"Best" pocket .380?

The one thing that turns me off on any semi-auto is its not staying open after the final round from the mag. While Ruger may have a quality edge, it fails my criterion.
willr
 
the LC9 is a little bigger
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I was suprised at how little difference there is, It seams like the LC9 is quite a bit bigger until you get them side by side.
It's only .3" taller in the grip but it also holds another round. I just sold my PM9 because it's not enough smaller.
 
Well, just got my cw380 back from Kahr. They replaced the extractor, the extractor rear pin, and the factory magazine. They reworked the extractor port, mag well, and the slide stop. I'm off to the range tomorrow and hoping I have a trouble free little pocket pistol now :) I'd like to be able to trust it and keep it in the collection.
 
I personally cannot get by Rugers warning labels, flags and levers that muck up the design. My favorite carry is a Star DK .380 but unobtainable on the open market, a Sig P238 (380) or P938 (9 mm) or Bodyguard ( mine has always fired every time it was asked to) for a modern carry pistol.
 
I recommend the Ruger LCP with side mounted Laserlyte laser unit. It fits everywhere, can use extended magazines, if needed, and goes bang every time.. It is light and simple in design. Ruger has a new model with dot sights and skeletonized trigger. It is not a range gun but will always be accurate at short self defense distances.
 
... I personally cannot get by Rugers warning labels, flags and levers that muck up the design. ...
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There are no such things on the LCP.

The Gen1 LCPs had atrocious sights, BTW
The Gen2 LCPs have usable sights, and a somewhat better trigger.
 
Big fan of the Taurus TCP, and it's the only Taurus I like. It's small, light and has poor sites but it functions flawlessly.
 
I didn't like my Diamondback at first but after a trip to the manufacturer for repairs we're getting the kinks worked out and I'm starting to like it.

I also like the LCP.
 
Big fan of the Taurus TCP, and it's the only Taurus I like. It's small, light and has poor sites but it functions flawlessly.
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I saw one when I bought my S & W sd9ve two weeks ago when it was on sale for $179. I should have bought it while I was there. I plan on getting one if they go on sale again for that or a better price. DARN!
 
I am voing "old school" and say the "best" .380 is the one you can rely on anytime, under any conditions, anywhere.

My KelTec P3AT has never failed when asked to go bang, even when unattended for 4 months and was used to euth a racoon that was hit by a car and not killed.

It may not be sub-MOA at 1500 meters, but that is not its purpose or role. If I need to aim the KT, I have the wrong weapon, and I am DEFINITELY in the wrong place!!!
 
The Kahr P380 is great, but it needs its breakin. Mine took not the standard Kahr 200 rounds, but 600. I felt the change as soon as it sorted itself out. The gun finally felt RIGHT. It has been great ever since. But it requires dedication.
 
Never really paid any attention to Gen 1, or Gen 2 with my Elsie Pea. Mine has been accurate, and reliable so it didn't matter. I looked it up, and found the "improvements" we're made only a couple years ago. So mine is a Gen1. The sights have never been an issue because it is what it is. A pocket pistol that's use if needed could be measured in feet, not yards. At 10 yards I can make consistent center mass hits, and follow up with one to the head on my targets. It points so naturally that the sights are of little importance anyway.
I had a LaserLyte side mounted piece of junk on it for a while. Just for grins because it was cheap, and for dry fire instinct shooting practice. As it turned out, seeing the dot, when you could, to detect where you had pointed the pistol at the target was not needed to learn this type of no sights aiming. It was so natural with the LCP that the laser, when it worked, just reaffirmed I was on target every time at distances from 5 to 30+ feet.
After the third time I took the LaserLyte off because it quit working, or projected a fuzzy 2" square @ 10' I didn't bother to send it back for repair/replace. I think it's in a drawer somewhere. It might still be under warrantee. Maybe I'll try sending it back again! I could always use it off the gun for it's best purpose, aggravating the wife's cat!:D
 
The Kahr P380 is great, but it needs its breakin. Mine took not the standard Kahr 200 rounds, but 600. I felt the change as soon as it sorted itself out. The gun finally felt RIGHT. It has been great ever since. But it requires dedication.
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I'm glad yours works, but for a lot of people the problems their P380s have are more serious than what you've described.
 
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Never really paid any attention to Gen 1, or Gen 2 with my Elsie Pea. Mine has been accurate, and reliable so it didn't matter. I looked it up, and found the "improvements" we're made only a couple years ago. So mine is a Gen1. The sights have never been an issue because it is what it is. A pocket pistol that's use if needed could be measured in feet, not yards.
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I was suprised just how much difference the added sight height made, The sight on the gen 2 is only about .2" tall but it gives a much better defined sight picture. This was shot at 25 yards, it may never be necessary but it's nice to know I can if needed.
 
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600 rounds to break in a pocket pistol? I'll pass. The closest I have in this category is my a KT P11. Not really a pocket gun but small and compact. 100 round of factory ball was plenty of a break in.
 
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It's too soon to try to decide. Bought my first handgun over a year ago: the Sauer 38H, then the modern Sig 232 and WW2 Mauser Hsc.

Today bought a .380 PPK (my first PPK), "Made In W. Germany" but manufactured in France, proofed/tested in Ulm an der Donau.

Both the DA pull and recoil are much better than the Polish P-64, and being still a novice with handguns, for me it will be a hard choice between the Sig 232 and the PPK.
The PPK will require more practice with the DA pull, but is shorter for concealed carry and better in the mostly warm/hot west TN climate.
 
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