"Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"

[Story]

Over on the Fedora Lounge, there was a random comment by a former Guns & Ammo associate editor (http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?61868-9mm-or-45cal&p=1423474&viewfull=1#post1423474) that revolvers fired from a jacket pocket were unreliable. He'd tested one revolver back in the 1970s, while another fellow had tested three.

Just to be a Devil's Advocate, it sounds to me like an ideal range test article for one of the existing Zootshooters groups - half a dozen snubnose revolvers and a bunch of thrift store jackets, with plenty of photographs. :popcorn:

[DeaconKC]

Hmmmm, sounds like fun. May have to try it with a Luger, that toggle could be interesting.

[vedearduff]

Sounds like it could also be interesting to try it with these. The first is my PP in .32 ACP and the second is my PPK/s in .380 ACP.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/vedearduff/Shooting/Guns/WaltherPPweb.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/vedearduff/Shooting/Guns/IA-PPKs-web.jpg

Vernon

[Story]

Some additional input, if your group plans to tackle this -


Actually, as I recall, we tried this with a couple of revolvers: a Colt Detective Special, a 2-in S&W M and P (aka Model 10) and a .32 S&W Safety Hammerless aka "Lemon Squeezer". The autos were a 1908 Colt pocket auto, a Mod. 1934 Beretta, and an FN "Baby Browning". We avoided any "new guns" and confined ourselves to stuff available pre-war, guns that guys like Cagney and Bogart would have packed.

One word of advice, though. Be mindful of how you grip the automatics when firing them from inside the purse as the slide can come back and bite you if you aren't careful.

What "crime noir / hard-boiled" movies had scenes with pocket-fired handguns?

[TheTman]

I would think a hammerless or shrouded hammer revolver would work best. Otherwise you could have hammers getting hung up on clothing, or slides biting as Story qouted.

[DeaconKC]

I was thinking more that the autos would have problems with the slide getting fouled by the pocket itself, that's why I wondered how the Luger would fare without a moving slide, just the toggle.

[Story]

I was thinking more that the autos would have problems with the slide getting fouled by the pocket itself, that's why I wondered how the Luger would fare without a moving slide, just the toggle.

It'd jam. The P.08 slide moves when fired and properly cycling.
http://www.lugerforum.com/images/p08luger.gif