Summer Carry

[MLB]

It's about that time. You can tell when it's close to summer when you start thinking about downsizing your carry handgun ;D

Even with the relatively small PPK/S that I carry, concealability is a concern with just a tuckable IWB and a dress shirt. Without a cover, the lumpy spot at my 4 o'clock draws attention during normal movement.

So I start thinking about something "pocketable", or at least small enough to stick comfortably at 11 and still be able to sit. The Kel-Tek 3AT is the easy choice (at least for someone already carrying a .380), but I was looking over their newer PF-9.


www.kel-tec.com/pf9.html

I printed out pictures of this, my Walther, and the 3AT to scale for comparison. While the PF9 compares favorably in weight and caliber (9mm), it is nearly the same size as my ppk/s, and has a higher bore axis. Between this, the lighter weight, and stiffer cartridge, I'd expect it to be less than pleasant to shoot recreationally. Maybe if you were choosing one over the other for a strictly carry gun, but it doesn't address my main objective of "smaller" in this case. That, and it's plastic. Ah well, I tried.

I wonder if anyone makes an all steel 3AT...

[TA]

I carry the same pistols winter/summer and I usually wear a shirt untucked over the gun. The only real issue I have in the summer is, I like to wear a T-Shirt tucked in between the holster and me. Summer makes it tough to wear 2 shirts. I can easily conceal a full size handgun with just 1 T-shirt, but it ain't as comfy.

[5ontarget]

I have not seen a PF9 in person yet. The dealers I've talked with said they still have yet to take delivery of their orders.

[ron]

I carry a KelTec P 3AT when I am wearing clothes that do not permit pocket carry of my Kahr MK9 or 642.
The Pf9 looks very interesting. I wonder if it is a good idea to buy the first generation of any handgun. My inclination is to wait until it has been proven.
I do not think that shooting it will be a big problem. I am not the least bit troubled with firing 38 spl +p out of the 642 or 9 mm out of a Kahr PM9. But, I could be wrong about the lightweight Pf 9.

Ron

["DoubleAction"]

Maintaining a fashionable wardrobe while choosing to carry puts a burden on the personnal choices of what to wear, what to carry, and where. I don't believe in leaving a pistol in the vehilcle while in an establishment; so I have to comply with the state laws as where I can go with a firearm on my person.
Dressing for the warmer weather leaves me with wearing loose fitting outer button up shirts, worn on the outside, with T-shirt underneath, with the shirt only buttoned two or three times from the bottom if buttoned at all. Oversized square cut polo shirts are my first choice, with shorts which have pockets for me to stick my hands in to help cover any slight bulge when standing close to others.
Best handgun I ever owned for concealment, without sacraficing cartridge choice, was a S&W 640 Centinnial in .357 magnum. It had only five rounds in the cylinder, and I thought it was sufficient until I found myself in the middle of an uprising at a waffle house at 2:00 am in the morning. My trip to the parking lot was headed off by a police car pulling up, which dispersed the crowd. I now try to avoid areas where such disruptions might occur but many crimes of a violent nature seems to pick out random victums at undetermined times and locations.
I have since decided to carry a semi-auto and rely mostly on a Sig 239 in .40 S&W or 357 sig.
Sweat Shirts, with the sleeves cutoff, works good too because these can be baggy without attracting attention.
Photgrapher and Expedition vests were once great cover ups until everyone started making them fashionable in weapon carry. If I had to wear a vest, I would have a camera patch on it and a camera hanging off my neck.
T-Shirt, Loose cotton button up cover, shorts, an X style harness, no socks, and tennis shoes, will leave most unsuspecting that your carrying, even if you decide to carry a full size 1911 with extented ten round magazines.

[MLB]

I can take my little ppk/s just about anywhere outside of work. Under a tucked in dress shirt is a bit obvious though. A little 3AT might just be the way to go.

A friend of mine routinely carries a small 22 of some sort in his pocket. I can't remember exactly which one, but it's a tiny little break barreled thing that holds 6 or 7 rounds. I suppose it's better than nothing.

["DoubleAction"]

I often wonder if some dress to accomodate the choice of handgun or if they carry in order to accomodate their personnal code of dress.

In other words, "This is what I choose to carry and I must dress accordingly". Or "This is how I dress, thus, I must carry something which is easily concealed".

[ron]

I usually dress for the particular occasion and carry to suit the clothes.

That being said, I typically wear pleated pants that permit pocket carry of a Keltec P3AT or 642. When I wear blue jeans or the like, then I carry IWB and a Kahr MK9. If I'm going to an event that has me in a shirt and tie (I can't remember the last time I had to wear a sport jacket), I might consider ankle carry of the P3AT.
Oh, and if I'm in a shirt and tie, I might even where pants, too. ;0))

Ron

[5ontarget]

From Xaiverbreath

The KelTec P32 is the only pistol that I can carry concealed in my scivies. A brave man could probably conceal it at a nudist colony. Many people make wallet holsters for it, and carry it in a front pants pocket. I use the clip to carry mine inside my pants or inside a pocket.

The 3AT takes up less space and looks less like a gun in my pocket than my cell phone and keys. Sometimes I forget the clip for the cell phone and end up putting it in my pocket. I'm still relatively new to the cell phone, so it isn't second nature for me yet.

[TBT]

Is the KelTec a good gun though? Seems awful ... cheap.

I carry my Kimber with relative ease year round. I don't change for the seasons. Mostly though I dress the same too minus a jacket. I wear jeans and a black Tshirt (I have like ten of each, the wife complains that I always look like I never change my clothes) untucked. My Tshirts are big enough that I can carry the UCII in the small of my back without printing.

I am interested in something smaller though just for the occasions that I might be doing something semi-active.

[ron]

"Is the KelTec a good gun though? Seems awful ... cheap. "

The KelTec P 3AT is no Kimber or Wilson, but it is suprizingly good for being so inexpensive.

It is not going to put holes on top of holes at long distances, but it will put the lead where you want at fighting distance.

I do not like the rear groove and little front nubbins for sighting, mainly because I can't see the rear groove clearly when I am focused on the front sight and target. So, I painted the back edges of the rear groove and front sight with a lime, glow-in-the-dark paint, and that has made it much easier to use.

Ron

[TBT]

I would probably be interested in their P11 as I feel better about the 9mm cartridge than the .380.

Whats that clip thing a lot of people use? Like a knife clip? Where does it fasten on?

[MLB]

I could ramble a bit on the subject, but XB does a better job...

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