.380 For Concealed Carry?

I don't any more, but I used to carry an FEG Walther clone.
I kept it loaded with 102 grain golden sabres.
I used it as a "hot weather gun when I needed something easy to conceal. I carried it in a Bianchi ISWB holster.
 
sometimes

I sometimes use a .380 for concealed carry. It is
one of several guns I use, depending on what
I'm wearing. When I carry this caliber, it's primarily
a (now discontinued) S&W Sigma .380 due to it's
light weight and slim profile. But once in a while
it's a Taurus PT58 fitted with slimmer hard rubber
grips which has a resonable width and is capable
of 12+1. (The original wood grips are too damn
chubby.)

Ammo is Winchester Silvertips in the S&W because
nothing I've seen or read convinces me that the
Hydrashok bullets will mushroom from a barrel
short as the S&W .380 has. But with the PT58's
longer barrel make the Hydrashok's seem appropriate.
So I use those with the latter gun.

Carry holster comes from Action Direct and it works
well in a front pant or jacket pocket.

Relevant links:

Sigma .380 page coming soon to
http://thearmedcitizen.com/gunpages

Taurus PT58 at
http://thearmedcitizen.com/pt58.htm

(Note: thearmedcitizen.com domain has been up and down
in recent days and my come back with Page Cannot Be
displayed. Please keep trying.)

.380 stopping power at
http://www.handgunsmag.com/dynamic.asp?intSectionID=345&intArticleID=1655

Action Direct at
http://www.action-direct.com/holsters.htm

Hope this is some of what you're looking for.

Best regards.
 
If you are going to carry a .380, take advantage of the smaller pistols. Otherwise, carry a 9 mm. For example, Beretta and Sig (I think) make a large .380 that is larger than some of the small 9 mms. In other words, if you can carry that big of a gun, go with a bigger caliber.

Pony, in pocket with pocket holster, Hydrashok and SXTs. I only use a gun this small as a primary gun for occasions when I can't carry larger (certain types of work situations) or where being discovered would not go over well and I doubt anything would happen (family reunions). I do carry it more often as a backup.
 
I have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite that I carry quite a bit, I use either pocket carry in a RRBKA pocket holster or an IWB holster. My Mustang made a visit to SM&A for their Pocket Carry Package, and it's a very nice little gun.
 
I go between a Kahr K40 and a Llama Micromax .380. I use a Desantas Stealth IWB sometimes wore inside my pants and other times between my belt and my pants (for greater comfort) I use the Corbon BEE safe prefragmented ammo in the .380..

Frank
 
I carry a Mustang Pocket Lite, usually in a simple Uncle Mike's pocket holster.

Currently, it is loaded with Remington Golden Sabre ammunition.

I also have a CZ-83, but that is a huge gun compared to the Mustang, which will tuck easily into a jacket pocket or the pocket of a loose fitting pair of pants.

Colt isn't making them now - they say they will again but who knows....you can still find them used although the price you pay will probably be what the retail for a new one was a few years ago.
 
I carry a SIG P232 (alloy) which is extremely lite, accurate, and deadly. I have a new mantra "Friends don't let friends carry 25 ounce pocket-bricks" :o

I don't subscribe to the micro-brick movement. What use is a pocket 9mm when you can't hit the side of a barn with it. Admittedly they are accurate at 5-7 feet when you're standing still at the range, but is that 10 pound, 1/2 inch trigger (that seems like 20 pounds and 2 inches) going to serve you well under stress? This is a very personal issue, but I've made the switch to bigger and accurate. MY NSHO.
 
I have a CZ 83...and it is a bigger gun for a .380, but carries 14 rnds and hides well in a Bladetek Tuckable Kydex holster....works
well when I cant carry my 9 , 40 or 357....
And what smaller 9mm is being discussed? A Kahr is alot smaller and shoots as well as the SIG.......

Shoot well
 
Why the generic assumption that a 9mm shoots "better" than a .380? WHICH 9mm and WHICH 380? Also, I'm talking about my shooting, not someone else's shooting. My recommendation, particularly for newer shooters, is to stay away from smaller guns with poor ergonomics (e.g. two finger grips), and long/heavy triggers (particularly DAO). If in doubt, try to rent first. Also, try some rapid fire exercises. You will, no doubt, see that really small big-caliber guns aren't as easy to shoot quickly as you thought.

(johnwill, "bigger" as in "slightly bigger pistol" not "bigger caliber", and "better" as in "more accurate in my hands")
 
Hi all.
As you can tell by my reg.# and post#. I'm a newbie with a little to nothing knowlegde about guns and ammo, so please bear with me.

For my first dump question of the day. I looked at the link ".380 stopping power" from mguffey provided and something that I could not figure it out.
On the "Wound ballistic chart" states the different between the ammo type and the Federal list 187 of the energy with 71% of stopping power while the Triton has 220 of energy with only 70% of stopping power. I though the more energy the cartridge has, the more stopping power the cartridge does. Am I missing something?.:(
 
I carry a East German Makarov in 9x18 off duty. 9x18 is SLIGHTY superior to .380 but, basically the same ballpark. My Mak was inexpensive, is extremely reliable, suprisingly accurate, and easy to conceil. 9x18 ammo is around $100 per 1000. = inexpensive range time/training.

Sig are nice too but expensive.

Good luck.
 
I though the more energy the cartridge has, the more stopping power the cartridge does.
Click to expand...

It's never nearly as simple as energy, bullet type, etc., but rather a whole host of variables. One bullet type may perform very well at 900FPS, but fail to penetrate sufficiently for an effective stop if it's traveling at 1100FPS. This is just one example where more energy doesn't necessarily mean better effect. I'm sure there will be a host of other examples posted...

Of course, the real reason to use the pistol at all is to fight your way to a rifle, now we can start talking real stopping power. :)
 
Buglight - My comments are not coming from an expert of any kind so take them for what they are worth. Having long looked at the stopping power lists from Marshall and Sanow, I think you are beginning to notice something that you will notice again. Don't get me wrong. I read them and figure they are good indications of "relative" ratings of various loadings. Note the word "relative". Without trying to remember or dredge up particulars, I have seen many instances where a particular load is rated much higher than another load even though all or almost all the data listed for the "inferior" load is as good or better than the "superior" load. For example, locate and look at charts comparing for example, the 230 grain hydra-shok and others and the 185 grain Silvertip in .45. I am not trying to say that the lower-rated load is rated incorrectly, just that the data given would not lead to the rating given unless other factors which are not included in the charts are in play. So, either we must just accept the rating, look at the data with interest, and ignore the numerous discrepancies between the listed data and the final rating, or we must assume that some other factor or factors are the difference between loadings and those factors, being unlisted in the charts, are still as much a mystery as if we did not see the chart. I hope I'm clear here. If you keep looking at these published "stopping power" charts as closely as you are looking at this one, you will scratch your head again in the future. I find the charts interesting and "useful" but retain a measure of skepticism due to their unaddressed and unexplained irregularites. Actually, probably the most useful thing I have gleaned from charts of the various calibers is that once one gets above the .380 into service calibers, differences between quality ammunition of all calibers from the various reputable manufacturers is actually quite small. Interesting considering the passionate debate among aficionados of a particular caliber and load. Sorry for the ramble...have fun, be safe, and enjoy. Shooting is a world of fun if it is nothing else.
 
My wife has become permantly attached to my Sphinx AT380 loaded with CCI gold dots. A very nice looking and handling pistol. For the longest time I carried either a Colt Pony or a Grendel P-12 loaded the same way, never felt too undergunned.
 
I used to carry my SIG 230 before I got any of my 9mm pistols. I had an in-the-pants holster and it concealed very well. For ammo I loaded it with Federal Hydra-Shok. Very good gun when you can't conceal a larger pistol.
 
I used to carry the Walther PPK and the Colt Mustang Plus II using Winchester Silvertips. Now that there is a larger choice in small size firearms, I carry the Glock 27 .40 S&W. All were/are carried using IWB holsters on strong side hip.
 
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