general information
These pistols are also called parlor pistols, vest pistols, or pocket pistols, but, in fact, they are full-fledged small-sized weapons that are intended for concealed carry. Many people know what a pistol looks like, but few know about its types.
It is often used by intelligence agencies as a “weapon of last chance” and is carried concealed (on the ankle, in the sleeve, etc.). Most pistols chambered in .25ACP are considered pocket pistols.
The main differences between “ladies’” weapons:
- ease;
- compactness;
- ease of use;
- small caliber (less recoil);
- good power to hit at close range.
Such pistols first appeared in the 19th century. Modern women's pistols in the world are very diverse.
The derringer-type pistol can be considered the ancestor of women's weapons (the name is given by the name of the creator of small capsule pistols, G. Deringer).
This pocket pistol appeared in America at the beginning of the 19th century and gained great popularity not only in the USA, but also in Europe.
This video reviews the Derringer pocket pistol.
“Derringers” combine portability and high power, simplicity and reliability. Because of their short trunks, they were nicknamed “bulldogs.” Currently, Russian intelligence and special services are armed with a silent version of the derringer. The material about which air pistol is the most powerful of the permitted ones will be very useful.
NAA Guardian.380 from Colt
The American company Colt also developed its “baby” under the same cartridge (.380 ACP). NAA Guardian .380 pistol is slightly larger and heavier than the Ruger, but is just as compact and also carries six charges in the magazine - and the seventh cartridge is chambered in the barrel.
Unlike the Ruger, the Colt machine is much simpler. The automation uses the blowback principle, which makes the design extremely simple and reliable. It’s no wonder that this small pistol is so loved by American police as a backup or personal weapon.
Browning
See photo:
Browning
The ladies' Browning pistol is another example of a “pocket classic”. It appeared in Belgium at the beginning of the 20th century. It was designed by John Moses Browning, and it was truly a breakthrough in the pocket gun industry. It weighs 106 grams less than the Makarov air pistol.
Subsequently, the ladies' Browning pistol, the price of which on the modern market is about 5,000 rubles, was the prototype of many self-loaders developed in America, Spain, and Germany, and its name became a household name.
The Browning Baby model was released in 1906. Its caliber was 6.35, and its length was 114 mm (it could easily fit into the palm of your hand), for example, the shortest Beretta pistol, the Gletcher BRT 92, was 180 mm long. Despite its miniature size, the pistol was very effective. The model was used in the Red Army until the thirties of the last century, until it was replaced by a similar “Korovin”.
Serial production of these pistols was launched in Belgium, but production was completed by the beginning of World War II. By this time, more than a million of these pistols had been produced. There were many imitators: in 1908, production of a similar pistol with minor differences began in the United States; Browning was also imitated by numerous Spanish arms companies.
See also the material about a single-shot pistol with a break barrel here.
The main technical characteristics of the Browning perfectly meet the requirements for pocket weapons:
| Full length | 164 mm |
| Barrel length | 102 mm |
| Weight | 624 g |
| Caliber | 7.65 mm |
| Trunk | tightly fused with the body |
| Spring | above the barrel, combat and return |
| Fuse | located on the left |
| Magazine capacity | 7 rounds |
| Automation | operates on a blowback shutter |
True gun lovers will be interested in a photo of the PSS pistol.
Sig Sauer P290
A very flat automatic pistol made by German gunsmiths literally fits in the palm of your hand. Despite this, it is equipped with seven or eight fairly powerful 9x19 Luger cartridges. Such ammunition is usually used in high-power "military" pistols.
The use of a powerful cartridge did not make it possible to make the pistol sufficiently compact and grippy. When loaded, the Sig Sauer P290 weighs almost 600 grams and, according to reviews, is very uncomfortable when shooting.
Walter
Walter
The German armory was founded in 1886, but began producing pocket pistols only in 1911. The product turned out to be very successful and glorified the company: by the mid-thirties of the 20th century, Karl Walter became one of the world's largest suppliers of personal weapons.
Walter produced five main models of pocket pistols. The very first of them contributed to the rise and prosperity of the company. It was not just a copy of the 1906 Browning, but a creative development: light and compact, with a six-round magazine of 6.35 mm caliber, an open bolt-casing, and a percussion-type blowback mechanism.
The second model was simpler, it used a hidden trigger, and the rear sight was also an indicator of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber; this model was patented in 1913.
Model No. 3 is a rarity, as only 3,500 were produced from 1913 before production ceased. The caliber here was larger - 7.65 mm, and there was a side window for ejecting cartridges at the top left of the bolt casing, which was not particularly convenient for shooting (the ejected cartridge fell into the shooter’s field of view).
The fourth model was an eight-shot analogue of the third, only with an enlarged barrel and simplified disassembly. It was intended mainly to equip the police, but production ceased in 1923.
The fifth model is an improved second with a reduction in the barrel bore to four rifling and a fixed rear sight.
At the end of World War II, the plant was destroyed, the archives were looted or destroyed. The resumption of production became possible only in the 50s of the 20th century, and by 1960 “Walter” was again leading in the creation of the best examples of personal weapons, combining tradition with new developments.
See also the material about the German Walter pistol.
Main technical characteristics of police officer Walter:
| Trigger mechanism | double acting |
| Gun | self-loading |
| Eat | later shortened version |
| Weight | 682 g |
| Length | 170 mm |
| Valid | based on the blowback recoil principle |
| Eight-shot | at 7.65×17 mm |
| Maximum range | 25 meters |
Fans will appreciate the air-powered Colt 1911.
Read about IZH Makarov pneumatics here.
See also PKSK submachine gun Kedr at:
Ruger LCP
Products from the American company Ruger always have a certain zest. The company specializes in high-precision weapons for sports, silent pistols for saboteurs, and magnificent replicas of historical weapons.
Ruger LCP pistol is rightfully considered one of the best modern “last chance pistols”. Very flat, it also has smooth contours without protruding parts.
Slightly larger than a large pack of cigarettes, completely unnoticeable in a jeans pocket or under a T-shirt in a belt, the baby hides seven rounds of 9ch17 caliber (.380 ACP) ammo, quite powerful enough for self-defense. And it weighs less than 400 grams. The automatic action with a short barrel stroke and engagement with the ejection window is simple, reliable and has a soft recoil when firing.
Vesta
Vesta
The laurels of the Belgian Browning of 1906 haunted the Spanish developers, and the result was one of the copycat models of such a famous pocket weapon - the Vesta pistol:
- caliber 6.35 or 7.65mm;
- magazine capacity – 6 rounds;
- auto.
In the ladies' pistol of the Spanish brand Vesta, the safety is located in the middle above the trigger, but otherwise it is very similar to the 1906 Browning.
West’s models are of the “Eibar” type (named after the Spanish city of Eibar, the famous arms capital of the early twentieth century).
Read the article about the names of pistols.
The Spanish ladies' pistol comes in other brands: Astra, Star. These are usually modern models. For example, Astra A-60 (model 1987):
| Weight | 720 g |
| Trunk | 89 millimeters |
| total length | 168 millimeters |
| Caliber | 9 (short), 7.65 |
| USM | double acting |
| In the shop | 12 rounds, staggered |
A ladies' pistol, the price of which largely depends on its type, brand, year of manufacture, country of origin, for a long time was only a product of foreign manufacturers. But since the 70s of the 20th century, domestic small-sized weapons began to be produced.
The Tula creative group developed the PSM pistol (small-sized self-loading pistol), distinguished by:
- thinness (the thickness was only 17 millimeters - about the size of a matchbox);
- absence of protruding parts on the side surfaces;
- reliable automation;
- the ability to quickly open fire from a combat platoon with the weapon on;
- caliber 5.45;
- Firing range – 50 meters.
An article about repairing IZH 53m will be useful.
Derringer DA 38
Considering the development of modern technology, the revival of “derringers” can be considered a historical curiosity. However, the complete absence of automation allows for the production of very small, reliable and extremely cheap “last arguments”. The Derringer DA 38 family of tiny double-barreled pistols has enjoyed great success on the American market .
The numbers hint at the base caliber of the family - 9 mm. At the same time, the company produces a wide range of kits with barrels that allow you to put into the chambers the usual .380 ACP for self-defense, the widespread .40 SW, and even (at your own peril and risk, of course) the .357 Magnum, beloved by owners of heavy revolvers.
Modern popular models of pocket pistols
| Ladies pistol model | Story | Characteristics | Advantages | Flaws | "Baby" | Developed in Russia in the 90s of the 20th century by engineer Yu.I. Berezin. |
|
| inconvenient shooting (hidden trigger and self-cocking mechanism require effort). | "Ruger LCP" | American model, in mass production since 2008. |
|
| short barrel | Glock 17 or 19 | Austria, year of release – 1988. |
|
| With prolonged use, microcracks appear in the plastic, and important components quickly wear out. |
Read about the MP 46 m sports air pistol here.
OTs-21 "Baby"
The domestic manufacturer also decided to take advantage of the experience of its American colleagues. In the mid-90s, the Tula Design Bureau, commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, developed an ultra-compact pistol for the self-defense of judges, bailiffs, bailiffs and investigators. OTs-21 “Baby” designed by Berezin was quite liked even by the judges and slender girls of the investigative departments.
Despite the compactness, simplicity of the device and low weight, the pistol is “fed” with the same cartridges as the Makarovs of their colleagues (9x18 PM). And for private security, a modification for the already well-known .380 ACP.
Double Tap Pocket Pistol
When it turned out that the fashion for “derringers” is as eternal as the love of riding a bicycle, many firearms manufacturers decided to take advantage of the unique arms market. Already in 2012, the American company Heizer Defense, which has always specialized in compact self-defense weapons, presented the public with a very interesting “toy”.
Double Tap double-barreled pistol is designed using modern technologies and modern materials. A lightweight polymer frame, steel barrel liners, and a modern ergonomic design distinguish this model.
The block of barrels not only folds back, but is also easily replaced with a spare one (or to change caliber). Moreover, the pistol is produced both for powerful 9x19 Luger cartridges and for the famous “forty-five” caliber (.45 ACP). At the same time, a clip with two cartridges is hidden in the handle for quick reloading.
1. SwissMiniGun
SwissMiniGun
revolver with a caliber of 2.34 mm was not even intended as a self-defense weapon. But this is a stunningly detailed replica of the historic Colt Python revolver.
The fame of the original, especially loved by shooters and hunters in the .357 Magnum caliber, has not bypassed the toy copy. Crumbs are still produced to order from collectors. Moreover, such a “toy” costs as much as five or six real expensive revolvers.
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