Why oh why do people continue to buy .380s?

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I need one for my wife. Range use only, as an intro. She's not into firearms at all so I figured the 380 would get her going and hopefully spark an interest. Then, I'll move her into a 9. Then a 10 :D
 
so, KCUB, I assume you feel the same way about all those people that carry .38spl revolvers. the millions of them. or is it just a particular dislike in .380 alone? because they also make 357s in about the same as all .38spl(excluding lcr guys), so what's the point right? the point is, 357's aren't as easy to shoot, they are loud, the are heavier and they have more flash. same with a 9 vs. a .380, although less apparent, the same subtleties are there. your carry weapon is a personal choice, and no one has asked you what YOU carry, because we just don't care....although I am sure it is the best carry weapon on earth.

and I don't carry .380 either, because that's my personal choice not to. By the looks of all the new .380s out there every year, it's obviously lot's of people are buying them, sorry they are all wrong and you are right. keep trying to fix them
 
I need one for my wife. Range use only, as an intro. She's not into firearms at all so I figured the 380 would get her going and hopefully spark an interest. Then, I'll move her into a 9. Then a 10
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Be careful. Most full-size .380s are straight-blowback pistols, and all of these are less pleasant to shoot than even PPS/Shield/PM9-size 9mm pistols. Most recoil-averse people find the small .380s with locked-breech actions to be less pleasant to shoot than a full-size 9mm.

I have a hard time understanding why the Glock 42 is so popular (aside from the fact that legions of Glock fans will buy most things the company makes), but this is really its special niche. Since it's both considerably larger and heavier than a .380 mouse gun and has a locked-breech action, it's very pleasant to shoot. I believe there's a Bersa model with similar characteristics. The Walther PK380 is not actually a Walther -- it's an Umarex-manufactured piece of junk with a zinc slide and should not be considered.

Aside from the G42 and the Bersa, no other .380 is a good gun for introducing someone -- especially a woman who might be particularly averse to recoil -- to firearms and shooting.
 
I don't dislike 380s or people who carry them. I carried a Colt Mustang for years. I just know they are obsolete with the possible exception of the 2 I mentioned. If you like them or want them or know everything there is to know, its your prerogative.

I have a Sig Sauer pocket holster factory molded for the P238 (which I don't own anymore). It fits my P938 perfectly and it was made before the P938 even existed.

I'm not a fan of DAO pocket guns because they are very hard to hit anything with. They are true belly guns because you better have a Jack Ruby shot right up against a belly to hit anything with it.

If I have to shoot to save my bacon I want a gun I can hit with that's at least 9mm.
 
I agree with #13 above, I do not have a need to justify any caliber or pistol type to anyone but myself. If needed in a life threatening situation any force you can apply ( pistol, rifle, stick etc.) is better than being a passive lump.
 
Be careful. Most full-size .380s are straight-blowback pistols, and all of these are less pleasant to shoot than even PPS/Shield/PM9-size 9mm pistols. Most recoil-averse people find the small .380s with locked-breech actions to be less pleasant to shoot than a full-size 9mm.
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Thanks for the advice. I was looking at the Bersa Thunder this weekend at a gun show. They wanted 400 for it but obviously I can better deal online.
 
Be careful. Most full-size .380s are straight-blowback pistols, and all of these are less pleasant to shoot than even PPS/Shield/PM9-size 9mm pistols. Most recoil-averse people find the small .380s with locked-breech actions to be less pleasant to shoot than a full-size 9mm.
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Maybe true for those micros, but my Bersa Thunder 380 is a sweet shooter.
Very pleasant to shoot. It recovers quickly which allows very accurate
rapid fire, and the fixed barrel blow back design has higher intrinsic accuracy
than a moving barrel. It's a keeper. (and I've kept the first one for 20 years).

break

$400 is WAY too much for a BT.
More like $330.

Drop by the Bersa Chat forum if interested in these fine little pistols.
www.bersachat.com
 
Austin - My Beretta 84 is a 380 that is fairly gentle to shoot. If I recall correctly it doesn't have a locked breech. Its size and shape help a lot.
 
@AustinTX

There's also the Ruger LC380 in the niche of .380 pocket guns with 9mm-sized frames. I want them to release a striker-fired version so bad :(
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but my Colt Pocket 9 isn't significantly larger than the Mustang but it is of course heavier. Then again it's DAO but the reduced accuracy isn't going to matter with the intended usage. I sincerely doubt that recovery time will be an issue either. I'm not knocking the Mustang mind you - it's a very nice piece and I'd have preferred the Pocket 9 to be single action with a lighter pull. It was a close call between the two when I picked up the Pocket 9 in '99 and I'm sure I wouldn't have regretted buying the Mustang.
 
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To KCub,

In the same vein as your question, why oh why would anyone carry any semi-automatic 9 mm mousegun pistol when they could carry a real stopper like the .357 Magnum LCR? ;)
 
RCPractitioner said:
938 isn't any bigger than a Bodyguard .380
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When you get in the realm of small pocket pistols, the 938 is significantly bigger in every aspect except height, and alot heavier to boot. To look at these numbers and say the 938 isn't any bigger than the Bodyguard .380 is just plain wrong. When you are getting into pistols this small, fractions of an inch make a large difference when comparing the size.


Sig 938
Length: 5.9"
Width: 1.1"
Height: 3.9"
Weight: 16oz

Bodyguard .380
Length: 5.25"
Width: 0.75"
Height: 4.1"
Weight: 11.5oz

.
 
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>There are now many quality 9's of the same form factor.<

Less recoil means people can hit with them better in fast fire / multiple targets practice and competition.
 
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