The smallest pistol with enough power to be a serious self-defense concealed carry gun is the Kel-Tec P3AT which is a 10 oz., (fully loaded with 7 rounds) 9mm Short aka .380 ACP loaded with high-performance hollow points.
It's 85 grain +P hollow point bullet has a muzzle velocity of almost 1100 fps yielding a bullet energy of 221 ft/lbs. This bullet energy is very close to the 235 ft/lbs of a 158 grain lead bullet in a .38 Special... and should be adequate for self-defense.
Incidentally, for those who are NOT hand handloaders or are not familiar with bullet diameters, a 9mm bullet averages .355 inches in diameter while a .38 Special bullet averages .357 inches in diameter... but, according to most reloading books, a 9mm bullet can vary from .354 to .356 inches compared to a .38 Special bullet which can vary from .356 to .358 inches in diameter. Therefore, these two bullet diameters are almost the same and actually overlap somewhat in bullet diameter specifications.
If a pistol is light, easily carried & concealed like the Kel-Tec P3AT, there is a much greater chance its owner WILL elect to carry it a great deal more than if it is heavy, wide and unhandy to carry.
I carry my Kel-Tec in my right, front pants pocket at all times whenever I leave the house. It's small, uncluttered frame has nothing to "catch" on my clothing as the slim little pistol slides easily in and out of my pants pocket... and its extremely light weight plus it's firepower make it an ideal concealed carry pistol.
I often forget it's even IN my pocket until something happens to cause me to become more alert... and then, being able to touch the little pistol gives me a great sense of security & safety.
However, in Ohio, they have a really aggravating CCW law that makes it illegal for anyone, INCLUDING a CCW Permit holder, to carry (concealed) any firearm while driving or riding in a motor vehicle. I suppose they are afraid that a CCW Permit holder will do "drive-by" shootings or shoot police officers. I know... its crazy, but that's the law.
The ONLY way one can LEGALLY carry a gun on their person in a motor vehicle is if one obeys the law which states that said firearm MUST be on the OUTSIDE of your clothing & EASILY visible to any law enforcement officer who might walk up to the driver's side window. Otherwise, the gun must be LOCKED AWAY (and, therefore, not useable for its intended purpose) in the glove box or a locked container.
As a result, I've been locking my Kel-Tec in the glove box for the past year every time I got in my car. This has been a real pain-in-the-ars.
But last week, I began to REALLY "think" about a solution to this study in stupidity... and came up with the idea of using an ANKLE HOLSTER wrapped around my left forearm to hold the pistol "in plain sight" if a law enforcement officer walked up to my driver's side window.
It "works"... but herein lies the "catch". It would be EXTREMELY unwieldy to do this same thing with a larger framed, heavier pistol... and even with the little 10 oz. Kel-Tec P3AT, the gun tends to want to slip around and hang down on the bottom side of my forearm if the holster is not fairly tight on my forearm.
But due to every "adjustment" on the highly-adjustable holster using Velcro as the "locking system" (an Uncle Mike's "Sidekick" #10 ankle holster), I can easily make the ankle holster grip my forearm tight enough to keep the little Kel-Tec pretty solidly upright... and, as the law dictates... "visible to any law enforcement officer" who might walk up to the driver's side window.
So now, at least, I don't have to lock my self-defense pistol in the vehicle's glovebox when I'm in a moving motor vehicle. As a result, the gun remains easily within reach should it be needed... and I am obeying the "letter-of-the-law". :grin:
Hopefully, at some point in the future, Ohio law-makers will get their collective heads on "straight" and change this ridiculous part of Ohio's CCW Law. But... meanwhile... the little Kel-Tec in the little ankle holster strapped to my forearm works pretty darned good.
Just my 2ยข.... :money:
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.