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"deep cover" EDC

4K views 32 replies 14 participants last post by  MNMiker 
#1 ·
In an environment where it has to be well hidden yet easily accessed (pocket, belly band, etc.), what would you recommend for a last stand gun?

I work in an industry where it is not permitted by "the powers" to carry anything other than a stick to protect myself. At any time of my work shift I could be walking in bad areas (at night many have no lighting), without a phone, by myself, and where PD may not know exactly where to get to me for help if I use a radio distress call to coworkers. This applies to both the upright walkers and feral dog and coyote issues. I am entertaining getting a small insurance policy just in case there is no alternative but to be severely beaten, gnawed on, or worse. I am not looking for something to get into a gunfight with. I am looking for something to allow me to stop aggression long enough for me to get safely out of the area. If that means that aggressor loses its life, that is an unfortunate side effect of the choices of that particular being.

I have been considering a P32, and similar sized firearms. I need something that can be easily concealed in a pocket and have multiple shot capacity (no 2 shot derringers). I am not looking for a holster on my hip, but would entertain an ankle holster depending on the firearm size and weight. I do bend over, climb ladders, and do a lot of walking during the course of my duties. I could also use it when not at work as the reason for having it would be the same despite a different operating environment.
 
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#2 ·
I would choose a FA mini revolver 4 shot .22mag.
You can hide those things anywhere and a 22mag would settle most arguments.
 
#5 ·
We can't all be financially careless, or work in a gun friendly environment. It is obviously not tough to be a monkey's posterior though. Thank you for the constructive criticism that has ZERO to do with the question posed. Get that post count up my friend.
 
#6 ·
Get a P32. The NA 22 mini revolver is a toy.

And carry an impact tool in a belt loop. I prefer a hammer. Nobody questions someone who carries one as being odd or out of the norm. Raise it to strike and they run like little pussies.

:tango_face_wink:
 
#7 ·
I've had a P32, P3-AT, P9 and P11. I wouldn't buy either of them again. Nope I no longer have any of them. I know folks, some folks at least, like the little tiny revolvers by NA but to me they are mostly a joke not a firearm. Nope I don't wanna be shot by one but in a gun fight you'd sure better hope the other guy is the one with one not you.

For serious deep cover I prefer the Ruger LCP. Mine is the Custom with the red trigger and that trigger is fantastic. I hear the newer LCP II has an even better trigger but how I dunno. I also have a Ruger LC9s which is even more protection in a package only a bit larger but a good deal heavier. Like my LCP Custom the trigger is as good as I've seen on any striker fired gun I've owned or shot and that's a bunch of them.

If I didn't already have the pair of Rugers and were looking to buy I'd also consider the S&W Shield and/or their BodyGuard .380.

I've shot the BG380 and liked it a lot. Trigger is not nearly as good as on my LCP Custom but it's a nice little deep cover gun and the one I shot was quite accurate.

I have carried both the Ruger guns as well as all of the 4 Kel-Tec guns concealed in the past. The P32, P3-AT and the Ruger LCP are all the same size and weight basically. All fit the same pocket holster and all sure disappear in a front or back pocket as you prefer. I hate to depend on a .380 to save my bacon but it's way better than a .32acp for the task.

The little guns by Ruger or Kel-Tec weigh in about 8-11 ounces or so. The Ruger LC9 and S&W Shield are an ounce or so over a pound. Not a big difference but you can definitely feel the difference in your pocket.

Depending on how much weight you want to carry and how deep you need to conceal it my advise is to get either of the Ruger or S&W guns I've mentioned here. When I carry my LCP Custom I carry two spare mags also. Mostly with the LC9s I carry just one spare mag.

I don't have your problem not being employed and here in Bama open carry is legal so I don't even attempt to hide my primary carry gun anymore. I open carry usually either one of my S&W M&P 40s or a Springfield XD 5" tactical in .45acp. For me these days the two Ruger guns have become back up guns (BUG) not primary carry guns.

Mine wear lasers and on the S&W or Ruger guns the laser adds basically no weight and darn little bulk and still fit the same pocket holsters as without the lasers. They sure do make it easier to be sure of a hit especially with the low light situations you've mentioned you find yourself in.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I use a lcp in a wallet holster. Its a bit bigger then a normal wallet but not noticeably unless you know what your looking for. That said its borderline to big. Maybe one in an ankle holster might be your best bet. My buddy carrys one of the naa 22lr guns. Now that thing is small. it doesn't show much even in the front pocket of a pair of wranglers and I guess its better then a stick or knife. Down side to me is its so small that just handling it (cocking) is awkward. So second shots are kind of clumsy and with a 22 second shots are pretty important. I had a gun once that fit the bill pretty well. It was a tip barrel berretta 25acp that I got talked out of. Its smaller then my lcp. Sure some say that the 25acp is lame but mine with gold dots shot through 3/8s plywood so it surely would make it to the vitals of about anyone. Easy second shot and it was dead reliable. Honestly I wish I had it back. I did a lot of penetration testing and expansion testing with it and gold dots and anyone who trys to tell you its not more then a 22 or 22mag is smoking crack. Downside to it is its all steal and although smaller is a bit heavier then my lcp. We had a no gun policy at work too and for about 10 years I carried that little berretta in an ankle holster. No one was the wiser. Allways wished the 25acp would take off like the 380 did. Maybe wed get some high tech loads for it then. I think a scaled down lcp in 25 would be a real cool little gun.
 
#9 ·
Thank you GB and Lloyd for the well thought out responses. I will look at the LCP as well. I have had no issues, nor have the other several hundred people that work in the same territory. I just want something just in case.
 
#11 ·
What Bill and Lloyd said; without a doubt.

I had an LCP and loved it. Heavy trigger, it wasn't a custom like Bill's, and all. The trigger doesn't bother me since I want a good DA pull on a weapon that rides in my pocket and has one in the snout. Which means I don't see the need for a safety on them like I do my striker fired Shield. Sadly I gave my LCP to a close, widder woman, friend and replaced it with a S&W Bodyguard.

The Bodyguard has features the LCP doesn't but it also suffers from the occasional light primer strike. Fortunately one thing it has over the LCP is the ability to pull the trigger for a second chance at igniting the primer. The occurrence of light strikes is very infrequent now and may no longer be an issue since I haven't had one in a while.

OH! and accuracy is about the same on the two. Maybe a fractional advantage to the LCP... probably not, but maybe.

If I were in the market again I would probably go for the LCP. AT $200 it's kinda hard to beat. The Custom like Bill has would be even better! But I would pass on the LCP II. As I understand it, it is striker fired and I understand that's the reason the trigger is better than even the LCP Custom. To me that makes the trigger too light for a pocket pistol.

But then I was raised on wheel guns. The only self loader I fired until relatively late in life was the 1911.
 
#12 ·
my take on the lcp is this. For 200 bucks the originals are a heck of a bang for the buck. I had two and they served me well for a couple years. I even put lazers on them. triggers were about terrible and really showed when you tried to shoot with the laser. I sold them both and used my 43 glock for a while. It was just to big for pocket carry of any kind so I looked into a lcp2. Mine has a much better trigger. Its not that its some 2lb target trigger. I haven't measured it but I'm sure its at around 5lbs. Whats nice about it isn't that its light which it really isn't but that it breaks crisp. Its actually about the same pull weight as my 43 glock or about any glock with a wolf trigger disconecter in it. Surely not light enough where id consider it dangerous or would want it with a safety. The hands down best thing about an lcp2 is the slide hold open after the last round. Not important on a plinking gun but about mandatory in my opinion on a serious self defense gun. Especially in a small caliber gun that is probably going to take more then one round to end a fight. That said I think I paid around $280 for my 2 so you have to feel that better trigger and slide hold open is worth almost a 1/3 more. to me it is but it might not be to everyone.
 
#13 ·
my take on the lcp is this. For 200 bucks the originals are a heck of a bang for the buck.
Ya know, when I said $200 I was thinking of when I bought mine. I have recently seen them at Palmetto SA For $170! :tango_face_surprise I was tempted to buy another! :p
 
#14 ·
I thought about picking one up at that price myself. Local dealer had them for 210. Time you factor in shipping and a transfer fee for the dealer your right back to about the same anyway. Even at that price though there a steal. I owned two of the old one and have a II now and I don't remember them every missing a beat with factory ammo or handloads. A gun for 200 bucks that is glock reliable is about as good as it gets.
 
#18 ·
Redleg, I guess I was a little harsh in my reply. I should have said in a different way. instead of spending your money on a gun, spend it on getting the **** out of where your. walk, run, if you have a car, ride. you shoot someone and you'll be paying lawers for years, even if you were right. shooting or killing cops are required to bring charges if some one is killed. and if you shoot someone its best they go in body bag . then the family sues you for wrongful death, then you pay lawer. get the **** out of there any way you can. regards, richard
 
#19 ·
I looked at the LCP $189 and LCPII $239 at my LGS last December. I went with the LCPII as I felt the upgrades were well worth the $50 difference. I carry it everyday, it's no bigger than a standard size smart phone. It hides very well in my shorter length cargo hiker shorts.
 
#20 ·
Fatercat, I appreciate the concern. I was LEO for 8 years and know the drill. I also know the reasons I took the job where I currently am, and it is with my eye on the long term. There are many reasons that make the decision difficult.

I am constantly looking and listening to what is around me. I always make sure I have and impact (3' aluminum bar) and edge tool with me. I do not look for problems, I do not intervene with property crimes, I do not seek to confront anybody I come across that is not 100% necessity. I do, however, refuse to be a victim unable to adequately defend myself because of a silly rule of my employer, even if the chance of it happening are slim. I just have an uneasy sometimes. I know a firearm does not make me safe. Situational awareness and a wary approach is the best practice for maintaining personal safety.

AFAIC, a justifiable homicide is partly caused by the "family" environment. Personal choices, peer pressure, and other factors are there no doubt, but early childhood to early adulthood development with lack of boundries, discipline, consequences of action, and attention cause more miscreants (being very nice here) than anything else. The "family" should not be permitted to be compensated for their failure to produce a decent human being. I should be able to sue them for the distress endured in having no option but to take a life to save my own. I know I am preaching to the choir :)
 
#23 ·
Another vote for the LCP, but with a belt clip. It carries low inside the waist band and practically invisible. I've carried a P3AT that way for years in places and circumstances that would be more than inconvenient if you were made. I don't recommend the P3AT as many are not reliable. The LCPs are generally reliable. I'd shoot it a lot before carrying just to be sure.
Savage
 
#24 ·
Many years ago my field training officer... used to take a ribbing about carrying 2 pairs of handcuffs... the second case actually held a 22 auto (now out of print). A bug for his bug. I think that would be my choice in a tool case / phone holder that no one would give a second glance at.
 
#25 ·
I haven't read all these posts, so I don't know if I'm duplicating another post.

But, if your boss is ok with carrying a gun on the job, then he'll probably be ok if he has to shoot someone.

But, if the boss says no guns, and you shoot someone, you're in a heap of trouble.
 
#26 ·
Bugeye, I'd rather stay alive than worry about a lost job. I don't want to lose it, but any job is a means to an end. This is a good one, certain things notwithstanding. Every job has its downsides though.
 
#27 ·
My post concerned possible lawsuits from the family of the person you might shoot.
If the boss says no guns, the civil suits would take everything you have.
Carrying a gun has all kinds of problems under today's liberal climate and liberal judges.

I would find employment where guns are allowed.
 
#28 ·
my small ccw choices are a naa guardian 32acp, taurus pt25ply 25acp or naa mini 22lr.

the guardian came to me used and i had to send it back to naa for warranty service; it was returned practically rebuilt in a month. it is an awesome little piece, steel absorbs recoil well.

the pt25 fills the hand well and the ply model’s slide can be racked to allow fast mag reloads.

the mini is surprisingly accurate and fits into a small cell phone case when a ccw really must be concealed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#29 ·
A friend of my cousin went to the range with us yesterday, and I was able to shoot his 32 Keltec. It was snappier than I thought it would be, but I really liked the size. The Guardians do feel much better in the hand, but are more than I may be able to spend. I have a transfer I am working on, and hopefully that will put me in better areas. In the mean time, I will be looking for opportunities to handle and fire the different recommendations.
 
#30 ·
When I say Walther - you say PPK

Surprisingly, not one vote (up till now) for the Walther PPK of which I own two (Black and Stainless) in 380 caliber, roll my own with cast 95 grain Ranch Dog TL358-100-RF and carry either with equal recourse. They fit a DeSantis SuperFly pocket holster and with my wallet in the other pants pocket, I am "equal" and unnoticed. I carry each and every day and would not leave home without one. They shoot to point of aim, ring the gong equally at 7' and 21' distances within which such guns would be expected to shoot, and are easy on the hand and eye. With powder, primer and reuse of cases the cost per round to me is less than $0.05.
 
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