I work in an office environment, and I’ve been fortunate in that either my employer had no stated policy on carrying a gun in the workplace, or my workplace had a policy that allowed their employees to carry discreetly in the office. I prefer to carry a small semi-automatic .380 ACP in a pocket holster. I carry that gun that way because I found, through testing, that it was fastest way for me to get into action, and the gun is small enough that it’s completely unnoticeable to the casual observer.
The ABDO Concealed Carry Portable Firearm Safe from EAA Corp is a new way to carry a small pistol on your person and keep it out of sight until you need it. The ABDO firearm safe is made from sturdy, thick-walled plastic and features a wide metal clip that attaches easily and securely to your belt. The safe opens up with a flick of the top-mounted latch and has a hole on the top for a small, dedicated plastic locking key that disables the latch and adds an extra layer of security. The gun is held securely inside the safe by sliding the barrel of your gun onto a post at the bottom of the safe, and a small soft adhesive pad is included to prevent your gun from rattling around inside the safe.
The ABDO safe is designed to fit a wide range of pocket .32 ACP and .380 ACP semi-automatic pistols, which are listed out on a small label on the back of the safe. They are:
- Beretta Pico
- Diamondback DB380
- Kel-Tec P3AT
- Ruger LCP
- Seecamp 32
- North American Arms Guardian .380 & .32
- Smith and Wesson Bodyguard
- Taurus 738 TCP
One thing all those guns have in common is a thin profile. I tried to fit in slightly wider .380 ACP pocket pistols like the SIG Sauer P238 and the Colt Mustang into the safe. I could not get latch to close on those guns. I was, however, able get a Kahr P380 to fit inside the safe, but your tests may produce different results. I was also pleased to find out that not only did my Kel-Tec P3AT fit in the safe, it did so with a Crimson Trace Laserguard attached to the gun.
One unusual thing about the safe is that, out of the box, it’s configured to only work without a round in the chamber of your gun (Condition Three carry). This is may work for a safe that stays inside your home, but it is not my preferred method of carrying a firearm. Fortunately, EAA includes easy-to-follow instructions with the safe on how to modify it using common tools so it will work if you choose, as I do, to carry concealed with a round in the chamber of your pistol.
The safe is styled to look like one of the “armored” cases for larger mobile phones, and it looks right at home on your belt. Even though the safe looks big (And it is big. It dwarfs my iPhone 6s Plus), it was easy to carry around all day and didn’t prompt any unusual looks or stares as I wore it around town, which is what you want from a concealed carry holster.
To test how effective the safe is as a method of concealed carry, I took it through the same holster test I used a few years ago when I was evaluating options for concealed carry in the office. I set up a man-sized target 15 feet away and shot it, drawing my Kel-Tec P3AT from the safe from two different positions. Scenario No. 1 was from a seated position, loaded gun in the safe and on my belt, strong-side. Three shots were taken to determine an average time to get the gun in play and a round on target. Scenario No. 2 started from a standing position, hands at sides, with the gun loaded in the safe and on my belt, strong side, with my hands by my sides. Three shots were taken from that position and averaged together to get a better sense of how effective the safe is in everyday use.
Average Time, Scenario 1: 3.02 Seconds
Average Time, Scenario 2: 2.76 Seconds
I was pleasantly surprised by these results, as they showed that the ABDO safe is a fast way to get a concealed carry gun into play quickly. While I wasn’t as fast getting my gun into action as pocket carry (which was the quickest method of carry from the previous test), the ABDO safe proved to be faster than a tucked-in inside-the-waistband holster or most forms of off-body carry.
If you’re looking for a different way to carry your small .380 ACP automatic, consider carrying it an EAA ABDO Concealed Carry Portable Firearm Safe. It’s quick to use, easy to carry and offers a unique way to carry your gun hidden from sight but still have it easily accessible for when you really need it.
