Best .380 I've Ever Shot

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ShooterAK

Inactive
Just got back from my first session with my "new" .380 semi-automatic. It blew through cheapo .380 FMJ without a glitch, more than I can say for any other .380 I've shot.

Here's what I really like about it:

First, it works, unlike the POS Glock .380, two of which I had to return until I finally got a full refund.

Second, it is a great size for my XXL hands.

Third, sights and sight picture. It uses a dot on dot stacking sight picture. Put the front white dot over the rear dot...very accurate.

Fourth, superbly accurate. I punched all 14 round into the same one inch hole from 30 feet away, fairly rapid firing.

Fifth, very manageable recoil, unlike the other .380s I've shot.

Sixth, did you notice I said **14** shots? Yes, this thing has a 13+capacity!

Seventh, DA/SA with a safety covers all the bases for safety and speed as well. The trigger in SA is fantastic, best I've ever shot.

So, here's a picture of my BERETTA 84F the so-called "Cheetah."

I bought it from AIM Surplus, stripped it down and gave it a good scrubbing and lubrication. It obviously spent a good bit of time in/out of a holster. The bore cleaned up to mirror finish, rifling is sharp and intact, no pitting, crown in great shape. I bought wood grips for it and am considering taking it in for a rebluing at a local Beretta authorized service center.

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Nice pistol! I like mine, too. Like yours, mine has a lot of holster wear, as if were an ex service weapon. I have often wondered which country it might have served in.

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If I'm not mistaken (and I very well could be), I believe these are Israeli surplus. CDI Sales also has them at varying prices and lists each one individually with lots of pics so you can choose.

One more advantage is that you can convert to .32 ACP with the addition of another barrel and magazine.

Personally, I will take steel and/or aluminum over plastic any day, such as in a Glock 42.
 
I have had issues with every .380 I've ever shot. Unreliable...to the extreme.

This Beretta shot the cheapo crap .380 ammo I fed it today like nobody's business.

The two Glocks I had were jamming up on nearly every other round, failure to feed, failure to extract, etc.

Because of this I'd never trust my life to a Glock .380.

Plus, they are single stack.

The Beretta 84F has 13+1 capacity. And consequently a larger grip which is great for my XXXL sized hands.
 
I love those mid-sized .380s for the shootability, and completely understand the modern micro-pistols being too awkward to handle comfortably. The 84BB is actually on my shopping list - I plan on buying used and going for a full restoration/refinish.

For a defensive carry gun, though, once you get to this size and weight class, I don't see the benefit of using the .380 over an equivalent-sized 9mm. It's a great shooter, and easily one of the most beautiful guns ever made, but I feel like it's been eclipsed as a defensive weapon.
 
By the way, here's a picture of the extractor and firing pin from it. I detail stripped it, expecting both to be gunked up. Nope, very clean. Obviously the handgun was handled a lot more than it was ever fired.

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ShooterAK said:
...DA/SA with a safety covers all the bases for safety and speed as well.
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The no-suffix, B, and BB versions have one other base covered: the thumb safety does not function as a decocker, so they can be carried cocked-and-locked. These pistols also have polished blue finish rather than matte, and lack the squared-off trigger guard, which is superfluous for most shooters. They do, however, lack the chrome-lined bore, and decocking requires more caution!

Speaking of the safety, in case you haven't been told, the middle position of the F model safety is NOT meant to function as a cocked-and-locked option. The lever should always be pushed through to the decock position. The later FS versions were redesigned to eliminate the false detent in the middle and eliminate this issue.

Also, regarding the trigger, the original no-suffix versions have the shortest trigger of the lot because they lack the trigger-actuated firing pin block, so the SA trigger has less takeup. The obvious drawback, however, is that the gun is slightly less safe for DA/off-safe carry.
 
I understand your enthusiasm for the pistol. I carry a Makarov myself, and my range gun is one in .380. People are always saying (on the internet), "For that size and weight you should have a 9mm." True enough, but some people just want a particular gun. I say, to each his own. It's a nice enough gun that I would get it reblued.
 
I have had issues with every .380 I've ever shot. Unreliable...to the extreme.
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I know what you mean.

My LCP worked well for a while, then took a dump. Replaced the recoil spring and the mag springs and problems continued.

Pretty much gave up on the concept of a pocket .380.
 
Congrats on a great pistol, I to am a fan of the Beretta 84F and have one that is always getting carried and is used for ccw all the time. I love the 13+1 cap and it feels great in the hand. I feel much better with it then a pocket single stack (even though I am a single stack fan). I love it so much I got another for the wife.
 
I have had issues with every .380 I've ever shot. Unreliable...to the extreme.
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For the most part, quality guns work, junk doesnt. My (German) Walthers and SIG's were/are flawless. The Colts Ive shot always worked well too. Even my LCP seems to run fine. I also have two Glock 42's, and both have been flawless out of the box, and both have a number of thousands of rounds through each of them at this point.

My favorite .380's were my SIG P230's, up until the 42's came along. The 42's are much softer shooters, a tad smaller, and actually more accurate. As much as I like the 42's, they arent going to replace my 26's, nor will any of the others. No point in going .380, when you can do the same thing with a high cap 9mm that rides in the same place the .380's did.
 
One of my all time favorite pistols, of any caliber, ever. Beautifully designed and made. Given new life... I love it. Enjoy.
 
Great pistols I am a fan of 380 besides 45acp I will have one some day when all Kids are out of house for good.

Bersa makes a 380 Plus its a 15 shot 380 thunder for those than can't find a Beretta :D
 
There is also a Browning BDA 380, made by Beretta for Browning. It is similar in size to the Beretta 84, but has a spur hammer and is not of the open-slide design. It is, IMO, a beautiful pistol. It is as accurate and reliable as the 84. The fact that there are 9mm pistols of the same or smaller size is of no concern to me. These pistols are superbly crafted, have excellent reliability, and are excellent shooters.
 
There is also a Browning BDA 380, made by Beretta for Browning. It is similar in size to the Beretta 84, but has a spur hammer and is not of the open-slide design
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Not only is it similar in size, it was made by Beretta. Some of the frame internal parts also interchange with a Beretta.
 
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