Recoil of 380 vs 9mm

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redterror

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I'm trying to pick out a low recoil gun for the wife. most 9mm guns are locked breech while most 380s are blowback. because the 380s are blowback, do you think they are equal or perhaps even stronger (recoil wise) than a 9mm? I have never shot a 380, but have a 9mm. the wife does not like the recoil of the 9mm. she can't hit anything past 10 feet.

or would a compensated 9mm (glock 17c) be good for her? would a compensated 9mm be better than a 380? or should I drop to a 32 auto?
 
wow,

sounds like my GF. LOL

.380's are NOT my cup of tea after a problematic Walther PPK/S.

I'd stick to a metal frame 9mm like a 1911 (Para O, Kimber, Ladyhawk), Sig or a Beretta M9... they don't recoil as much as the plastic counterparts.

Or you can start her on a .38 wheel gun... the 4" barrel .357's come to mind so you can shoot .38 for practice with her but have the option of .357 magnum too.
 
Maybe try a bigger heavier gun? To me a S&W M&P 9mm full-size has little to no recoil, and you can adjust the backstrap so it fits someones hand better. That and the low bore axis makes it a pretty pleasant shooter. What exactly has she tried shooting so far?
 
Yes, I think blow-back .380's kick worse then lock-breach 9mm's.

My Walther PPK/S downright spanks your hand with hot loads.

Not so with any 9mm load I know of in an only slightly heavier gun.

IMO: My locked-breach Kel-Tec .380 is more comfortable on the hand then the twice as heavy PPK/S. Course it's not for the faint-of-heart either, but it only weighs 11 oz..

rcmodel
 
Before recommending anything I would first ask you what she wants it for? Just target, home security, concealed carry?
 
she wants it for CC. my 9mm is a single column, compact, all metal Astra A75. we have not tried any other 9s. we are tempted to try a glock 17c/19c though to see how much difference there is. I really do not want to drop to the smaller, more expensive to shoot calibers, but may be forced to. she does not like thick/heavy guns like the beretta m9. it doesn't fit her hands.

I want her to have a gun she will be confident & proficient in shooting. rule #1 is finding a gun/caliber she will be able to hit the target with.
 
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Are you sure you want a .380?

That might not even penetrate winter clothing (heavy coat, sweater, long johns, shirt, etc.).:eek:
 
lol, u kiddin right? I dare to say even a 22lr will penetrate the listed? I know when we slaughtered COWS we used a single 22lr to the head.

Are you sure you want a .380?

That might not even penetrate winter clothing (heavy coat, sweater, long johns, shirt, etc.).
Click to expand...
 
I think my sig p232 380acp kicks a bit more than my cz75pcr 9mm. I feel sufficiently armed with either. I wouldnt worry about penetration with a 380. Its a decent round but not the power of a 9mm. IMHO, If you go down to a .32, a baretta would top my list but there aren't too many options without going small then you are back to a tiny gun that has little weight to counter recoil.
 
well, i have not shot a 9mm, but both of my light/small 380 pocket pistols kick pretty good for what they are. it is not like a 44 mag, that will lift you whole arm, but that quick little jab after a little while kind of gets annoying. if you got a heavier/larger pistol, they would be very low recoil guns that almost anyone could handle. just depends on what you want in a gun. you can not have it all. if you want it to be light, and concealable, it is going to kick. if you want no recoil, it will need to be a large heavy gun. that will not be asy to carry, but it will shoot well. probably one of the best shooting pistols is a 1911. large frame, rather heavy, shooting a relatively mild, but powerful round. it is no wonder that there is such a market for them.
 
lol, u kiddin right? I dare to say even a 22lr will penetrate the listed? I know when we slaughtered COWS we used a single 22lr to the head.


Quote:
Are you sure you want a .380?

That might not even penetrate winter clothing (heavy coat, sweater, long johns, shirt, etc.).
Click to expand...
Yes, I guess I was kidding, because I didn't know any better. I never shot one. That is only something I heard (apparently from an untrustworthy source).
 
Here is something for you to test out in your 9mm and maybe the results will be satisfactory enough for your wife to checkout.

For years I've shot 115gr in 9mm because that was the "standard" round for it. Most of the shops local to me don't even carry anything else.

But based on some responses I got from helpful people here, I recently discovered that I really really like a 147gr bullet. For me, I find the recoil a lot lot less.

Before you go shell out a lot for a new handgun, maybe $20-$40 in new ammo is all she needs.
 
Anything gained by the less powerful cartridge would be lost or offset by the typically smaller size and mostly blowback operation of the .380s. An exception to this rule is the Beretta "Cheetah" series (Models 84, 85 and 86).
 
Of the 9s and .380s I've owned the felt recoil was as follows:

CZP01>>Glock 26>CZRAMI>Bersa Firestorm .380

The Bersa was wonderful to shoot although a little more expensive feed and she spit burnt powder everywhere.
 
I did not know that the 9mm or .380 had recoil..... My 9mm's don't even make much noise let alone much muzzle flip.

swr1lj3.jpg


Seriously though I do not think that a little muzzle flip should be considered recoil.

:D
 
My Kel Tec .380 is a lock breech and I can tell the recoil is less than in my 9mm kel tec. While the gun is small and light you do feel it snap in the hand but its not painful or unruly.
About the only way you can reduce the recoil is go to a heavier gun.
Good luck.
 
The Beretta 84 and it's near twin, the Browning BDA 380 are great, and very easy to shoot. I really regret selling them.
 
To a woman who may have small hands, going to a .380 from a 9mm would be noticeably less, but probably still objectionable to her.

There's nothing wrong with ANY caliber that a woman chooses to carry as long as it throws a bullet real fast. Even a .22 long rifle at COM will stop an attack and allow her to get away.

My .02 is to let her shoot a .32 and see how she feels. If she likes it, consider the Seecamp, a reliable pistol that can be had in .32 for about $500.
Plus, she'll probably be able to handle it better than the husband because it will fit her smaller hands better.
The wife isn't going out to get into a battle at a mall parking lot. She only wants and needs good protection from a very small number of bad guys (typically just one), so the .32 would be just fine.
 
I had the same situation lately. Bought my wife a Bersa Thunder, Walther PPK Clone), in .380. $269, Half the price of the Walther PPK.

I will not carry it but she will.
 
the beretta guns are still straight blowback, but they are much bigger than other 380s. however they are $$$ and hard to find.

Anything gained by the less powerful cartridge would be lost or offset by the typically smaller size and mostly blowback operation of the .380s. An exception to this rule is the Beretta "Cheetah" series (Models 84, 85 and 86).
Click to expand...
 
so the 380 was the least recoil/muzzle rise? if so, good to know

Of the 9s and .380s I've owned the felt recoil was as follows:

CZP01>>Glock 26>CZRAMI>Bersa Firestorm .380
Click to expand...
 
Don't think a compensated gun is a good idea for cc. Just my opinion. Agree on the ammo issue. Try some different ones she if it helps.
 
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