380 pocket carry choice

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When I gave my long time pocket carry away to a relative six years ago, I started hunting for a new one. Think I checked out everything available at that time. The one that checked the most boxes feature wise was the Pico. I prefer DAO. I prefer a hammer. I want re-strike ability. Thin is better than wide. It has good sights. Take down is easy. The differing frames was a plus. I ended up with the laser. It has proven to be very reliable and very well made. I do change the recoil spring often but I've yet to have a malfunction. The Pico had the features and qualities I wanted. Other guns were ok too but this Pico had it all. It does feel a bit "funky" in the hand but it works well. Allows for good control and recoil is surprisingly light for such a tiny pistol.
 
usp9 said:
When I gave my long time pocket carry away to a relative six years ago, I started hunting for a new one. Think I checked out everything available at that time. The one that checked the most boxes feature wise was the Pico. I prefer DAO. I prefer a hammer. I want re-strike ability. Thin is better than wide. It has good sights. Take down is easy. The differing frames was a plus. I ended up with the laser. It has proven to be very reliable and very well made. I do change the recoil spring often but I've yet to have a malfunction. The Pico had the features and qualities I wanted. Other guns were ok too but this Pico had it all. It does feel a bit "funky" in the hand but it works well. Allows for good control and recoil is surprisingly light for such a tiny pistol.
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I have a Pico also and would like to change the recoil spring. Are you getting the spring from Beretta or someone else? Thanks
 
DustyGmt said:
Understood. Yeah I've never really excelled at shooting DAO revolvers but always made sure to practice DA when shooting revolvers. The LCP of mine I've shot periodically throughout the last decade, I'd say I've probably shot mine a heck of a lot more than most people shoot theirs since I carry it in my sweaty pocket pretty much year round and don't like to keep the same mag full for too long and when I expel those rounds to make room for new I always dust off the ol pocket rocket and shoot as much as my hands can bear.

For a tiny lil gun, and having pretty large hands, I actually shoot it quite well. I'm very familiar with the trigger and I think it's actually pretty decent. Has gotten better with time. I usually snap off 7rds one handed at about 5-7ft and then move back to around 15ft and can make a pretty tight group. I'm happy with it.

If I'm being honest I prefer my glock 43 and it will fit in some of my pockets but the LCP typically goes with me on some days out of laziness and convenience. It's all I can stand to carry while I'm working, doing electrical. I know a plumber who carries and doesn't care who sees it, I'm not that guy. I care.

(Eta) my uncle had a buddy who was breaking in his P3AT about 15 years ago. We pulled down his driveway while he was doing his break in "procedure" and it litterally sounded like lil 6-7rd bursts of full auto. When we pulled into view of Troy, he was sitting in a lawn chair with a 250rd case of UMC .380 and was about halfway through it, I didn't think much of it then but then after shooting that type of gun I wondered how in the actual hell did he shoot it so fast and for so many rounds. He was litterally just putting them into the dirt and he didn't seem fatigued at all, just very nonchalantly pumping a case of .380 through this tiny lil gun and doing it at speeds I didn't even think possible.......
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I dunno why but this made me chuckle, your uncle just dumping pricy 380 rounds into the dirt with a gun pretty well accepted as "not terribly fun to shoot ".
 
My Kahr P380 is by far the worst gun I’ve ever owned. Four return trips for warranty service, and it still isn’t trustworthy. Just a piece of Kahrap.

The third-generation Beretta Pico checks all the boxes for me. A lot of complaints about the trigger come from people whose experience with the gun is limited to the first-generation model. Sadly, though, I believe the gun has been discontinued.
 
defjon said:
I dunno why but this made me chuckle, your uncle just dumping pricy 380 rounds into the dirt with a gun pretty well accepted as "not terribly fun to shoot ".
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Well, it wasn't my uncle it was his friend "troy". Survivalist type, kind of guy who somehow knows you're coming a mile away. Think burt from the movie tremors. I was younger then and just thought he was shooting a gun fast and no big deal, but when I got that same type of gun I thought back to that day and wondered just how in the hell did he shoot that awful gun so fast without his hand locking up. I feel like I would be in miserable pain after 100+ rounds of .380 through that gun.......lol. he said he wasn't going to carry it until he went through that brick of .380 rapid fire, no cleaning.
 
I like my Sig P238 and have carried it since I bought back in 2014. I think there are just as good or better choices for a CCW. Everyone has their personal favorites. Everyone needs to determine what works best for them.
 
Eugen said:
I like my Sig P238 and have carried it since I bought back in 2014. I think there are just as good or better choices for a CCW. Everyone has their personal favorites. Everyone needs to determine what works best for them.
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Its really a need, mechanical and ergonomics thing. If it fits your hand, easy to carry and shoot, and has all the safety features (or lack thereof) then it may be right for you. This is when a fully equipped pistol range with a variety of makes and models might be handy. Many "buy and cry".

I always suggest that DAO, non striker fired, no safety whatsoever, no spur hammer is best.

In addition, my brand new barber noticed my rm380 tucked deep into the backpocket of my Carhart overalls when i climbed into the chair. He initially (and tactfully) expressed concern about possibility of an AD. In less than a minute he calmed down when i explained that its mechanism cannot be left cocked nor can the spurless hammer catch on anything. Only a full pull of the trigger will work. The possession of a ccw sealed the deal. I do not know why most CCW classes fail to mention these important facts.
 
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mrray13 said:
Owned a P3AT and a TCP, both are long gone, but the TCP was definitely the better of the two and it wasn’t close. The wife had a S&W Bodyguard. It was more accurate than the TCP, but the TCP had a better trigger. It’s long gone as well.

The CW380 was mentioned earlier, I have it’s bigger brother, the CW9. Small, light, reliable, easy to shoot, why carry a 380 when 9 can be just as easily concealed?
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Because no 9mm is as small as the smallest micro pistols, and even .380 in those is too snappy for some
 
had a DB9, too snappy, Replaced with DB 380 Had to send it back for poor feeding. All fixed. very small, very accurate and easy for me to shoot.
 
I know it’s not the nicest one out there (nor the worst), but my .380 Bodyguard works reliably and is as big as an LCP. It’s my most carried firearm because of how easy it is to carry.
 
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The nicest .380 I have ever shot is a Browning 1911-380. It uses the same breach lock that the full size 1911 does which makes it an extremely smooth shooter. MUCH nicer than a blow back .380 in my opinion. All of the other 380's that look like a 1911 that I have shot have been blow back and no where near as nice to shoot. I love the look, heft and long grip of the Colt 380 government (a larger Mustang) but it does not shoot as nice as it looks when comparing it to the Browning 1911-380.

For daily carry I usually carry my DB9. Snappy? Yes, of course, it is a small light weight gun shooting a 9mm round. Other than snappy I have found it completely controllable and pretty accurate for its size. The DB9 is a carry weapon, not a range toy. A couple of magazines an outing is all that I want to shoot it. But I do understand the DB9 is not for everyone.

In summer I am usually carrying my original LCP. It is a perfect pocket gun.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that weight is as big if not bigger factor for me over size and bulk. I carried my NAA Guardian for at least a decade before I decided to try a polymer pistol. The light weight of the polymer pistols make a HUGE difference... and don't make my pants want to ride down around my butt crack like a rapper.

0128192150-jpg.jpg

1911's are probably my favorite pistol to shoot! But it is not what I want in a carry piece. I don't want a single action cocked and locked in my pocket. It did take me a while to get comfortable carrying a polymer with no safety and a heavy trigger but I am very comfortable with them now. Maybe if I carried a small blow back 380 that looks like a 1911 I would get used to it too.
 
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I used to own a Colt Pocket Lite and Pocket II. IMHO they are anything but pocket carry handguns and were best carried in a belt holster. They were both fine shooters but I ended up selling them both because if I had to strap on a holster I might as well carry a .38 or 9 mm.

For a dedicated pocket carry .380 I went with a Keltec P3AT which I purchased before Ruger brought their version out. It works fine for its intended purpose but was not a fun gun to shoot at all due to the snappy recoil and trigger pinching my finger. I still drop it into my pocket on occasion.
 
My wish has always been a .380, perhaps a bit larger than an LCP. Make it a little more pleasant to shoot, and make it tolerate a bunch of shooting.
Maybe just described a G42, but it's bigger than ideal.
We need a real Baby Bear's porridge gun.
Moon
 
halfmoonclip said:
My wish has always been a .380, perhaps a bit larger than an LCP. Make it a little more pleasant to shoot, and make it tolerate a bunch of shooting.
Maybe just described a G42, but it's bigger than ideal.
We need a real Baby Bear's porridge gun.
Moon
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That's why many of us think there should be more .32 ACP pocket pistols. Most of the pleasant to shoot .380's are Glock 42 and larger.
 
halfmoonclip said:
My wish has always been a .380, perhaps a bit larger than an LCP. Make it a little more pleasant to shoot, and make it tolerate a bunch of shooting.
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The LCP MAX is barely bigger (height and grip width) than the LCP II. The SIG P365-380 is just a smidge bigger and 4oz heavier than the MAX. I own 2 of each. The SIGs are my favorite because they're much softer shooting and more accurate. The MAX has its place though, because it's lighter and a bit smaller.
 
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