low recoil DOES matter in a pocket gun.

[bannor]

my 356 TSW cases and homemade 45 gr bullets, at 2200 fps give me the same power as a 4" barreled 357, but the gun is sub 1 lb and sub 6" long. it's got the same momentum/recoil as a Makarov. 45grs x 2200 fps is just a 10 factor of momentum recoil, same as 115 grs at 870 fps. or same as 95 grs at 1050 fps, or 160 grs at 640 fps. In other words, it's mild, and if you want sub .20 second repeat chest hits out of a 15 oz gun,( at more than 6 ft of range), then the recoil MUST be mild. :-) the blast and flash, of course, or horrendous, but I always carry Norton "earvalve" ear plugs, lanyarding their case to my belt, just above the pocket in which they are carried. I can insert them as fast as anyone can speedload a revolver (ccw). In other words, 4-5 seconds. Are you going to tell 6 gunners that there's no point in them carrying a speedloader? :-) Plenty of times, you can see trouble brewing 5 seconds in advance (and move to cover) Nothing about inserting the plugs prevents you from FIRING, you know . But having your cylinder open on a revolver certainly does. So, do you risk a reload before you're completely empty, or do you count upon the final 1-2 rds in your cylinder sufficing, hmm? :-) So don't tell me that it's "not feasible" to insert plugs, cause I know that it aint (often). And having them in place about doubles your effective range (especially with pistols).

[bannor]

I wanted the speed advantage (and discretion) of a gun in my front pants pocket rig, but I did not want to settle for the mere 300 ft lbs possible with a locked breech 380. So I deepened the chamber of my 9mm, to take the .100" longer, stronger case of the 356. when very short (equivalent to 90 gr jhp) bullets are used with such cases, the OAL of the rds is within reliable functioning limits of the 9x19 pocket auto. I first did this with a Kahr CM9 , but these days, I am leaning toward the Keltec PF9, due to Twisted Industries offering a .22lr conversion unit for the keltec. That makes for a 12 oz trail .22 that is capable of 2" groups at 50 ft, standing unsupported. That will take a lot of grouse and squirrels. :-)

[bannor]

starting with my hand in my pocket, on the gunbutt, I can average a reaction time (to the beep of the timer) draw and hit on the chest, at 5 yds, in .75 second. From under a T shirt, about all I (or anyone else) can manage is 1 second, starting with hands at sides. Starting with hands at sides, the pocket rig averages 1.70 second, faster than the average cop is from his security rig, open carry. So it's not so slow, really. If you can't see trouble brewing 1 second in advance (and get your hand into your pocket) no gun or rig is likely to save you, cause you just aint paying enough attention to your surroundings.

[bannor]

I started practice on ccw fast draw in 1964, so I've had 1000's of hours of it. Almost everyone else is better off with a front pants pocket rig (and being better at watching their backs)