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This is a Kel-Tec P-11 (9mm), purchased used from an upstanding fellow in the news:tx.guns group. Concealed carry gun. 10+1 Cor-Bons, 115 grain. Don Hume First Agent leather slide holster, dorkpack, or vest carry.

I ordered this DH holster (and its twin below for the Taurus) from their website and received exceptional service. I recommend Don Hume for your holster needs. (list of their concealment holsters)

Shooting Impression: Small, though comfortable to hold. Trigger pull is long and hard, enough that your finger may tire after a few magazines. Recoil is significant because of the low weight, but bearable. You won't pick this one for plinking, that's for sure. After 20 rounds it's not fun any more.

Carry Impression: This is where the weapon shines. Light and reliable, it is my primary carry weapon.

Taurus PT-111 Millennium (9mm). Concealed carry gun. 10+1 Cor-Bons, 115 grain. Strong-side Don Hume First Agent slide holster or dorkpack carry.

When I got this mousegun the magazine rattled really bad when full (8-10 rounds). I returned the mag to the mailing address on the (lifetime!) warranty, and they returned me a perfect one. Took about 15 days. If you have a rattlemag I strongly urge you to return it for a replacement.

Shooting Impression: As with the Kel-Tec above, only slightly more uncomfortable for some reason. Sharper recoil; my wrists could feel the difference.

Carry Impression: Slightly heavier, and has a safety which (KT above has no safety).

I sold my lovely Beretta 92F in 1998 to help pay for startup costs for www.mousetrap.net. The little polymer-framed KP95DC from Ruger is playing the understudy role since I didn't have another $500 for another Beretta.

The light frame brings down the weight to 27 oz, a great improvement over the 34.4oz 92 series. Should make shoulder-holster carry less painful.

Ammo: for indoors this sidearm gets Glaser Safety Slugs (bluetip). For outside the apartment it gets Cor-Bons. I have two mags, one with each type to facilitate easy change-offs. Uncle Mike's shoulder holster, Don Hume leather J.I.T. slide or a generic nylon strong-side belt holster.

Shooting Impression: huge weapon fills the hand and is a teddy bear to shoot. You could start a first-timer or kid on this weapon with no qualms.

Carry Impression: Too heavy for constant carry, IMO. I am slender, and I'm not sure how well I could conceal this weapon in light clothing.

The mousegun is a National American Arms .22lr revolver. This little sucker has a simple, traditional ("spur-trigger") design and a lifetime warranty. I got it at a gunshow for about $125 or so. You can't beat that. The other micro I was looking at was Beretta's .22 and .25 auto, but they're bigger and cost significantly more.

Shooting Impression: Having said how much I like this pistol, I must warn you it's a difficult weapon to shoot. It's extremely small size means you have to practice with it to be any good (ie, hit a paper plate consistently at 10'). I put 100 rounds of generic .22 through it before it felt right. It's rather difficult to get a grip of any kind on the teensy pistol grip. This, combined with low weight and short barrel length (1.125") means the little sucker can move around on you. One of the methods suggested on rec.guns proved helpful: trap the thumb of your weak hand behind the grip to effectively increase the depth/width of the grip. It sounds harder than it is; I hold the pistol naturally this way now. I took a picture to help illustrate, but it sucks. I'll replace it, too.

Carry Impression: Gun? What gun? You could probably conceal it in a swimsuit.
Know this: pay attention when you empty your pockets - it is possible to put this gun down and not be able to find it again. It is slightly smaller than a cassette tape...

Ammo: I use 5 CCI Stinger hollow points in the NAA, pocket carry or tiny little strong-side clip-on holster.

Bull barreled Ruger 22/45 model target .22lr pistol, for the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Shoot all day on $10 of ammo...
This gun is a pain to reassemble. I've got to read the instructions every time; there are 250 different service steps, and things have to be right at every step or it won't go back right. The manual actually says that if the bolt can't be cycled after assembley do steps 6-10 again more carefully. And you might need a rubber mallet to disassemble the first time. Argghh! I guess I'll eventually figure it out. It just freaks me out because Ruger's usually aren't, IME, so complicated. Here is a page with tips on A Quick Guide to Field Stripping the Ruger Mark II and 22/45.

I broke the rear blade sight on this handgun and Ruger sent me another one for free. How's that?

Update: I'd let the 22/45 sit for about a year because I couldn't get it apart (not together, as the problem usually is with new users). Turns out that a part was miscast by Ruger and was causing problems. The latest gunsmith had the problem identified in about 15 seconds, because he'd seen one just like it the week before. He got the replacement part from Ruger, installed it and all is well. I can get it apart and back together with only normal amounts of cursing now.

Ammo: 10 CCI Stingers. Strong-side nylon holster.

Shooting impressions: Fun! Fun! Fun! (and cheap to shoot!) Top-heavy because of the bull barrell and polymer frame. The grips seem thin for comfortable grip; I hear there are slip-overs available.

Carry Impression: Too many protruding edges (bolt, sights) to deploy quickly or consistently.

$Id: sidearms.orb,v 1.2 2003/01/28 22:07:40 mouse Exp $

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