I used to despise little guns. I got into this mindset that bigger is better, and admittedly it can be. A Glock 19 is much easier to shoot than a Glock 43. I can shoot the Glock 19 faster with greater accuracy than I can ever shoot the Glock 43. However, with the SIG P365, I took a step down, and now I’ve been looking at and considering smaller guns for daily carry. I examined my life and realized that most of the time, my threat level is pretty low.
If I’m by myself at my day job, which isn’t a public-facing position, the chance of dealing with a threat is superbly small. Why deal with the pain and pokes of a bigger gun when it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever need it? A promotion sealed the deal when my dress requirements became a lot less informal. So I went small, and I’ve since pursued pocket pistol perfection. With that in mind, I’ve researched and experimented, trying to find some of the smallest repeating firearms out there.
The Sub Caliber Stubbies
I’ve been testing these little pistols, learning their ins and outs. I wanted to present the smallest, lightest guns I’ve come across that might be your next pocket-carry pistol. They had to be repeating firearms that could fire more than two shots before needing to be reloaded. It had to be practical in terms of caliber, so none of those awesome 2mm microguns either. Let’s dig into the sub-caliber stubbies.
NAA Micro Revolvers
The king of small, repeating firearms is, without a doubt, the NAA Micro Revolvers. These five-shot, rimfire revolvers are famously small, enough so they are often called derringers. Yet, they function as single-action revolvers. They come in .22LR(so they also shoot .22 Short and .22 Long) as well as .22 Magnum. We have tons of configurations, including break action, side openings, and removable cylinders. The knife-like folding handle models are quite convenient for pocket carry.
Their biggest benefit is being both small and capable of firing at least five shots. They can be dropped into a front shirt pocket, and they disappear with ease. The downside is that you only have rimfire options. Rimfire does work, though, and can penetrate deep enough to stop a threat, but it isn’t stellar at much more than that. Additionally, the front sight is optimistic, if I’m being generous. It’s tough to shoot accurately and tough to shoot quickly.
With that said, I know of at least two situations where an NAA Micro Revolver was used successfully in self-defense. While it might not be my first option, for some, it could be their only option. With that in mind, I do really suggest the folding grip. It makes shooting this thing much easier.
Seecamp 32 ACP
Moving on from the NAA being our smallest gun, we have the Seecamp being our smallest automatic firearm. If there is a firearm smaller than the Seecamp, I’ll be legitimately impressed. Ludwig Seecamp started his career making double action 1911 conversions and put that knowledge into making a micro-sized DAO pistol, originally in .25 ACP and later in .32 ACP and .380 ACP.
I suggest the .32 ACP version because it tends to be fairly soft shooting. It’s incredibly small, and in the gun dictionary, it’s the picture shown beside the definition of pocket pistol. It’s smooth all over and designed for an easy draw from deep concealment. The gun holds six rounds of .32 ACP and uses a rather smooth but heavy DAO trigger.
The main problem is the lack of sights. This makes it a close-contact gun for most shooters. It’s snag-free, but some of those snags can be pretty handy when it comes to aiming. The recoil is surprisingly mild for such a little gun. That’s due to the fascinating chamber-ring delayed blowback system that makes life a bit easier.
KelTec P32
The Seecamp might be the smallest gun, but the lightest semi-auto has to be the KelTec P32. At 6.6 ounces for the Gen 1, it’s the lightest, thinnest semi-auto out there. It’s the reason why the pocket .380 market took off. George Kelgren and his company launched the P32 in 1999, and since then, the pocket pistol market has followed this basic layout.
It’s a single stack, DAO, locked breech pistol with a polymer frame. Not a single element is innovative, but combining them together was something new. The little P32 is one of my favorites and is sitting in my pocket as we speak. It is surprisingly easy to shoot, with mild recoil, and never tries to fight its way out of your hand.
The downside is that KelTec doesn’t make many of them. Unfortunately, the concealed carry market has yet to accept our one true caliber, the .32 ACP. Still, if you look hard and be patient, you can snag one up for a great price.
Beretta Bobcat 21A
When we get into the world of semi-auto rimfire guns, we do come to one of the cooler rimfire handguns in the form of the Beretta Bobcat 21A. The little Beretta also comes in .25 ACP, but I’m betting the .22LR is much more common. The cool factor comes from the tip-up barrel that allows you to load a round directly into the chamber. Tip-up guns are always cool.
The Pocket-Sized Beretta dukes it out with the LCP 2 in 22LR for small supremacy but is just a hair smaller with nearly identical weights. The Bobcat pops in your pocket, and I do really like the DA/SA action for a rimfire gun. Should the rimfire fail to ignite on the first trigger pull, you can try it again with just the squeeze of the trigger.
The Bobcat does have the ability to carry locked and cocked, as well as a set of sights. It’s still rather smooth and easy to draw. A .22LR from an 11-ounce gun isn’t rough to handle and barely chirps in the recoil department. It’s a great gun, as long as you don’t mind getting some brass to your face.
P365 SAS
We’ve talked about a lot of guns that fall into that sub-caliber genre, so before we go, let’s give you a 9mm. It’s not the smallest 9mm, but it’s the smallest 9mm that holds 10 rounds and isn’t painful to shoot. The P365 SAS fits the micro compact genre of pistols and is certainly the smallest of the micro compacts by a few fractions of an inch.
The P365 SAS trims some weight by ditching normal sights for an odd but effective FT Bullseye sight system. It’s essentially one rear sight that is integrated into the slide. It’s small and handy. The SAS features melted edges and the removal of anything odd that sticks out from the gun. It’s pocket-carry ready, and that’s not bad for a handgun that’s holding 10 rounds of 9mm.
The SAS is a big gun compared to the other guns on this list. The sights are also tricky and take some time to get fast with.
Pocket Pistol Perfection
There are a few golden rules to carrying a pocket pistol. First, train with it. They are harder to shoot, so you should take more time to train with the little guns. Second, always use a holster. I like the Desantis Superfly, personally. Third, don’t ever be caught without it (unless legally prohibited). You have a pocket pistol, so you don’t get to have excuses.
