I posted the following on another board when someone asked why I (and others) were excited about the R9...
Here's my evolution in thinking on various firearms, and pocket carry.
First, I prefer a full-sized kinda gun for carry in most circumstances. My favorite carry gun is an all-steel Colt Combat Commander that Marianne Carniak (local gunsmith) customized. At times when I want something a little smaller/lighter I carry a SIG P239.
I've noticed, though, that sometimes I've wanted something I can carry in a pocket. In the summer, I'm often out-and-about in just a light t-shirt and shorts. Now, some people can conceal a full-sized pistol fine in that outfit, but I cannot - I can't stand to wear an inside-the-waistband holster without something between it and my skin (like a t-shirt, or "wife-beater" shirt). So, I'm forced to wear such a shirt with an additional covering shirt. Sometimes that's a bit warm, or inconvenient. For example, if I'm lounging around at home in a t-shirt and shorts, and the family decides to take a walk around the subdivision, I really don't feel like having to change half my clothing to carry. Thus, my desire for pocket pistols for those kind of situations. I can just go to the safe, retrieve a pocket pistol, and slip it into a pocket (inside a pocket holster, of course) and go.
Here's what I've gone through, in order, with the results:
Beretta Jetfire .25 ACP - tiny, but heavy, and I've never trusted that caliber. Beats throwing rocks, though.
S&W-made Walther PPK/s .380 ACP- great pistol, reliable, but *heavy* for pocket carry. Too heavy. Did I mention HEAVY?
S&W 340PD .357 Magnum - ahhh, nice. This is one of those Scandium super-lightweight revolvers. I still have this, and it gets a LOT of pocket time. Yep, recoil is significant (I only load .38 +P's in it), but it's so darn LIGHT that it's not dragging down my pants. The only disadvantage is that being a revolver, it's a bit thick, so printing can be an issue. And, only 5 shots. Still, my current favorite pocket companion.
Kel-Tec P-3AT .380 ACP - great little pistol, reliable. Light, and very flat - perfect for pocket carry. Kinda cheaply made, though, so despite it working well I just feel like it's "cheap." .380 isn't bad, but I'd like something a bit more serious - when I carry this instead of my Commander I really feel like I've compromised a ton.
So that's where I am. I carry the 340PD most of the time when I need to pocket-carry, but settle for the P-3AT when even the 340PD is too big. What I really need is a small, light, flat pistol (like the P-3AT) that is high quality and of a serious caliber (like the 340PD).
And that's where the Rohrbaugh comes in. Here's a high-quality pistol that's only the tiniest fraction larger than the P-3AT, and it shoots full-powered 9mm rounds - and holds 6+1 of them. You bet it's pricey, but hey, this will in effect replace TWO pistols of mine (which, in combined price, are as much or more than the Rohrbaugh R9s anyway).
That's why there's so much buzz about this pistol - those of us that appreciate or require pocket carry are finding that this may save us from having to compromise.