[Anubis]

I am most familiar with Glocks, and carry a 21 (C-Tac IWB at 9:00).

I am starting to think of back-up pistols, and have seen mentions of Kahr, Kel-Tec, and Rohrbaugh on this forum. I am completely ignorant of this genre of minipistols.

If you care to weigh in on any of these (or others of which I am unaware), please do so. I am not looking for detailed specs, which I can find myself, but your general impressions of reliability if you have fired or carried any of these, recommendations for or against. etc. Thanks.

 

[rocky]

NAA .22 revo. Best small package I have found. I use this as a second gun or for deep concealment.

 

[DR]

I can heartily recommend a Kahr K9. They're flat, reliable, and accurate. The only downside I've found is that they're pretty heavy for their size: about the same weight unloaded as your Glock 21. I use a CTAC and find it comfortable to carry and easy to conceal.

I think it's a little big to class as a mini-pistol: too big for all but the biggest of pockets. You may be looking for something smaller, along the lines of the wee Kahrs (PM and MK series). I don't have experience with them.

 

[Euclidean]

I think the tiny semiautos are "cute" but having gotten to manipulate some of them I figured out real quick I don't like tiny little controls and tiny magazines and stuffing the tiny rounds into the tiny magazine.

There are some guns in this vein I've handled that I liked, such as the NAA Guardian and recently I finally got to experience a Kahr.

But I will stick with the old .38 revolver. Another point worth pondering is the recent post about shooting through an outer garment like a coat... would the semiautomatic cycle?

 

[rocky]

Oh, and my experience, dislike the Jennings semi autos. Had 1 that would not reliabley empty the mag. Always jammed.

 

[realtor]

I use a Sig P232 as a backup. Reliable, accurate and east to carry/conceal.

 

[Anubis]

Wow! Five replies in only 90 minutes. What a great forum. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Bumper]

I don't carry a backup at this time, but am planning on getting a Kahr. They are very flat, and although fairly heavy for their size, the are very accurate and dependable. DR's comments above are spot on....

 

[Betty]

I carry either a Colt Mustang .380 or Colt Cobra .38 Spl. ankle carry. Ever since I got my Cobra, I chose to carry the larger caliber over the Mustang, although the Mustang is still a good, reliable little gun. I even carried my Kahr K40 on the ankle a couple times, but I've got skinny little legs and it was a bit lopsided and heavy. My fiancé has both the K40 and Mustang now, and pocket carries the Mustang.

I also had a Sig P232. It was a great handgun, reliable, sleek and relatively snagless. The frame size is large for the caliber, and I kept passing over it for equivalent size guns in larger calibers. The gun was eventually traded off.

One BUG I did not care for was the Kel-Tec P32. The one I had was an early model that suffered from numerous problems including the frame cracking, and even when it was replaced with a beefier frame, I still didn't like the long, crusty trigger pull. It's still a decent "go anywhere" gun and has a solid following.

I also have a NAA Mini .22 Magnum that I keep as my "if nothing else" gun. It doesn't see the light of day much, and the 1 1/8" barrel isn't good for more more than "up the nostril, in the ear, in the eye," but I do know of one man who killed his armed attacker with one.

Definitely check out the Kahrs. They are stout and reliable and have slim profiles for the caliber.

 

[P95Carry]

If I carry a true BUG - which is not every day - it is R9 Rohrbaugh - pocket or ankle. This is one great lil' gun in 9mm - std pressure tho. It is superbly engineered tho very pricey and can be picky with ammo tho for most 115 or 124 GD's seem best of all.

I do tho very frequently have on me an NAA - with 22 mag cylinder - it is BUG of sorts - or shall we say ''Mouse BUG'' LOL! I do not rate rimfire for total reliability but, that lil' revo is still a remarkable piece. It is so small I am rarely unable to ''lose'' it somewhere on my person.

 

[KC135]

BUG is S&W 296 44 Special--BUG's BUG is S&W 642.

Primary last few weeks has been a 329PD

 

[BlueLion]

My Primary is considered as a Bug by most. S&W 637 +P. This little pistol is awesome. I run Speer Gold dots and a speed strip. My bug is a folder. I figure, if five Gold Dots, and reload if needed, don't stop them then its all over. I do have a 1911 but it's just not practical for me to carry everyday. I am more flexible and natural with the 38.

I practice with it and no longer get caught up in the caliber wars because I have found that most people have never been in a fight and are mostly influenced by old reruns of T.J Hooker.

 

[srfl]

My BUG's are a Kahr PM9 (which is outstanding, but you need a "largish" pocket IMHO) and a Kel Tec P3AT.

 

[CLASS3NH]

Oh, and my experience, dislike the Jennings semi autos. Had 1 that would not reliabley empty the mag. Always jammed.

Oh my....Jennings, Sterling, are just a couple of "jam-a-matics" as I remember. :biggrin:
I remember a FTL Auto-nine (bought by Wilkinson and named as the Sherry) I bought and it ate Remington Yellowjackets til the finish wore off. I dread trading it to this day. What a nice little fun gun it was. NEVER jammed. :biggrin:
I sold a Kel-Tec P3AT yesterday, and was VERY impressed with it's size. I'm waiting to see if it comes back to the store.

 

[Magical_Merlin]

I carry a Smith 442 Pre-Lock in a Kramer pocket holster. Allthough it rides in an Alessi belt slide as a primary piece alot in the summer months. It now sports a Kim Ahrends grip.

 

[David III]

I have a more recent manufactured Kel-Tec P32 and it's run fine for me. Appears the company may have solved the earlier problems. Trigger pull is long and terrible but it does go bang every time, and it's the only gun I have with me every moment. I forget that it's in my front pocket.
Having said all this, I much prefer J-frames for a small gun.... but it's the Kel-Tec that ends up as my backup.

 

[Frogman]

Kel-Tec P3AT for me!

 

[ramtough47]

Glock 26 in Galco ankle glove

 

[tex45acp]

After shooting several with no malfunctions, my BUG became the Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro. 10+1 of my primary ammo, .45acp.
Shoots to point of aim and does it through one ragged hole at 15yards. Goes bang every time I pull the trigger and the price is right. I can drop it into the front pocket of almost all the pants and shorts I wear and disappears. Spare mag in the opposite pocket.

 

[Ti Carry]

Don't have a BUG yet, I can't decide. It will be one of the options listed though.

1) Sig Classic Personal P232

2) Walther PPK or PPKS

3) J frame airlite (for pocket)

Ti.

What do you think?