.380?

[aetucker1]

if you have the money, i would HIGHLY recommend the Sig P238. It and the Walther PPK are the only .380s that I find actually feels like a real pistol. Honestly, it shoots better than many full sized guns that I have shot.

With that said, you should pick a pistol that fits your necessity so you will carry 99% of the time. It is hard for me to physically feel comfortable carrying a heavy full sized pistol. I found myself picking and choosing when I carried due to the size and weight. Since having the P238, I carry everywhere unless I'm on a run, or in the shower.

 

[hntrroy]

My EDC is an interarms PPH. It is a clone of the FEG PA63. Really love it. Handles well, accurate and very reliable. Breaks down easy for cleaning and maint. Conceals easily and fits my hand well. As far as the caliber issues, it is in .380 and I have no qualms about the effectiveness of the round. Granted I have never been in the situation of having to use it, but Im sure that it will do the job as long as I can place the rounds effectively, which is the same with any other round.

 

[Saber]

I have a Ruger 380 lcp - very innacurate

 

[CharlesGoodnight]

I have a Beretta 84f, sometimes referred as the "Cheetah". It is a very nice pistol and fairly accurate. They don't make them any more but you can find one used. I am more of a "shot placement" guy than power - so pick the gun you can shoot accurately.

 

[88E30M50]

I have a couple of .380s and really like the caliber. It's not my first choice for carry, but there are times when it's all I can carry. If you choose the right ammo, it will get the job done if you do your part. The .380 vs. 9mm argument is the same one as the 9mm vs. .45 argument. Smaller guns recoil less with smaller calibers. A full size 1911 will recoil about the same as a pocket sized Sig P238. A pocket size 9mm will recoil like a compact .45. The tradeoffs are the same. You either select the more controllable platform in the smaller caliber or the more effective caliber in the less controllable platform.

I currently own a Sig P238, PPK/S and Bersa Thunder. The Sig really is a sweet little gun. The Bersa has been rock solid and, while it does have a bit more recoil than the Sig, it's controllable. The PPK/s looks cool. Mine was finicky during the first 500 rounds and needed some work to function reliably. If it were not bought to commemorate our 25th wedding anniversary, I'd have sold it long ago. But, now that it's working well, I like it. I reload .380 and 500 rounds is nothing to do in .380 but if I were buying .380, I'd be well below 500 rounds. Reloaded .380 is a very cheap plinking round but commercial .380 is tough to find and expensive when you do. The Bersa and Sig were both perfectly reliable right out of the box.

 

[dhw9am]

Buy a Bersa 380, load it up with some Corbon, and don't worry about a thing.

 

[stack23]

Ruger lcp with the hogue grip, wolff 13# recoil spring, and galloway stainless guide rod

 

[AA&E]

Why would anyone choose a .380 for an EDC with So many choices in 9mm, 40 s&w and 45 acp in the same size package Ammo technology has softer recoil ammunition for almost any caliber if needed.

If you carry a gun and need it to STOP THE THREAT IMMEDIATELY - you better have at least a service caliber .38 special with some +p's.

Yes, the .380 cartridge will kill - but I don't want to wait for bleedout when a 300lb crackhead is charging at me. I want some serious energy transfer to the BG's chest. My

There is a noticable difference in size between the smaller 380's and any of the weapon calibers you just mentioned. Which I really don't understand because a 9mm isn't dimensionally any different in diameter only length. I understand it has a larger charge and therefore requires some added strength (resulting in increased width), but it still seems significantly bigger in comparison to 380's like the Rugar LCP or S&W Bodyguard.

 

[AA&E]

I have a Ruger 380 lcp - very innacurate

Define innaccurate. Because if you shoot someone outside of the range of several yards, you are going to have a hard time convincing anyone it was in self defense.

 

[armedindy]

Not to "knock" anyone BUT....
I never understood ankle holsters. Still dont.
Do you ask someone to wait while you bend over to get your ankle carry weapon?
Do you spend a lot of the time rolling around on the ground?
Are you constantly tying your shoelaces?

id only ankle carry as a BUG....so essentially if im reaching for it something has gone catastrophically wrong (im out of ammo in my main carry, they took my main carry from me, im bleeding out and its my last ditch effort to end that a-hole who did this to me etc...)

 

[45fan]

.380 isnt so different from a 38 Special, especially when fired from a snub nose revolver. Police have used the old 38 for years pretty effectively. The German army used the .380 during WWII, and while more effective rounds were available, it still did what they asked of it. I dont typically carry a .380 as a first choice, but when it is difficult to keep a 1911 concealed, the .380 is better than nothing, and I am confident that it will at the very least allow me to break contact and get to safety if the occasion ever arises.

 

[45fan]

Pretty much, the biggest difference is that the .38 typically uses a heavier bullet, so you tend to get a smidgen more penetration, all other things being equal. The .380 is slightly faster/lighter, giving a better chance for expansion, the 38, being heavier and slower, tends to be deeper with less expansion. If comparing FMJ, obviously the expansion would be more or less a non-issue.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Pretty much, the biggest difference is that the .38 typically uses a heavier bullet, so you tend to get a smidgen more penetration, all other things being equal. The .380 is slightly faster/lighter, giving a better chance for expansion, the 38, being heavier and slower, tends to be deeper with less expansion. If comparing FMJ, obviously the expansion would be more or less a non-issue.

Yes and no. .380's bullet weight, combined with low velocity, in hollow point form either doesn't expand or if it does, doesn't penetrate enough. .38 Special generally has higher velocity in all ranges, including 110grainers (which there are few .380 choices in that range that aren't handloaded). Expansion can be reliable with certain JHP in .38 despite barrel lengths, .380 in ANY HP form has proven to be unreliable in expansion. Check out Dr. Gary Robert's and the IWBA work into such forays.

That being said, I picked up a G42 here recently and have made it my favorite. VERY low recoil for such a small pistol, I mean P22 with CCI Stinger's kind of recoil. While I'm carrying ball to ensure adequate penetration, with it's recoil and accuracy, I feel better armed than with an Airweight in .38 with wonder rounds. In splits, I am literally putting two rounds of .380 accurately but quickly on target for every 1 I can deliver with an Airweight.

 

[nakinate]

Yes and no. .380's bullet weight, combined with low velocity, in hollow point form either doesn't expand or if it does, doesn't penetrate enough. .38 Special generally has higher velocity in all ranges, including 110grainers (which there are few .380 choices in that range that aren't handloaded). Expansion can be reliable with certain JHP in .38 despite barrel lengths, .380 in ANY HP form has proven to be unreliable in expansion. Check out Dr. Gary Robert's and the IWBA work into such forays.

That being said, I picked up a G42 here recently and have made it my favorite. VERY low recoil for such a small pistol, I mean P22 with CCI Stinger's kind of recoil. While I'm carrying ball to ensure adequate penetration, with it's recoil and accuracy, I feel better armed than with an Airweight in .38 with wonder rounds. In splits, I am literally putting two rounds of .380 accurately but quickly on target for every 1 I can deliver with an Airweight.

It's not entirely accurate that JHP is unrealiable in .380. Most JHPs are, but there are some good ones. Mostly XTP rounds.

This is from another thread.

The ammo test wesnellans talks about has been going on for a good while. The testing is very in depth. It speaks to the fmj question. Final Results of the .380 ACP Ammo Quest | Shooting The Bull

 

[Dudley]

In warmer weather I carry a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 with Federal Hydra Shoks. It's easy to throw in the front pocket of a pair of shorts and light enough to not be a problem without a belt.

 

[oldguyguns]

I own a Kahr P380 which I love---and just got a Taurus 380 revolver--the only 380 revolver made. You use moon clips to load/unload it and I shoot it much better than the Kahr.

 

[Disposable Heart]

It's not entirely accurate that JHP is unrealiable in .380. Most JHPs are, but there are some good ones. Mostly XTP rounds.

This is from another thread.

What OIS shootings have been tested? Performance through barriers such as denim or autoglass? I know they CAN expand, but would you want them to if they go in too shallow? Plus side, if you have a longer barreled pistol, like a Beretta 85 or something that can SIMULATE a longer barrel, like the poly riflling in the G42, then I might adventure into Gold Dots. But until I see data contrary, I'm going to stick with ball in .380.

I trust Gary Robert's analysis.

 

[nakinate]

What OIS shootings have been tested? Performance through barriers such as denim or autoglass? I know they CAN expand, but would you want them to if they go in too shallow? Plus side, if you have a longer barreled pistol, like a Beretta 85 or something that can SIMULATE a longer barrel, like the poly riflling in the G42, then I might adventure into Gold Dots. But until I see data contrary, I'm going to stick with ball in .380.

I trust Gary Robert's analysis.

Did you even click that link and watch the video? Gold dots did not fair well at all. And they did a denim test with 4 layers of heavy denim. Open your mind a bit and watch it. I'm comfortable with Precision One XTP in my Sig P238.
[video=youtube;wOwCXXpEP50]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOwCXXpEP50[/video]

 

[sharpshot82]

glock 42

 

[Disposable Heart]

Did you even click that link and watch the video? Gold dots did not fair well at all. And they did a denim test with 4 layers of heavy denim. Open your mind a bit and watch it. I'm comfortable with Precision One XTP in my Sig P238.
[video=youtube;wOwCXXpEP50]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOwCXXpEP50[/video]

I did, and while well done, humans aren't gello and can't be calibrated. Also, the "shooting the bull" report that you referenced, the Gold Dots did FAR better in terms of expansion, but not penetration. The XTP acted like Hornady's traditional "need to drive 'em fast to get them to expand" hollow point. The Critical Defense seemed interesting, however. But it's all a compromise.

I still trust OIS reports and such. I can fire into gello, denimed or not, but still doesn't dispel the fact, researched in ACTUAL shootings that while they CAN expand, they can't expand RELIABLY in real shootings.

That being said, I still think .380, whatever is carried, is still MUCH better than a sharp stick, evil eye or harsh language.