.380 auto or .38 revolver thingie for ankle gun?

[twoblink]

I like a .357Snubbie in the ankle.. The snubbies are fairly accurate, and you can shoot 38Spls out of them, but I like the .357Mags for logistical reasons... I can shoot 38's out of a 357, but not 357's out of a 38. That's a big difference; if I carry a revolver for a sidearm, it will probably be a 357, and so I'd like both guns to be able to take the same rounds..

.38Spl in a Semi-Wadcutter is a seriously decent ankle thingie... If you pull the trigger and it goes "click" pull it again!! That's what I love about revolvers... No need to tap-rack-bang!

 

[twoblink]

Skunk,

Don't forget, semi-auto's, the bullet sits in the barrel, on revolvers, the bullet does not.

So a 3.25" semi-auto actually has the same barrel length as a snubbie with a 2" barrel... Make sure you take that into account...

Snubbies have surprising low recoil, if you aren't shooting hot .357Mags... The gap between the cylinder and the barrel, allows for blowby... .38Spls are pussycats in most snubbies..

Taurus makes quite a few Titanium models. But I can tell you, shooting 357's from Ti's is a hand buster!! Also, as a snubbie owner, a 357Mag from a snubbie has a flame trail like a foot long or so!! If you don't hit the perp, you will at least blind him, and make him deaf...

 

[Forseti]

With the new Kel Tec .380 coming out, I would take a hard look at it. Weight/size looks very attractive for ankle carry. http://www.kel-tec.com/pr03.htm

 

[branrot]

I hope my earlier post wasn't causing any confusion. The hammerless S&W titanium .38 is the 342ti. There was a typo in my earlier post when I said 344ti.

 

[380fan]

I choose the 380 Kel-Tec P3AT over my 38/Taurus 85

I have found the 38 Ultralite to be too heavy and hard to conceal to carry at all times,versus the light weight of the Kel-Tec P3AT which I simply place in a small holster and place in my front pocket,it is no more noticeable to me than my wallet or S&W SWAT pocket knife.
As for accuaracy and reliability;I took two new P3AT's to the range to break them in with 95 Grain Winchester Hardball Target Rounds and was immdiately impressed when aiming at the head portion of the paper targets,moving them back until I felt very comfortable with the accuaracy at aprx 15 yards.
I cannot get anywhere near this kind of accuaracy with my 38 Snub which I also brought.I ran 75 rounds thru each Kel-Tec with no failures.My wife however did expeirence one jam with each Kel-Tec,but on Kel-Tec's behalf she is too weak to chamber a round on my CZ52 so it appears to be her not the firearm.She has no problem chambering the Kel-Tecs.
On the other hand,I do not keep a bullett in the chamber on my P3AT and I leave a bullett out on the Taurus 38,so for quick deployment if needed up front the 38 would be beneficial.However,I find more often than not the 38 to get left behind and the P3AT to be a real Carry it Everyewhere item.In a car jacking scenerio or a self defense item at a random shooting I would feel more confident at a distance with the 380 because I do not know how to accurately aim a snubby 38,I am very good with a 4" barrel revolver and wish they would come out with a light weight 11 oz 38 revolver 3 round if need be that would be accurate and reasonable for concealed carry and comfort.