Pocket pistol
However, the passage of "shall issue permits" in the 1980s and 1990s, resulted in a resurgence in the popularity of pocket pistols in the United States, creating new markets for small, simple, reliable, concealed-carry firearms.
In general use, the term pocket pistol is purely descriptive, but "mouse gun" (used especially for those of the smallest calibers) is often a pejorative.
Likewise, pocket pistols, due to their small size, often are lumped in with Saturday night specials, another pejorative term, which are typically inexpensive small-caliber handguns.
The advent of the metallic cartridge gave us the classic double barrel .41 Rimfire Remington Model 95 which achieved such widespread popularity, that it has completely overshadowed all other designs, becoming synonymous with the word "Derringer".
[3] Hopkins and Allen produced a "7-shot .22 solid frame double action revolver, made between 1875 and 1907, known as the XL No.
Iver Johnson made a similar gun – the Model 1900 Double Action small frame, a 7-shot .22, which appeared in 1900 and remained in production for 41 years.
Similar "hammerless" designs proved popular with other manufacturers such as Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson.
The .32ACP version was considered powerful enough for the Kriegsmarine as well as security forces of the Third Reich, and reworked as the Mauser Model 1934, with only minor modifications.
It was designed from the outset to be chambered for higher-powered cartridges such as the .38 Special, considered to be a powerful caliber for a concealable pocket revolver of the day.
[10][11] They feature exposed hammers, a traditional double-action trigger mechanism,[12] and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring.
The Walther PP and smaller PPK models were both popular with European police and civilians for being reliable and concealable.
For the Model 36, they designed a small concealable 5-shot revolver with a 2" barrel that could fire the more powerful .38 Special cartridge.
The new design was introduced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) convention in 1950 and was favorably received.
As the new standard issue sidearm for all Soviet military, police, and security forces it was intended to be carried both holstered and concealed.
The general layout and field-strip procedure of the Makarov pistol are similar to that of the Walther PP.
They build on a long line of small and compact pocket pistols manufactured by Beretta.
These were small 9-shot, 9mm Luger pistols that featured a unique front strap grip safety that allowed them to be carried safely not only holstered but concealed in a pocket.
They were designed to replace the .32 ACP Walther PP in German service, with a similarly sized but more effective 9×19mm Parabellum pistol.
[23] North American Arms Mini-Revolvers (often called derringers) are 5-shot, .22 rimfire, single action revolvers, which have a spur trigger design.
As a result, the revolver may be safely carried with all five chambers loaded by resting the hammer in a safety notch.
The P-11 lacks an external manual safety, relying instead on a long and heavy double-action only (DAO) trigger pull, which requires 9 pounds of pressure, to prevent accidental discharge.
It features a smaller frame compared to the Glock 19, with a pistol grip that supports only two fingers, a shorter barrel and slide, and a double-stack magazine with a standard capacity of 10 rounds.
and larger frame revolvers (short barrel, but large grip) start to stray from the idea of a "pocket pistol."
The typical .25 ACP pocket pistol is designed for close-range work and has an effective range of about 7 yards (6.5 m).
[26] Pocket pistols are typically hammerless designs, made with rounded edges and with few controls, to prevent snagging and to make them easier to carry.
Revolvers are also typically hammerless, or have shrouded, or even bobbed hammers, all allowing the gun to be drawn quickly with little risk of it snagging on clothing.
However, the newer double-action-only pistols are made without manually operated safeties, but with a long and heavy trigger-pulls – similar to revolvers.
The use of moisture and vapor-barrier layers in the holster stitched closer to the body is recommended to prevent damaging the finish of the pocket pistol due to sweat.
This extra layer also serves to increase carry comfort and to prevent chapping or blistering the skin under the holster due to repetitive motion rubbing or friction that can occur while walking, jogging, or running.
[citation needed] Advances in technology have allowed some pocket pistols to be manufactured via 3D printing, which may violate firearms laws.
