What's the most accuracy you can expect with a pocket .380?

What if-a scenario developed where you HAD to shoot at 25 yards?
I still say you are simply cheating yourself by not learning to use your gun to it's, or your, maximum potential. That seems to be the norm today.
Click to expand...
Nothing changes
You aim the same, you pull the trigger the same
 
I've shot my Colt "1908" .380 at 15-20 yards, and if you can see the sights, it's quite accurate.
I don't know about group size, but I was able to keep all my shots in an 8" circle, shooting with the clock running in an IDPA match.
While I like biggish sights for quick shooting, there's something to using small sights for precision; hitting a point on a target is easier when the sights aren't grossly out of the proportion to your aiming point.
 
I hate to brag, but the Sig 380 that I once owned was scary accurate. One raged hole at 20 feet. If my two new Mustangs that I now own are half as accurate as that Sig p238 was, I will be a happy camper.
 
I had a Taurus 738 tcp. Really had to focus to be able to hit anything reasonable. Standard loads were a little snappy in that little bugger.

I had to move up slightly in size to get what I liked.
I have a Bersa Thunder 380 now.
Never going to another 380 now. It does every thing right and wont fail.
But it is not a sub compact.
I may try a DiamondBack 380 or a DB9 if they got the quality problems worked out.
All reports that I read is it is accurate as heck and is exactly the right size for a compact carry gun.
But they had serious quality problems early. I read that they got rid of 99% of their work force and QC every last part before it leaves the shop now.
Will see, they are cheap now so might be worth a look see.
 
I own both a s&w bodyguard 380 and a sig 938. the bodyguard is a dao, hard trigger pull and recoil is hard, if given the choice of shooting the smith verses my 44 mags, the 44 mag is much more comfortable. recoil is spread over a much larger surface. the sig is like shooting a 22rf, sao great trigger. I am much more accurate with the sig.
 
At 7 yards. my SIG p232 will put 1 or 2 rounds in a 1 inch circle, with 6 or so in the 5 inch target, the other 2 outside. Actually, the SIG is better than that, It's me.:)
 
the glock 42 is very accurate at 25 years. no problem keeping everything in the head area.
while i can see shooting a small handgun at 25 yards and beyond to develop skill and to see what you can get out of your handgun, i really dont see what active shooter scenarios you guys are thinking of where a ccw would engage at 25+ yards.
 
I had the old style lcp and considered it a last-ditch point and shoot weapon--so I never spent time actually concentrating on best groups I could get. I'd practice by setting out milk jugs at various close distances and heights and my routine was simply point and shoot free-hand as reasonably fast as I could. If I could get most or all of the clip into the jug I felt very good that I was getting what I wanted.
 
No idea. LEOs usually claim that an attacker won't reveal his intentions until within a few yards-or feet. Is this not usually the case?

Accuracy is never an issue for my objectives.
The problem: finding a training program in my area where realistic tactical situations for (Non-LEO) civilians are available, such as around objects the size of cars etc.

How about a person in the dark moving around a car parked next to yours?

rt1100203: my first carry gun (age 59), recently acquired, is also the Sig 232.:) What a shame that post-WW2 Mauser Hsc .380 types so often are known as unreliable:(, and have no decockers. Otherwise, I find this gun perfect.
 
Last edited:
i really dont see what active shooter scenarios you guys are thinking of where a ccw would engage at 25+ yards.
Click to expand...
Unless you have everyone following the script in your mind, not everything might happen up close. Lots of open (and not so open) space out there, and in places you might not think of as "long distance".

When was the last time you paced off the distance from the front of the mini mart you always go into to the back? How about the supermarket isles, or across the front of Walmart? Parking lots? Out in the yard?

Planning on one narrow set of scenarios or what the stats tell you are all you should be worried about, is panning to fail in my mind. Hence my comment above about bringing the right gun along (I carry a full size gun, the smaller guns are back ups).

Things like the 42, or P238, etc, that have good sights, make longer range shooting more doable, but still require you practice shooting them at the longer distances to know what to expect. You have to do so in little more realistic manner too, and not just target shoot. I know more distance usually means more time, but not always, and you should be practicing to shoot quickly and accurately. Can you reliably and repeatably make good hits with that little gun shooting that way?

Then theres the caliber issue. .380 seems to be considered barely usable by many at contact distances, how is it looked at at longer ranges?
 
I don't spend much time trying to shoot groups with my Ruger LCP. My brothers and I practiced with our pocket .380s by shooting empty 12 ga shells off of tree stumps at 5-10 yards. I consider that sufficient accuracy for a pocket gun.
 
My thoughts on this is that I will not be engaging a target past 10 yards. If the threat is that far away I will be getting out of the scenario. I can shoot farther but if I can escape that is my main priority. I can draw in under 2 seconds so the 20 ft rule is where the red flag is waving hard and I am going over the choices of my actions. Know your skills and limitations and that of your equipment and work with what you have. My father in law walked in on an armed robbery in progress recently. Luckily no one was injured, but had he had a weapon on him he would have been engaging the target within feet not yards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top