Of course, being retired I wear loose fitting cargo pocket pants/shorts. Types Of .380 Pistols Subcompact vs Micro-Compact Single-Stack vs Double-Stack Magazines What Should You Look for in a .380 Pistol? A Bryco Arms .380 such as this has resulted in more than 1 accidental death due to their defective design (Photo: Guns.com) These cheap pot metal guns are small, and available in a variety of calibers. The look like high end custom 1911 mags. Even with a Streamlight TLR-6 on it, I can easily carry it in my shorts or jacket. It's a .380 Spectrum. All the .380s are snappy & regardless of how I adjust my grip, they all give me varying degrees of "trigger bite", leaving my trigger finger sore after shooting. - It's cheaper and has much more capacity than the Bodyguard That said, I will continue to practice my tap-rack-bang exerciseseven with a Glock. Josh is an avid firearms enthusiast who fired his first gun when he was just 10 years old. In this review, we will cover the disadvantages of the .380 pistol that the LCP II sought to remedy, what makes the LCP II an improvement over the original LCP, and the uses for and specifications of the LCP II. trigger!!!!!! Easily the best .380 weapon out there in terms of cost, reliability, features & looks. Sports 12, it comes with two 6-round mags and one 7-round mag with extension so you can get all your fingers on the grip (I can, anyway). That is saying something about the bullet design. IMHO the LCP II trigger is much, much smoother and easier to use, although I do wish the shape was more rounded where my finger contacts it.. Hey Glenn, thanks for writing in! And can add night sights easily. I picked the Bersa Thunder because it's easier for me to hold it out straight longer. Do they consider the .38 Sp "puny"? However, I definitely recommend anyone in the market for a superior and concealable .380 be sure to check out the 911. It's a joke. What actually causes recoil in a (combat caliber) semiautomatic handgun? 6 Best 380 Pistols [Updated 2022] - Alien Gear Holsters Practice, practice practice. The sig comes with superior sights out of the box and the trigger even though plastic has a very nice pull and reset compared with my LCP2. Re: Glock 42 and Sig P238 Rented an LCP II this weekend. Kahr CT380 is a great choice as well. Unfortunately, after three magazines, my gun tends to malfunction on any ammo and must be cleaned in order for it to function properly. Our favorite is always that P238 HD. But I learned gunning on a Detonics Mk Zero (2.5" barrel, chopped M1911 4.5" x 6.5"), so have never considered running a [well-designed] small gun to be particularly difficult. When you see a list of the Best .380s and the Beretta Cheetah is not on it there is something disingenuous going on. This is especially true if 147-grain 9 mm loads are compared to the higher-performance loadings in the .38 Special; it is uncanny how similar these are, especially given the differences in how barrel lengths are measured in pistols versus revolvers. Reliability is also excellent. True, it is to stop the threat. Super concealable with 10 rounds of .380 ACP although snappy. It wouldnt cycle and FTE. View as Grid View List View. Has Excellent sights (tritium) and safety and did I mention, it's a real gun, not some plastic wannabe. In contrast to this, the original LCP did not lock back on the final round. Its also a sleek, well built little pistol with no rough protrusions that virtually disappears in your pocket. Never an issue. I wrote a review on the Bersa .380 Firestorm, I like it. Many people place a little too much emphasis on caliber and many are not proficient with their "Big Guns". Hard to rack the slide if youre weak handed so practice - Im 81 and can do it. LCP is a JAM-O-MATIC that I wouldnt trust my life to. It needs to be the first discussing in class along with liabilities in responsibility. The downside is it's only five rounds and bites a lot harder, especially in +P. This is one very inexpensive pistol that works very well. I have one. ,, always sat home,, too big this goes everywhere with me,, can fit in pocket. While there are other, more powerful rounds out there, this is likely the smallest one youd ever want to trust your life to. All thats important is that youve got quality ammo that has been tested in your firearm. I think you may have been thinking of the original LCP.. As I remind you, that the PP Series Pistols, all have the sliding cover open, then fire the last ammunition, as it was and is the custom in all modern military weapons. I don't need to make a case for it, it speaks for itself as most will know. All are used for pocket carry, as often my clothing choice here in FL makes it impractical to carry one of my 9's as I prefer, which is OWB under a loose-fitting shirt. This little gun is so easy to hide in my front pants pocket, or jacket. I have owned a Remington RM380 for about 9 months now. At the range I could hit the target, but not even close to as well as I could with other handguns. The Kimber, Metro Arms American Classic, CZ-75B, CANIK 55, CANIK TP9v2, --- all of my .380s. You say the LCP2 has a long stiff trigger not true the first gen LCP did the LCP2 are one of the best triggers available on a 380 hadgun. Thanks for your detailed review of the Pico! Try the Remington RM380, it was a pleasant surprise. Great read, I carry the bodygaurd. With a tight grip, you can get v. tight groups at 15 - 20 feet. . I also carry, on occasion, the SW 442 but, it kicks like a mule and is hard to find the RIGHT holster for soooooo, it sits a lot..also carry the Tarus TCP 738yes, Taurus.this thing has been FLAWLESS, is 8 years old and you simply can't beat it for deep concealment (pocket without a holster).it is everything the Ruger LCP 1 was not.locks to the rear on the last shot, actually has rudimentary sights, light as a feather, better trigger (long and consistent albeit lighter than most and 1/2 of the workout you will endure with the ruger's trigger and I LOVE ruger products! Weather day or night my Sig's sights glow nice and bright. Did they succeed? The edges and dove tail are tapered to allow true pocket carry. The, much lauded, FBI study is not highly relevant to CCW, purely defensive, needs. I have a S&W M&P9 and a S&W Shield so was leaning toward the Bodyguard, but its trigger is unbelievably heavy, so heavy I could barely get it pulled. It does have small sights and is a mini-beast to shoot. The combination of these three features gives you lots of recoil, a slow follow upshot, and a very slow reload time. This is the round to go to in the 380. I, and my brother both have a Kahr CW380. It looks like something that belongs in a pawn shop case. Ruger did a very nice job here. Ruger LCP Max 2. 3, when I tried to release the slide there was a failure to feed, this with only three rounds in the magazine, 4 I manage to drop the mag, clear the jam and fire three rounds and reload. I prefer the long trigger pull on the original. No real complaints on this gun. 1. I also carry an extra mag. Their main appeal is their often sub-$100 price tags. Ruger LCP II 3. The .38 spl. I wouldn't say the gun is proved after 110rounds, but I'm not worried now. I did a lot of research before choosing this one for my concealed carry. If you can afford a Sig you will not regret it. My thoughts exactly when I read the authors comparisons between the the 380 and the 38 special. Not good. Best of all they are around $200 easy maybe a bit less to the new versions $350 (to find it for 300 you will have to really look around online). This time he is either getting his $ back, or a replacement. Accurate and nice to hold, great controls. The first one says that if your bullet size of choice doesnt start with a 4 its insufficient for self-defense. By comparison, the UXP still worked fine in 9mm, but he was able to find dozens of 9mm hollow point rounds that expanded consistently and only cost a fraction of the price. Like the Sig, the 911 is all metal and the fit and finish are excellent. I have the sig p238,Springfield armory 911,glock 42 and ruger lcp, I like my short trigger pulls but my lcp does have a decent enough trigger and recoils not bad! Got three of them, one of which is an initial commemorative model (still in box, never fired). It's got a long trigger pull, but I don't think that's a problem with a concealed=carry gun for close-up self defense. No printing whatsoever. This gun is amazing and feeds/extracts EVERY ammo I give it. I have a S&W BG that's basically a paperweight. It feeds anything that I put in it. My edc is the Kahr. In this caliber your discussing I wouldn't carry anything on this list simply because they're all too big with too many bells and whistles for me especially living in my "environment" (South FLA.). Sometimes multiple things come together in one gun, and LCP II has it. So maybe that's why it is not added to this concealed carry list. Its a small pocket gun with similar specifications to most every gun you did list. It is also used by Underwood ammo who produces it in a +P and +P+ plus loads. That being said, I will say that I'm a fan of the concept that if you can't hit your target then no firearm will be for you. I have the Glock 42 and love it! So, .380 will do the job. I own the newer PPK/S and the quality and craftmanship is second to none. Replacement parts were free from Bersa and I did the labor myself, pretty easy to work on. It has a slide stop (not too useful as a slide release but it holds the slide back when you're empty), and second-strike capability which I've had to use. Somewhere under a 9mm, and about equal to a .38 Special (depending upon the gun, barrel, ammo type, etc.). With the proper ammo this weapon can't be beat for carry and at 10 yards put your shoot where you aim it. - It's shorter, lighter, cheaper and has much more capacity than the M&P Shield EZ. The trigger pull on the LCP II most closely resembles the trigger on larger striker fired polymer pistols such as the Glock. THAT should NOT be! It should be stated here that, while Ive not had many malfunctions shooting one, this is my least familiar gun on the list and plenty of others have had picky ammunition issues from this pocket .380. Taurus and Bodyguard quite snappy but you can adapt. Is a .380 Good Enough for Concealed Carry? - Option Gray I have read alot of bad about the Taurus TCP 738 but I love mine and at $239 and reliable as heck with the fix I did it"s alot cheaper than the top 5 in this article, not trying to take anything away from the top 5 or anyones personal choices.. Kimber Micro .380ACP TLE I'm liking it a lot. After running a number of clips through it .your hand will begin to hurt from holding such a small grip on a gun with a good amount of recoil., Never had a jamb with any type of ammo, overall a great reliable little gun. It looks like a Walther PPK, which is neat, but other guns beat it. When firing repeatedly at the range, the recoil, which I find manageable overall, causes the edge to push into my finger, After a couple of dozen rounds that gets uncomfortable. Both the front and rear sights are black which can make it difficult to see them if you are aiming against a dark background. I added a grip glove that really added extra grip for my large hands and, of course, helps tame the recoil issues with the small framed 380's. I've owned the Bodyguard and the Ruger and currently own the Glock. Had a Keltec P3AT And will say I had no problems with it, that being said I have heard others not so lucky sold mine to a friend that had to have it when I bought my P238, once I polished the feed ramp on the Sig it worked flawlessly was pissed that I had to polish the feed ramp on a $575 dollar pistol when a $199.00 pistol ran like a champ. This pistol is a real bargain and is one of the cheapest around. Don't get me wrong, Glock makes great pistols but as far as the pocket models in 380 and 9, they are a Johnny-come-lately-me-too and it shows. Bullet Type : Shotshell Primers So much for credibility of the write up. I am sure the S&W EZ .380 is a good gun (I have the 9mm version.). It's a good fit for my small hands, target shooting is fun, it conceals beautifully and I have confidence with my ability to hit the target with a tight group of rounds. Uso una bersa 380 cc, con can de estrias polygonales, uso una walther ppk y tambien una Kahr, que es la que tiene el cao ms corto. Jams HST. I would suggest if you plan to carry any mini handgun try to get a mini version of the full size pistol you use in order to avoid learning another system. The Kahr CT380 runs perfectly. Many of the others, such as the S&W Bodyguard and Ruger LCP were too diminutive and had awful sights. I love the gun and the 380. Small, snappy, accurate in rapid fire, good sights, good trigger, and slightly heavier than expected due to full metal frame. I have a 1st edition LCP. Why? (You know, after those calming rubber nipples that young children like to suck on.) Too bad Taurus discontinued them in favor of the Spectrum. Very, I mean extremely very, reliable and accurate for what they are. And not just quality -as my wife pointed out, it has style. Maybe you forgot. A little pricey, but very accurate, no malfunctions, has tritium night sights, and a real pleasure to shoot. I am not sure why Kimber was excluded from the list of .380's. While it's not pocket size, some features I like are the safeties it has, (so when not in use it can be locked without having to put a trigger lock on it and cannot fire without the mag), it has a fixed barrel, it is a 15+1, and while the initial trigger pull is long all others are short and the recoil is nice for control. M&P Shield EZ .380 6. I have a Glock 42, which I love, and a Bersa Thunder which is always in my truck. So I went on an ammo quest with all 3 of my 380 firearms to find the best Self defense round watched every video on youtube from Paul Harrell, Shooting The Bull (who did ammo quest and voted Precision One the BEST 380 SD round) , TN Outdoors, Hickock45 and everyone else.you name it.and now hundreds of rounds personally downrange. Sharing my experience. Used two different kinds of ammo-American made. As for range ammo I have had no issues with Federal, Fiocchi or Winchester. You're currently reading page 1; Page 2; There are a lot of disparaging comments about the TCP on the internet, but I love mine. What do you think about the Beretta Pico? Jams Precision One. Erraicates unwanted subjects from your residence without using a 45, In selecting .380 Personal Defense pistols, it would seem that the Taurus TCP 738 Pistol would get an "Honorable" mention if not place in the top 5-10. My Bodyguard did have a few issues with Hornady Civil Defense ammo but Federal HST 99 grain JHP has been off the charts in accuracy and reliability. And that is why you need a gun that can handle a lot of ammo down range. The Glock size is kind of oversized for pocket. Rock Island Armory Baby Rock 7. I an however new the these little pocket pistols though. My mother comes to mind. Just like the crazies that are carrying guns illegally and using them criminally. The chances of actually having to draw is really small, and the chances you're going up against someone who will shake off being shot are almost nil. I have two Walther PPK/s , and find them to be excellent! It is just fun to shoot, unlike most mouseguns.. Got one for the Mrs and liked it so much I got a second for myself. So, when it comes time that you have to rely on your 380, think long and hard about what's in your hand, and what ammo you are feeding it. Now here;'s the good about the LCP.It Feeds CRITICAL DEFENSE like a champ. cant make it jam off of Critical defense. Mine has more than 500 rounds with no malfunction other than slide failing to lock back after final round a couple of times. Well, at least the one I have. A design that has been manufactured for 91 years! I have no problem running ball and hollowpoint ammo in it. Ive used many .380s but the best is the bersa thunder 380 cc . I use Alien Gear IWB, and put the extra mag in my back pocket. I like how the CTC laser activates just from gripping the gun and not having to worry about finding a button to activate laser. You forget it's even there. I have just started working with some SIG Sauer V-Crown but dont have a good data set yet. I read your article and found it very interesting and somewhat informative. You forgot or ignored the Bersa Thunder 380. The only real way to know for certain how a gun is going to handle is to shoot it before you buy it. I've shot thousands of rounds through it and truly can't recall a FTE or FTF ever. They run like sewing machines. Whats your take on the LCP Max? That is why I also picked up the Baby Rock (a baby 45); solid steel frame made the same exact way Rock Island makes their 45's. Colt Mustang XSP Lite Polymer 8. Glock surprisingly snappy for its size and felt cheap. I wanted to LOVE the LCP because its SO easy to conceal. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. My wife carries the Sig P238 which is a great gun with very few issues. There are two primary uses for the LCP II: concealed carry and/or as a back-up pistol. Check out his new firearms site. I have no qualms on the 380 as a self defense weapon and am a strong believer in shot placement. I have carried and shot many many rounds through both my LCP 2 and my sig P238. As always, be safe out there and thanks for taking time to read this. There are some things that can help you greatly when it comes time to stop an attacker. you can see it on Ammoquest .380 youtube if you want to see how it performs..awesome round for the 380. Both are very easy to conceal and I never doubted the reliability should I ever need to use either. I am a little surprised that the Walther PK380 was not mentioned. Boy, did I sure miss out on that one. Items 1-24 of 285. All in all, I love it. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. Easy slide to manuever, feels great to shoot. I went to my range and rented one. 1. I always thought I needed to carry a 9 or 45 now I know I don't. Don't need that. Also, where is the Remington 380? The Bodyguard seems to work best with Fiocchi fmj, Hydrasocks, and WWB. I have an 84fs. Winchester 209 Primers Shotshell The non-corrosive and all-weather primers provide quick reliable ignition in any shooting conditions. I got a Bodyguard a couple years ago. Its not a subcompact pistol, but its much easier to shoot than a subcompact. Just my 2 cents. I have the kimber mucro 380 that i replaced with the new micro 9 with the laser grip and the extended mag and in a pocket holster when i wear shorts and it shoots great vwry easy to hit your target and it has a great trigger i have iver 30 hand guns but thats my favorite Pocket Gun next to that is my Glock 19 when I have regular clothes and i am a member and have the insurance and you guys are great very informative. The Gen 2 is about 8lbs of pull, Smooth all the way through and deliberate. Did you even consider the Springfield? The safety feature is no problem if you practice. What this means, is that if you squeeze the trigger and all that happens is a click, pulling it again will allow the cartridges primer to be struck a second time, hopefully firing it this time. Truth be told I would have paid him $100 to take it and another $50 to never mention that I had shown up with one on my possession. I get it you are thinking "carry the 9mm", but I like the lighter weight and low recoil of 380. so I need all 6 of 380 on target to make a stop, no problem, we practice constantly and hopefully I can do that, as shot placement is king. I have no issues at all deactivating the safety. I also have a Micro 9 which is a bit larger than the Micro 380. At the very least you should be able to place all of your rounds at center mass. And far closer in performance to the 22/25's than 38+P. I have a Bersa 383 DA I have carried for over 30 years. Have you tried magazine extender that permits 3 finger grip, or does that magazine you mentioned offer that? It's tough growing old, but it does beat the alternative. The LCP-II and LCP Max are very lightweight and have decent triggers. This has always been my approach. I have a Beretta 9 mm Storm carbine, and it's quality really impresses me. It's light. Thanks for your comment. I like my RM380. I'll be reviewing one soon, so keep an eye out! i would put it up against any you recommended plus i have twice the ammo for defense, While I have a number of guns, my carry gun is the Ruger LCP. For the short test, out of box function and flexibility of this gun is fine. LCP 2 has a long heavy trigger? It's actually fun to shoot, unlike a lot of small guns. You can still find some of the more garishly (rainbow?) Recently helped my niece choose one for herself and budget was part of the equation and she ended up with a Springfield Armory model 911 in .380 and she absolutely loves it - and says it is easy for her to use, load and maintain. Is it just me? Also, the penetration is very low. Has tritium night-sights, plus front sight is also fiber optic, they are excellent. Anyway, a great video. (ps: author disses the LCP II trigger, and I wonder if he was thinking of the original, or if the LCP II he had was a different trigger design, as my wife's II has a great trigger). For this reason, I recommend only 1911 style p238 firearm, hammer uncocked but a round in the chamber. Got rid of it and got a Sig P238 and a Glock 42. I'd suggest hitting local gun shops and getting a deal on some of the more"creatively designed" (ahem) versions out there. Top 5 380 ACP Pistols No. Shoots great with a CrimsonTrace laser. This innovation in 1929, was revolutionary in the world of weapons, and led to its adoption as a regulation and special services weapon, in almost all of Europe, and the rest of the world, countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, France, Brazil , Bolivia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Austria and even the secret services of England. I've heard the same thing about it being a bit picky on ammunition, but never experienced it. of this gun and not all were winners. The V-10 went back to SA, and they did a phenomenal job on the feed ramp. Good article but why did you leave out probably the best .380 out there, the SCCY CPX-3? Lol, the Glock 25 was made for countries with strict gun control. I appendix carry with a desantis holster. why is the .25 cal never up,i have a 1994 950bs that I shoot without using the sights [which are useless]at about 10 yards and have no problem hitting the target. I'm sure your testing will help out some of the other readers. I think you hit on a lot of good points. Also, it doesn't show up on Sig's website. There are basically two methods of thought when it comes to self-defense cartridges. Were you perhaps thinking of the first gen LCP? The lightweight gun comes in at 12.17 ounces, and it can be easily carried in nearly any manner you choose. Why Ruger makes its guns difficult to disable for cleaning is beyond me. It makes a HUGE difference! .380 pocket pistols have a well-deserved reputation for having some of the worst trigger pulls of any semi-automatic pistols on the market. These were offered decades ago for the Thompson-Center Contender. TOP TEN Bestest .380acp Pistols - YouTube 0:00 / 10:39 TOP TEN Bestest .380acp Pistols 180,878 views Jul 6, 2019 4.2K Dislike Share Save TheYankeeMarshal 357K subscribers This channel and TYMP. See ya at the range. - It's cheaper and has much more capacity than the Sig P238, the Kahr CW or the Ruger LCPII If it hits the other shooter's forehead, it the gun, maybe gun/ammunition combination. Hey, I understand! Mr. Lee, I disagree. I have always enjoyed the way this pistol feels and shoots. It's small size is great in my front pocket and performs great with my colleagues pressure drills. Have a P238 that is great. It goes on for miles and catches me off guard every time I go for more than a short time without firing it. Best 380 Pistols for Concealed Carry [2023] - Gun University Just for the 380 Kimber micro haven't shot it yet, hope it is not the ones that have the FTE problem. My original idea was to buy the S&W Bodyguard but after looking at both decided to go with the Ruger. Mine has misfired multiple times since I bought it. It can handle Plus P ammo and with the 3.75 inch barrel is extremely accurate. It had a single-stack magazine and a large thumb cut-out in the base of the frame, to supposedly make magazine removal easier. Your last paragraph says it all Bullet placement is the key. Increiblemente yo cazo con pistolas .380, desde liebres, grandes tats, lagartos extremadamente resistentes, avestruces (algunos de ms de 80 kilos) Uso una walther pp, capaz de poner 5 tiros hornady en 1.5 " pulgadas a 25 mts, apoyado.
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