How many of you own a 380?

[RainDodger]

TennJed, thanks for the kind words. The BDA 380 is really a nicely made pistol. That's one reason why I keep it - it's just a nice piece of engineering. Believe it or not, this one has never malfunctioned, though I probably have not put 500 rounds through it total. It's just a bit bigger and heavier than I want in a carry pistol. I have too many others that are similarly sized with more capability, shall we say. It shoots well though and a number of my friends say that they want first shot at it if I ever decide to let it go. If you find a nice one, pick it up. I don't think they'll ever be cheap though. I see them locally, once in a while. They've ranged from $400 for a pretty used one, to $700 for a very, very nice one that looked nearly new.

As for carrying a .380... yeah, I wouldn't want to stand in front of one for sure! It's far better than a rock. For me though, I carry either my .38 Super 4" 1911 or my XDs in .45ACP.

 

[TarDevil]

I have a .380, not worth showing off. Fun for plinking and target shooting.

"Would I want to get shot with a .380?" I wouldn't want to get shot with a pellet gun. But a bad guy full of ill intent isn't thinking, "Does my intended victim carry a .380 or a .500 magnum?" And when the shooting starts, he isn't gonna analyze the size or depth holes my gun makes.

If I do my job and place all the bullets perfectly, nearly any gun would do. Wish I lived in a perfect world.

There's not a thing in my wardrobe that prevents me from carrying my compact 9mm, and that's what goes with me... every time. Business or casual... summer or winter. I make that happen.

It's just a personal choice. I don't carry a gun for the way I dress... I dress for the gun I need to carry, and I feel I do my best with my compact 9mm with a spare 17 mag on my belt or in my pocket. It's the gun that lets me put the most holes in the smallest space in the least amount of time.

Again... it's a personal choice. I get that plenty of people feel adequately armed with pocket .380's, and I very well may be in overkill. But overkill might not be so bad when the chips are in play.

I may change my mind some day. But for now... "altitude above you, runway behind you, and a caliber too small" is my mantra.

 

[amd6547]

I pocket carry a P3AT all the time.
Shooting it made me re-evaluate the 380.
Right now, I have a Beretta 84F on order from Coles Distributing. They have quite a few 84's that are Israeli police surplus at bargain prices, on gunbroker.
Beretta has stopped importing the 84F, so I look at this pistol as a shootable investment. Since I am already buying 380 for my KelTec, I'm not adding another caliber to my line up.
I can't wait to get my new Beretta to the range.

 

[hammerklavier]

the 380 does not have the best ballistics or stopping power

I can't think of a single gun that has the best ballistics or stopping power that would fit under my shirt. That said, I alternate between a S&W BG380 and a S&W M&P 40C, depending on what clothes I'm wearing.

 

[arizona98tj]

Before anyone gets upset....I'm posting this only because I used it to kid a friend of mine when he got a .380. I had gotten my Springfield XD-S .45ACP shortly before that and so we had a rivalry going on, so to speak. Don't any get all cranked up about it. It's here just for fun.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I have no problems carrying the .380 acp. It's a gun that always leaves the house, no matter the attire. Better than no gun imo.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Kel Tec , PPK/S , Bersa, or old Colt Mustang depending on where Iam going and weather .

 

[skoro]

Don't any get all cranked up about it. It's here just for fun.

I have both a P3AT and an XDs45 in my carry rotation. I prefer the XDs, but carry the P3AT more often. It's just fits my pockets better. I feel well armed with either, though. That said, I sure like having the 45acp as an option. The little Springer is a nice subcompact.

 

[Rexster]

Getting old; fairly new to .380 ACP

Arthritis is really starting to hurt my right wrist. It just so happens that Walther PP and PPK/s pistols work very well in either hand, with practical accuracy more like service pistols than pocket pistols, and their recoil is presently below the notably-painful threshold when fired right-handed. I do still carry a 9mm Glock most of the time, for left-hand draw; the PPK/s is more of a replacement for snubby revolver secondary guns, as my right hand is my new weaker hand.

I do, indeed, normally pack a second gun, as for nearly three decades, the taxpayers have expected me to do things that make criminals dislike me. Plus, being functionally ambidextrous, it has seemed sensible to have a weapon accessible to each hand. When I retire, perhaps as soon as mid-2014, I may start carrying a pair of Walthers when I do not feel like dressing around a G17. (I would still like to have the Glock handy, perhaps in my camera bag.)

Working big-city police patrol, I have seen the aftermath of quite a few shootings in which the .380 worked well enough, when well-placed. This has caused me to soften my long-held low regard for the .380 ACP.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

Ahh, the ol'9mm short. I have a few .380's. My favorite is my Walther or possibly my Cheetah. I hit really well with both of them. I have a Ruger LCP in .380 as well but it seems to spend most of it's time in my wife's purse. Lately she has had her eye on the Taurus TCP but hasn't made a decision yet. Anyway, back to the point. They're small and easier to conceal if I am dressed nicely. I hit well with them and the recoil is hardly noticeable for a guy my size.

 

[epoletna]

Walther PPK/s was my carry gun for a long time. Every time I looked at the size of those bullets I wondered if they'd stop anyone. Now I carry a Sig in .40 and don't wonder any longer.

 

[browningguy]

Although I normally carry either a 9mm or .40 on occasion I do step out with a .380, and just added another to the stable. In carryable .380's I've got a couple of Bersas, a S&W Bodyguard, and just added a Walther PK 380. The first 3 are very slim and very easy to carry concealed, the PK 380 has a very easy to rack slide and really light recoil which suits my wife very well (she has RA and has hand strength issues). When I'm walking down to the mailbox, or just running up to Lowes to pick something up it's very convenient to just slip one of these little guns in my pocket and head out. I also shoot these a lot better than similar size 9mm's.

A funny thing I just realized when looking in the desk drawer is that all my .380's have lasers. I actually never meant for that to happen but it just seems to have evolved that way.

 

[JohnKSa]

My primary carry caliber is 9mm, but I can not always dress to accommodate.

In formal situations, I have to go with a smaller gun (which is chambered in .380ACP) and a completely different carry mode.

I carry the .380 between 4% and 17% of the time I carry.

 

[Chocolate Bayou]

If you count the one I bought for my wife to carry in her purse, then I own one. Otherwise I would not have one in my collection. I would much prefer single stack 9mm for the same duties that most people use a .380 for.

 

[leprechaun50]

When my wife and I took our carry class, there was a lady that was approximately 70 yrs old that was shooting a .380 to qualify. After she shot her 50 rounds from various distances the instructor went up to her target and placed his hand over the heart area on the target. All the rounds fired had hit the target in the area covered by his hand. I don't know what brand pistol she was shooting, but obviously it would serve her well.

Actually there were several targets placed one on top of the other after each course. By the time he got to the back target there was one hole that fit under his hand.

This obviously wasn't her first rodeo.

 

[lobo9er]

I thought that was a good ad for the xds. Still the xds is bit big for pocket carry compared to a lil 380's. I personally like the 380 alot, but I would enjoy owning a xds too. Carrying anything bigger than a 380 all day isn't possible for me, I think theres plenty others who feel the same.

 

[TUBBY1]

Easy to carry, expensive to shoot, still I need one. Lcp with crimson trace still my best pocket pistol. Bond arms ck2000 fits pocket but weighs too much. 380 wins best pocket pal. The rest are belt or holster. Not my favorite gun but my favorite conceal in light or summer clothing.

 

[jimbo555]

Beretta 84bb is the only 380 I own, it's a pleasure to shoot and easy on the eyes.

 

[Eb1]

I enjoy my Bersa .380. It is accurate, and in 500 rounds hasn't failed once. Great to carry IWB, also.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I own two .380 pistols,,,

A Beretta Cheetah Model 85,,,
And a Bersa Thunder 380.

I like medium sized pistols with low recoil,,,
The Beretta Cheetah lives in my briefcase/holster,,,
The Bersa Thunder is just something I wanted to own one of.

I have every caliber from .22 rimfire through .44 Magnum,,,
I feel perfectly safe and well-armed with my 380's.

Aarond

.

 

[Eb1]

I was with some armed forces guys who do special missions at a bond fire on NYE. He asked what I had on me as we shoot together, and he knows I have a few different carry guns.
I told him I had my Bersa 380 on me. He didn't know I had gotten one. The first words out if his mouth was "a good round", and he wasn't being sarcastic.
I was shocked. That he said "a good round" as I thought he was going to be one of the bashers.

 

[Smith357]

The whole point of carrying is to carry, so it's nice to have something to use when the .45 or .357 is just too big. Is the little pocket .380 the best, no, but when you need a gun, it's better than that .45 left at home.

 

[420Stainless]

Bought a PPK/s long before the polymer .380s hit the market, primarily for pocket carry. When the Kel-Tecs first came out I decided to hold out for the small 9s, then messed around long enough that the PM45 came out. I skipped over all those smaller bores. However, an 8oz .380ACP still has a great deal of appeal as far as ease of carry goes.

 

[LT.Diver]

I never understood the appeal of the .380. Just about the same size and weight you can carry a .357 magnum, a 9x19 and just about any othe caliber. I even prefer my .22 wmr J-frame for a pocket gun vs the .380.
Don't get me wrong; I don't think any less of those who like them. Go for it! I just don't get why I'd want a 9mm short when I can have a 9mm-P in the same size package.
I did fire an older PPK/S a while back. Good looking, classic gun and I always wanted to try one. I found it heavy with a very rough trigger and it had more sharp edges than a broken bottle. Pretty gun though.

 

[PRM]

Got a Browning 1910 .380 that is in pristine condition. Rarely carry it. If I'm going for a smaller semi-auto, I'll up my Walther .32 PP any day. It's accurate, flawless in operation, and has a 9 shot (8+1) capability. Just my personal preference.

LT. Diver, agree on the .22WMR. My NAA Black Widow is an always gun regardless of anything else I might have. The magnum frame, two inch heavy barrel, and over size grips make it a really accurate firearm that carries like a pocket knife.