Who owns a .380, and why?

[homeless]

If Mr. Bond was happy with his .380 (have a Walther PPKS too), it's good enough for me.

Actually Bond's ppk was a .32 acp, and as long as it was made in europe those are tack drivers.
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There is nothing wrong with 9mm Kurtz, when modern hollow points are used it can be quite effective. It isn't the best round for putting down a bad guy, but then again no pistol round is. The old saying, " If I was expecting trouble I would have brought my shotgun" comes to mind. Even the ohh so feared 10mm isn't going to vaporize that tango, this isn't Hollywood. I am ok with the idea of dumping half a mag to put a guy down if I have to. But I think even with a tiny little .380 or even .22 he is going to start to think twice when that round starts to expand. I would rather have my .38 or .32 on me than my .40 in the car.


And while I am far from being a fan of pocket carry, some times it is the only option. However it can be almost as hard to draw as ankle, so it there is allot of practice that needs to be done.

Finally my only real concern is that well, I still don't have allot of faith in either of the two leading pocket .380 manufactures. Neither one really seem to exude quality manufacturing. I know that they have proven themselves over the years, but at the same time I have heard of many issues.

 

[BIG TIM]

Please consider the fact that the above mentioned bad guy might be shooting back at you and he may be using a cannon so it may not be possible/likely that you will have time to dump 1/2 a clip into him. In fact, you may only get one or two shots off so they had better be effective.

 

[originalhonkey]

i have a bersa its big enough you remember you have it but small and light enough its not a pain to carry. i take mine out when i ride my motorcycles. its smaller than my 45s which is what i carry 99% of the time.its got enough bark to it and just enough sting to get your point across. i dont think it the best in the world but my wife can drive nails with it and i can to. plus my wife loves it she has it 99%of the time. i have a lot of friends that have the kel tec 380 and they love them as well. the kel tec is to small for me i would forget i had it. but like i said i carry a 45 all the time.

 

[Pull Trigger Goes Bang]

I bought my Bersa Thunder 380 because it felt good in my hand. That, and (here comes the stupid reason) my favorite movie/TV action heros use the Walther PPK, after which the Bersa Thunder is patterned: James Bond and The Equalizer.

When I took it out to shoot the first time, I was amazed at how much fun it was to shoot and how much more accurate I was with it. I'm not the best shot in the world, though I'm working on it ... practicing with larger calibers and taking classes. The light recoil of the .380 cartridge plus the low bore axis of my particular .380 gun combine to make the most of my presently limited skill.

For me at present, a small gun in .380 that I can hit stuff with beats a larger gun that I'm not yet skilled enough to shoot accurately.

 

[dascollector]

I have a P3AT - it was the best bang for the buck when I purchased it, and conceals well. Now I'd have to at least consider an LCP. Both are the right size for smaller framed folks.

I should note that a friend's Kahr PM9 is the only 9mm that I've handled in the same size range, and was twice the price - but definitely has better fit and finish, and is cheaper to feed.

For a gun that you can conceal easily, the .380 was an easy choice.

 

[Alerion]

My most common carry gun is an NAA Guardian .380. The main reason is that, in a rear pocket holster, it just slips in my back pocket and I'm ready to go. It doesn't involve any more effort to carry than my cell phone. I frequently carry something larger but, when I'm out walking the dog, it's generally the Guardian that goes with me. (When my dog is motivated he doesn't want to wait for me to put on a holster!)

 

[amboran]

I am a big fan of 9mm-always have been-but I found myself actually dreading carrying -mainly because of weight and size issues. So ,after hearing of other's recommendations here and on other forums-i was intrigued by the Bersa 380. After checking one out,holding.looking,shopping,thinking-I went to PSS (again after good feedback from here) and bought the duotone for a great price and love it. Fun to shoot-fits my grip-sharp looking-and very reliable. So then the wife buys a P3AT-and she loves it. So.......thats my story.

 

[VN Vet]

My Sig Sauer P-230 is a tack driver. I don't carry it, but it is a super pistole to shoot and very easy to carry. My P-230 is a keeper.

 

[roughthumbs]

I have a Colt Mustang. It was free.

 

[Sasquatchhunter]

Im a big fan of pocket pistols, and the .380 is a pretty big round in context to other pocket pistol calibers like .22LR or .22 MAG, .25 or .32. I agree that the best gun to have is the one you have when you need it. Whether .22 or .357 mag, a gun in someones face as the about the same effect either way....

 

[Redskinsfan]

Beretta Model 84

I like the 380 because I find the Beretta model 84 to fit very well in my hand and be a good compromise between size and power. Additionally mine is a state police trade-in and it has the Indiana State Police emblem on the grip which I think makes it extra cool. It has never malfunctioned and is 13+1 capacity.

Terry

 

[gglass]

Four .380's in our home.

LCP's & Bersa's

The LCP's are carried because of their size... You would never know that I have mine on 100% of the time.
My wife and daughter chose the Bersa 380 and 380cc for size, comfort and recoil manageability. If you ever tried to talk either of them out of their .380's, they would just as soon shoot you as debate it.

 

[Principal Skinr]

LCP for me. Same reasons as others.

 

[calcot7]

Why you ask?.............Bond, James Bond . ......That's why.

 

[Birddogs]

I own an LCP, and why? Because I like owning guns I can't find ammo for. Nick

 

[Agent 007]

Guess I'll be a lone voice of dissent here. My personal minimum for self defense is a hot 9mm +P. There is no .380 that can come close to the energy and penetration/expansion abilities of a good 9mm defense round, especially out of the short barrels of popular subcompact and compact pistols.

For example, the company Buffalo Bore makes some of the hottest, highest velocity self defense ammo available today. Here are the specs of their .380 stuff:

100 grain hard cast flatnose bullet @ 1061 fps out of a Keltec P3AT. This amounts to almost 250 ft. lbs. of energy. Buffalo Bore specifically recommends this load for pocket pistols, as it gives good penetration to reach the vitals. From their website:

380 Auto +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

You can expect 20+ inches of straight-line penetration in flesh and bone with this load. If you are worried about over penetration with this load, DON'T! You chose to carry a tiny under-powered 380 auto pistol and the trade-off is that you are now going to have to stay alive with that pistol and over penetration will be the least of your worries if you end up needing this gun to save yourself or your family.

They also sell a 90 grain Speer Gold Dot, and state that it is the only JHP load that they trust to expand reliably in this caliber. Penetration is about 10" in gelatin, which is 2" less than FBI miminum standards, but will probably still get the job done with well placed shots. It is going 1100 fps out of a P3AT, making about 242 ft. lbs. of energy.

Compare that to their 9mm offerings. It's not even close:

9mm Luger +P +P+ Pistol and Handgun Bullets Pistol and Handgun Bullets

All of their 9mm offerings make over 440 ft. lbs. of energy out of a Glock 19's 4 inch barrel. Take 100 fps off of that for a Kahr PM9's 3 inch barrel, and you are still over 370 ft. lbs. of energy with their least powerful load. The .380 and 9mm bullets are identical in actual caliber (.355), so the 9mm's much greater energy, heavier bullet weights and greater sectional density make for more reliable performance against flesh and bone. My personal choice for a minimum self defense pistol, the Kahr CW9, will rival most .357 magnum loads out of a snubby, while being much easier to control and having a capacity of 8 rounds instead of 5 or 6.

It's all about dressing around the gun. Honestly, I can't think of any mode of dress where a Kahr 9mm, Keltec PF9 or Walther PPS is not concealable. There are excellent modes of carry IWB that make a good 9mm or even a .40 or small .45 disappear. A J frame or Taurus snubbie can hide in just about any jeans pocket, as long as you don't wear Freddie Mercury nut hugger jeans. Check the specs for good .38 +P ammo and learn the truth about .380 vs. .38 Special. They're not even close, either, just like 9mm. (How about 158 grains out of a 2" snubby at 1040 fps, for 379 ft. lbs. of energy? 158 grains will smash bones and penetrate flesh a lot better than a 95 grain bullet of the same diameter, even if you could muster 379 ft. lbs. of energy out of a .380.)

I've always had the mindset that a tool that could potentially save my life should be comforting before being comfortable. I just can't trust a tiny, hard to shoot 2-finger pocket pistol in the stress of a gunfight. As a backup, it's fine, as the chance of needing a backup is very remote. But as a primary, I'll take a proven service caliber with decent capacity.

My .

 

[paddling_man]

Why you ask?.............Bond, James Bond . ......That's why.

Bond was a 7.65 (.32ACP.) Apparently .380 was too much for him. A little British limp wristing??

 

[Archbishop]

I have a P3AT and will carry it when I get my LC. Drop it in your pocket and your ready to go. C

 

[hemicharger]

I have a .380 because my girlfriend likes it and Plainfield shhooting supplies had a new Bersa for $219.99

 

[Roadie]

I have a .380 because my girlfriend likes it and Plainfield shhooting supplies had a new Bersa for $219.99

Recently? Dang! I just bought a used one for $200, lol.

OK, I have not even fired mine yet, but I already know I made the right choice. I did a LOT of research before buying my first handgun. I not only have small hands, I have mild carpal tunnel. So I wanted a thin concealed carryable handgun, that would fit my hand. AND I wanted something that didn't have a lot of flip. The reviews I read about the Bersa Thunder .380 seemed to fit me pretty well.

.380 was the absolute lowest caliber I wanted to go. The 9mm compacts I held felt wide in my hands. The Bersa fits my hand, but still had all my fingers on the grip.

OK, I am a n00b, but from the research I have done, and like other posters have mentioned, would YOU want to get hit with a .380? Are there any documented cases where someone was protecting themselves and failed, only to have someone say later "If only they had a bigger gun they would have lived?"

Just my