Kimber makes .380's now

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The Colt Model M (1903/1908) pistols were very expensive to manufacture (which is why Colt discontinued them after WW2), and today wouldn't be considered drop-safe unless they added an internal firing pin block. They were fabulous weapons in their day but are somewhat dated now.

Some folks may like the pocket nines, but in my experience they're a bit too hot to easily handle. The blowback .380's are just as bad, in fact I sold a Bersa Thunder .380 after owning it for only a few months simply because it hurt my hand when I shot it. And yet I just bought a Kahr P380, and the recoil to me feels like I'm shooting a Glock 19. A bit snappy, but perfectly manageable. It's important to be able to easily control the weapon in rapid fire, and if for example you can shoot a .32 better than a .380 then go with the smaller caliber. Neither one is a manstopper, but they're even less so if you can't hit the center X fast and easily.
 
dsk said:
The Colt Model M (1903/1908) pistols were very expensive to manufacture (which is why Colt discontinued them after WW2), and today wouldn't be considered drop-safe unless they added an internal firing pin block. They were fabulous weapons in their day but are somewhat dated now.

Some folks may like the pocket nines, but in my experience they're a bit too hot to easily handle. The blowback .380's are just as bad, in fact I sold a Bersa Thunder .380 after owning it for only a few months simply because it hurt my hand when I shot it. And yet I just bought a Kahr P380, and the recoil to me feels like I'm shooting a Glock 19. A bit snappy, but perfectly manageable. It's important to be able to easily control the weapon in rapid fire, and if for example you can shoot a .32 better than a .380 then go with the smaller caliber. Neither one is a manstopper, but they're even less so if you can't hit the center X fast and easily.
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I guess it's perception, but the Bersa is really a soft shooter for me.
 
For me it wasn't the recoil itself, but the fact that the backstrap pummeled the hypothenar muscles (heel) of my hand which hurt like hell after just a few rounds. It simply proves that there's no one gun for everybody.
 
My LGS just showed me that Micro .380 yesterday. She knows I am a Kimber owner and enthusiast. It is in the new catalog, and is on their website now. But I am in that catalog and on that website pretty regularly, and that is the first I've seen of it.

I just sold my LCP yesterday and put a Kahr CW380 on order, so she made sure to show me the Micro .380. :)

That Micro .380 is a good looking pistol, but a bit more than I am ready to spend on a .380, at least for now. I was looking at a Solo, though... :)
These have actually been out for a couple of years now.
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I don't believe so. Please see above.
 
The picture above is from SHOT 2012 and that's a little over a year ago. How much was that store asking?
 
We sometimes forget that the .380 was the official caliber for military and police before the 9mm or higher calipers were introduced. Seemed to be effective then and with the newer ammo designs even more so now. Never felt underarmed with my Bersa which concealed and carried easier than my Glock or 1911s. I carry my Bersa as a pocket, just in case, piece. On trips and excursions I still take my Glock 19. My Kimbers are range guns since I do not wish to donate to the PD if they choose to take as evidence.
 
My point was that, just because there is something newer, the older ammo is still an effective round. Us old f****s find it easier to carry smaller arms. I can afford a horse but not a tank (grin).
 
In most other countries the 9mm is considered a very powerful handgun round and normally reserved for the military. The .32 and .380 are considered adequate for police use. Of course in most of these countries there is little threat of an opponent being armed with anything more than a knife or tire iron. We carry large calibers in this country simply because the criminals are often better armed than the good guys, and and they usually travel in packs as well.
 
smalls said:
They used to ride horses before they had tanks, too.
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The horse still has advantages in some areas, such as mountainous and rocky terrain.

Anyway, I have a few 380 ACP pistols. They still have a place and improvements in ammo combined with the locking breach pistols have helped.

Before I owned my Kahr PM9, I might have carried one of the 380s, but now, there is no real advantage. If recoil is a problem, I can carry standard pressure 9mm ammo.

I plan to keep my 380 ACP pistols and they still make good backup guns. They will just not be the primary weapon.

There is clearly a market for the little 380 and everyone seems to have to sell them to be relevant. Also, in some countries, military rounds, such as the 9mm, are not legal.
 
Now with the .45, Springfield needs to make a XDs in 50 caliber like the desert eagle. Would be a hoot to see that big bore on a micro pistol. Bet be fun to shoot!
 
I don't disagree that there's still a market for the micro .380's, but it seems like the trend is shifting towards the pocket 9's as of lately.
 
When I first started shopping for a micro .380 I took a look at the small pocket nines as well. What you need to understand is that for some us every ounce or fraction of an inch makes a difference. If you're 6' 2" and 240lbs a small 9mm will disappear into your front pocket very easily. But when I tried them (5' 6", 165) they made me look like I was coming on to whoever I was looking at. And no, simply covering a gun doesn't make it "concealed" if there's a telltale bulge that alerts co-workers and attentive individuals that you have something rather large in your pocket. If you really need it to completely disappear it must be as small, light, and flat as possible. For some of us that means a micro .380.
 
I really like the micro size, 1911 style 380's (mustang, micro carry & p238), and 9's (p938).

Other than significantly larger/heavier versions like the SA EMP, are there any other similarly sized/operated pistols out there? This size pistol does not provide enough grip for me to accurately handle a DA-length trigger pull.

Andy
 
Guys with really big hands are probably the ones most critical of micro .380s. Of course those same guys are probably big enough to conceal something larger anyway. The alleged solution for guys who can't get a good grip on small autos is the extended magazine, which adds capacity at the same time as offering a longer grip. But then you're almost up to the length of a compact 9mm or .45, which defeats the purpose of a micro auto. Either these little guns work for you or they don't. I bought a Glock 26 when they first came out, and while it was nice and short (like me) it was simply too fat (also like me, unfortunately) and hard to conceal. I sold it and picked up a Kahr P9 instead, which fit the bill except for when I had to don shorts and a "wife beater" t-shirt in hot weather. Then I was stuck with a tiny little .25ACP Beretta. Now there was some serious stopping power! That's why I'm so glad that we now have the micro .380s, because as wimpy as they are in some people's eyes they're far better than what was available 20 years ago.
 
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