Smc-380

J

juliet charley

New member
I am seriously looking at buying one of these little pistols, but they only come with one magazine, and the dealer doesn't have any extra magazines. I am batting zero with finding an on-line source. Can anybody help me?

As much as I like the pistol, I probably will not buy it unless I can find extra magazines for it--I'm a believer in a minimum of four magazines.
 
I got some directly from KBI, and one from JoCo. I can wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Lowe at JoCo - nice man.

Do a search on SMC-380 and you'll find a few posts by me with KBI's contact info. Here's JoCo's

JLoweClips@aol.com 972-986-8158

You'll like the SMC-380.
 
Get the SMC...small, light and dependable. You can get mags at
gunmags.com also. I shot an SMC 918 a while ago, pretty snappy with good Makarov ammo.. fun.

Shoot well
 
I have to agree with J. Parker; get a Makarov!
The SMC aluminum frame (PMK?) I used to own would not go more than 20-30 rounds without a jam of some sort. Ended up trading it for a Makarov--- 100% reliable--- I now own TWO!

Danno
 
Thanks for all your replies. I'll try the places you mentioned as a source for mags.

J. Parker & Danno - I am looking for pistol that will primarily be carried in a pocket. The Makarov looks a little to big for pocket carry. Have you tried, or do you carry one in a pocket.
 
Danno,
The SMC is a 6+1 while the PMK is a 7+1 shooter...the only difference. Both have alloy frames.....just a note..
Shoot well
 
Yeah, the newer SMCs (since sometime last year) have had steel frames. (You gotta love a steel frame to give weight to a blowback pistol.)

The SMC pistol is a pretty great deal for the money (generally a little more than the Maks). While I did polish the feed ramp with some Flitz on a patch wrapped around my pinkie before ever firing the thing, I've found mine to be amazingly reliable (100% but for stupid operator errors). As reliable as the E.German Mak I used to have. Almost as accurate, because it's more difficult for me to shoot the substantially smaller pistol as accurately - I doubt there'd be a significant difference off a bench. Also, you're not going to get "Walther bite" with the better-designed slide (not that you would with a Mak, but it's an improvement over the PPK).

I've carried my SMC in my front jeans pocket in a DeSantis #38 "Nemesis" pocket holster. With the flat grips (also purchased from KBI directly -- 717-540-8518), the thing is unnoticeable . . . even with the added weight of the steel frame. (I had thought is was essentially unnoticeable with the slightly thumb-rested grips that come on the pistol, but the flat grips are something of an improvement.) (I've owned an E.German Makarov - pocket carry wouldn't really be feasible; the pistol is much too tall.)

I also carry the SMC in DeSantis' #32 "Dual Carry" belt/IWB holster for the PPK. One could forget it was there.
 
Juliet-

In a side-by-side comparison the Makarov and PMK are almost identical in size. As Eric Larsen noted the SMC-380 is a 6+1 which would reduce the grip size somewhat. If the gun you are interested in is an alloy frame you will also shave about 7 or 8 ounces off of the weight- vs. the Makarov.
I carry my Makarov in an IWB holster or in a belly band--- It's just too big for blue jean carry (.02).Although baggy pants or cargo pants would probably work fine.
For pocket carry I prefer a .38 snub (Taurus 85CH) --- the rounded grip is much easier to conceal.

Danno
 
http://gunsunlimitedomaha.com/Magazine/Magazine.htm

look for the KBI SMC 380 ACP 6 shot.

HOWEVER!!!

the correct part number is GR 1090 not G 1090 (which explains why I NEVER order online, only over the phone) and the prices I paid last month was $13.50 not $15.00 as listed (can't beat that when all the other ones I looked at were $32 or more) so with shipping was $48.00 for 3 mags

I got mine in good time, good service, and no problems with them so far..

The SMC is a very nice little piece of hardware. HOWEVER you need to do something about the sites (black on black on a black target under medium light resulted in 7 misses out of 7 at 7 feet.... and I'm NOT that bad a shot.)

Birchwood Casey makes some "paint pens" for colouring sights.. worth the 7 bucks in this case.. not pretty.. but 300% better than before.

and Uncle Mikes (Buttler Creek) and Hogue make a slide on grip that improves the feel and recoil nicely, and each was under $10.00

good luck and enjoy!

NB
 
The SMC380 and SMC918 are virtually identical in size to the tiny Walther PPK, and markedly smaller than the Makarov. I've attached a picture comparing my FEG R61 (the Hungarian military version of the SMC commercial pistols) with one of my Maks.

If I had to pick the pistol I absolutely trust, it would be the Mak. However, if I needed one that would fit in my pocket, the Mak wouldn't be my first choice.

Take care. Marko
 

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I seem to recall reading something about the SMC 380 (PPK/s) being the smallest pistol that can be legaly imported into the US, and that in fact the thumb ridge on the left grip was put on to make it legaly wide enough....
 
I have two SMC-380 factory mags (from KBI) that I'd be willing to sell. They were only at the range twice. My Smc-380 spent most of the two months I owned it, at KBI or a smith my dealer sent it to.

After it came back from KBI still having extraction failures, my dealer sent it off to his smith. I told him to sell it as soon as it came back from the smith. I never saw it again.

The second mistake I made,besides buying the pistol, was buying two spare mags before I tried it.

Alan W.

E-mail me (gmeister@onemain.com) to make an offer.
 
"Is the SMC-380 the current incarnation of the FEG PA-63 (other than caliber)?"

No the smc380 is smaller and better quality in
my opinion.
 
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