.380's are unreliable

[Soke]

Was hoping you guys could tell me where this comes from as I have heard it several times from different people. Is this true or false?

 

[The Bushmaster]

Mostly false. Walther PPK and PPK/S come to mind. Plus other quality .380's.

 

[lee n. field]

.380's are unreliable

Probably depends on the gun.

I have one, a .380 makarov. It's been 5 or 6 years since I've shot it, but it was quite reliable. Only malfs were with some quite underpowered handloads, and Winchester Winclean.

 

[highorder]

I have heard people say that the .380 is an unreliable manstopper, but I haven't heard too much about unreliable .380 pistols.

 

[usp9]

Some of the most reliable guns available are made for the .380acp round. Some are classic firearms, much used, much relied upon and have sellar reputations. Among these the Walther PP series, Beretta 70 and 81 series, Sig P230/232, Bersas, and many others. Your pistol information sources sound a little less than well informed IMHO.

 

[Soke]

Your pistol information sources sound a little less than well informed IMHO.

I agree.

This post really cleared that up, thanks a lot.

 

[rswartsell]

Even my Hungarian FEG PPK knockoff has been 100% reliable. Not pretty anymore but certainly reliable.

Revisit the attached range report below.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7398&highlight=range+report

 

[rondog]

My Bersa Thunder .380 is very reliable, but the .380 round itself I'm not so sure about. Might have to use several of them to stop a determined BG.

 

[dairycreek]

Was hoping you guys could tell me where this comes from as I have heard it several times from different people. Is this true or false?

Based on my personal experience with .380 pistols I think that the statement is false!

I have three: a Kel-Tec P3AT (second generation), a CZ83, and a SIG 232. I have fired each of these handguns hundreds of times and have never had any kind of a problem. In my experience the .380 has been highly reliable.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

No different than other calibers. It depends on the actual firearm. 380's are made by some cheap companies. Those will be unreliable.

I had a sig 232. Worked 100%. Currently have a makarov. It has also worked flawlessly to date.

 

[19-3Ben]

My Sig P232SL can run about 250 rounds down the barrel before experiencing failures. But once you hit that 250 number, it's not a matter of if it will fail, but a matter of when.

Most people I know with 232's say the same.

But if I keep it clean, it will run any ammo, and do a great job.

 

[XDKingslayer]

Bersas can be touchy with aftermarket magazines. Mine has run flawless for a couple thousand rounds with factory mags.

 

[slow944]

I've got a Taurus PT58s and it has never failed to go bang. Even after sitting in the gun safe uncleaned for a couple of months(forgot to clean it), I took my daughter to the range for her to learn to shoot and it ran 100rds of CCI Blazer ammo without a hitch. Now she carries it.

 

[blackcash88]

My PPK/s and 2nd gen P3AT are reliable.

 

[VARifleman]

I have one, a .380 makarov. It's been 5 or 6 years since I've shot it, but it was quite reliable. Only malfs were with some quite underpowered handloads, and Winchester Winclean.

A .380 makarov, or a 9x18 makarov? The latter is common, I've never heard of a mak in 9x17.

 

[Girodin]

I wouldn't describe my Colt mustang as unreliable. In fact I cannot recall it ever having an issue.

 

[rswartsell]

or the Government Model Colt in .380. Also very reliable for me (very similar to Girodin's Mustang).

 

[EHL]

Both my P3at and my Walther PPKS have been top notch!!

 

[TexasRifleman]

Bersa Thunder, 500+ rounds with no malfunctions.

P3AT, 250+ rounds with no malfunctions.

Sig 232, 350+ rounds with no malfunctions.

Yep. Pretty crappy.

 

[doc busha]

.380 short 9

Boys, Boys, Boys;
Thats why GOD made the 45 ACP

 

[lee n. field]

A .380 makarov, or a 9x18 makarov? The latter is common, I've never heard of a mak in 9x17

Baikal in Russia and Arsenal in Bulgaria both made Maks chambered in 9x17. The magazines are the same. For the mechanically adept conversion barrels can be had.

.380 short 9

9mm == ".380 Long"

 

[goon]

Any time you hear someone say something that general about a caliber they probably don't have any idea what they're talking about.

I just isn't possible to make that kind of generalization based only on caliber. A whole lot more than that comes into play when you're talking about mechanical reliability.

 

[searcher451]

There's no question and no debate as to whether the .380 ACP has the stopping power of, say, a .45. At the same time, a great many people use the .380, carry the .380, and trust their lives to a .380 cartridge every single day. I'm one of them. I have a Walther PPK/S and won't leave home without it.

 

[blackcash88]

I have a Walther PPK/S and won't leave ome without it.

PPK/s...why? You can have a REAL 9mm in a smaller, lighter package these days. I still have my PPK/s, but never carry it anymore because my Kahr PM9 replaced it in it's intended role. I still like the PPK/s and it does have that James Bond coolness going for it.

You can put the +1 extension on a Kel-Tec P3AT mag and have EXACTLY the same capacity and firepower as the PPK/s in a MUCH small, lighter package. My 2nd gen P3AT has been very reliable and will feed anything I put through it.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If we're talking cycling reliability, I agree this is more a function of the handgun than the cartridge. A Beretta Cheetah, for example, is more likely to be reliable than, say, a Jennings.