[JHill]

Just thinking recently that a smaller *affordable* carry gun would be beneficial to have as primary or as supplement to my 1911 in summer months. I am considering two:
KelTec P-32 (very hideable--recent craze @glocktalk)
Makarov 9mm (tell me about these--I don't know price, model, maker, or reliablity)

 

[traevin]

This one can be bettered addressed over at Personal Defense & Carry so I'm moving it to there. There's an ongoing thread about mouseguns; don't know if that one is of service but here's the link: http://www.1911forum.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000126.html

 

[JHill]

Sorry Traevin. They have pretty much covered it on the other "mouse" thread. You can close if noone responds to the Mak question.

 

[Flip]

I had a Makarov 9x18 (Russian-made) for a few years. Paid 110 bucks for it brand-new, with 2 mags and a holster. It shot great, was very reliable, and pretty smooth after a few hundred rounds.

 

[Stocky]

Do a search here on "MAKAROV",

or visit the http://www.Makarov.com forum.

Frame & showcase the Russian
fondle the East German
shoot the Bulgie!
JMO,
Stocky

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Anyone who isn't a paranoid schizophrenic now-a-days, just isn't thinking clearly!

 

[John-C]

I have 2 Makarov's. Great guns. Price is great, $150-200 average. I have a new Bulgarian ad a C&R East German. They are always reliable and quite accurate.
I buy wolf ammo at $100 for 1000 rnds.
I chronoed the wolf 109gr FMJ at an ave of 1010 fps.
You won't be disappointed with buying one.
They do smack the web of your hand pretty good due to the blowback action.

 

[Black Pearl 45]

the makarov is a GREAT gun, german is best, then bulgie, then russian, if you find a chinese model ..BUY IT, those are hard to find.
corbon and hornady make 9x18 ammo defensive ammo for the gun. the russians started importing 9x18 HP ammo, and wolf 9x18 is about $7 a box.

another mouse gun to consider is a beretta tomcat in 32acp, good thing about that gun is the ability to pop up the barrel and load the chamber and not have to worry about slowly releasing the hammer on live round. you can carry it cocked and locked too. good accuracy and reliable.
i heard those keltecs are real nice too, as are the NAA guardians, also in 32acp

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PRK -the crap may start here but does NOT End here --BP45

 

[gunnuts]

HEY JHILL:GUNNUTS HERE,There is only one mousegun for me ,KAHR MK9 stainless with CORBON 115gr. +P.just my 2 cents.

 

[McSander]

I just bought a North American Arms Guardian .380 -- fits in the pocket, but with a higher caliber than the Kel-Tec or Beretta Tomcat.

It was somewhat expensive (a little over $400), comparatively, and I haven't shot it yet so I can't report on recoil. I will take it to the range and report back.

Mick

 

[10EC]

I own a Keltec P-11 (great gun, never had any problems with over 1000 rounds through it) and a P-32. Mine may be a rare instance, but so far, the performance has been dismal at best. I've had it for about a year now, and it misfeeds about every fifth round, regardless of ammo type. I've tried several different mags, had a few gunsmiths look at it, and most recently attempted to contact the factory, and my e-mails were never returned. To their credit, I haven't tried to phone them as of yet. As I said, mine may just be a rare case, because I know several other folks who have them and really like them.

 

[goldmatch45]

the 32 keltec I had would barely shoot which sucks. worse then that, you can't even pistol whip someone with it!

 

[Dogwhisperer5]

I think I'd go with something I can depend on 100%, like a S&W 60. Revolvers may not be "in", but they are as certain to function when required as any mechanical device can be. .38 Special may not be "cool" either, but with most ANY load (including wadcutters) it is at least as effective as any of the small pistol rounds. IMHO of course.

 

[RSP]

I'm with dogwhisperer5. The new S+W (or other less hated brands) airlite .357/.38spl revolvers weigh only 12oz and have a snubby barrel. You barely know you're carrying anything. A hell of a lot more fire power than a .32auto.

 

[10EC]

Geez, being new to the forum, I was trying to be diplomatic. So, OK, I'll tell you how I really feel.............If the Keltec P-32 were actually heavy enough, I'd use it as a paper weight, cause that's about all its good for. I have been extremely disappointed, and in fact, I can't even find anyone who will put it up for sale on consignment..........

 

[mikfla]

I broke the mag release on my Kel tec p32 after carrying it in my back pocket only for a week or 2, in for repair already.

Still trying to figure away to carry the Kimber all the time and so far not so successfull, I lost my faith in the Kel tec and If I can find something as lite and small I will use it instead, that is the problem there is nothing as lite and small as the Kel tec p32.

 

[Watch-Six]

A J frame S&W is always a good choice, much as I am pissed with S&W. If I have to go below my Les Baer Stinger it is to a KelTec P32. No problems with mine. No, it wouldn't make a very good club.

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Get your 1911s and AR15s while you still can!

 

[Beowulf]

Ahhh, honesty at last. My P-32 was a POS out of the box and remains so today despite 2 trips back to the factory. In fact, for the first 4 months I owned it the factory had it more than I did. Out of the box it failed to extract 20% of the time, with Win., Fed, and Fiocci hard ball. Got it back from the factory after being "fixed" and it failed 22% of the time

Throw in the occasional failure to feed just to stop the boredom. Back to the factory it went, again. 6 week wait, again, went to the range, failed to extract the 2nd round out of the mag

POS out of the box and customer service not worth a damn.

 

[Guest]

My "mouse" gun is a Colt Pony. I just don't fell comfortable with anything less then a .380. The Pony is small enough that it fills that gap for those times when down sizing is needed. Loaded with +P ammo the .380 has decent performance. You just have to remember it has limitations.

 

[Ned Christiansen]

I like the Makarovs too, in fact I use a compensated one in bowling pin shoots (local shoots around here have a "medium bore" class where they're just 1 foot from the back of the table). They're just a tad large for their caliber in a defensive pistol context-- you can get a lot more whomp in smaller packages. But reliable! Reliability is absolute, and clanging an 18" gong at 100 yards regularly is not out of the question. That Russian HP ammo by the way is steel jacketed, but the few I have shot into water gave textbook expansion. (Disclaimer: not saying HP's into water means anything).

 

[gtf]

JHill, I usually only carry my Kimber Ultra CDP, but if I carry a backup the P32 fits the bill. I have only put a few boxes of my carry ammo (HydraShocks currently) through it, but it has been flawless, and surprisingly accurate, with it.

I actually have a couple P32's and a P11 and they all work great. But ummm, since I am actually saying good things about them, am I being dishonest???

MarkW, I also have a Colt Mustang PocketLite which I love. But it simply can't compare to the P32 when you really need an "invisible" gun. In fact, nothing can, not the airweight snubbies, not the small Colts, not even the SeeCamp or NAA 32's. For me I've found that if I can carry the Mustang, I can almost always carry my Ultra, and when even the Mustang won't work, I can still carry the P32.

Oh, and I have NEVER EVER EVER dealt with a gun company that was so committed to their customers. EVERY experience I have had with them has been not only satisfactory, but outstanding. They offer fair prices, friendly service--heck, they have shipped me small parts for free (nothing has broke for me, I'm just talking about things like including a new guide rod and spring when I sent my slide in to be hard chromed).

There is also a great site, www.ktog.org, where you can go and get in contact with dozens of RKI's that are more than happy to help with questions or problems (they are users, not Kel-Tec employees).

It is because they were so great to deal with that I bought my P11.

McSander, I have yet to see one of those NAA .380's (except on a magazine cover). Do you have a pic? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.