Importance of weight when considering a concealed carry gun

[benjamin.hougland]

Hello everyone,

I am a new member, that actually decided to join because someone is selling a Keltec P32 in the forums and I am interested. However, I didn't understand that I must post some before I can respond to classifieds, so here I am, lol. Anyway, I am someone that simply will invent reasons not to carry a gun on me if it is a pain, as I don't want it to print or pull on my clothing too much (weight). I see a lot of gun reviews about mouse guns, then come to find out that the gun is 11.5oz or more. It seems like these guns, while small in size, would feel like a small brick in your pocket, but yet the reviewers are calling them underwear guns. Due to this reasoning, I don't understand why the Keltec P32 doesn't get more love, the gun only weighs something like 6.5oz empty compared to the Ruger LCP II 22lr which weighs 11.2 oz. I mean that is damn near double the weight; I don't see how that would really work if I had on athletic shorts without some kind of additional belt.

I have never concealed carried before, am I making too much of a fuss about the weight?

 

[1nderbeard]

People tend to come here for the classifieds only; it's a bit of a sore spot with folks. You need 50 quality posts before participating in classifieds, as you already know. You can also pay to become a site supporter. I'd encourage you to take a bit of time and browse what's here; there is a lot of information.

My primary concern with the P32 is accuracy. So called mouse guns are very difficult to shoot with any consistent accuracy. Recoil also tends to be higher with lighter guns. Finally the 32 acp is a weak cartridge for SD purposes. I would really only consider the 32 a deep conceal back-back-backup gun.

 

[benjamin.hougland]

I completely understand your points, and they are all things that I considered. I guess as a relatively new gun owner (besides a 22 rifle) I am taking an "inside out approach", meaning I intend to buy the gun that makes the most sense for the distance I expect trouble to happen. I figure I am most concerned about trouble within 5 yards, thus sights are not my main concern. Hopefully I can disengage from a scenario at distances greater than that. I am also trying to take this approach when looking for a larger rifle, I love the idea of the range of the 6.5 Creedmoor, but realistically I am not going to ever attempt a shot a 1000 yrds.

This would probably eliminate this gun from contention from stopping a mall shooting like that fellow that hit the bad guy across the food court, but then again that isn't the most likely scenario in my mind.

 

[COOPADUP]

A fully loaded P365 is roughly 23 oz. Consider the entire package of a good holster and a good belt as important as the gun weight.
If you’re not comfortable and secure, you will probably not carry every day.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Carry what you are comfortable with and practice drawing it, and practice realistic shooting scenarios with it. When I need to be discreet my EDC is a Ruger LCP .380 and I don’t even notice I’m carrying it. When I need to be super discrete, I carry an NAA mini revolver in .22lr which bevomes pocket litter. When I don’t need to be as discreet I’m carrying a full size Glock 20 10mm and I notice the weight but don’t mind. My deer hunting sidearm is a Glock 40 10mm with RDS or a 6” .44mag and I start to feel the weight more.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I have never concealed carried before, am I making too much of a fuss about the weight?

Yes.

Due to this reasoning, I don't understand why the Keltec P32 doesn't get more love

Ergonomics suck. Durability sucks. Resale sucks. Reliability is questionable. Aftermarket/armorer support is limited. .32 is a reliable suicide gun but not what I'd want to save my life against a reasonably dedicated attacker. Other than that, complete mystery.

Look at a S&W Shield in 9mm. Better at everything that matters, not much more money.

 

[cedartop]

I've taken to adding weight to my carry guns because I shoot a heavy gun so much better, especially one handed.

 

[Ziggidy]

I suffer from a 37” waist and literally no butt! I have tried many times to carry what I feel I am best with, BUT - dang, I got no butt. I recently tried wearing suspenders which did help but if I had to use the restroom it would be all over. I have used a fanny pack (made to carry) with some success but it’s not made for rapid responses. I would love to try a shoulder holster but that has limited use; summer, indoor and such.

Since I cannot use what I’d like, I use a pocket pistol that “may” buy me some time in a bad situation.

 

[triggerhammer]

All other things being equal, the lighter the gun the more felt recoil energy. The more the recoil energy, the less likelihood of accurate and quick follow-up shots (which you're likely to need in order to stop an aggressor), and the more uncomfortable the gun will be to practice with. Also, the smaller the gun, the less grip control, also resulting in diminished accuracy and speed. I recommend you do a lot more research and/or get in touch with a well-qualified pistol instructor. Good luck!

 

[92FSTech]

Weight is a factor...but only one factor. I had a CZ75D Compact at one point that had a steel frame. Good, reliable gun, but stupid heavy for daily carry. My son now owns a PCR, which is basically the same gun with an aluminum frame, and it's drastically more carry-able.

While there are some things that can be done to make a bigger gun more carry-able, at some point you are going to need to tolerate some weight to have an effective defensive tool. How much weight is dependent upon what your perceived defensive needs are. I carry a full-size handgun with a light and a red dot at work, but in that scenario I'm being sent into trouble on a regular basis. On my own time I like something smaller with fewer bells and whistles, because when I'm not working I try to avoid trouble and am pretty good at doing that. A compact semi-auto with iron sights and sometimes even just a J-frame is good enough depending upon where I am and what I'm doing.

As to the P32...I had one. I no longer do. The sights were terrible, the ergos were bad, and the construction was poor. I had to heat the plastic frame up with a heat gun and reform it several times to get it to retain all the parts properly. Even once I got it working reliably, it was almost impossible to make accurate hits with it past 5-7 yards, and with the ballistics of .32ACP, I wasn't confident that even good hits would be effective quickly enough to make the difference in a gun fight. That gun left me feeling like I'd be better protected with a pointed stick.

I made the decision that I was better served by a scandium J-Frame than the P32...yes, it's a bit bigger but I can still make it work in a gym shorts pocket and I'll take 5 rounds of .38+P over 7 of .32 ACP any day. I can make accurate hits out to 25 yards and beyond with the J-Frame, too. IMO you have to have enough gun for the problem....that can mean different things depending upon the problem, but there aren't many problems I can imagine that I'd be confident solving with a P32.

 

[sliptap]

Hello everyone,

I am a new member, that actually decided to join because someone is selling a Keltec P32 in the forums and I am interested. However, I didn't understand that I must post some before I can respond to classifieds, so here I am, lol. Anyway, I am someone that simply will invent reasons not to carry a gun on me if it is a pain, as I don't want it to print or pull on my clothing too much (weight). I see a lot of gun reviews about mouse guns, then come to find out that the gun is 11.5oz or more. It seems like these guns, while small in size, would feel like a small brick in your pocket, but yet the reviewers are calling them underwear guns. Due to this reasoning, I don't understand why the Keltec P32 doesn't get more love, the gun only weighs something like 6.5oz empty compared to the Ruger LCP II 22lr which weighs 11.2 oz. I mean that is damn near double the weight; I don't see how that would really work if I had on athletic shorts without some kind of additional belt.

I have never concealed carried before, am I making too much of a fuss about the weight?

I am pretty sensitive to weight and I pocket carry, which somewhat amplifies that problem for me. A while back, I weighed a few of my carry guns on my scale to get comparative weights loaded and unloaded. I've attached it to this post in case it helps you seek out what makes sense for you.

With that being said, I personally see no reason to settle on the P32 when several 380 micros exist. The 380 ACP will give you noticeably better ballistics for a marginal increase in weight. The LCP, for example, has a loaded weight of 12 oz. and it roughly the same size as the P32. The Gen 1.5 versions (looks like original LCP but have slide locks) have a better trigger than the originals, slightly larger sights, and are much better than value than the P32/P3AT.

One issue about the .32 ACP that I haven't seen mentioned yet is that it is a semi-rimmed cartridge. So if you aren't careful with loading, the rounds can "rim lock" on each other and cause a nasty malfunction. Given the other issues like power, reliability, etc., you are better served with an LCP, Keltec P3AT, Smith Bodyguard, etc. IMO.

Hope this helps!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I suffer from a 37” waist and literally no butt! I have tried many times to carry what I feel I am best with, BUT - dang, I got no butt. I recently tried wearing suspenders which did help but if I had to use the restroom it would be all over. I have used a fanny pack (made to carry) with some success but it’s not made for rapid responses. I would love to try a shoulder holster but that has limited use; summer, indoor and such.

Since I cannot use what I’d like, I use a pocket pistol that “may” buy me some time in a bad situation.

Try a curved belt. Red Nichols used to make a curved one, but he's retired. I know there's a brand out there that makes them, but can't think of it off the top of my head.

Straight belts are dumb if you think about the shape of the human body, but they are easy to make and it's not something we tend to think about. A belt with the shape closer to a recurve bow mates up to our hip structure much better and resists sag without being as tight.

Also, if you haven't consider an MTAC minotaur with some grippy bandage tape on the back. That gives you more "stiction" (sticky friction, not a real term) for the holster itself so you're not relying 100% on belt tension. More surface area is your friend.

 

[patience0830]

I believe it's more important to me for the gun to be comforting in a dangerous situation than comfortable every second. Good carry equipment is important to ones desire to carry, but I'd carry even if it was a bit of a pain.

 

[loudgroove]

Gun weight in my opinion is a big factor but not the main factor. Picking a smaller gun with enough stopping power is the top factor for me. Next factor is how to carry it. Everybody's body is shaped different, so their carry methods are also different. One thing that helped me out when I first started to CC and had picked a gun to carry. I spent hours around the house just practicing CC. Took a few weeks to figure out what worked for me as far as "Am I constantly moving it around?" "Is it Printing in thru my shirt?" ETC. After a while it became like wearing anything else. I will warn you though. In the last few years, I have gained more weight and had to alter how I carry. So keep body size in mind. Good luck and also welcome to INGO.

 

[Brad69]

I used to carry a DW 1911 commander. Great pistol but very heavy.
I am not a G^#& guy but I can carry a G45 all day and not really notice it.

Deep Concealment a S&W sheild and others size wise is perfect.
Any smaller its a BUG.

I attend classes every year.
When people show up with small pistols they are always discouraged.

It takes a compact or full sized pistol to really protect your family and self. IMO

 

[NHT3]

Carrying a gun isn't supposed to be comfortable, it's supposed to comforting. With the right gear it's not that uncomfortable to carry something larger and easier to be accurate with, and for me worth the peace of mind it gives me. If you are inventing reasons not to carry a gun you will probably get more inventive concerning reasons not to train. Training is what gives you a much better chance of prevailing and highly recommended, but it's still America so you do you. As always YMMV

 

[DadSmith]

Hello everyone,

I am a new member, that actually decided to join because someone is selling a Keltec P32 in the forums and I am interested. However, I didn't understand that I must post some before I can respond to classifieds, so here I am, lol. Anyway, I am someone that simply will invent reasons not to carry a gun on me if it is a pain, as I don't want it to print or pull on my clothing too much (weight). I see a lot of gun reviews about mouse guns, then come to find out that the gun is 11.5oz or more. It seems like these guns, while small in size, would feel like a small brick in your pocket, but yet the reviewers are calling them underwear guns. Due to this reasoning, I don't understand why the Keltec P32 doesn't get more love, the gun only weighs something like 6.5oz empty compared to the Ruger LCP II 22lr which weighs 11.2 oz. I mean that is damn near double the weight; I don't see how that would really work if I had on athletic shorts without some kind of additional belt.

I have never concealed carried before, am I making too much of a fuss about the weight?

You sure you don't what this for EDC?





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[ditcherman]

I attend classes every year.
When people show up with small pistols they are always discouraged.

Mmmm I dunno, remember our friend Roger?
He’s dang good with that 43 when everyone else is going full size.

 

[ditcherman]

OP I love my 43 oz tack driver, smooth and silky and low recoil, but yes it’s plenty to carry.
You have to have the right frame/build.
So I more often go for something in the 26-30 oz range.

 

[OurDee]

I suffer from a 37” waist and literally no butt! I have tried many times to carry what I feel I am best with, BUT - dang, I got no butt. I recently tried wearing suspenders which did help but if I had to use the restroom it would be all over. I have used a fanny pack (made to carry) with some success but it’s not made for rapid responses. I would love to try a shoulder holster but that has limited use; summer, indoor and such.

Since I cannot use what I’d like, I use a pocket pistol that “may” buy me some time in a bad situation.

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