380 for carry?

R

rickyjames

New member
I guess I'm old enough to see things come full circle. It seems many people are rediscovering the 380 as a cc gun with the introduction of rugers new micro gun.

It seems for a long time nothing less than a 357, 40 or 45 was considered acceptable for self defense. Many people prefered hi-cap semi autos over revolvers, feeling the need of 15 or 17 rounds to feel safe. Of course with the larger calibers came larger guns, full sized 1911's, glocks and 4" s&w revolvers. Heavier and harder to conceal.

It now seems things have come full circle. All of the sudden with the introduction of the little Ruger 380 small low cap guns are suddenly becoming popular again. Taurus has a new "slim line" single stack pistols for CC. You are now very likely to see people with a small 380 auto and that old stand by the little S&W 38, 5 shot snubbie. I think many people are tired of lugging around full sized guns and a whole box of ammo in the gun and 2 spare mags.

I have been carrying a little AMT 380 backup almost daily for more than 20 years. I have other guns but nothing is as handy as my little AMT. When I do feel the need for something larger I have 38 and 357 snubbies and a Springfielf Micro and Champion to carry. I won't CC a full sized gun. People are realizing it is far better to be carrying a little pocket pistol than leaving you full size gun at home because it's too heavy or doesn't conceal well. Common sense has prevailed.
 
I agree. I kind of wish I had got the P3AT instead of the PF9 as it is a little smaller and lighter. The PF9 is probably the smallest 9mm though.

I also notice when people list thier daily carry there are a lot of .32s in various brands. I'm sure there are a lot of others that carry a 22 in thier pocket, as primary or BUG, and just don't admit it. I may do that for a while till I can put back some cash for a .32 or .380 (times are tough now).

I'm sure we'll see the "wrath of the forum" descend soon saying "you are a sissy if you don't have 4 1911s, 3 boxes of ammo, a sword, and a 12GA shotgun on belts and in pockets for a daily carry".
 
It's funny though, because people buy it for it's diminutive size and the idea that .380 has little kick but are surprised by how much that itty bitty pistol kicks.
 
As I've gotten older my pistols and my knives have gotten smaller.:D

Laugh if you will, but my first carry pistol was a nickel plated Colt Mark IV Series 70 carried in a Jackass rig with three nickel plated loaded magazines balancing the weight on my obverse side.

I was in my twenties and stupid.

My current SD pistol is a .380 ACP, and I am comfortable with it.
 
For years I carried a Bersa .380 tucked in my boot when I first started riding a lot of trips solo. My wife carries it most of the time now, always loaded with Federal Hydra-shoks.
 
I alternate between a Bersa .380 and a Taurus M85 .38 Special. Some years back I never would have considered either one for primary CC duty, but I think two things have happened. The variety of CC rigs has greatly expanded and the self defense ammo performance has improved. At the typical combat distance I have no doubt either one of these pistols would put an attaker down unless PCP was involved.
 
I have a old Interarms PPK/S IWB at present I have always been a fan of 380 I have several Not as many as 1911's but getting close
 
I had a 380 as a cc until it was difficult to find the ammo. And while talking to a sales clerk about when his next shipment would arrrive a US Marshall told me that carring a 380 for self defense was as good as throwing a rock at someone.

I now carry a S&W 38 airweight....more power than the 380 and no chance of a jam since its a revolver.
 
...(I was) talking to a sales clerk about when his next shipment would arrive; a US Marshall told me that carrying a 380 for self defense was as good as throwing a rock at someone.
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... and his information was worth every single dime you paid for it:rolleyes:
 
I had a 380 as a cc until it was difficult to find the ammo. And while talking to a sales clerk about when his next shipment would arrrive a US Marshall told me that carring a 380 for self defense was as good as throwing a rock at someone.
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In all honesty, being a U.S. Marshall does not make you a ballistics expert, and I must disagree with the Marshall. Apparently, he hasn't read some of the specifications of a number of .380 SD rounds. The .380 can be a very viable defense round, and because of its compactness, is a very capable and effective CCW option.
 
Would you want a 95 grain rock coming at you at 1000 fps?
A 380 at the distance it would be used in an attack is going to be adequate. The threat would be most likely from a couple feet away, not yards away.
 
I had a S&W PPK/S. I sold it when ammo got scarce; I bought a Springfield XD 40SC which I loved shooting but HATED carrying, so I didn't carry it much. I now have a Sig P238 .380 again and carry it everywhere. I just don't shoot it at the range :-). That's what rifles are for.
 
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I guess I'm old enough to see things come full circle. It seems many people are rediscovering the 380 as a cc gun with the introduction of rugers new micro gun.
Click to expand...

We now have very small 9mm's which are superior to the .380. The micro .380 would make a good BUG, however. The only .380's I've fired recoil as much or more than the 9mm of similar size. I suspect it's the ergonomics of the blow back design.
 
I think he said: "I now carry a S&W 38 airweight....more power than the 380 and no chance of a jam since its a revolver. "

100% correct, . . . right on the money, . . . revolvers don't jam, . . . gee whiz!

Now, . . . if it goes out of time, . . . if there is a raised primer, . . . if dirt or sand gets onto the back of the cylinder, . . . or if there are two bg's and it takes more than 3 rounds for the first guy, .................... hmmmmmm.

Revolvers for CCW, . . . ? Nahhhhh, . . . think I'll carry something that can do the job, . . . and 5 shots may be at least 1 or 2 too few.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
No one in combat wished for a smaller/less powerful weapon nor less ammo.

Go look up Lance Thomas and what his ordeal was. And notice how he upgraded his equipment as the harsh reality of experience crept in.

Will the .380 do the deed? Sure, if your shot placement is impeccable it will do. Same goes for the 2 inch snub .38s.

BUT, life is not real conductive to perfect shots.

Does that mean the .380 is junk? No. But you must become a good shot under pressure with the .380 or .38. Not just a good shot but a fast and good one. Thankfully for guns like the Bersa you can get a .22 version. Same goes for the 5 shot snub. And that allows you to practice an awful lot. And it’s that skill you build from the practice that matters once push comes to shove. And you will need skill if you ever have to actually use it under pressure.

The catch is there most people have the will to win, but few have the will to train to win (with apropos to Paul Bryant.) That means do you have the will to train enough to become good with your chosen weapons?

So carry the .380s if you must, but train well with them.

Very well.
 
Ammo is what completed our "full circle"--the guns have always been there. Thanks to the old Federal Hydra Shock, there's a huge lineup of top-notch defensive ammo choices now in smaller cartridges. The Gold Dots, Critical Defense, Golden Sabers, etc., etc...... Personally, I've carried a smallish .22 revolver a lot for over 30 years. It wasn't much, but it was there if I needed it. -7-
 
A good shot is a good shot-no matter what the caliber.
Caliber won't make up for a bad shot.

a7mmnut is correct. Modern ammunition is good stuff.
 
I agree ammunition is far beyond what it used to be. Having said that shot placement is critical no matter the caliber.

Above someone mentioned Lance Thomas. Read his story here.
 
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