Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Talk to me about the .380 auto

[fkovalski]

I am rifle, black powder muzzler (rifle and pistol) and revolver kind of guy. I like simple things that do not cloud my brain. I have never owned an automatic pistol. When it comes to handguns, I like the simplicity and reliability of a revolver. My present carry choice is a S&W 340PD.

I like tried and true. If you understand the following numbers, you will know my train of thought:
350 Chevy, 225 slant 6, 5. 9 Cummins, 30. 06, 38, 357 mag... get the picture? Tried and true and easy to understand. That said... talk to me about the . 380 auto.

As alluded to, automatics are generally too much to comprehend for my feeble brain, but the Ruger LCP Centerfire Pistol is capturing my attention for a second carry piece.

I like the light weight. I like that it will compliment my other Ruger weapons. I like the price.

I do not like the unfamiliarity of getting an automatic. I do not like a piece of a weapon sliding back at me when forward motion should be down field. I own only 3 rounds: 30. 06, 38, 357... I am not fond of adding another type. But...

... there is something attractive about the . 380!

How popular is this caliber in terms of availability? Do I have to study grain weights? Ballistics~ penetration and expansion? Pricing of rounds? ... or is this just truly a concealed lightweight weapon designed intended just for the purpose of what want it for?

When I bought the previously mentioned S&W, it was a dual purpose weapon: 357's as a sidearm when in the backwoods... and self defense 38's for concealed. To me, it was a very familiar piece suited for 2 purposes. The . 380 auto would be be for only one (hopefully unneeded) reason.

Your opinions?

 

[JLEONARD]

There was a recent thread that talked about the 380 and it's lack of ability to penetrate, yada,yada.

However I own one as a carry piece. Colt govt model, stainless. Small easy to hide, fits under the matress in the boat without a lump. LOL

The LCP looks like it would be uncomfortable small though. Go fondel one and check it out.

I have always been a wheelgun man myself but this is comfortable to shoot, accurate at 25 /30 feet, and has been faultless so far.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

The gun that was so small and light that you brought it with you is far better than the totally awewsome, powerful gun that is bulky and heavy so it is at home.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Sometime around 2002 I was at a gun show in Mesa, AZ when I was first introduced to 380's. We were walking by a booth when a guy asked if we had time to check out a new pistol he had. It turned out to be a Jennings 380. I was not interested, but my wife really liked the small frame for her to carry around. Well, I bought the gun for $100 even. The gun didn't look like much with it's fixed front and rear sights and cheap plastic grips, but looks weren't everything. We took the gun out in the desert and shot 200 rounds thru it that same day. At 30' the gun was consistantly dead on. Since then, we've shot around 1000 rounds thru the gun without one fault. Best $100 I've ever spent on a gun.

 

[NIsaacs]

The gun that was so small and light that you brought it with you is far better than the totally awewsome, powerful gun that is bulky and heavy so it is at home.

Yes, or I would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.



Years ago when AZ first passed the CCW my wife ad I both took the class and went out and bought new hardware. We were both revolver shooters so I got her the little 38 cal. 5 shot smith hammerless model, simular to the Lady Smith only made out of real iron, stainless. I bought a Colt Govt. Model 380 stainless and regret it to this day, wish I had the little smith. Not being a pistol person I bought some fancy pretty hollowpoints that were too blunt/square and would not feed right off the get go. Talk about a let down. I have since found some round hollowpoints that work good. I also had trouble with the spring that assists the slide lock and would lock open with the recoil.



The main thing about it, is it's too slow to get into action. If I carry cold I have to rack the slide, if I carry hot I have to release safety and cock the dumb little hammer. The smith, just pull the trigger.



Nick

 

[sarj]

I have a sig 232 in 380 which is a very accurate & reliable semi. I semi-retired it and now much prefer my Springfield EMP 9mm that holds 10+1 and is about the same size as the sig, only a little thinner. A 380 is a nice sidearm, but a subcompact 1911 in a 9mm is about the finest piece of steel you could ask for if you're looking to carry a low profile pistola. Neither of these will compete with the price of your ruger, but my preference for a 1911 interferes with my judgment on more value-oriented semi's. The ruger is probably a good value, but I'd see if I could put a few hundred rounds through one before I committed to owning one. At that price, it's almost worth taking a chance, but I'm pretty much hooked on sig's & 1911's. A good 380 is a nice pocket gun, but it needs to be reliable if you ever need to use it. I always viewed mine as something good to make noise & cover a retreat.



As far as ammo goes, the last year and a half to two years has seen a big bump in 380 prices as opposed to the slightly larger 9mm (at least on the west coast). Availability has been an issue to, although I missed last month's show, to know if that's improved at all recently.

 

[Dl5treez]

I used to carry a . 32ACP is a super concealed handgun.



Guy at a gun show was like "that little POS can't penetrate a paper bag. "



I asked him if he'd be willing to stand 20 feet in front of me and let me know if it hurt when I shot him in the crotch. He declined the offer.



It was all in fun, but anything that goes bang is going to hurt and/or kill. A . 380 and a 9mm Luger/Parabellum are really close to each other.

 

[Hoefler]

I carry a Taurus TCP. It has a better feel in my hand. With the Ruger and Kel-Tec, it just didn't feel right and I think they would be prone to slide bite when shot.

 

[MA2LA]

I have a KelTec PF9 witch isn't much bigger than the ruger LCP or any of the other 380s out there and I love to shoot it. Its one of the best small carry pistols I have seen, nice compact and since its 9mm its cheep to shoot and has good stopping power. I had looked at the Ruger but decided to go with the PF9.

 

[AMink]

The . 380 round is generally considered to be at the bottom end of the power spectrum for self-protection. That said, the advance in bullet technology has moved the diminutive . 380 quite a bit forward in the last several years. I have a Beretta 85 which is about a midsize gun. I am interested in the smaller ones, but would more likely move to a gun that is a little bigger in 9 or . 40. As mentioned, some autos are ammo-picky. Make sure you get it to the range and run several boxes of different ammo through it to see how it works. Most of the new small . 380's are good guns.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I bought a Colt Govt. Model 380 stainless and regret it to this day, wish I had the little smith. Not being a pistol person I bought some fancy pretty hollowpoints that were too blunt/square and would not feed right off the get go. Talk about a let down. I have since found some round hollowpoints that work good. I also had trouble with the spring that assists the slide lock and would lock open with the recoil.



The main thing about it, is it's too slow to get into action. If I carry cold I have to rack the slide, if I carry hot I have to release safety and cock the dumb little hammer. The smith, just pull the trigger.



Nick

As you learned, autoloaders work best with rounded profile bullets, whether a tapered hollowpoint or plain old ball ammo. And if you don't like the gun, you should have no problems selling it, probably for several times what you paid for it; the Colt . 380's are very much in demand and I've recently seen them in the $600-800 range. So sell it, buy what you wanted, and pocket the difference.



I really do not understand your last statement at all though. The Govt Model . 380 is basically a downsized M1911, which is designed to be carried in Condition 1 (cocked and locked with a round in the chamber). As long as it is mechanically sound, there would be no real reason why you would carry it with hammer down on an empty chamber (what I presume you are referring to as "cold") nor with the hammer down on a chambered round and the safety on (what you call "hot"). That's like carrying a revolver with the cylinder open; it makes no sense. But then you did mention being unfamiliar (and perhaps uncomfortable) with autoloaders as compared to revolvers.

 

[JLEONARD]

I never had an ounce of trouble with my Colt govt model. I've only tried a few different ammo types though. It seems fine with Fed Hi-shock so that's what it's currently loaded with.

I carry it cold most times.

 

[NIsaacs]

Thank you for the info and mini lesson on the little auto. Yes I am uncomfortable with the little sucker cocked, even with the safety on. I guess mostly because I can see the hammer and think it will drop just looking at it



I do carry the 40. Glock 22 for work and don't have a problem with a round chambered in it. Maybe because it has more safeties and an internal hammer that I can't see



I do need to take your advise and trade for a Smith, just one of those things that "when I get 'round to it and never do"



Nick

 

[fkovalski]

I have a KelTec PF9 witch isn't much bigger than the ruger LCP or any of the other 380s out there and I love to shoot it. Its one of the best small carry pistols I have seen, nice compact and since its 9mm its cheep to shoot and has good stopping power. I had looked at the Ruger but decided to go with the PF9.

I looked at a KelTec PF-9 and P-11 at a gun show over the weekend. These were in the price range of the LCP and are a real possibility. I will look into this type of weapon.



Also looked similar Kahr models, but the price range is much higher.



Any gun now will have to wait a while... bought a 12 gauge 2 weeks ago and it wiped out spending funds for a while.

 

[EBolgiano]

When you get back to looking at smaller caliber pistols check out this web site: Mouseguns. Com New Index Lots of good information. Ed B

 

[The patriot]

Ammo has come a long way in the last few years making the 380 more effective than ever.
Having said that, with compacts being as small as they are I'd opt for a 9mm or 40 S&W as a minimum.
No BG's have ever not died from being shot with "too much gun". :-laf
JM. 02 YMMV BYOB etc. etc.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

If you must have a . 380 you had better be an excellent shot. A drug addict won't know he/she has been shot and will keep on coming unless you can drill him/her right between the eyes. I don't know everything, I have only lived for 82 years and I am still learning. Partly raised in the Philippines when the stories about the 45 ACP and its ability to knock a human down were more prevalent than now. If it hits a bone even if in the hand it is going to take a man/woman to the ground. That gives you a chance for a second shot if need be. My carry gun is a 45. I don't mind the extra weight in a shoulder holster. I have a responsibility to protect myWife and I take it seriously. I am retired and we live in FL and home is Dayton OH. When we go visiting we won't fly since 9-11 so we drive my 98 12v DAMN RAM. Every state we pass through now recognizes FL Permit to carry. A Georgia Cop told me make sure you have it handy when you have to change a flat on the side of the road. They have had many incidents of finding dead and robbed people that were off on the shoulder changing a flat. It is the world we live in today. Back in the old days crime was unusual, Now with drugs flooding our cities it is an everyday occurrence. This what I do. What you do is your choice. A Glock 30 or Springfield Armory XD compact 45 will get the job done. A few practice shots often is a good idea. I like the 1911 45 acp for target but for carry is not as dependable as I like for carry. This site is for helping our "neighbors" I am always glad to help. -- email address removed --

 

[Chief USA]

I am rifle, black powder muzzler (rifle and pistol) and revolver kind of guy. I like simple things that do not cloud my brain. I have never owned an automatic pistol. When it comes to handguns, I like the simplicity and reliability of a revolver.

The . 380 cartridge is marginal at best. If you use Buffalo Bore bullets, you may get enough power out of this caliber for very close in defensive use.



The problem with most pistols even the Beretta Tom Cat . 32 acp is that in hot weather they are difficult if not impossible to conceal in a comfortable manner. Winter and cool weather carry is another story.



For a backup and warm to hot weather carry, I recommend the North American Arms Mini Revolver in . 22 magnum. This is purely a backup and defensive UP CLOSE carry weapon. They ARE effective. They are NOT a weapon of choice for a running gun battle.



North American Arms



North American Arms



North American Arms



I like this firearm because it can be carried completely unnoticed by the hoplophobic lemmings of the public. Even is gym shorts, a T-shirt and flip flops, you cannot tell if someone is carrying one due to the small size and very light weight. They are stainless steel which holds up well and . 22 magnum although not the ideal self defense cartridge is just about if not just as effective as the . 380 in my opinion provided you use hollow points or Hornady Vmax rounds. Think of this gun as a "get off me" gun.



A self defense carry firearm does you NO good if you cannot conceal it. There are just too many hoplophobic nut jobs out there that spazz out if they see or even suspect you are carrying a gun.



Carry the . 45, 9mm, . 40, etc. as a "truck gun".



If you find that you can adequately conceal a larger gun, I agree that the Ruger LCP in . 380 is a very good choice. PROVIDED you use adequate ammo in it:



Buffalo Bore Ammunition 380 ACP +P 100 Grain Flat Nose Box of 20 - MidwayUSA



Buffalo Bore Ammunition 380 ACP +P 95 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20 - MidwayUSA



These are very hot loads and come with a bit of recoil and muzzle flip.



Cor-Bon Self-Defense Ammunition 380 ACP 90 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20 - MidwayUSA



These are also solid and reliable hard hitting rounds too.



Be sure to practice with the rounds you will carry so you can verify they will properly feed when you need them.

 

[goodguys75]

this is how i roll with a 9mm rorbaugh pistol... total custom gun, but turns people off when you tell them it is about 1200. 00 $ gun... . then they say " well i can buy a 380 for about 300. 00... ... "I wouldnt put a price on saftey.....

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

For me a compact 45 preferably a Glock 30 or a Springfield Armory XD (compact) is the way to go. After a few minutes in a good shoulder holster you become accustomed to the extra ounces. They each have 10 round clips and are as safe as you can get. No fumbling around with safeties. They are built in. Both are striker fired (no hammer) Rorbaugh I have read about their dependability but for me A 230 grain bullet when your life depends on being better equipped is what I am more comfortable with. To each his/her own.