Smallest/lightest pistol that’s fun to shoot

[JimIsland]

I have every pistol mentioned here and then some. As much as I like the BG 2.0, I shoot the G42 better. My only dislike is the 6+1. I carry Underwood +P Extreme Penetrator and don't feel underpowered. Full disclosure, the G42 is my summertime carry only. I alternate between the G43X and Sig P365 the rest of the year.

 

[MtnSquach]

Do you have the 22 rd mags or are you restricted to 10 rds? With the 22 rd mags have to be careful getting the cartridges in

Do you have the 22 rd mags or are you restricted to 10 rds? With the 22 rd mags have to be careful getting the cartridges in the mag.

I believe they are the 22 round mags. Ya I know what your talking about, they are not quite double stack but you have to make sure they load L/R/L/R…

 

[schmidty3]

My personal journey has led to this ranking...

Bg 2.0 CC 380 > p365x > sing p938 > shield 9mm

Im on the shot placement bandwagon. I have no qualms sending 380

 

[Castle Rock]

Funnest and most accurate small pistol I ever owned was an old race gun in 38 super cut to commander size and using PPC style loads

 

[Fred@Exterra]

Browning 1911 in 380… super accurate & fun to shoot. It is a scaled 1911 so it points the same as my other 1911s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SloppyJ]

Colt mustang is what youre looking for. Hands down the best 380 out there.

 

[PistolPete]

I haven't fully digested it, but there is good-looking data to show that a 22 LR requires equal or fewer shots to incapacitation than 380 or 9mm. Don't know why. Maybe the 223 thread made me more open to such ideas, but I've been carrying my LCP 22 more lately - its small and very fun to shoot.

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

Written by: Greg Ellifritz I've been interested in firearm stopping power for a very long time. I remember reading Handguns magazine back in the late 1980s when Evan Marshall was writing articles about

www.activeresponsetraining.net

 

[wesfromky]

I haven't fully digested it, but there is good-looking data to show that a 22 LR requires equal or fewer shots to incapacitation than 380 or 9mm. Don't know why. Maybe the 223 thread made me more open to such ideas, but I've been carrying my LCP 22 more lately - its small and very fun to shoot.

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

Written by: Greg Ellifritz I've been interested in firearm stopping power for a very long time. I remember reading Handguns magazine back in the late 1980s when Evan Marshall was writing articles about

www.activeresponsetraining.net

 

[SilkyJohnson]

For small carry guns that are funny to shoot it would have to be The P365x and Glock 26. Both have light recoil and you can use higher capacity magazines in them. The Glock 26 is one of those guns that I can shoot 500 rounds through at the range and not have any fatigue.

 

[Axlrod]

I have shot some NovX 65 grain bullets out of a Kimber micro 9. They are pretty mild, but at a $1 each don't know how "fun" they are. There are a few brands of 65 ish grain loads for the 380 and the 9mm. Some are marketed as self defence loads, but I have no experience using them in that roll. The 65's have functioned without issue in the micro 9, and 2 full size 1911's 9mm. These guns have 1000+ rounds through them and have plenty of lube. I don't know if the light ammo will function in a new or dry gun.

 

[North of 60]

The Walther PPS in 9mm is relatively thin and not that big, close to a G43. My wife and i both have one for concealed carry, and she has small hands.

Best advice if you are in the market is to to a gun store to hold and get the feel of different makes/models, and then go to a range that rents them and shoot the top 3.

Not all pistols fit all hands well, nor will all shoot all pistols equally well.

 

[Pookie]

M&P shield plus. I get back on target faster with the shield than I do with a Glock 19. It makes my larger 9s seem pointless.

 

[Moccasin]

P365 + Mischief Machine grip. Adds a little length in the grip and a few ounces, but very shootable.

 

[TxYoteHunter]

Walther PPK for all the James Bond cool-ness

 

[BluMtn]

M&P shield plus. I get back on target faster with the shield than I do with a Glock 19. It makes my larger 9s seem pointless.

+10,000. I have long forgotten how many pistols I have owned and how many rounds I have shot. My Shield Plus naturally points like it is an extension of my hand.

 

[endangeredspecies]

Sig P322 and Ruger LCRx 22 are small, light, accurate, and a ton of fun to shoot. I didn't need to touch the sights on either one - got a couple bullseye's with each at 10 yards, first time out - P322 with Mini-Mags and LCRx with my Great-Grandpa's leftover Dupont Remington Kleanbore. I don't have much of it, so hoping the CCI SV will be a good substitute, when it gets back in stock at my LGS.

I haven't had the chance to get the compensated 3.1" P365-XMACRO or 3" .357 LCRx to the range yet, but they feel remarkably similar the the .22's, are the same size, just a little heavier, and I'm looking forward to trying them out with short-barrel loads to see if they can be just as enjoyable (with 38+P in the LCRx. I'm fairly confident there won't be a fun Magnum load in that guy. I got the slightly heavier 357 version to help tame the 38spc recoil.) I have XL hands, and these both manage to fill them comfortably - pinky just hanging off and wrapping around the bottom edge of each - and are great fun to manipulate and dry-fire. (Better than the stock finger-groove grip on the not-small GP100.)
Will try to report back here in a week or two after I send some rounds downrange.

If I wasn't in CA and could find them, and ammo, I'd love to try an M&P Shield EZ in 30 Super Carry, and a 3" SP101 in .327 Federal.

 

[bpatterson]

I can only assume you’re referring to an outdoor defensive handgun, and for that a Smith and Wesson model 69 is hard to beat! 5 shots of 44 in an L frame and is really very accurate as well. If you need to work up to recoil .44 specials can be used and downloaded, as can .44 Russian cases, which allow you to duplicate .45acp loads with the data for the given bullet weight in the ACP.

 

[NM13]

Beretta 81 or 80x in .32 acp. Low recoil, good penetration, super fun to shoot. I'm also looking at S&W 5.7x28. Same characteristics - inspired by the Kel Tec 22 mag discussions in these forums.