.38 snub or .380 pocket

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_Muad'dib_

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Ok, for those who want a gun that is easy to conceal, a step down from a 4inch semi/or wheel gun, what's your gun of choice and why? Both a snubnose .38 and a .380(think ruger lcp/keltec/etc) are easy to conceal right? But you still choose to carry one over the other. What's your reasoning? I think it's a legitimate question and am curious as to what your reasoning to carrying one over the other is. For me, the .38 seems a bit tougher to conceal but has the benefit of having a bit more punch and more reliability. It's not quite as easy to conceal but only by a small margin. The .380 can be reloaded quicker and is easier to conceal. What sets one gun apart from the other?
 
To me concealed carry means the lightest smallest most reliable arm possible. It must be of high quality.

Colt Cobra (in .32 New Police/.32 SW Long):

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Automatics are often preferred today.

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But all automatics suffer from cycling bugs and cannot be "relied upon" to shoot.
 
I have Kel-Tec p3at .380. I know there are people on here that do not like the .380's but IMO this is one of my favorites. I have never had a problem out of it. One thing I didnt like was that it had a long trigger pull. Found a mod in on forum for epoxying half an eraser behind the trigger and sanding it down to make it into kind of a two stage trigger. Now doubles can be shot very rapidly. Just my $0.02.
 
I carry LCP w/10-rd.ProMag about 70% of the time... appendix position in Uncle Mike's size 36. Flatness and lightness make it easy to conceal with any untucked shirt... and very comfortable. Mine has proven very reliable at the range so I'm confident with it for SD. I like revolvers fine too, but the flat LCP is so comfortable I can wear it all day and not even think about it. So comfort is the main thing, but also, to me, having more shots available outweighs the slight reliability advantage of revolvers.
 
About the same size as many of them, and better all around........

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This actually replaced my non working P238, and now my LCP. Way easier to shoot well with than any of the smaller guns, with the punch of 10-30 rounds of +P+ 9mm. Good, usable night sights to boot. Whats not to like?
 
Also the .38snub...

... since, so far, my experiences (direct and vicarious) with pocket autos haven't been entirely reassuring. IE, they seem to jam more frequently than their full-size counterparts.

I also find that the irregular contours of small revolvers make them hide better than do small autos; the slimmer profile of the autos is undermined by their very geometric shapes. They look like guns in the pocket.

Last, for pocket carry, a S&W 442/642/638 or Ruger LCR will let one shoot from the pocket. This only works for the first shot, with an auto.

By the way, ran into a new one yesterday with the Ruger LCP. A guy bought a used one at the range where I was shooting. The staff were trying to help him with an issue he had when he took his new/used gun to the range: After every shot, the magazine ejected out of the well. Two staffers also shot the gun, to make sure it wasn't resulting from thumb placement on the mag release; they tried it with both magazines. Same result.

Staffers said this had been a recurring issue with LCP's a little over a year ago, and that Ruger was aware of the problem and would provide shipping labels and free repairs. However, they exercised the more honorable option, and offered the man a full refund right on the spot, which he took.
 
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Look at the SWAT forum. SWAT is going to have an article on them in Jan.

Also, the American Rifleman had an article aways back that suggested unreliablity from many of the guns.

I have my 642 with CT 405 grips and some of those Golden Sabers designed for snubbies. I took a great class for snubbie usage awhile ago - so I'm sticking with it for a bit.
 
I traded a PCR for a 442...

... which should arrive in the next day or so.

But I have CTC grips for it, and some Buffalo Bore .38+P 158gr SWCHP ammo. Thinking about trying out some of the Cor-Bon DPX stuff - those Barnes X-bullets look promising.

I like CTC's on a snub for three reasons:

1) I found with a previous snub that I could shoot reasonable groups at 25yds, using the laser. With the very rudimentary iron sights it had, I couldn't shoot good groups past 12-15 yds. How often would I expect to shoot a snub at 25yds? Not often. Then again, how often do I expect to engage in a gunfight?

2) The nature of a pocket pistol is that if it comes into use, the threat is probably very close by. Retention position shooting is very likely, so the sights are not very likely to be used. The dot is another matter.

3) Snubs are not so much fun for extended practice with live ammo. Lasers are fantastic tools for dry-fire training.
 
I have both (Ruger LCP and S&W J-frames) and carry one or the other when circumstances permit. The revolver is great to drop in a cargo pocket for casual walks around the neighborhood, the LCP is more concealable in dress pants and will fire two more shots without a reload. As long as you carry one or the other, and have practiced with them, I don't think there is a clear cut reason to rank one over the other.
 
While .38spl has a little more power esp eith heavier bullets I'd go with a .380 for extra capacity and lighter trigger pull.
 
better triggers...

... often do favor the autos.

One other thing to consider, though - small guns are often used at contact range. A revolver will work just fine when jammed into the BG's body. An auto may very well get knocked out of battery.

Depends on how you anticipate using your small auto or revolver, I suppose.
 
I'd keep my gun as far from the BG as possible no matter the circumstances. LAst thing you want is to get have the BG grab the gun and take it away from you (you cant pull the trigger if someones hand preventing the cylinder from rotating)
 
I had a ported 642 performance center 357 and regret that I sold it. It was too heavy for pocket carry but I wish I still had it. I carried a S&W 340PD for 7 years in my pocket. Light but shooting with full house 357 was tough to get back on target reliably so carried it with + P .38s.

I drank the kool aid and switched to semi auto. Sold the 340PD (thanks TFL) and now have three .380 ccw. A Sig P238 with night sights and laser which I love, a Kahr P238 which I also love, and a Kahr MK40 which is also a great gun.

The 40 is too bulky and heavy (all stainless) for pocket carry but carries great in a Bandera Gun Leather "Beltster". I carry one or the other .380 in the beltster or in my pocket. All of these have operated flawlessly with over 400 rounds through each of them.

The main advantage I find is the flat profile. The length of the J-frame and the width of the cylinder is the drawback for carrying IME. As for ammo, I load the semi with one in the pipe and a full mag, and carry another loaded mag in my left hand pocket.
 
IM_Lugger

I agree with you, but throughout the history of armed conflict, the enemy has always had other ideas...

BTW, I'm one of those guys who trains to grab the cylinder, or shove a slide out of battery. I'm also one of those guys who trains to smash the other guy in the face with an elbow, while he tries to focus on grabbing the weapon.

Control the weapon if possible, but never lose focus on the BG.

It's amazing the things you can do to somebody who fixates on just the weapon...
 
There really is no clear cut answer to this one, it's based on personal preference, and what you are willing to practice with. I just invested in my first pocket pistol, a S&W 442. Personally if I were to pocket carry an auto it would be nothing smaller than a 9mm, I know a couple of people who pocket carry a kahr pm9 and have talked to a guy who pocket carries a pm45. As with all firearm choices its based on personal preference and what you are most comfortable with.
 
I vote for both. As I write this I have an LCP in one pocket and a 10 round mag in the other and my Smith & Wesson 642 in an IWB holster. I'm so used to this arrangement I carry 90% of the time this way.

SDF880
 
I carry a Smith & Wesson model 642 because a small revolver is more reliable than a small .380 ACP pistol. .38 special will penetrate more than .380 ACP. The manual of arms is a lot simpler with a revolver. In a Mika pocket holster my 642 carries just fine in my front pants pocket. (I carried a high capacity, pocketable .380 ACP pistol for 10 years. It jammed on me once towards the end of those 10, so I went back to a revolver.)
 
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