E-Mail 'Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) Bag Guns, by Joe H.' To A Friend

Email a copy of 'Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) Bag Guns, by Joe H.' to a friend

* Required Field






Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.



Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.


E-Mail Image Verification

Loading ... Loading ...

25 Comments

  1. Great article. I am practicing with my 10.5 in AR this weekend to get comfortable with carrying it in my truck and eventually home defense.
    Always practice enough to effectively use your tools for their intended purposes! That is why I practice/train until muscle memory and accuracy is second nature before changing my equipment.

    1. I’ve been very happy with the SBA3 brace on my 10.5″ .300 BLK pistol, though a friend recently showed me his build sporting a new ‘tailhook’ brace. Superior, IMO, and I’m looking into changing over to it.

  3. CZ EVO 9mm Scorpion with 8 inch barrel folding arm brace is the way to go, lots of aftermarket support and mags cheap and plenty. I love mine, fits in a gym bag with extra mags.

  5. Other than not being able to fire from a folded position is the Kel Tec Sub 2000. Its affordable, can be bought in the capatability in both magazine and caliber of your carry gun, many customized options that wont break the bank, and folds up in a nice 16″ length package. I have one in my wife’s go bag and I have one in mine.

  7. A “friend” of mine was concerned about the accuracy (or rather the precision) of an AR15 pistol with a 10.5 inch barrel. Upon building and zeroing the pistol compared to a similarly-equipped carbine with a 16-inch barrel, he found that the precision was only slightly reduced when shooting out to 50 to 200 yards. Think in terms of silver dollar-sized groupings rather than quarter-sized groupings. Both platforms would be equally effective within these ranges. It pains me the recall that both firearms were subsequently lost in a tragic boating accident along with the milling machine used to build them.

    1. Remember there will be lower initial velocity with the 10.5 versus a 16″ barrel. 75 meters is about where the 10.5 will no longer be traveling at rifle velocity compared to a 16 or even a 20. This is an important factor many people fail to note. I have a 11.5 SBR and love it personally. I also run a 16, that I can hit steel at 600 meters with, but the round is only traveling at about 800 feet per second on impact. It will still hurt like H*ll and even kill, but the wound channel would be like a .22lr fired from a pistol. Bottom line is know the operational parameters of your chosen weapon and be able to run a different weapon’s platform if the situation warrants it.

  8. Great article…

    Recently, Matt Bracken has mentioned carry options for small carbines.

    I have noticed of late, a lot of local LE seem to be acquiring Sig or Brn, AR-180 type 5.56 or 300 BLK carbines and pistols, with folding stocks.

    Lately, there has been a lot of thefts of firearms from local vehicles, so you want to remove them at the end of the day in an inconspicuous manner.

    After decades of having my M1A in the vehicle, it has become obvious that it was just too big & deployment time was too long.

    So, I went with a PSA AK with folding stock, [very nice] which I can take to and from the vehicle in its bag, without attracting too much attention.

    Pistols are great, but when the going gets tough and if you have the opportunity, of upgrading to something that is more accurate, powerful, and with more standard rounds, you should do so. Especially when confronted with large groups of well armed, armored, and coordinated attackers.

    I took the advice from some previous posts to add a couple of smoke devices to buy some time, https://enolagaye.com/

    1. My son built me a 10.5″ AR from Palmetto State–its what I take with me each day in a backpack. I can hit an 8″ plate from 300 yards with iron sights, standing, unsupported. Its not that I’m a great shooter-I’m older and eyes are failing. Its just that we properly zeroed, and the weapon system is very accurate. Don’t sell the AR short in PDW configuration(pun intended).

  9. Timely article, for sure. A short M14 is always with me in the truck tool box, but I’ve found that a 14″ shotgun like the Remington TAC-14 or Mossberg Shockwave to be quite handy in the cab of a car or pickup. As we see in Kenosha, one need not engage more than a few idiots before the others lose interest in direct contact. The only problem with the shotgun is a lack of continuity of fire. So the compact AR fills in when I have to drive downtown. Hearing protection rides on the front seat just in case. Turning loose 55,000 psi in the cab will prove most annoying. Also avoid shooting through glass, as the powdered, aerosolized particles will get into eyes and lungs. You may have no choice. An N95 might be a good idea if you think you may have a fight on your hands and you’re in a vehicle.
    Stick with the vehicle….being on foot during a riot is undesirable. Do not stop. If you have a choice between a pickup and a low profile vehicle when traveling in suspect areas, take the truck. Mass and ground clearance are your friend. A moving vehicle stops pistol bullets and buckshot pretty well. 5.56 bullets do not pass through vehicle doors very often, but are dangerous through auto glass.
    In my own testing, 55 grain soft points could slam through a windshield and nearly make it through 1/4″ mild steel plate positioned in the front seat. .45 ACP ball didn’t make the slightest dent on the same plate fired from point blank range. So the 5.56/windshield example would be a problem to you. Keep your head low to take advantage of the protection the body provides.
    Non-attendance is preferable to all of the above!

  13. Very important article. The PDW is a far better option than a handgun, if one can manage it. AKs with folding stocks and short barrels are the most cost-effective, and it can be apart of what you have standardized on, or not. It is not the razor that gets you, it is the blades, and at this time and in other words, the price and availability of ammunition can determine what is a sensible choice. 20 round mags make the AK folder appreciably more compact, and additional 10 or 20 round mags will fit better in clothing pockets. Many 5 round mags can be converted to 10 rounders by replacing the follower.

    Folding stocks make the AK more versatile, but I would not using a folding stock on a MBR (Main Battle Rifle) as the mechanism that attaches folding stock are either weak, or the design may not provide a good cheek weld. A folder that is broken, bent, or wobbly greatly degrades the effectiveness of a rifle. ‘Spray and pray’ techniques from the hip, or otherwise, is not effective fire. Lightweight and compact are all the rage, however in a long term real world situation that last years, the heavier and sturdier rifle will outlast the ‘high speed, low drag’ gear. That said, Palmetto State Armory offers a folder that can be fired when the stock is folded. It is similar in appearance to what Arsenal offered in the old SL107, a good design I once owned. However, I would rather convert a standard stock configuration into a folder so that in the event it had to be pressed into service as an MBR, the original hardwood stock could be reattached. Another advantage to the AK as a choice, is that it can sit in the trunk or behind the seat for years, and still function reliably. I would not try that with an AR or another action that is not proven out in this way. I’ve had to do maintenance on two AR-15, and one AR-10 that were stored in vehicles for a prolonged time that were unable to cycle due to a lack of lubrication. When ‘out of sight and out of mind’, it is easy to forget to do the maintenance, and that, as they found out the hard way in the sandbox, cost transportation personnel their lives when their neglected ARs stored in the vehicle unused failed.

    Pistol cartridges in a rifle make the package make it lighter and more compact. However, I’d rather have the stopping power of a rifle cartridge if I can get it. Let the situation dictate the best choice for the individual, but keep in mind the significant compromises made.

  14. Great primer on what to consider. For those that are inclined to go through the effort you should add silencers under accessories. It will help reduce muzzle blast but really starts to shine with a subsonic round like 300 blackout or 45 acp

  16. I’ve been considering a Glock 10mm with the MCK, just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this set up, looks like it might make a good PDW for close range. Any comments appreciated, since I haven’t gone this route yet. Trekker Out

  19. One idea if you already carry a Glock concealed, is to pick up a CAA Roni chassis and keep that in your vehicle. The Ronis fold down small enough to store pretty handily and if it’s stolen, it’s not a firearm. It also allows you versatility to continue carrying concealed, but switch to a carbine configuration should the need arise. You could put a flashlight or laser and a zeroed cheap red dot (like a romeo5) on it and have it ready to go at a moment’s notice.

    For me the Roni has effectively increased the range and accuracy of 9mm shots from around 50 feet to more like 50 yards.

    On a side note, another company now makes a locking mechanism that bolts an AR to a metal plate under the back seat of most trucks (Ford, Chevy, Dodge) which make them very hard to steal and also conceal them pretty darn well.

  20. Great article. Interesting comments. I observed many configurations each of several different weapons during 24 months in Iraq. Some from the Brits. No one should sell the .223 short. With proper bullet choices it is accurate and devastating.
    I’ve always loved the M14. But you can get unbelievable .308 accuracy from several Savage bolt rifles.

  21. Good PDW ideas in this article . I own a Keltec sub2000 and a built 10.5 inch barreled AR with SB pistol brace. Vortex Sparc red dot and WML complete the weapon. Handy. Also accurate and functions reliably. Also just acquired a Ruger 10/22 Charger pistol and ordered a SB FS1913 brave which makes a really compact system for a light day pack sort of gun that you can plink with out on the trail without blasting the countryside with 5.56 decibels or even 9mm banging. Cheaper to shoot also and with CCI Stingers not to be underestimated by even ANTIFA agitators, if they become hostile by your mere presence.

  22. I would like to point out that 300 Blackout achieves full powder burn at 9 inches of barrel length.

    5.56 achieves it at 20 inches.

    5.56 short barrels = flame throwers

    The 110 grain tipped tsx lead free ammo will expand fully out to 300 yards… out of a 9 inch barrel.

    The 200 grain subsonic ammo is capable of penetrating 1 inch bulletproof glass WITHOUT DEFLECTION at 100 yards.

    There’s no such thing as a magic bullet, but we’re getting close.

    Noveske has recorded 1000 yard hits with a 10 inch 300 ball upper, albeit with poor energy transfer.

Comments are closed.