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I carry a Glock 27 most of the time but it gets harder to carry the older I get so I am thinking of changing to something much thinner and smaller but it also has to be totally reliable, suggestions?
Kahr CW9, Smith Shield both are excellent guns. The Kahr is simple and there seems to be a move away from them with all the new versions of pocket guns. You can pick one up for around 250 if you look.
Depends on how far you're willing to downsize. Im not a big guy, so I carry an LCP -- which fits comfortably in a pocket. Many people would say the .380 cartridge is insufficient, but the size of the LCP means Im more likely to carry it. My alternate carry, when Im wearing heavier clothing, is a G27.
Related to this topic, I got a good inexpensive pocket holster in January for those times I want to go lightweight and just carry my old Charter Arms .38 special in my front pocket. Fits perfectly in the pocket, keep it from printing, and has this clingy stuff on the exterior so that if you draw your weapon only the gun comes out, not the holster:
I carry a Glock 27 most of the time but it gets harder to carry the older I get so I am thinking of changing to something much thinner and smaller but it also has to be totally reliable, suggestions?
There is no single answer to your question. Depends on how much, if any, you want to give on ammo power in stepping down from 9X19, or not. Then, as you go to smaller gats still in 9mm, if you made that choice, the smaller the gun, the fewer rounds it holds (duh) and the more critical a firm grip is to getting reliable function. Some may be picky about ammo. Springfield has a very small 9 on the market, but, even the owner's manual to it describes how you have to grip firmly to get reliable function, has a list of (currently produced) ammo that is recommended and not recommended, and recommends replacement of the recoil spring every X rounds (I think it's 500 or 1000). This pistol is one of the smallest and thinnest 9's you can get, but, the manufacturer clearly states that it's "not your father's 9mm" so to speak.
You could go on down to a .32 ACP in a Seecamp. Although, again, it won't function on just any ammo. And it's only a .32. But it is small, and from what I have read, it's quite reliable if you feed it what Seecamp recommends. They are expensive and last I checked there is a waiting list.
You could go on down in size to a Bond Arms derringer, AFIK totally reliable for 2 shots, you could have it in .45 ACP and be much smaller than your current 9. But, just two shots. You could carry two derringers I guess for 4 shots. But these things are very slow to reload. Almost as bad as a muzzle-loader.
Smaller, shorter pistols are harder to shoot accurately. Shorter sight radius. And they tend to be really LOUD, and a lot of muzzle flash, although you can buy specifically loaded ammo that helps counteract this in popular for snubby calibers like .38 Special, 9mm, maybe .32 ACP.
Spend some time on the range and see what works for you, is all I can suggest really.
I carry a Glock 27 most of the time but it gets harder to carry the older I get so I am thinking of changing to something much thinner and smaller but it also has to be totally reliable, suggestions?
Not sure why you say it is hard to carry a Glock 27 because you are getting older. My CCW is a Glock 19 Gen 4 and I'm 73. Wouldn't have problems with my Ruger SR45, but open carry only in the boonies.
But if you think you want a pocket gun I say stick to the Glock. The Glock 43 would be my choice if I didn't like my G19, then of course there is always the G42.
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