In American English, a pocket pistol is any small, pocket-sized semi-automatic pistol (or less commonly referencing either derringers, or revolvers), and is suitable for concealed carry in a pocket or a similar small space.
Pocket pistols are sometimes categorized as smaller than sub-compact pistols,What Are The Different Sizes Of Handguns? - EveryDayCarryConcealed but the distinction is not clear-cut as some small sub-compact pistols may be categorized as pocket pistols, and some large pocket pistols may be classified as sub-compact pistols.
Pocket pistols were popular in the United States until the 1960s and 1970s, when most states passed laws limiting or prohibiting the carry of concealed weapons. 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.
History The pocket pistol originated in the mid-17th century as a small, concealable flintlock known as the Queen Anne pistol, the coat pistol, or the pocket pistol. This was used throughout the 18th century, evolving from a weapon reserved for the wealthy to a common sidearm in broader use as more and more manufacturers made them by the start of the 19th century.
The original 19th-century vest-sized pocket pistol was the Philadelphia Deringer. 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". The Remington double-barrel derringer design is still being manufactured (150 years after they were first introduced) by American Derringer, Bond Arms, and Cobra Arms, all of whom manufacture derringers in a variety of calibers from .22 long rifle to .45 Long Colt & .410 bore.
Bicycle guns
Hopkins and Allen produced a "7-shot .22 solid frame double action revolver, made between 1875 and 1907, known as the XL No. 3 Double Action small frame. The .32 Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless of 1888 to 1892 with the 2 inch barrel became known as a 'Bicycle' gun at some point, and the First Model Ladysmith (the 1902 M Frame Model .22 Hand Ejector), was often referred to as a 'Bicycle' gun. Iver Johnson made a similar gunthe Model 1900 Double Action small frame, a 7-shot .22, which appeared in 1900 and remained in production for 41 years."Mini Revolvers
In the 1890s, amid the rising usage of bicycles, manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson began to market short versions of their hammer less revolvers as "bicycle guns". In an era before leash laws for domestic canines, bicycle riders frequently were attacked by dogs. Thus, the a frequently advertised use of such firearms by cyclists was to ward off or combat aggressive canines.
Larger calibers Introduced in the late 19th century, snubnosed revolvers such as the "Banker Special", "Sheriff's Model", and "Shopkeeper Special" versions of the Colt Single Action Army revolvers were made by Colt's Manufacturing Company. The Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless models were produced from 1887 to just before World War II. They were chambered in either .32 S&W or .38 S&W with a 5-shot cylinder. They were most often produced with 2-inch, 3-inch, or 3.5-inch barrels. These top-break revolvers were designed for fast reloading and concealed carry as the hammer was internal and would not snag on drawing the revolver from a pocket. They also had a grip safety. They were known as "The New Departure" to reflect the company's new approach to designing revolvers. Compared to other revolvers, this design sacrifices power and range for maneuverability and concealment. Similar "hammerless" designs proved popular with other manufacturers such as Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson. In 1952, Smith & Wesson introduced the more modern hand ejector model the Smith & Wesson Centennial Model 40.
The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is a 9-shot, .32 ACP caliber, self-loading, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless is an 8-shot, .380 ACP caliber variant introduced five years later. Despite the title "hammerless", the Model 1903 does have a hammer. It is covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allows the pistol to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging.
The first widely used and successfully semi-automatic .25 ACP pocket pistols were the FN Model 1905, Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket and later the Baby Browning. The FN 1905 was designed and marketed along with .25 ACP cartridge in 1905. The M1905 is a very small 7-shot, striker-fired, single-action, blow-back operated semi-automatic pistol. It features a grip safety and manual thumb-operated safety that locks the slide in the closed position when engaged.
The FN Model 1910, also known as the Browning model 1910, was a departure for Browning. Before, his designs were produced by both FN in Europe and Colt Firearms in the United States. Since Colt did not want to produce it, Browning chose to patent and produce this design in Europe only. Introduced in 1910, this pistol used a novel operating spring location surrounding the barrel. This location became the standard in such future weapons as the Walther PP and Russian Makarov. The Model 1910 incorporated the standard Browning striker-firing mechanism and a grip safety along with a magazine safety and an external safety lever (known as the "triple safety") in a compact package. It was offered in both .32 ACP (8-shot) and .380 ACP (7-shot) calibers and it remained in production until 1983. It is possible to switch calibres by changing only the barrel.
Also noteworthy for European pocket pistols are the Mauser Model 1910 and Mauser Model 1914, chambered for .25 ACP and .32 ACP respectively, both of blowback and hammerless design, which were very popular as civilian small handguns. 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. The Mauser HSC, produced during the war in .32 ACP for the Navy and later police and army units saw substantial production and sales after the war (upgraded to .380 ACP), and was successfully introduced to the US market.
The Colt Detective Special is a carbon steel framed double-action, snubnosed, 6-shot revolver. As the name "Detective Special" suggests, this model revolver was used as a concealed weapon by plainclothes police detectives. It was made with either a 2-inch or 3-inch barrel. Introduced in 1927, the Detective Special was the first snubnosed revolver produced with a modern swing-out frame. 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.
The Walther PP (Polizeipistole, or police pistol) series pistols were introduced in 1929 and are among the world's first successful double-action, blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. They feature exposed hammers, a traditional double-action trigger mechanism, and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. It was offered in both .32 ACP (9-shot) and .380 ACP (8-shot) calibers. The Walther PP and smaller PPK models were both popular with European police and civilians for being reliable and concealable. They would remain the standard issue police pistol for much of Europe well into the 1970s. During World War II, they were issued to the German military, including the Luftwaffe.
The Smith & Wesson Model 36 was designed in the era just after World War II, when Smith & Wesson stopped producing war materials and resumed normal production. 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. Since the older I-frame was not able to handle this load, a new frame was designed, which became the J-frame.
The new design was introduced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) convention in 1950 and was favorably received. A vote was held to name the new revolver, and the name "Chief's Special" won.Ayoob, Massad. Greatest Handguns of the World (Krause Publications, Inc., 2010) p. 208; Jinks, Roy G. History of Smith & Wesson (Beinfeld Publishing,1977), p. 225. A -barreled version design went into production immediately, due to high demand. It was available in either a blued or nickel-plated finish."Armed for Personal Defense" By Jerry Ahern It was produced as the "Chief's Special" until 1957 when it then became the Model 36. Smith & Wesson would also introduce the J-frame Smith & Wesson Centennial (hammerless models) and Smith & Wesson Bodyguard (shrouded hammer) models.
The Makarov pistol was introduced in 1951. As the new standard issue sidearm for all Soviet military, police, and security forces it was intended to be carried both holstered and concealed. It can still be found in front-line service with the Russian military, police, and security forces. The Makarov is a medium-size, 9-shot, 9x18mm, blowback-operated, all-steel construction pistol. The general layout and field-strip procedure of the Makarov pistol are similar to that of the Walther PP. The 9×18mm cartridge is a practical cartridge in blowback-operated pistols; producing a respectable level of energy from a gun of moderate weight and size. Other, more powerful cartridges have been used in blowback pistol designs, but the Makarov is widely regarded as particularly well-balanced in its design elements.
The Beretta 950s are 9-shot, .25 ACP (Jetfire) or .22 Short (Minx) semi-automatic pistols introduced by Beretta in 1952. They build on a long line of small and compact pocket pistols manufactured by Beretta. They are very simple and reliable blowback operated pistols with a single action trigger mechanism. Their frames are made out of aluminum alloy, their slides and barrels are carbon steel. They feature a unique tip-up barrel for ease of loading. Early models (*950* and *950B* Pre-1968) do not have a safety lever, employing a half-cock notch on the hammer instead. Later models (*950BS* Post-1968) are provided with a manual safety lever. In 1984 Beretta would introduce a double-action version, the Beretta 21A Bobcat. And, in 1996 they introduced the larger .32 ACP Beretta 3032 Tomcat.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibiting the importation of inexpensive handguns prompted George Jennings to design the Raven MP-25, an inexpensive 7-shot, .25 ACP semi-automatic pistol. Jennings kept costs to a minimum by manufacturing the Raven from injection-molded Zamak, a zinc alloy. It came in chrome, satin nickel, or black finish. The grips can be either wood or imitation mother-of-pearl handles. Raven has been referred to as the original "Ring of Fire" company. Along with Jennings Firearms (later Bryco Arms, now Jimenez Arms), Phoenix Arms, Lorcin Engineering Company, Davis Industries, and Sundance Industries, they were known for making similar cast zinc alloy Saturday night special-type pistols.