Recommend a .380acp

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For some reason, this Thread popping back up caused me to check my Firearms Index ... and I found that I am in my 10th year of carrying my KelTec PF9 (9x19) and in my 11th year of carrying my KelTec P3AT (9x17). :what: WHOA!

Just doesn't seem like anywhere near that long ...
 
Bersa Thunder or 2 times the price a Colt Mustang or the SIG version .

KelTec 380 not sure you like trigger or recoil. Mines 10 yrs old and running fine
 
Actually I already have a Kahr CM9 and a Beretta Nano. I've only put a couple hundred rounds through each of them. I probably need to compare the Kahr to the size of the LCP which makes a perfect pocket gun.

My E.D.C. is my Sig P-938.
 
Kel-Tec P3AT.

Why support the Little Copied Pistol when you can get the original? You will also receive the LIFETIME warranty and OUTSTANDING customer service, if you need it.

Unless you have very small hands you will need to buy the 9 round "extended" magazine, either from the dealer or directly from Kel-Tec. It will run you around $ 35 with the shipping and give you 9+1 capacity.

Like any very lightweight autoloader, you will need to LOCK your wrist when firing or you may get a failure to extract and a jam. IF you can't remember to do that then you really need a revolver.
 
My Taurus TCP and Remington RM380 have both been reliable, easy to carry and easy to shoot. The RM380 is a little heavier and a little wider than most pocket 380s but it is still tiny.
 
I find my Taurus tcp 380 the perfect pocket belly gun. it has served me well for many years.. azrn
 
GLOCK 42 gets my vote

In a .380ACP pocket carry, the GLOCK 42 is my choice. It has been totally reliable, shoots well with mild recoil for a gun this small and light.
You can often find it right about $400.00. It is my first choice for pocket carry.

The BERETTA 84 & 85 Cheetah are just as reliable, if not more so than the GLOCK 42, but are large compared to the GLOCK and a poor choice for pocket carry.
As a holster gun or low recoil house/car gun, it would be hard to beat. The large grip, good trigger and sights make it a fine, accurate shooter. The choice of a single column or double stack magazine is a nice bonus, but it is not cheap!

My other recommended .380ACP would be the SIG 232. ALSO PRICEY, BUT WORTH IT!
The SIG is a little easier to conceal than the BERETTA, but still too big to pocket carry. I know, because I did it for a while. Really good trigger and sights make it an accurate gun for this size class.
Very good ergonomics. Very reliable, but I have read that it may not be as reliable as the GLOCK 42 or BERETTA Cheetah. I have personally not found a difference. I think, the SIG 232 is still reliable enough that you may never notice the difference. I often choose it as my home gun for the night stand (it has night sights).

The Walther PP and PPK are very well made and usually reliable. The many manufacturers involved make it a bit of a crap shoot for reliability and quality.

The PP is really too large to pocket carry. It is slightly longer than the SIG 232 and about the same height, but heavier than the aluminum framed SIG models.

Several years ago, I went with a .32ACP PPK instead of a stainless .380ACP PPK/S because the trigger action on the INTERARMS made guns was so gritty and the S&W made PPK/S, which had a good trigger and an extended grip tang (important for those with large hands)was $300.00 more than the .32ACP PPK, which was a genuine, German made WALTHER.
I found that the PP was no more accurate than the smaller PPK and due to the different grip design, the PPK was more comfortable to shoot.
A quality PPK or PPK/S should be a good pocket gun, but will by costly and heavier than the GLOCK 42.

I had a COLT Government model .380ACP Lightweight model and it shoot quite well, but was a little bulky for pocket carry. The cocked and locked, single action trigger did not inspire trust with me. I am firmly in the double action/safe action camp.

Good luck with your choice.

Jim
 
... I've had several. The Ruger LCP (custom - if you can get it) would be my pick if I could only own one.
( A great value, reliable, easy to carry, parts & mags are easy to get, wide variety of ammo that is very accurate for the sub-3" barrel.)
 
Carried my little LCP for 7 years, then retired it in favor of this awesome Kahr CT380 which is slightly larger than the CW380 because it is a 7+1:

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I used to carry an LCP, but just had to have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite. I carried the Pocketlite for over a year. One day I found some LCP's in sale locally for right at $200 and thought why not have one again. Took them both to the range. On that trip to the range, half of the rear sight on the Colt simply fell off while shooting. Just a chunk off the right side.

Colt Mustang is a cool gun with a nice trigger. But Colt put a cheap front sight on it, the rear sight was probably made of melted matchbox cars, and the roll stamp on the left side of the slide is crooked.

The LCP is running just fine, and they have 7-round magazines for them now.
 
I figure Glock's .380 may have the bugs worked-out by now. I may check recent user reports, and then, if favorable, try one. The manual-of-arms will match my usual duty/carry handguns.

The only .380 I own, presently, is a West German Walther PPK/s, which probably would not be seen as reasonably-priced. I can share magazines when my wife is carrying her PP, made in the unified Germany. The PP and PPK/s fit my hands very well.

FWIW, my default minimum carry gun is a 9mm G19. A .380 is not my usual primary or secondary carry gun.
 
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I figured I would contribute my .02 to this thread since nobody brought it up. Has nobody owned or fired the Kimber Micro?? I recently purchased and am still waiting on it to arrive, but I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned it. Many mentions of the Sig models which are actually comparable in price to the pistol I chose to go with. Mine includes night sights and pistol grips. I chose the raptor model in black for $720 OTD at my LGS. If anybody cares for a little review once I get it in and am able to put a few down range I'll be more than happy to do so. :)
 
Shoot a few and see what's good for you. You can't rely on others experiences with guns. Other that reliability and function. I carry a PM(, which is a 9mm, because it isn't much larger than the small 380's, and smaller than many. But that's not what you asked, I have carried a PPK's, for 20 years, but only because at the time, there were no smaller guns in either caliber, now you have choices that you did not have 30+ years ago.
 
The 2 I have owned and shot that didn't kick (thumb) are the Bersa Thunder and Sig P-238. I have also owned the S&W Bodyguard which is OK except for the long trigger pull. I have heard nasty stories about the Taurus, but you will always hear these..... Not tried others....
 
I have a Keltec and my wife has an LCP. These guns are straight up self defense weapons and don't pretend to be anything else. I've been reading about trigger pulls, resets, sight improvements etc and find it funny. These guns are NOT target guns; they are designed for across the table, under 15 foot encounters of the most dangerous kind. Most of the time these types of guns will pointed at whatever large area on the bad guy presents itself and the trigger will be pulled until the magazine is empty and you are able to disengage and run. At this point how crisp the trigger pull is, or when/how it resets are really moot points. Don't over think this - the snub revolver is very capable of hitting target out to 100 yards, but are you going to practice that way? The small pocket .380 is a defensive tool that meets a very specific set of circumstances. If you want better accuracy or more capacity or better sights, or a better trigger, buy something else.
 
I figured I would contribute my .02 to this thread since nobody brought it up. Has nobody owned or fired the Kimber Micro?? I recently purchased and am still waiting on it to arrive, but I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned it. Many mentions of the Sig models which are actually comparable in price to the pistol I chose to go with. Mine includes night sights and pistol grips. I chose the raptor model in black for $720 OTD at my LGS. If anybody cares for a little review once I get it in and am able to put a few down range I'll be more than happy to do so. :)
I would like to hear your review when you get a chance, please.
 
I would like to hear your review when you get a chance, please.
I would love to! I'll shoot some video with it and take pictures as well. I'm just not sure how long it's going to be before I get it in, it's already been a few months since I ordered it. My LGS says it could be a week or it could be 6 months, it's up to Kimber. So....lets hope it doesn't take 4 more months!
 
Thanks very much. No rush - I'll just keep an eye out for it.


Although I don't think I am in the market for more .380 pistols (learned to never say never), I am still interested. The review will be good info and sure to help out anyone considering that model.
 
Thanks very much. No rush - I'll just keep an eye out for it.


Although I don't think I am in the market for more .380 pistols (learned to never say never), I am still interested. The review will be good info and sure to help out anyone considering that model.
I haven't seen much interest for that particular model on here which is kind of surprising. I'm super excited to get it in and feed it!
 
I vote for the glock 42. Perfect size and is a lot of fun to shoot. Definitely one of my favorite cc guns.
 
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