Pocket .380 Pistols

They’re one of the hottest items in the gun industry today. As more and more states pass laws allowing the concealed carry of a pistol, millions of people have sought out this firearm. Lightweight and easily concealed, they are still powerful enough to stop a determined attacker.

I speak of course about the pocket .380 pistol. Lambasted in the past as a “Saturday Night Special” these inexpensive yet easily concealable shooters are perfect for the law abiding gun owner who seeks a convenient concealed carry pistol. Their small size makes wardrobe selection easy. Many people find that the double action polymer framed models are so light and slim that they can be simply slipped into a pocket sans holster.

Often considered to be a weak and underpowered cartridge, the .380 ACP caliber round is definitely lacking the knock-down power found in a larger cartridge like the .45 ACP or .40 S&W. With proper shot placement however, it is still possible to stop an attacker with one or more shots of .380. With shot placement being so important with a caliber of this size, it’s difficult to consider a pocket sized .380 pistol with a short barrel and equally short sight radius anything but a point blank distance firearm. This is not to say that you cannot employ one at a distance, only that they are much more difficult to aim properly at long ranges, particularly given the heavy double action trigger found on most of these guns.

Here we evaluate the most popular of these tiny shooters and lay out the facts on each one. Whether you are looking for an ultralight polymer framed pistol or a more traditional but still easily pocketable Bersa or Walther, you’re sure to find a .380 that suits you.

Based off of the PPK, the Walther PPK/S was one of the original pocket .380 pistols.

Walther PPK and PPK/S Easily recognizable as one of the preferred pistols of James Bond, the Walther PPK and it’s slightly larger cousin, the PPK/S, are both easily concealable pocket .380s. The smooth rounded slide and frame make it easy to slip this small handgun into a pocket or draw it quickly without snagging.

Based off of the PPK, the PPK/S was designed after the Gun Control Act of 1968 was passed in the US, forcing Walther to design a slightly heavier pistol in order to be in compliance with the “sporting” requirements of GCA-68. In order to continue being able to import the pistol, Walther took the frame of the PP pistol and paired it up with the PPK slide and barrel to create a pistol weighing 1.5 ounces more and carried one more round of ammunition.

Later, in 1978, Walther licensed production of the original PPK in the United States to Smith & Wesson who added a slightly longer grip tang to protect the shooter’s hand from slide bite.

Bersa Thunder The Bersa Thunder is another one of the original pocket .380 pistols. Though it has an all metal frame, the Bersa Thunder in .380weighs in at just over a pound. It has a number of features normally only found on larger handguns such as a loaded chamber indicator and slide lock. The slightly larger grip also allows it to carry an extra round, giving it a capacity of 7+1 compared to the 6+1 found on most pocket .380 pistols.

Taurus 738 TCP Announced in 2009 and released for sale in 2010, the Taurus 738 TCP is the Brazilian gun manufacturer’s entry into the pocket .380 market. With a slim single stack grip and lightweight polymer frame, the 738 is comparable to Kel-Tec’s P-3AT and Ruger’s LCP. Unlike the P-3AT and LCP, the 738 has a last round hold-open feature so that the slide is locked back on an empty magazine. Taurus also added another feature normally only found on larger pistols: a loaded chamber indicator can be found just above the extractor.

Kel-Tec P-3AT Kel-Tec set the standard a number of years ago for ultra-light polymer framed pocket pistols with their P-32 pistol. Later, Kel-Tec engineers created the P-3AT, a pistol that is the same size as the P-32 but chambered in the significantly more powerful .380 ACP. This tiny shooter was a runaway success, so much so that retailers still have difficulty keeping it in stock.

Based off of the Kel-Tec P3AT, the Ruger LCP is a slim and easily concealable pocket .380.

Ruger LCP Ruger took Kel-Tec’s P-3AT “Keep it Simple” design and took it a step further by adding a slide lock lever. While the slide does not lock back after the last shot, the slide lock lever makes performing administrative tasks on the pistol much easier (clearing a jam or showing clear for an RO). Affectionately called the “Elsie Pea” by aficionados, the Ruger LCP has quickly gained a devoted following.

Sig P238 and Colt Mustang The Colt Mustang was a small .380 pocket pistol manufactured from 1986-1997. Ironically right as Colt ceased production of their small shooter concealed carry pistols began to see a rise in popularity. With the Mustang no longer in production prices for the Colt .380 jumped dramatically with some selling for as much as 2-3 times as much as the original MSRP. In 2009 Sig Sauer began producing their own Colt Mustang inspired design and rebranded it as the P238. Essentially a small 1911 platform pistol, the Sig P238 and the Colt Mustang are both single action pistols with a frame mounted safety. Designed to be carried “cocked and locked” with the hammer back and the safety engaged, many people dismiss the design as practical for pocket carry. With a good fitting pocket holster however, this pistol can be safely carried without concern.

On most pocket .380 pistols, the sights, or lack thereof, leave much to be desired. When Sig began the design process on their P238 one of the first things they added was a decent set of combat sights. You can even find models available with Tritium night sights which help immensely in low-light situations.

Kahr P380 The Kahr P380 is essentially a slightly smaller version of their much loved 9mm PM9. Another double action pocket .380, the Kahr P380 features a wider trigger which helps smooth out the double action pull. Small .380 caliber pocket pistols are not known for being forgiving to shoot or easily controllable, but Kahr put aggressive texturing on the grip of the little pistol give the user better control under even the hottest +P loads. Like the Sig, the Kahr P380 is available with Tritium night sights which are highly recommended.

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 is one of the newest .380 pocket pistols to hit the market. First shown at the 2010 SHOT show, both it and it’s companion .38 Special revolver feature integral laser aiming systems. The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard has all of the controls found on a full size semiautomatic, including a safety, slide lock and release, and a generously large take-down lever. One of problems other ultra-slim .380 pistols exhibit is difficulty in field stripping due to the close fit of the take-down pin. With the large take-down lever on the Bodyguard, field stripping is very fast and extremely easy.

Pocket .380 Pistols	Weight	Capacity	Barrel Length	Overall Length	Width	Height	Action	Frame	Price as of Oct. 2010
Walther PPK/S	22.4 ounces	7+1	3.35″	6.1″	0.98″	4.3″	DA/SA	Steel	$509.31
Walther PPK	20.8 ounces	6+1	3.35″	6.1″	0.98″	3.8″	DA/SA	Steel	$509.31
Bersa Thunder .380	23 ounces	7+1	3.5″	6.6″	1.4″	4.75″	DA/SA	Aluminum	$239.80
Sig P238	15.2 ounces	6+1	2.7″	5.5″	1.1″	3.9″	SA	Aluminum	$561.66
Kahr P380	9.9 ounces	6+1	2.5″	4.9″	0.75″	3.9″	DAO	Polymer	$522.11
Kel-Tec P3AT	8.3 ounces	6+1	2.75″	5.2″	0.77″	3.5″	DAO	Polymer	$228.67
Ruger LCP	9.4 ounces	6+1	2.75″	5.16″	0.82″	3.6″	DA0	Polymer	$272.47
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard	11.85 ounces	6+1	2.75″	5.25″	0.75″	4.1″	DAO	Polymer	$427.84
Taurus 738 TCP	10.2 ounces	6+1	3.3″	5.25″	0.75″	4.1″	DAO	Polymer	$250.16

Many people dismiss the pocket .380 pistol as inaccurate and underpowered. While I won’t contest the fact that it is indeed less accurate and less powerful than a full sized service pistol in a caliber that begins with “.4″ it bears repeating that the pistol you have is always better than one left at home. The new line of pocket sized .380 automatic pistols being produced are reliable and easily concealed no matter what your wardrobe. If the thought of lugging around a couple of pounds of full sized or even compact defensive pistol is off-putting to you, consider downsizing. You can get an easily concealable pistol for much less than $300 and have the peace of mind of being able to be armed everywhere the law allows.

Kel-Tec Update on PMR-30 Production

Everyone seems to be clamoring to get their hands on this little pistol, but they’re virtually no where to be found. Kel-Tec sent us a new update this morning letting us know that production numbers are up and they are quickly moving into full production.

Production is coming along nicely. Batch numbers are increasing every week and we are pretty confident that we can finally hit that full production mark this month as planned, so you will finally see the PMR-30 become more and more available.

You should have already seen them become somewhat more available than they were when we first released them.

The bottleneck part right now are barrels. We get the barrel blanks from an outside supplier, but shortly we will be making our own blanks, speeding the process up even more.

Fans of suppressed .22 pistols will be happy to know that Kel-Tec also plans on offering a .22LR conversion kit for the PMR-30, along with a threaded barrel.

We won’t be doing a whole PMR-30 .22LR version, just a conversion kit. No ETA on that. Same for the threaded barrel. We have working prototypes, but we want to focus on getting the PMR-30 production on lock before we start working on accessories.

For those unfamiliar with the platform, the PMR-30 is Kel-Tec’s newest semiautomatic pistol chambered in .22 WMR. It can carry a whopping 30 rounds in a single magazine, making it extremely popular as a trail gun in areas of the country that don’t harbor native bears.

PMR-30 Specifications
Caliber: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Barrel length 4.3”
Length: 7.9”
Height: 5.8”
Grip Width: 1.1”
Max width, across safety levers: 1.3”
Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
Trigger pull: 3.5 to 5 lbs
Weight (no mag): 13.6 oz.
Muzzle Velocity (40 gr): 1230 fps

Click here to purchase your own PMR-30 or to receive an update when they are back in stock.

Long Range Pistol Shooting

Lining up a 300 yard pistol shot with a 1911, you can just barely make out the targets at the berm.

Yesterday we posed a question on Facebook asking our fans how far the longest pistol shot they'd ever made was. The answers ranged from a mere 25 yards, the standard distance at many pistol ranges, to shots in excess of 250 yards. One thing that surprised me however is how many people refused to believe that you could actually hit a target over 100 yards away. Believe it or not, the full sized pistol you own is probably capable of shots out to 200 yards.

At a recent 3-gun match here locally there was a pistol stage with full sized silhouette targets set out to distances as far as 80 yards. Needless to say, many competitors had great difficulty landing hits on these targets. I've practiced on half sized silhouettes up to 50 yards away, but the additional 30 yards for the longest target on that stage gave me fits. Still, I've personally witnessed a number of shooters hit a man sized target consistently at distances up to 200 yards away with a 1911 chambered in .45 ACP.

A typical 1911 zeroed at 7 yards has a drop of only 1.7 inches at 50 and a mere 14 inches at 100 yards. Things get a bit more interesting when the distance is increased past 100 yards however. At 150 yards the bullet drop has increased to more than 40 inches, and at 200 yards a 230 grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 900 feet per second will have dropped a whopping 81.4 inches. Which begs the question: how can anyone reliably make a shot with a pistol over 200 yards?

Scribing the front sight of a magnum revolver with a ramped front sight is an excellent way to get on target past 200 yards.

First of all, it helps to have a pistol that shoots a fast bullet. .357 Sig and .40 S&W both are fairly flat shooting rounds, but for the ultimate in long range pistol shooting you'll need a Magnum cartridge such as .357, .44, .500 S&W or .50 AE. Still, the amount of holdover necessary to land a good hit can difficult to estimate on the fly. There is however an solution for aiming such shots. It's not possible on all pistols, but by holding a scribed front sight up far above the rear, you can get the proper hold for a long range pistol shot. Ideal shooting positions are supine (leaning back as if in a recliner, this pose is well known to silhouette shooters) and prone.

Even without a powerful magnum or a tall ramped front sight, it's possible to get hits consistently with your standard service pistol. I took my .45 ACP 1911 with stock GI sights out to the range to demonstrate this after failing to hit the 80 yard silhouette at the 3-gun match last week. To start with, I calculated the ballistics mentioned above for my load.

Beginning at 50 yards, I held just a hair high and, shooting prone, was able to land all 7 shots on the target in a tight 3" group. Moving back to 100 yards the target looked much smaller on my front sight, but by holding on the head of the silhouette I was able to consistently drop the rounds into the torso. Things got more interesting at 200 yards however, and I was glad to have an earthen backstop so I could see the splash of my misses. Using these clues, I managed to walk the rounds onto the target in short order and figure out the proper hold.

Now that I knew the amount of hold necessary for that distance, I went ahead and tried to make the shot off hand. I won't lie, only 3 of the 7 rounds hit the target. But given that distance, I felt pretty happy knowing that I could engage a 200 yard target with my pistol and still land hits at all.

What's the point here? The point is shooting is 90% mental. Most people don't even realize that a pistol can be a viable weapon when a rifle is not available, and of those who may know such shots are possible most will never practice with their own handguns. The point here is that if you know your gun and you practice with it, you too can land hits on a target 200 yards away. Heck, with the right caliber, such as a .357 or .44 Magnum revolver, hitting targets at 300, 400, and even 600 yards is possible.

Elmer Keith, father of the famous .357 and .44 Magnum told one such tale of hunting deer at over 500 yards with a .357 revolver. Many chalked his tale up to nothing but a bit of "Hunter's Hyperbole" but Keith stood by his claims, and I for one believe the tale. Here's his story:

Paul Kriley and I hunted up Clear Creek on the right side where it is partly open bunch grass meadows and partly patches of timber. We hunted all day, and although we saw several does at 80-90 yards, one at 60, that I could have killed. We passed them up, as I wanted a buck. Toward evening we topped out on a ridge. There was a swale between us and another small ridge on the side of the mountain slope about 300-400 yards away. Beyond that, out on the open sidehill, no doubt on account of the cougar, were about 20 mule deer, feeding. Two big bucks were in the band, and some lesser ones, the rest were does and long fawns. As it was getting late and the last day of the season, I wanted one of those bucks for meat. Being a half-mile away, I told Paul, “Take the .300 Magnum and duck back through this swale to that next ridge and that should put you within about 500 yards of them. I’ll stay here (the deer had seen us), let them watch me for a decoy.” Paul said, “You take the rifle.”
“I said, how is it sighted?”
He said, “one inch high at a hundred yards.” I told him to go ahead because I wouldn’t know where to hold it. I always sighted a .300 Magnum 3 inches high at a hundred and I wouldn’t know where to hold it at 500.
I said, “You go ahead and kill the biggest buck in the bunch for me.” Paul took off, went across the swale and climbed the ridge, laid down and crawled up to the top. He shot. The lower of the two bucks, which he later said was the biggest one, dropped and rolled down the mountain. I then took off across the swale to join him. Just before I climbed up the ridge to where he was lying, he started shooting again.

When I came up on top, the band of deer was pretty well long gone. They’d gone out to the next ridge top, turned up it slightly and went over. But the old buck was up following their trail, one front leg a-swinging. Paul had hit it. I asked Paul, “Is there any harm in me getting into this show?” He said, “No, go ahead.”

I had to lay down prone, because if I crawled over the hill to assume my old backside positioning, then the blast of his gun would be right in my ear. Shooting prone with a .44 Magnum is something I don’t like at all. The concussion is terrific. It will just about bust your ear drums every time. At any rate Paul shot and missed. I held all of the front sight up, or practically all of it, and perched the running deer on top of the front sight and squeezed one off. Paul said, “I saw it through my scope. It hit in the mud and snow right below him.” There was possibly six inches of wet snow, with muddy ground underneath. I told him “I won’t be low the next shot.” Paul shot again and missed with his .300 Magnum. The next time I held all of the front sight up and a bit of the ramp, just perched the deer on top. After the shot the gun came down out of recoil and the bullet had evidently landed. The buck made a high buck-jump, swapped ends, and came back toward us, shaking his head. I told Paul I must have hit a horn. I asked him to let the buck come back until he was right on us if he would, let him come as close as he would and I’d jump up and kill him. When he came back to where Paul had first rolled him, out about 500 yards, Paul said, “I could hit him now, I think.”

“Well,” I said, “I don’t like to see a deer run on three legs. Go ahead.” He shot again and missed. The buck swapped ends and turned around and went back right over the same trail. Paul said, “I’m out of ammunition. Empty.” I told him to reload, duck back out of sight, go on around the hill and head the old buck off, and I’d chase him on around. Paul took off on a run to go around this bunch-grass hill and get up above the buck and on top. He was young, husky, and could run like a deer himself. I got on the old buck again with all of the front sight and a trifle of the ramp up. Just as I was going to squeeze it off when he got to the ridge, he turned up it just as the band of deer had done. So I moved the sight picture in front of him and shot. After an interval he went down and out of sight. I didn’t think anything of it, thought he had just tipped over the ridge. It took me about half an hour to get across. When I got over there to the ridge, I saw where he’d rolled down the hill about fifty yards, bleeding badly, and then he’d gotten up and walked from the tracks to the ridge in front of us. There were a few pine trees down below, so I cut across to intercept his tracks. I could see he was bleeding out both sides.

Just before I got to the top of the ridge, I heard a shot up above me and then another shot, and I yelled and asked if it was Paul. He answered. I asked, “Did you get him?” He said, “Yes, he’s down there by that big pine tree below you. Climb a little higher and you can see him.” Paul came down and we went down to the buck. Paul said the buck was walking along all humped up very slowly. He held back of the shoulders as he was quartering away. The first shot went between his forelegs and threw up snow. Then he said the buck turned a little more away from him and he held higher and dropped him. Finally we parted the hair in the right flank and found where the 180-grain needle-pointed Remington spitzer had gone in. Later I determined it blew up and lodged in the left shoulder. At any rate I looked his horns over, trying to see where I’d hit a horn. No sign of it. Finally I found a bullet hole back of the right jaw and it came out of the top of his nose. That was the shot I’d hit him with out at 600 yards. Then Paul said, “Who shot him through the lungs broadside? I didn’t, never had that kind of shot at all.” There was an entrance hole fairly high on the right side of the rib cage just under the spine and an exit just about three or four inches lower on the other side. The deer had been approximately the same elevation as I was when I fired that last shot at him. We dressed him, drug him down the trail on Clear Creek, hung him up, and went on down to the ranch. The next day a man named Posy and I came back with a pack horse, loaded him and took him in. I took a few pictures of him hanging in the woodshed along with the Smith & Wesson .44 Mag.

I took him home and hung him up in the garage. About ten days later my son Ted came home from college and I told him, “Ted, go out and skin that big buck and get us some chops. They should be well-ripened and about right for dinner tonight.” After awhile Ted came in and he laid the part jacket of a Remington bullet on the table beside me and he said, “Dad, I found this right beside the exit hole on the left side of that buck’s ribs.” Then I knew that I had hit him at that long range two out of four times. I believe I missed the first shot, we didn’t see it at all, and it was on the second that Paul said he saw snow and mud fly up at his heels. I wrote it up and I’ve been called a liar ever since, but Paul Kriley is still alive and able to vouch for the facts.

Elmer Keith

Defensive Handgun Loads

When choosing a load for self defense, there are several things that are more important than the actual load in the gun that should be addressed. Reliability is the most important factor in deciding on what load to put in your gun. A gun that will not reliably feed your chosen defensive round is useless as a defensive tool. Choose a round that feeds reliably in your gun and test it out extensively. Shot placement is still far more important than the load you choose. A hit in the vitals will do far more damage than a miss with the latest and greatest bullet design. The third tier of choosing what to put in your gun is actually wading through the choices out there to find an acceptable defensive load for your specific application. An acceptable defensive load is one where the bullet penetrates far enough to do damage when it comes in contact with tissue, but not so far as to over-penetrate without transferring its energy to the tissue. An acceptable defensive load will also ideally feature the greatest achievable spreading out (mushrooming) of the bullet for that specific caliber. For the sake of this article, we will be using the FBI standards of 12 inches of penetration of ballistic gelatin and expansion to the largest diameter possible in order to cause the largest possible wound channel. A standard which most experts support wholeheartedly.

The .22 Long Rifle is one of the most popular cartridge in the world and one of the most popular chamberings for a pocket pistol or revolver. The most important consideration in picking which .22LR load is the reliability of this notoriously finicky round in your gun. Some semi-automatic handguns do not work well with standard velocity ammo and some do not like the high-velocity loads. Luckily, the low cost of this round will allow you to practice enough to ensure you have chosen a compatible load, and perhaps as important, allow you (the shooter) to hone your skills with your handgun, ensuring adequate shot placement when the need arises. Barrel length also may play a role in ammunition selection. The popular CCI Quik-Shok 32-grain copper-plated hollow point round is a good choice in short (2 inches) barreled guns, but may expand and fail to penetrate when fired from a longer barrel. Conversely, the Remington Yellowjacket with its non-expanding 36-grain truncated cone bullet is probably a good choice for those with longer barrels as it creates a larger diameter permanent cavity than a lead round nose bullet design. So the picking of a defensive .22LR round is fairly simple: 1. Find a load that you and your gun like. 2. Practice, practice, practice, practice!

The popular .380ACP round brings a bit more firepower to the table, but the drawbacks to most defensive bullet designs in this chambering are the lack of expansion with penetration. Most experts will advise sticking with a quality FMJ loading such as Remington's Express 95-grain or Federal's American Eagle 95-grain , however, some will recommend the Cor-Bon DPX 80 grain bullet load as a quality, expanding defensive round.

The .38 Special has an interesting problem of being offered in revolvers of many different barrel lengths, which makes choosing a load more difficult. A solid, acceptable choice that meets our standards for any revolver from snub-nosed to target length, is Speer's 135-grain+P Gold Dot load. This load is specifically designed with snub-nosed revolvers in mind, so be careful to ensure that your gun is rated for the higher pressure +P cartridge. Cor-Bon's DPX 110-grain standard pressure offering with a solid copper, lead-free bullet is another good performer out of snub-nosed .38 specials. In revolvers with barrels over four inches, Remington's Classic Express +P with 158-grain lead hollow point bullet, this "FBI load" is a tried and true choice.

Stepping up to the 9mm brings true defensive firepower into the picture, with many acceptable defensive designs and loadings. For this Winchester Ranger SXT pretty much sets the standard with a proven record along side the heavier 147-grain SXT in a sub-sonic standard-pressure load. If you have a short-barrel, consider the 124-grain Speer Gold Dot for your compact 9mm.

The .40S&W is currently the most popular police duty round, which means there are plenty of excellent defensive loads to pick from that meet the standards of a good defensive load. Cor-Bon's 140-grain utilizes the Barnes all-copper DPX bullet, and the 165-grain is another design from Speer's Gold Dot line. If you have a compact pistol with a shorter barrel, you might pick Speer's 180-grain, as it was designed with shorter barrels in mind.

As for .45ACP, good defensive loads that meet the previously mentioned FBI standard are, once again, Cor-Bon's 185-grain and 200-grain Hornady XTP for your 5-inch or longer .45ACP. For your four-inch or shorter barrel, utilize Speer's 230-grain Lawman.

Whichever round you choose, remember to test it out in your gun to ensure reliability and maintain your proficiency level to ensure proper shot placement, should the need arise.

Proper Pistol Grip

Many words and much debate has gone into discussing the proper way to grip an autoloading pistol. Some will argue that the proper grip is to have your thumbs forward, some that the thumbs should be up, while still others insist that the thumbs locked together. I’ve even heard it recommended that the thumbs be canted away from the gun to ensure that they do not interfere with the action or inadvertently hit the slide lock. Which is correct?

A hybrid of the “Thumbs-Forward” and “Thumbs-Up” grip on a 1911 handgun. Note that there is a gap where the slide lock lever is.

One point of agreement among nearly all experts is the role of the primary hand and the support hand. The primary hand should apply slight pressure to the front and backstrap of the grip, while the support hand squeezes from the right and left side. In order to maintain positive contact with the gun, the support hand should be such that the heel of the hand is nestled within the gap left by the shooting hand on the left side of the grip.

Your support hand should do most of the work here- your shooting hand has enough to do working the trigger, safety (if equipped) and magazine release. Most instructors explain that your support hand should provide 60% of the grip, squeezing side to side, while the shooting hand provides 40% of the grip squeezing front to back. While you’re practicing your grip, do make sure you’ve not got a death grip on your pistol. You want a firm, solid grip to be sure, but you don’t want a “white knuckle” death grip. Think of it like holding a small squirmy animal: you’re not trying to crush it, just keep it from getting away from you.

But what about those pesky thumbs? What do you do with them? As far as this writer can tell, it doesn’t really matter too much so long as they are not interfering with the slide or controls, however I don’t recommend using the locked thumb method. The locked thumb method can interfere with the support hand’s ability to have good solid contact with the grip panel. By wrapping the thumb of your support hand over the thumb of your shooting hand, it necessarily pushes the heel of your palm out away from the grip. The presence of this gap makes the gun tend to turn towards the support hand under recoil.

Many competition and tactical shooters recommend the thumbs-forward grip as it is a more intuitive method to point the pistol at your target. The question then becomes: Do you lay your thumbs along the slide, or hold them away to minimize any interference? Here, the experts are split. Glock pistol shooter Dave Sevigny keeps his thumbs laying right along the side of the pistol. Brian Enos on the other hand keeps his thumbs away from the pistol. Some Sig Sauer pistoleers have noticed that having the thumbs along the side while using a thumbs-forward grip can cause the slide lock lever to be pushed down so that the handgun will not go into slide lock on an empty magazine. Conversely, Glock pistols can be inadvertently locked back by riding the slide lock lever.

Todd Jarrett using a thumbs forward grip at the USPSA Steel Challenge.

The thumbs-forward method demonstrated by Todd Jarrett on the left is perfect for shooting 1911 handguns. With this method, the frame mounted safety is positioned directly underneath the shooting hand thumb, making it incredibly fast and intuitive to draw and disengage the safety selector in one smooth motion. With a gun equipped with a high-ride beavertail making it easier to get a higher grip on the pistol and extended safety lever, the thumbs-forward method is very natural and comfortable.

Shooting semiautomatic pistols using the thumbs-forward method really becomes useful when used in action pistol or tactical applications where speed and accuracy are both needed. By positioning the thumbs-forward along the slide (or slightly off of the slide) you are in essence creating a second sighting device: wherever your shooting thumb is pointing is where the pistol is pointing. This makes it incredibly fast to draw the pistol, get your proper grip, and press forward to the target without needing to hunt around for the front sight. As Colonel Jeff Cooper explained, “The body aims, the sights confirm.” If you are watching the target (which you should be) as you press forward using this grip, the front sight should naturally come up into your view, presenting you with a very fast and natural sight picture.

The Myth Of The “Girl Gun” – Why Semiautomatics Are Great For New Shooters Of Any Gender

When a new woman shooter begins shopping for their first pistol, invariably someone will steer them toward a small snub-nosed double-action-only revolver that is usually decked out with pink grips. But is that really the best choice for a lady looking for a self defense or concealed carry pistol? Small hammerless snub-nosed revolvers are obviously an easy to conceal and often lightweight option, but many experienced shooters and notable bloggers, including a few women, have raised concerns over the ability of an inexperienced shooter, no matter if they are male or female, to effectively and accurately employ the pistol.

Gun Nuts Media quoted Tiger McKee who said:

Most people think revolvers are easy to shoot and operate, and for some reason they think this is especially true for women shooters. This is simply not the case, regardless of the shooter’s gender. The trigger on most revolvers is longer and heavier than the majority of semi-autos.

Double-action triggers present a unique challenge when it comes to getting an accurate trigger pull. The trigger on most double-action revolvers is long and heavy, sometimes weighing in around 12 pounds or more. For a new shooter trying to be accurate with a pistol is tough enough without needing to master a difficult trigger.

The size and weight of a .38 snub nose also presents a unique challenge, as recoil and muzzle blast are much more pronounced than on a heavier pistol with a longer barrel. This effect is even more pronounced on extremely lightweight revolvers such as Smith & Wesson’s Airweight line. These are great revolvers for concealed carry as their small size and light weight makes them versatile enough to be worn with just about any wardrobe, but they are not ideal for someone just learning to shoot a pistol. The short sight radius and even shorter barrel also make this choice revolver more difficult to aim and less accurate than their longer barreled cousins.

One of the main reasons given for recommending a small revolver to a new female shooter is the simplicity of the design. While it’s possible that at one point this may have been a valid point, as technology has advanced there is really no benefit in “fool proof reliability” for choosing a revolver over a modern semiautomatic like a Glock 19. It is no more difficult to teach any new shooter to rack a slide in a semiautomatic than it is to teach them to swing a cylinder out on a revolver.

And what about reloading? It is arguably much easier, not to mention faster, to eject a spent magazine and slam in a new one than it is to swing a cylinder out, eject the spent casings, grab a speedloader and get it positioned just right before releasing the rounds into the cylinder, and then closing it back into place.

Pro shooters such as Randi Rogers use the Glock 19 for concealed carry, and for good reason. It’s simple, reliable, and easy to carry concealed. The 15 round capacity means you have to reload much less than with a .38 caliber revolver, and the longer barrel and longer sight radius make it easier to aim and more accurate.

The Glock 19 is no panacea for beginners, however good it might be. Everyone has different sized hands and will find different guns that fit them well. Personally I find that Sig Sauer pistols fit my hands extremely well, while my wife loves her CZ-75. The point is that a new shooter will need to try many different guns and find what fits them best. There is no perfect gun that fits any beginner. More importantly, when introducing somebody to firearms for the first time, the experience needs to be positive. Lightweight snub-nosed revolvers have enough fire-breathing kick to scare off a newbie. A bigger, heavier, soft shooting autoloader is much more suitable for the first time out, and you’ll find that they are no more complex or difficult to use than a hammerless revolver.

Kel-Tec Sheds Light on the Shortage of PMR-30 Pistols

I get literally dozens of calls and emails nearly every day with people wanting to know if they can get the PMR-30 yet, when it will be available, and what the hold up is. We've been bugging Kel-Tec as well to find out what the hold up is.

Kel-Tec gave us this response today:

No, we are not at full production on PMR-30s. It has nothing to do with the product but more with the time line we set to release the PMR-30.

Back in January we announced that Q2 was the release date. It was based on estimated time to move from prototype to full production. What we had in January was a working model, but was not made on production CNC machines.

Our estimation proved to be quite off in terms of development. We noticed it before release but felt if we really pushed ourselves we could meet the Q2 release. The first batch of 80 or so, were done by that deadline, but had not been tested extensively (as we do with any first production run). After testing we found some inconsistencies in the CNC work and did some re-tweaking to fix it.

Since that first batch we've sent several other batches out, each with it's own new little fix. All of the fire arms that have been sent out work, but in the course of production we've found little adjustments here and there that are improvements.

In all honesty this is stuff that should have been going on before release.

What should have happened (because hindsight is 20/20) was that we push back that official release date until October at the earliest.

Basically we underestimated the time it would take us to get these badboys into full production.

So we had a choice: either stop production completely and just wait until a later date (angering those that were told July as a release date) or release smaller batches so the guns can at least see the light of day as production catches up (also angering customers as they see guns coming out but can't seem to get one). Obviously
we chose the latter (the right choice? this remains to be seen). The PMR-30s going out now are in working condition, but we've made that they may want to upgrade to, depending on serial number.

These parts will of course be free.

One thing we've discovered since shipping is that the PMR-30 does NOT like ammunition made in the Philippines (Armscor/Fiocci). The brass is weak and blows out.

So in conclusion: We are still making and shipping PMR-30s while production can get on track. They are still in small batches (30-70) and we are waiting on various redesigned parts to come back from heat treatment so we can start producing them in larger quantities.

Simply put we jumped the gun a bit on release (no pun intended), we acknowledge it, accept it, and are doing everything in our power to get things moving. In the meantime we are still sending out PMR-30s in small batches as we make them.

I hope this clarifies some things. My suggestion is to just pretend as if we set a release date for sometime in October and if you happen to come across a PMR-30 then it will be a pleasant surprise.

So, there you go. We're still waiting for our next shipment of PMR-30 pistols. If you want to be one of the first ones to get your own PMR-30, follow this link and sign up by clicking on the link inside the red box to receive an email as soon as we have more PMR-30 pistols in stock.

Finding A Pistol That Fits You

For a new shooter, finding a gun that they like can be a daunting task. Many new shooters want the mythical “perfect gun,” one that carries 30 rounds of ammunition, is small, lightweight with very little recoil, and chambered in a caliber that can stop an attack with a single shot. Such a gun, to my knowledge, does not exist.

When shopping for your first pistol, compromises must be made. What those compromises are depend heavily on what role you want the gun to play. Will it be solely a target pistol? Do you need a bedside nightstand gun? Or are you looking for a weapon to be used for self defense that is suitable for concealed carry? What you look for in a pistol varies depending on these roles. An N-Frame .357 magnum revolver with a 6″ barrel, or a full size service pistol may be OK for the bedside table, but they won’t do well as a concealed carry pistol. And while your Ruger LCP is a nice handy concealed carry pistol, it doesn’t quite pack the punch the Government 1911 in .45 ACP that you keep at home.

Once you’ve decided on what qualities you are looking for in a pistol, we recommend using the following procedure to determine what handgun fits you best.

Ergonomics:

• Can I reach all the controls?
• Is the grip angle and fit natural?
• Can I work the slide/drop the cylinder?

Grasp the pistol with a proper two hand grip. Make sure that all controls (mag release, safety, slide release/cylinder release) are easy to reach and manipulate without breaking your grip on the pistol.

Check that the grip angle fits your natural aim point. Close your eyes while holding the pistol and push it out towards your target into a firing position. When you open your eyes, your sights should naturally be very close to aligned in your sight picture. If not, consider a pistol with a different grip angle.

For semiautomatics, ensure that you can easily and comfortably work the slide by pulling it all the way back before releasing it to let it snap forward. On a revolver, make sure you can drop the cylinder.

Grip Size:

• Perform the Middle Finger/Thumb Test to check for proper grip size.

Not every pistol grip will fit every hand. You should be able to wrap your fingers around the grip such that your thumb and middle finger overlap. If you cannot touch your middle finger to your thumb with your shooting hand, the grip is too big for your hands. Ideally, your middle finger should be able to overlap your thumb by the length of your thumbnail. It’s also possible to have a grip that is too small. If your middle finger overlaps your palm when gripping the pistol, the grip is too small for your hands and you could have difficulty controlling recoil. Not all of your fingers may be able to fit on the grip on some subcompact models. Be aware that this affects how well you can manage recoil.

Trigger:

• Perform a dry fire trigger test

On double action pistols, sometimes the trigger pull can be difficult for some people. The trigger should be able to be smoothly pressed with your trigger finger without undue effort. If you cannot pull the trigger without losing your sight picture (having the gun shake, dip, etc.) you may need a lighter trigger or a pistol with different ergonomics or a different grip shape/size.

Recoil:

• Consider the caliber of the gun and the weight/size

Recoil among handguns can vary greatly depending on caliber and handgun size.

	Subcompact P3AT, LCP, G36, Bond Arms .45LC, S&W Airweight J-Frame, NAA, etc.	Compact Sig P229, USP Compact, G19,	Full Size 1911, G22, Sig P226	Large Redhawk, Desert Eagle
High Caliber (.357/.45ACP/.40 S&W)	Extreme Recoil, difficult to manage	Significant Recoil	Moderate Recoil	Low Recoil
Medium Caliber 9mm/.38 SPL /.380	Significant Recoil	Moderate Recoil	Low Recoil	Insignificant Recoil
Small Caliber .22/.320 ACP	Moderate Recoil	Low Recoil	Insignificant Recoil	Virtually no recoil

Note that the material a pistol is made from also affects felt recoil. Heavier steel pistols have less felt recoil than a lightweight Scandium or polymer pistol.

Weight:

• Perform a timed weight test

Using two hands, can you comfortably hold the pistol in a firing position for at least 30 seconds? If not, the pistol may be too heavy. Remember that a lighter pistol will have more recoil than a heavier pistol of the same caliber.

More Kel-Tec PMR-30 Information

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Oleg Volk has posted a new flyer he developed for Kel-Tec and their new PMR-30 handgun chambered in .22 WMR

From the flyer:

The PMR-30 is a light weight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting .22 Magnum cartridge (22WMR). The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid blowback/locked-breech system. This operation system allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition as it seamlessly adjusts between locked breach and blowback operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge. It uses a double stack magazine of a new design that holds 30 rouds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol.

The trigger is a crisp single action with an over-travel stop. The manual safety is a thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE). The slide locks back after the last shot, and a manual slide lock lever is also provided. The light, crisp trigger pull and fiber optic sights make the PMR-30 ideal for target shooting and hunting small game.

Slide and barrel are 4140 steel, frame is 7075 aluminum. Grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like other Kel-Tec Pistols. Magazine is Also Zytel and holds 30 rounds, with round count ports. Other features include: dual opposing extractors for reliability, heel magazine release to aid in magazine retention, dovetailed aluminium front sight, Picatinny accessory rail under the barrel, Urethane recoil buffer, captive coaxial recoil springs. The barrel is fluted for light weight and effective heat dissipation. PMR30 disassembles for cleaning by removal of a single pin.

Click to embiggen.

Budget Pistols: Inexpensive Entry Level Semiautomatic Handguns

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I was recently approached by my Brother-In-Law who had begun to show some interest in shooting. He wanted to buy a good semiautomatic pistol that would be inexpensive, reliable, and something that he can continue to use as his skills grow. Given his budget of $400, there were only a few pistols that fit those requirements.

The Smith and Wesson Sigma

Probably the most well known budget pistol on the market right now is the Smith and Wesson Sigma. In the 9ve 9mm configuration, this pistol can be had for less than $300 with currently available rebates. That leaves $100 which can be used to buy 500 rounds of practice ammunition or accessories like additional magazines and holsters. Of course the Sigma is not without its drawbacks - the trigger pull has been rated as "poor" by a number of reviewers who claim that it is nothing more than a poorly executed Glock knock-off. We feel the Sigma is a fine pistol for its price point, it certainly is reliable, but better options are available for our $400 budget.

One of the most popular budget pistols is probably the Ruger P95. The P95 is well known as a utilitarian pistol. There's nothing fancy about it, it works reliably, and it's easily serviceable. It also met his requirements for having an abundance of accessories and holsters available. We also looked briefly at the Ruger SR9, but decided that like the Sigma, the trigger pull was just too hard and gritty. Additionally, accessories for it were not widely available enough to seriously consider this pistol.

Kel-Tec has a number of reliable and inexpensive pistols, one of which is their new PF9 model. The PF9 is a compact and very slim pistol, perfect for concealed carry. The PF9 is very slim, at less than an inch thick. Despite its small size, it still packs a wallop with a 7+1 capacity of 9mm cartridges. The action is DAO and the trigger pull, while long, is smooth and consistent. The PF9 is also very inexpensive: MSRP is around $300, and it can often be found less than that. It may however be too small to use in competitions like IDPA, which the brother-in-law has expressed an interest in participating in.

Taurus has established a name for themselves as a manufacturer of inexpensive clones. The Taurus PT-92 is a budget priced version of Beretta's 92 model pistol. The MSRP of the PT-92 leaves it just out of our price range however. Taurus's new 709 Slim on the other hand comes in just under the $400 wire. This new offering by Taurus is very much like the PF9, with a very slim single stack grip and overall lightweight construction. The Taurus 709 uses a trigger action that is based off of the Taurus 24/7. This unique trigger sets itself in single action mode when a round is chambered. After pulling the trigger, the action resets in a double action mode until another round is chambered, allowing for the trigger to be pulled twice in the case of a light strike or hard primer. The 709 Slim also has a Glock style trigger safety in addition to an external thumb safety. Like the PF9, the Taurus 709 is better suited for concealed carry, but isn't quite suitable for IDPA style competitions.

The CZ 75 B Pistol

Finally, we have the CZ line of pistols. The new P-07 is the CZ-75 based duty weapon now produced by CZ. It has a polymer frame and also has a decocker like the more recent CZ-85. The CZ P-07 can be found for just under $400, making it priced right for our $400 budget. The polymer frame however doesn't quite have the ergonomics of the older CZ-75 models, and there is no way to change the grips. Still, it does have the same reliability and incredible accuracy of the older CZ-75 models.

Sadly, none of these pistols were favored by the Brother-In-Law. The polymer framed pistols kicked a bit too much for his liking. Being a new shooter, he favored the steel framed pistols for the easy recoil recovery. Though he really liked the Taurus PT-92, there was one more pistol that he tried that we haven't mentioned yet, the CZ-75B. The CZ-75B is an all steel construction and has been one of the most popular police issue weapons in Europe pretty much since its debut in 1975. The CZ-75 borrows heavily from the Sig 210 and Browning Hi Power and is similar to the older Sig 220 models in its design. The CZ 75B has a smooth double action/single action trigger. The pistol can be carried in a 1911 style "cocked and locked" mode with the safety engaged, or with the hammer in a half-cocked position which requires the shooter to fire the first round using the double action trigger. The CZ-75 is a bit big and heavy for concealed carry, but the smooth ergonomic grips and abundance of accessories made it very appealing. It is also priced a bit more than our budget. But then, many fine used pistols are widely available on the market. After a bit of shopping around and hitting a few gun shows, we located a good CZ-75B that, while used, appeared to have been carefully maintained.

As we mentioned in our article on Budget Pistols: Buying Used, many fine firearms can be found for very good deals if you search around. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good quality firearm. All of the pistols we discussed above have their advantages and disadvantages. If you're looking for a good quality semiautomatic pistol without breaking the bank, all of these handguns are a good place to start.

Helping to Choose A Concealed Carry Handgun For a New Shooter

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If you're a handgun owner and you have friends who are not, you may often find yourself looked to as an expert on the subject. A common question I find myself faced with by new shooters is: "I want to get a handgun for concealed carry and personal protection. What should I get?" It's a very personal question, with no one right answer. There is a very good reason there is such a broad selection of handguns on the market, and that is that different people look for different qualities in a defensive firearm.

The first thing a new shooter should do is become familiar with pistols in general. One major mistake experienced shooters make is recommending their personal favorite firearm as the gun of choice for a new shooter. I can't tell you how many times I've been at the range and seen a husband encouraging his wife to try out his .357 Magnum snub nosed revolver. Don't get me wrong - small hammerless big bore revolvers are carried by thousands of women. But starting a new shooter off with such a firearm can be a mistake. When dealing with a new shooter, start small with something like a Ruger .22 pistol so that they can get used to practicing proper shooting technique. Firearms are intimidating, and starting a newbie off with a fire-belching magnum is a sure-fire way to intimidate them so much that they conclude that they are incapable of handling a firearm.

Once your new shooter is comfortable with a .22, step up to a soft shooting .380, 9mm, or .38 Special. Try a wide variety of handguns and let them find out what they like as well as what they don't like. A shooter looking for their first carry pistol should find one that fits them well. Grip size, grip angle, overall weight and balance, muzzle length, and caliber all play into this complex equation. Be sure to consider the human factor: how intuitively can they manipulate the handguns controls? Is the safety easy to reach? What about the magazine or cylinder release? All of these things contribute to the overall suitability of a pistol to a particular shooter. There's no set equation for figuring out what pistol fits best - you've got to take some for a test drive.

Most pistol ranges have a variety of handguns that can be rented for a small fee. Don't bother renting full size handguns - these are usually not suitable for concealed carry. Stick with compact and subcompact firearms. Try a variety of actions and calibers. Don't place too much emphasis on finding a large caliber pistol. While a .357 Sig or .357 Magnum may be your choice as the best carry caliber, it may be a handful for a novice shooter. The ability to maintain consistent and accurate shot placement is far more important than the "stopping power" of any particular caliber. As instructor Greg Hamilton said, "Do you know how to double the effectiveness of any bullet? Put another round through your target." Two .25 ACP rounds that land solid hits on the target are much more effective than two misses with a .357 Magnum.

Consider also the price and availability of your ammunition. Practice is key to maintaining proficiency with any firearm. Your new shooter may love their .380 subcompact, but with the current ammunition shortage, will they be able to find enough .380 at a reasonable price to practice with? Many pistol models are available in a variety of calibers. If your new shooter falls in love with that Sig 229 in .357 Sig, but you're concerned with ammo availability, have them try a Sig 229 in .40 S&W instead.

The overall reliability of a handgun is also very important. Many handguns are picky about what type of ammunition they will digest. Ask your local range if you can try some standard pressure defensive rounds through their rental guns. Most ranges will gladly let you give it a test drive if you purchase the ammunition there (most will not let you run +P high pressure rounds). In addition to their ability to feed ammunition, some firearms are simply more reliable than others. Talk to an experienced shooter or range master about the reliability of the pistol your new shooter is considering for purchase. Pistols that are carried regularly are exposed to all manner of fouling media. Lint, dirt, and dust can collect on the pistol, and rust can be an issue in high humidity environments or during the summer. Some handguns are simply better suited for concealed carry. Look for polymer, stainless steel, or other frames that will resist moisture, dirt, and dust.

Once a new shooter has settled on what gun is right, the pocket book comes into play. Firearms are not cheap as a general rule, and it's possible to find that the right pistol for your new shooter is out of their budget. If that is the case, talk to your local firearm dealer about layaway plans, or consider buying used. Many manufacturers like Sig Sauer offer factory certified used firearms that come with an excellent warranty and are priced at a significant discount. If a factory certified used firearm isn't a possibility, have a gunsmith inspect the potential purchase. They can spot excessive wear and abuse and can tell how well a used handgun has been cared for.

Finally, once the new purchase has been made, practice! Practice is critical to being able to properly employ a firearm in a self defense situation, so continue to encourage a new shooter to accompany you to the range and practice with their new pistol. If they've chosen a handgun that suits them well, practice will be an enjoyable pastime that the two of you can spend together.

Kel-Tec Announces New .22WMR Handgun, the PMR-30

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Kel-Tec today announced the newest gun to their lineup, the PMR-30 pistol chambered in .22WMR. The P30 is a double stack semiautomatic pistol that has a 30 round magazine.

From Their Press Release:

Kel-Tec To Unveil PMR-30 at 2010 SHOT show. Click image to view full size.

The PMR-30 is a light weight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting .22Magnum cartridge (.22WMR). The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid blowback/locked-breech system. This operation system allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition as it seamlessly adjusts between locked breach and blowback
operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge. It uses a double stack magazine of a new design that holds 30 rounds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol.
The trigger is a crisp single action with an over-travel stop. The manual safety is a thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE). The slide locks back after the last shot and a manual slide lock lever is also provided. The light, crisp trigger pull and fiber optic sights make the PMR-30 ideal for target shooting and hunting small game.

Slide and barrel are 4140 steel, frame is 7075 aluminum. Grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like other Kel-Tec Pistols. Magazine is Also Zytel and holds 30 rounds, with round count ports. Other features include: dual opposing extractors for reliability, heel magazine release to aid in magazine retention, dovetailed aluminum front sight, Picatinny accessory rail under the barrel, Urethane recoil buffer, captive coaxial recoil springs. The barrel is
fluted for light weight and effective heat dissipation. PMR30 disassembles for cleaning by removal of a single pin.

Expected Availability: Quarter 2, 2010
Expected MSRP: $415
Caliber: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Barrel length 4.3”
Length: 7.9”
Height: 5.8”
Grip Width: 1.1”
Max width, across safety levers: 1.3”
Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
Trigger pull: 3.5 to 5 lbs
Weight (no mag): 13.6 oz.
Muzzle Velocity (40 gr): 1230 fps
Made in USA
More info will be available at the SHOT show 2010 Kel-Tec Booth (#2825)

The New Kel-Tec PMR-30, Photo Courtesy Oleg Volk. Click to view full size.

It's really no surprise that Kel-Tec is finally releasing (or should I say, re-releasing?) the PMR-30. Swedish designer George Kellgren initially designed the Grendel P30 .22 Magnum autoloader. Now, it's been rehashed and re released as the Kel-Tec PMR-30.

Many of Kel-Tec's guns share an incredible number of similarities with Kellgren's Grendel designs. Comparing the Grendel P10 with the Kel-Tec P3AT for example one can see how the P10 was essentially a prototype for the now famous P3AT. Redesigning the Grendel P30 into the new PMR-30 seems only natural

The Grendel was not the first autoloader to fire the .22WMR. AMT (now sold by High Standard) designed a very elegant pistol for the cartridge back in the mid 1970s, the Automag II. In 2007 Excel Industries also released their own .22 Magnum pistol. Like the Automag II, the Excel MP-22 also uses a single stack magazine.

There's a reason that semiautomatic handguns chambered in .22 Magnum are rare. Engineering an autoloader for that cartridge is no easy feat. The .22WMR cartridge has some unique characteristics which make it difficult to work with in an autoloader. It was initially designed as a rifle cartridge, and as such is generally loaded with slow burning rifle powder. This causes the cartridge to develop a late peak pressure, which leads to the possibility of the case mouth expanding and jamming in the chamber.

George Kellgren's Grendel P30, source unkown

The Grendel P30 utilized a fluted chamber to facilitate better extraction, while the engineers at AMT took a different approach. They drilled 18 holes at 90 degrees to the chamber, and then welded a larger sleeve around that to provide room for excess gasses to vent. No word yet on what approach the engineers at Kel-Tec in the P30 chamber design, though presumably they will use the same fluted chamber design as the Grendel.

The Grendel P30 also had a double stack Zytel plastic magazine, which the Kel-Tec P30 also appears to use.

Kellgren also designed a carbine model of the Grendel P30, designated the R31. Presumably we can look forward to Kel-Tec releasing a carbine companion to their new PMR-30 pistol sometime in the not too distant future.

More photos are available over at Oleg Volk's Gallery

Handgun Safeties

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Since the invention of the first commercially viable autoloading handgun, the P08 Luger designed by Georg Luger, handgun safeties have been a ubiquitous part of handgun design. The purpose of a safety mechanism on pistols is to prevent the handgun from firing when you don't want it to.

Early revolvers lacked any safety mechanism. The hammer in these revolvers needed to be rested down on an empty chamber so that the pistol would not fire when jostled, dropped, or struck. With the advent of the firing pin mechanism in autoloading pistols a device was needed to prevent the firing pin from striking the primer of a chambered round if the pistol was dropped or struck.

There are three main types of handgun safeties. The first are internal safeties, usually implemented in the form of some type of firing pin block. These are usually integrated into the action of the pistol. Some late model revolvers used hammer blocks that would prevent the hammer from striking a round unless the trigger was pulled. Others types of firing pin blocks include pins and levers that secure the firing pin until the trigger is pulled.

Grip safeties prevent the handgun from firing unless it is gripped in a proper firing position. Grip safeties come in a variety of forms. Some grip safeties come in the form of a lever on the backstrap of a pistol which is depressed when the handgun is gripped properly. Glock pistols (and a number of Glock variants such as the Springfield XD) have a unique safety system that utilizes a small lever on the trigger itself. This could be considered a form of grip safety, since the gun will not fire unless the trigger is properly engaged and pulled. We can also include magazine disconnect safeties in this group which prevent the pistol from being fired unless a magazine is properly inserted, as an autoloading handgun without a magazine inserted could not be considered to be in a proper firing configuration.

Active safeties are switches or levers that, unless flipped to the firing position, prevent the gun from firing. All 1911 style pistols, as well as many other styles of modern handguns, use this type of safety. Most active safeties fall into two categories: frame mounted and slide mounted. Slide mounted safeties, such as the one commonly found on the Beretta 92 and M9 pistol can function as a decocker as well. A decocker is a device that safely lowers the hammer on a pistol without pulling the trigger. Frame mounted safeties such as that found on 1911 style pistols have the advantage over slide mounted safeties of being easier to use. Most frame mounted safeties have better ergonomics that allow shooters to instinctively disengage the safety as they grip the firearm. Additionally, it's possible for slide mounted safeties to be inadvertently switched on or off while racking the slide.

So, are pistols with safeties really safer? Despite their name, safeties do not make a firearm more or less safe. Safe operation of a pistol depends on the user, not any mechanical device on the firearm. Passive firing pin blocks and grip safeties generally contribute to the overall safety of a firearm as they make the it unable to fire unless the trigger is pulled while the gun is gripped properly. For target pistols with match grade hair triggers, active safeties are also very important as they force the shooter to take positive action before engaging a target.

In the case of a defensive or combat handgun however, there is a lot of debate over the use and implementation of active safeties. In a combat situation, handguns must function reliably and consistently. Many argue that a combat handgun should always fire whenever the trigger is pulled without the need to disengage an active safety. The usefulness of magazine disconnect safeties has also been hotly debated. Proponents of such a device argue that it prevents injury or death to individuals who wrongly assume that an autoloading pistol with the magazine removed is unloaded. This is countered by those who argue that this could needlessly endanger someone in a combat situation should a magazine be accidentally dropped or dislodged.

The backstrap style grip safety has also had its usefulness challenged over the years. For decades, Col. Jeff Cooper recommended that grip safeties be pinned down so that an awkward grip on the pistol would not prevent it from being fired. Even today, many handgun users place slip on grips on their pistols that keep the backstrap depressed, thereby rendering it useless as a safety device.

The most important safety is of course the one in between your ears. Proper handgun knowledge and practice is critical to safe use. One of Jeff Cooper's four rules of firearm safety is, Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. This is an incredibly important rule. In a properly functioning handgun, unless you pull the trigger, the gun will not fire. The most common cause of the negligent discharge of a firearm is pulling the trigger while the gun is loaded. The practice of proper pistol handling is vitally important in training the user to keep their finger indexed when not actively engaging a target.

I want to emphasize the importance of practice here. The way you practice determines the way you perform. If you do not practice, you will not perform well, whether that means failing to use active safeties properly, or having your finger on the trigger when you should not. The frequency with which you practice helps to determine whether an active safety is an advantage or a drawback.

What safety devices you choose to have on a pistol is a very personal choice. Many shooters refuse to have a handgun that does not have an external active safety. Others insist on having only passive internal safeties such as those found on Glock pistols. Still others refuse to own a gun with a magazine disconnect. If a gun has a particular safety mechanism you despise, or lacks one that you feel is vitally important, it is sometimes easier to just move on to a different model firearm. All safety devices can be used properly, despite ones feelings for or against them, if you practice using it properly.