I (should) have a permit coming soon and am thinking about a handgun for home carry.     Something small enough to carry unobtrusively, but big enough caliber and mag capacity to be effective.    Reasonable price and reasonably accurate and reliable.  

Maybe a 380?    The Glock 42 is interesting, but I've seen reports of problems and I don't really want another Glock anyway.  The Walther PPK has the cool factor, but is pricey.     The S&W Bodyguard 380 might be good, and it comes with a built-in laser.  

 

Any recommendations?  

 

Thanks.

Walther PK380 possibly.........?????

M&P 9C

 xds or shield

I (should) have a permit coming soon and am thinking about a handgun for home carry. Something small enough to carry unobtrusively, but big enough caliber and mag capacity to be effective. Reasonable price and reasonably accurate and reliable.

I am with you. Sounds like you are on the right track.

 

Maybe a 380? The Glock 42 is interesting, but I've seen reports of problems and I don't really want another Glock anyway. The Walther PPK has the cool factor, but is pricey. The S&W Bodyguard 380 might be good, and it comes with a built-in laser.

Ahhhhhh..... You lost me....

 

Your first paragraph just doesn't jive with your second....

 

Look at S&W Shield, Kahr PM9, Glock 26/27, Ruger SR9C, maybe a J-Frame in .357.

Glock 19 ... Everybody should have one.

Pm9 or m&p9c are my personal favorites. I do have the bg380 with the laser but the thing died (battery??) I never bothered to check because I know the likelihood of me using it is slim to none.

Pocket carry, sub compact, compact?  For me it has to be 9MM and at around 10 rounds.  Pick one that fits the best, and easy to use, from there. 

Xd9 sub-compact... 10 rds

Love my shield fwiw

 

this signature exceeds the 15 character count capacity

 

 

Look at S&W Shield, Kahr PM9, Glock 26/27, Ruger SR9C, maybe a J-Frame in .357.

Glock 19 ... Everybody should have one.

Best all around 9mm made.

I wear my PPQ around the house all the time.  Not to big to be annoying but big enough to handle bid-ness

Don't carry around the house.   Just stash a handgun within every 20 feet throughout your home.

 

That way you have an excuse to own more guns...

Don't carry around the house.   Just stash a handgun within every 20 feet throughout your home.

 

That way you have an excuse to own more guns...

 

This is exactly right, unless you have small children.   The houses I grew up in had a firearm in every room that had a chair or bed.

This is exactly right, unless you have small children.   The houses I grew up in had a firearm in every room that had a chair or bed.

 

The children thing is absolutely correct Mark.  But as they reach the age of reason (different for all kids, and they must be properly trained)

the kids have a God Given Right to protect themselves as well.

 

Now I'm sure this will be controversial.

The children thing is absolutely correct Mark.  But as they reach the age of reason (different for all kids, and they must be properly trained)

the kids have a God Given Right to protect themselves as well.

 

Now I'm sure this will be controversial.

 

I said "small children".   By the time I was 6, I was told I'd get the belt if I touched the guns when I wasn't supposed to.    I never touched the guns when I wasn't supposed to .

 

I "brandished" one time when some guys showed up during a day when I was home from school, sick.   I guess I was 11. They showed up with a pick-up and the passenger got out was collecting break-in tools(crowbar, hammer, some bags) and were in the process of preparing to come in the house when I walked onto the porch steps with the shotgun.   They froze in place and the driver stammered "uh, we're here to see your dad".  ME:"He's not here"  Him:"Uh, we'll come back later" Me:"That's probably not a good idea" Him:"Ok"  and they left.    Dad had no idea who they were and there were a rash of break-ins in the area.   We reported it to the cops but never heard anything about it.   I'm quite sure that had I not been home that day, we'd have been robbed clean.

Kel-Tec P3AT (.380) or Ruger LCP (.380).  Both are miniature, super light, and can be pocket holstered (Desantis Nemesis).  It's the bare minimum caliber, but it will buy you time to get to the larger caliber gun that you have stashed somewhere closeby.  And if you have kids, pocket holstering it allows you to still get on the ground and roll around with them without having to change anything.  Personally, I don't keep on in the chamber when I'm with my kids.  Practice racking the slide upon drawing it so that it becomes one instinctive fluid motion.  The other nice thing about the pocket holster is that when you leave or come home, you don't have to unclip/clip it from/onto your belt/pants.  Just take it out or slip it in.

I 2nd the XDS. I had a burning permit last month and bought one just for PA carry. Turned out to be a great shooter. Shot it the first time at my local range 25yds and it surprised me with accuracy. Mind you it's a small 45 so it needs to be held but a perfect carry gun.

I said "small children".   By the time I was 6, I was told I'd get the belt if I touched the guns when I wasn't supposed to.    I never touched the guns when I wasn't supposed to .

 

I "brandished" one time when some guys showed up during a day when I was home from school, sick.   I guess I was 11. They showed up with a pick-up and the passenger got out was collecting break-in tools(crowbar, hammer, some bags) and were in the process of preparing to come in the house when I walked onto the porch steps with the shotgun.   They froze in place and the driver stammered "uh, we're here to see your dad".  ME:"He's not here"  Him:"Uh, we'll come back later" Me:"That's probably not a good idea" Him:"Ok"  and they left.    Dad had no idea who they were and there were a rash of break-ins in the area.   We reported it to the cops but never heard anything about it.   I'm quite sure that had I not been home that day, we'd have been robbed clean.

 

With so many in the "hood" at risk, I wonder why the neighbors hadn't seen anything and called it in either?  Was the view of your house isolated from that of your neighbors?

 

And, to the OP,  my choices would be (of what I own) a S&W Shield 9mm, and  a SW1911 sub compact .45ACP. More likely the Shield. But I haven't started to carry in the home yet. I will when I take the training for it (i.e like NRA "Personal Protection IN/OUT of the home)...

With so many in the "hood" at risk, I wonder why the neighbors hadn't seen anything and called it in either?  Was the view of your house isolated from that of your neighbors?

 

 

I grew up in a rural farming community in Ohio.  You could see the neighbor's house, but you couldn't really see any detail.

 

I look these days and in the fields to the east next to my house, there are now 8 houses.   The rest hasn't changed. To the west and north are woods, to the south is  the 400 acre cattle ranch.

Beretta nano. Small, 9mm can fit in a pocket, although iwb is much more comfotable. comes with a 6 and 8 rds magazines. I prefer the 6 for its size. Solid and glock like in function.

+1 for the M&P9C. I house carry it in a nate squared tactical or crossbreed supertuck deluxe.

Light enough and small enough to carry and big enough to shoot well.

Of course that MAY change when the P2P gods allow me to pick up the Sig 290RS waiting for me at the LGS.

The LCP 380, Shield, XDS are good small home carry guns. My personal favorite is the Kahr Arms CW9. Great gun and very accurate.  You could always opt for a 45acp 1911 with a 3" barrel.

I "brandished" one time when some guys showed up during a day when I was home from school, sick.   I guess I was 11. They showed up with a pick-up and the passenger got out was collecting break-in tools(crowbar, hammer, some bags) and were in the process of preparing to come in the house when I walked onto the porch steps with the shotgun.   They froze in place and the driver stammered "uh, we're here to see your dad".  ME:"He's not here"  Him:"Uh, we'll come back later" Me:"That's probably not a good idea" Him:"Ok"  and they left.    Dad had no idea who they were and there were a rash of break-ins in the area.   We reported it to the cops but never heard anything about it.   I'm quite sure that had I not been home that day, we'd have been robbed clean.

 

That's a great story!

 

Oh, and to the OP, check out the Springfield XD9 SC.  Nice little carry gun with 13 round capacity.

The LCP 380, Shield, XDS are good small home carry guns. My personal favorite is the Kahr Arms CW9. Great gun and very accurate.  You could always opt for a 45acp 1911 with a 3" barrel.

 

Agree, I'm surprised not more people said Kahr.  I have a Polymer Kahr. Very reliable and like a GLOCK inside but small, thin and light.

Little later here, but i came to say M&P Shield as well.

Agree, I'm surprised not more people said Kahr.  I have a Polymer Kahr. Very reliable and like a GLOCK inside but small, thin and light.

I had a Kahr CM9(the PM9 cheaped down), sold it for the SLIGHTLY larger Sheild.  Shield is a much much nicer (more comfortable, easier to shoot, more reliable, im WAY more accurate).  I shot someone's shield when it 1st came out and immediately went home and put the Kahr up for sale lol

I had a Kahr CM9(the PM9 cheaped down), sold it for the SLIGHTLY larger Sheild.  Shield is a much much nicer (more comfortable, easier to shoot, more reliable, im WAY more accurate).  I shot someone's shield when it 1st came out and immediately went home and put the Kahr up for sale lol

 

Not big on defense of Kahr really!   I Don't shoot it for fun.  Just make sure it functions flawlessly and that I can shoot it well enough.

It's light and small.  But more expensive that other pistols mentioned.  Maybe why it wasn't mentioned.

You had the CW which is a little bigger then the CM i think right?  I couldnt hit SHIT with the CM and couldnt get used to the sites at all... Im too familiar with 3 dot....  Also it was just soooo small and thin that I had a tough time shooting it and keeping a decent grip, even with a pinkey extension.  I also have small hands..  If this guy is carrying around the house , ireally dont think he NEEDs a true pocket gun.