mm. It was the most rounds (150) i put through it at one time and the first time I shot it in a class. This class was not a tactical class but rather a basic fundamentals class. No high speed, low drag stuff. But i learned a some things.

1. It is reliable
2. It is accurate if i do my part
3. It is harder to shoot accurately than a full size gun
4. You can make it controllable once you get used to it and figure out how to shoot it correctly.
5. I don't think I would want to carry and shoot anything smaller on a regular basis.

[Miami_JBT]

.22LR honestly. It isn't the arrow, it is the indian. I know that the ,22LR isn't by far the best. But a .22LR in the hand beats a .45 ACP in the safe anyd ay of the weak. I have a few defensive guns chambered in .22LR like a Beretta Model 21A Bobcat. It is a handy little carry piece. Yes, it is easily outdone by guns like my LW Seecamp LWS32, Kel-Tec P32, or Ruger LCP. But it is a easily handled and capable little gun. I'm comfortable also with my Beretta Model 950 Jetfire in .25 ACP.

I understand their limitations and their intended roles as deep cover belly guns or back up pieces. I wouldn't rely on any of my micros to be duty guns. For that, my Walther PP or FN M1922 in .32 ACP would be the smallest I'd go. .32 ACP FMJ has put a lot of people in the dirt across the pond in Europe.

[Mac66]

.22LR honestly. It isn't the arrow, it is the indian. I know that the ,22LR isn't by far the best. But a .22LR in the hand beats a .45 ACP in the safe anyd ay of the weak. I have a few defensive guns chambered in .22LR like a Beretta Model 21A Bobcat. It is a handy little carry piece. Yes, it is easily outdone by guns like my LW Seecamp LWS32, Kel-Tec P32, or Ruger LCP. But it is a easily handled and capable little gun. I'm comfortable also with my Beretta Model 950 Jetfire in .25 ACP.

I understand their limitations and their intended roles as deep cover belly guns or back up pieces. I wouldn't rely on any of my micros to be duty guns. For that, my Walther PP or FN M1922 in .32 ACP would be the smallest I'd go. .32 ACP FMJ has put a lot of people in the dirt across the pond in Europe.

Well, a Ruger SR22 was my wife's primary HD gun for many years. The thought was that not many people could withstand a swarm of ten 22s. When the S&W EZ380 came out I picked one up and had her shoot it. It is the first centerfire pistol she doesn't mind shooting. It has replaced the SR22 as her HD gun.

I've since sold the SR22s (I had two of them) and replaced them with 2 Keltec P17s. I like the 16 round mags and light weight of the 17s. I often carry one when walking in the woods at my property and while deer hunting a "things you see when you don't have a gun" kinda thing.

[David]

The LCP II with 8 rounds weighs 13.3 ounces. The LCP with Hogue Handall grip, Lasermax laser, extended pinky extension and 7 rounds weighs 12.6 ounces.

[David]

[David]

[David]