I Need A New EDC - Opinions?

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Doc0250

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New to the forums and happy to hear input from my fellow 2A family. I've been carrying a SIG P938 (9mm) cocked and locked IWB for about 8 years. It's starting to seem heavy on my aging hip and I'm in search of a new gun. My criteria: 1) 380 or 9mm. I think 380 ammo has made enough strides to qualify it as a reasonable EDC option. 2) Manual safety. I've seen too many stories of folks holstering a Glock and a bit of shirt tail gets in the way for an accidental discharge. My SIG has one and I'm used to it and train with it. 3) Not a Smith&Wesson - they caved to the anti-gun lobby years ago and I've never forgiven them. 4) Probably polymer framed for lighter weight. 5) Capacity of 6 or more, but I always mount a spare mag to my belt, so I'll give up magazine size for lighter weight and easier concealability. 6) I EDC a good light and don't need the added bulk of a light or red dot. If you need a red dot at 7-10 feet, you need to get to the range more. What gun would you ask Santa to put under the tree?
 
Gosh... that's a lot of conditions. So, I simply don't know what to suggest. I was going to suggest considering a Glock 42 or 43 or 43X. But you want a manual safety. :)

I've recently been checking out the Sig 365 series. They're pretty nice and available with a manual safety if desired.

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Based on everything in the OP... Ruger LCP Max.

You aren't going to find anything lighter or thinner with ten round mags. It's also a proven reliable design. If the P938 is too heavy, forget about any metal frame pistols in 380. They will be about the same weight.

Ruger® LCP® MAX Centerfire Pistol Models

ruger.com ruger.com
 
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Doc0250 said:
2) Manual safety. I've seen too many stories of folks holstering a Glock and a bit of shirt tail gets in the way for an accidental discharge. My SIG has one and I'm used to it and train with it.
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Look at the Taurus G2C ad G3C. They are between a compact and subcompact (G19/G26) in size and have a manual safety. My local range has a G3C advertised for about $200 after rebates right now. The G2C is one of my EDCs in a Vedder. You could also go with a G26 and swap a striker control device in for the OEM back plate - put your thumb on it while holstering and you block trigger movement.
 
Manual safety in a 380. S&W Shield EZ.
I was going to say Sig 365 but there’s no manual safety available on the 380 just the 9.
 
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I've carried the Ruger pocket 380 pistols since dirt was invented. The LCP II is single stack, LCP Max double. Here's the LCP II in a Vedder pocket J. Followed by the LCP Max. Basically the same size, so unless a couple of ounces matters to you, the Max and double stack 10 rd vs.the LCP II 6 rd single stack mag makes the most sense.

Note: I laser engrave my holsters so I know which holster goes with which pistol at a glance.

If you want light and small, nothing beats LCP. The Beretta Pico is the absolute thinnest, but it's no longer in production.

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There's a 9mm Max. It's about the same size and weight as others in that subcompact class. The Tauri, SIG, Canik, Glock 43, FN Reflex, etc. Among those, it's a matter of which you like best vs. which is better. They are all decent quality and reliability.

The 380 is just fine when it's up close and personal. Contrary to popular belief among mall ninjas and innumerable YouTube experts living in their Moms basement, the 380 will not bounce off a denim jacket. If you are skilled enough to land two 380 rounds in the center mass at 7 yards, your adversary is likely to be embalmed the next day. I'm preaching to the choir here. Self defense is about shot placement, not caliber.

My final comments are dont use soft shell holsters with pocket guns. The other is a manual safety is not essential if you do that. The trigger dingus and 6 lb pull is more than adequate for you to safely carry with a round in the pipe and not shoot your nuts off. Even if you carry the gun in a man purse, it should be in a rigid holster.
 
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The downside of the micro or subcompacts is that they are NOT fun to shoot at the range. Even in .380, they are nasty little bastards. So, you won't practice as much with it. A few mags, and you're done.

Of all the guns I've fired, my Colt Pony Pocketlite (.380) is the worst or most unpleasant. It was my first "EDC." It has been effectively "retired."

Colt-Pony-Pocketlite.jpg


I fired a friend's Ruger LCP (.380)... it was just about as bad as my Colt Pony.
 
I look at it this way.... 300 years ago and for a couple thousand years before that, men had to carry daggers and swords. :)

There are size, weight, recoil, and conceal-ability tradeoffs with every handgun. A Desert Eagle can't be concealed in Lycra cycling shorts!

100% agree micros and subcompacts are definitely not range guns. For me, comfort is not a factor in the unwelcome need to suddenly put a couple of holes in a bad guy's sternum. Especially when he is so close you can smell his breath. Or those unsavory moments when you lose control of your primary weapon and need a backup/last ditch firearm.
 
Just for shits and giggles... here's the Ruger Max 9 and a comparison to the LCP Max. Note the Ruger red dot, which is a fascinating piece of gear. No battery, no solar. It uses ambient light. In darkness it does nothing but even in a dimly lit room the dot magically appears. It's also pre-calibrated and needs no zeroing. Ideal? No. Functional under many circumstances? Yes.


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Racer88 said:
The downside of the micro or subcompacts is that they are NOT fun to shoot at the range. Even in .380, they are nasty little bastards. So, you won't practice as much with it. A few mags, and you're done.

Of all the guns I've fired, my Colt Pony Pocketlite (.380) is the worst or most unpleasant. It was my first "EDC." It has been effectively "retired."

View attachment 26070

I fired a friend's Ruger LCP (.380)... it was just about as bad as my Colt Pony.
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I have owned a Mustang for a long time. Also never shoot it. Strictly a collectible. Ironically, Kimber, Sig and others copied the shrunken 1911 concept and sold a lot of them. Kimber still does. The Sig 9mm and 380 were the best among them. Even so, the design is really dated. There are better pocket guns to choose from now.
 
Bongo Lewi said:
I look at it this way.... 300 years ago and for a couple thousand years before that, men had to carry daggers and swords. :)

There are size, weight, recoil, and conceal-ability tradeoffs with every handgun. A Desert Eagle can't be concealed in Lycra cycling shorts!

100% agree micros and subcompacts are definitely not range guns. For me, comfort is not a factor in the unwelcome need to suddenly put a couple of holes in a bad guy's sternum. Especially when he is so close you can smell his breath. Or those unsavory moments when you lose control of your primary weapon and need a backup/last ditch firearm.
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Agreed. But you are very proficient with firearms. Any and all.

If someone has only one or a couple of guns... and only one carry gun... Hell, most of them don't practice anyway. Ha! But I contend that if one has ONE carry weapon, that frequent training and practice are prudent. Micro-guns don't encourage that kind of practice, generally.
 
Racer88 said:
Agreed. But you are very proficient with firearms. Any and all.

If someone has only one or a couple of guns... and only one carry gun... Hell, most of them don't practice anyway. Ha! But I contend that if one has ONE carry weapon, that frequent training and practice are prudent. Micro-guns don't encourage that kind of practice, generally.
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Agree. Pocket guns really are limited to saving your ass in a bad situation and aren't much good for anything else. My POV is if you are going to carry a pocket gun it needs to be small, thin and light weight. Right gun for the job. When I need to go heavy, I do. If I'm on the beach or backyard barbecue it's a pocket 380 or sometimes a 22WMR Lifecard. All classes of handguns are effective and lethal in the hands of a skilled and trained individual. To your point... most people are not.

The P365, G43, G3, Reflex, Hellcat, Shield, Max 9, and other mainstream handguns in that compact league are definitely a better EDC. With practice, you can reliably shoot a six inch group with any of them at 15 yards. Pocket gun at that distace? Forget it. Anybody other than a pro who says that they can do that under duress is full of shit and never shot a handgun under pressure from an assailant. :)

Based on the info provided, I think the OP leans toward a pocket gun and having carried a P938, he knows what carrying and shooting that type of pistol is all about.
 
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Doc0250 said:
New to the forums and happy to hear input from my fellow 2A family. I've been carrying a SIG P938 (9mm) cocked and locked IWB for about 8 years. It's starting to seem heavy on my aging hip and I'm in search of a new gun. My criteria: 1) 380 or 9mm. I think 380 ammo has made enough strides to qualify it as a reasonable EDC option. 2) Manual safety. I've seen too many stories of folks holstering a Glock and a bit of shirt tail gets in the way for an accidental discharge. My SIG has one and I'm used to it and train with it. 3) Not a Smith&Wesson - they caved to the anti-gun lobby years ago and I've never forgiven them. 4) Probably polymer framed for lighter weight. 5) Capacity of 6 or more, but I always mount a spare mag to my belt, so I'll give up magazine size for lighter weight and easier concealability. 6) I EDC a good light and don't need the added bulk of a light or red dot. If you need a red dot at 7-10 feet, you need to get to the range more. What gun would you ask Santa to put under the tree?
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Welcome to the forum, @Doc0250! 🍻
 
To everyone who has posted so far, THANK YOU for all the comments and ideas. I'd have to really rearrange my pants pockets to carry a pocket pistol, and I've been thinking about that for a backup gun (my New York reload I think they call it). Appreciate all the pocket gun ideas. My EDC will be at 4 o'clock IWB and y'all have given me some good ideas about guns to rent at the range and try out. Keep those suggestions coming!
 
@Doc0250 You MUST build your new EDC! 😠 That is what we do here! No, I'm just fucking with you... ;) Welcome Aboard! :)

Any of the guns listed by the others could work. It will be up to you to go into a store and try the fit to your hand. As for "built" guns, the P80 series do NOT fit into holsters molded for Glocks which kind of sucks and limits choices.

Some shit on Taurus but their PT series are OK for the money, especially used. I have an older PT111 Millenium that goes bang every time and has second-strike capability.

Regardless of what sub or compact model you buy, while you're not going to spend the day at the range shooting targets with it, you DO need to fire some rounds to "break it in". You also need to try the defense ammo you plan to carry in it to test for function.

At the Action Pistol last Saturday, one of the drills was one-handed shooting from the hip, pistol close to the body at the target about 3' away, then transiting to the 30' plate aimed with two hands. Any closer than this and you're grappling with an assailant and the gun should stay holstered. ;) Some PDs teach the "push-off" technique but for safety purposes, we do not do this as the off hand will be forward of the muzzle. :eek:

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Doc0250 said:
To everyone who has posted so far, THANK YOU for all the comments and ideas. I'd have to really rearrange my pants pockets to carry a pocket pistol, and I've been thinking about that for a backup gun (my New York reload I think they call it). Appreciate all the pocket gun ideas. My EDC will be at 4 o'clock IWB and y'all have given me some good ideas about guns to rent at the range and try out. Keep those suggestions coming!
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Pocket holster not required for any of those small Rugers. That's just my preference for guns that size. There is a gazillion choices in IWB and OWB holsters for all the Rugers shown. And the other recommendations as well.

The problem with pocket holsters - if like me you don't wear Dad pants every day. :)

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In this outfit I carry small of back. :)

Wearing a suit, casual shorts, cargo pants, even jeans that fit properly... The Pocket J works great and printing is either minimal or not at all. Ankle carry... even cops don't do that any more.
 
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EDC: Frick and Frack, the Hellcat twins.
For those days when you need to be heavier? BUL 2011 is what I usually reach for. Alternatively the SA TRP (not shown) or SW1911

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