Stepping off the "Pocket 9mm" Merry-Go-Round...Hello revolver!
Stepping off the "Pocket 9mm" Merry-Go-Round...Hello revolver!
This is a discussion on Stepping off the "Pocket 9mm" Merry-Go-Round...Hello revolver! within the Defensive Carry Guns forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Wow, the OP's tale of woe sounds very familiar to me. I went through 3 different Diamondback DB9 9mm pocket pistols trying to get one ...
Wow, the OP's tale of woe sounds very familiar to me. I went through 3 different Diamondback DB9 9mm pocket pistols trying to get one that would work reliably for me. Dozens of hours, more than a thousand dollars in gas, range fees, and ammunition. 2 or 3 failures to feed per 6 round magazine, on average across 3 different pistols. Trigger mechanism broke on the #2 pistol at about round #1,025; locked the gun up solidly. Back to the factory and replaced (from the factory) with #3, which ran no more reliably than #1 or #2 for. Unacceptable.
The solution? A Smith and Wesson 638. It works each and every time I pull the trigger, without hesitation. Absolutely 100.00% reliable, as a self-defense handgun must always be.
(Yes, I'll be disabling or removing the 638's moronic locking mechanism in the near future.)
I have both a pocket 9 (LC9) and the LCR .38. I love them both and pocket carry both at times depending on the mood. The LCR is lighter and has a better trigger but the LC9 is a little thinner and seems to conceal better for me in certain pants. Cool thing is they both fit in the same holster pretty well (Superfly).
Good call!!! The simplicity of the snubnose revolver has a lot more merit than people give it credit for.
Carrying two of them has more than twice the merit. The combination of two is greater than the sum of its parts. For me, I'd rather have two 5 shot snubs than one 10 shot semi. The reasons are access for both hands, chances of both failing at same time are virtually nill, ability to address threats advancing from 2 directions simultaneously.
Big Dude, i usually have to agree with you, but your part about addressing "threats" advancing from two directions simultaneously is a little far fetched.... just not going to happen having one gun in each hand adressing two different threats. I could surmise being able to shoot at advancing threats accurately with two different guns going at same time... but, i see your point at having two snubs backing up one another. I always carry snubs, sometimes one, and sometimes two... the second being on my ankle. bunker
"Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks."
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Certified Glock Armorer
NRA Life Member
I've discovered that if you use a 9mm cartridge with bullet grain heavier than 125grn in a short-barrel gun, it will
cause it to jam, especially the 147grain bullets. The lighter weight the bullet, usually, the better it does in the
shorter barrel guns. If you stick with Hornady, Federal, Cor-Bon or Sellier & Bellot, usually have no problems. The
Rugers almost always jam with Remington ammo...bullets are soft and usually get jammed on the feed ramp or
the lip of the barrels. Hope this helps.
Be sure you lube it and dry fire it 1,000 times before you shoot it. Break it in with 400 rounds and shoot it like you stole it.
Why? My LCR has been buttery smooth since lube and shot #1. There is no semi-automatic that feels as comfortable in my hands as the hogue-gripped LCR. The final point is, as much as a gun can, it will ALWAYS go bang, no FTF, FTE, stovepipes, etc-all those terms I had to learn with the semis. That in credit card lingo is..... priceless.
The LCR is a great gun. I'm not a big fan personally because I don't like the grip and there seems to be more vibration in the recoil than my Smith 638. Great gun none the less. I really wish they would make a grip similar to the grip of the J frames which is smaller and won't stick in my pocket as much. I'm carrying my LCR or 638 in a belly band, which works out great when wearing board shorts or running shorts. I can run all day with it and it won't budge.
Well I've done the same thing. Stopped carrying my Glock 19 in favor of my new Ruger SP101 357 3" barrel, its more comfortable and I just love revolvers. I shoot the revolver better anyway. Grew up with revolvers so may as well go out with them......
Interesting reading. I purchased a PM9 off the instructors program about 9 months ago. I spent time on Kahrtalk forum and found solutions for most any Kahr issue out there. The only thing I did to my Magazine follower was wrap a piece of sandpaper around a pencil and decrease the angle ever so slightly. Total time once the followers were removed less than two minutes. Info at Chambering the first round, a slingshot modification - Page 2 - KahrTalk Forums post #11. I have had zero issues with any of my three mags and the gun is as reliable as I am with any weight bullets and shapes. 99% of what I shoot is handloaded and it will feed any mix I give it.. That said, my S&W 340PD in a pocket holster will disappear in a pair lightweight dress pants. Something my Kahr will not do. Nice to have both options.
I have no experience at all with pocket size semi autos. My pocket gun needs are met by my 2 wheelgun midgets. The LCR chambered for .357 Magnum is a very comfortable shooter with 38 Spl +Ps. The S&W 438 is a bit easier to carry and conceal but a little less kind to the hand that shoots it.
With IWB, the 25 oz 45 auto is fast and accurate. In a back pocket, the 16 oz PM40 makes a nice, effective, ambi BUG. The 13 oz R9 works well anywhere, especially in an ankle rig. But the 11 oz 340PD 357 is my go to front pocket piece, wrist rocket, hand howitzer.
Sooner or later, all the bottom feeder fans GET the snubbie.
pm9 - I tried the mag follower mod, didn't work for me. And as expensive as the gun is, it really should not need home gunsmithing to get running properly.
Thanks for all the replies everyone - nice to know I was not the only one. This thread is starting to sound like a support group!...
Well I've done the same thing. Stopped carrying my Glock 19 in favor of my new Ruger SP101 357 3" barrel, its more comfortable and I just love revolvers. I shoot the revolver better anyway. Grew up with revolvers so may as well go out with them......
pm9 - I tried the mag follower mod, didn't work for me. And as expensive as the gun is, it really should not need home gunsmithing to get running properly.
Thanks for all the replies everyone - nice to know I was not the only one. This thread is starting to sound like a support group!...
I still have my kahr CM9, which is very reliable.... I just think it draws too slow.
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Originally Posted by BugDude
