Would You Trust Your Life With a .380?

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Try a P938...

I don't have a problem with .380, other than cost. My LCP makes my P938 look huge. With the Magguts magazine system (all my LCP magazines have them), I can carry 15 rounds of .380 in a single pocket holster (Recluse, with the extra magazine slot).

But I rarely carry the LCP anymore. When it was big in my backup role, it shared the carry time with my S&W 642-1 (.38 Special). Being issued 9mm, rather stick with the same round. Got a P938 SAS, and converted the 642 over to 9mm (Pinnacle converted cylinder, which I bought off AR15.com... allowing me to go between either caliber easily.
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I have been thinking about trying a P938 for some time now. A buddy of mine is a firearms instructor and he has one. I have heard nothing but praise from him about it. Real accurate and has been very reliable for him. My Glock 26 has been around a while and had several rounds through it. The accuracy seems like its not there like it use to be. Oh it is still good enough for up close defensive work but the beyond 20 yards accuracy is where it shows up the most. Might be time for a new barrel or time for me to try a P938 for a carry gun.
 
I am not recoil sensitive, but to me, the 3AT has more recoil than a little pistol like the Kahr CM9

The micro pistols, people dont seem to want to practice with them, which creates its own problems

But...... to each his own
 
I have been thinking about trying a P938 for some time now. A buddy of mine is a firearms instructor and he has one. I have heard nothing but praise from him about it. Real accurate and has been very reliable for him. My Glock 26 has been around a while and had several rounds through it. The accuracy seems like its not there like it use to be. Oh it is still good enough for up close defensive work but the beyond 20 yards accuracy is where it shows up the most. Might be time for a new barrel or time for me to try a P938 for a carry gun.
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I carry a P938 and like it. Is it good enough for defense in regards to accuracy? Yes. Would I classify it as "accurate" in comparison to other (often larger) pistols? No. It did not meet the Sig "standard" of accuracy that I expected.
 
TheGuyOfSouthamerica said:
But...

I plan to reload and cast my own bullets.Let's say the 380 Auto uses 3.0 grain of powder and I load it with the Lee 102 grain lead Round Nose cast bullet then I possibly can load it for the cost of an 22 LR round (over here about 18 US Cents). Let's say my 380 acp ammo costs me like that 0.25 USD per round.



I have as well the 120 grain Lee Truncated Cone bullet but as I look to the factory ammo they may get seated deeply to fit and that reduces room for powder (on this one I do not want to save on powder).

Defensive reloaded ammo should be loaded stiff to get Penetration and make up for eventually fragmenting lead bullets due to high Zinc Content.
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Can very well be the case... but policy dictates reloads are a no go. Have to follow the rules.

In regards to recoil, I don't find the P938 any different from my LCP. Accuracy is good enough for qualifications.

Likewise, I don't notice a big difference with the .38 +P loads I used to shoot in my J-frame over the 147 grain 9mm I carry now.
 
I would only trust the gun in the photo for carry. Its the only gun that has sufficient knock down power. If you can carry it.
But for others, it's what you can shoot and shoot well that's more important than energy. Better a 380 that you can conceal than a 44 or 40 or 45 you leave at home.
 

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I second that ShootistPRS. A true reloader.

Same as me. The only factory ammo I own is the ammo they gave me with the gun as I bought it new.

Reloading does not make any sense if you do not trust your own reloads and are not wanting to use them (sounds like those People over here which think I am crazy because I reload: Holy crap it's too dangerous!).
I never had an failure with my reloads except that round I forgot to decap the fired primer and as that I reloaded it again.
 
I must be out of date... What policy says "no reloads"?
I don't even own any factory ammo for my guns.
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Lots of ranges don't allow reloads. Some even go so far as to say you must purchase all ammo from them.
 
Lots of ranges don't allow reloads. Some even go so far as to say you must purchase all ammo from them.
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We had a Gun store with range that started the same thing. First no lead, then a year later no reloads and another year and no ammo that was not purchased from them.
The store closed soon after and new owners are much more friendly and allow you to shoot what you bring or buy.
 
I believe there is an Advantage of modern breach lock 380 Auto pistols over the more "antique" Blow back pistols.

They supposed to shoot softer and maybe have some more Advantages.

Since the WW1 was started with the 380 Auto caliber I wonder why VV and other european powder manufacturers do not list the 380 acp.
 
I have a KelTec P11 9mm that works well enough for me to sell my beloved G17 and my prized Ruger 9mm SP101 2". They both became too heavy and spent most of the time in the safe. Long gone now.

I went to look at a PF9 at the shootin store, today, and when I put it in my hand I had to laugh. And told the girl at the counter that it was way too big for 7 or so shots. She agreed. But I had a hard time letting go of that lil Glock 42 She showed me. Oh My!!!

The KT's I own with my wife are always in service. Owned since they were introduced to the the market.

The P11, KT is narrow, light and fits IWB on a pocket clip. Or a pocket of five pocket, full cut Wranglers.

I have two P3AT/s that have two shot extensions giving us plenty of room for our pinky fingers to help control the snap. They also have side clips and can disappear inside the waste ban of my jeans. I never ever wear a belt since age fifty.

We have two P-32's set up the same way. That we have semi-retired

We are in our mid Seventies. We have other guns or weapons that serve us well in the bushes. But we seldom get out that way anymore.

OUR plan is to pack the P3AT/s with the Pll 9mm as a backup !!!

I've never seen the need to pack extra Mags! When I can pack another gun.

If I get into a shooting fest I don't want to be messing with nuttin but another fire arm. Loaded hot! JMO;)
 
Carrying a compact Russian .380 Makarov should have much more potential than a Sig 225 which is too bulky to carry, and stays at home.

My brother has a 1911 and Sig 225, and he is starting to see the light. There's no reason to carry something which you really don't want to.
 
The only reason I can think of to go 380 over 9mm would be if I needed a gun that was too small to chamber a 9mm. I've never found a need for a gun that small so I don't shoot 380. But yeah, I think the 380 is good enough. I just don't see a reason to choose it over the 9mm.
 
380 auto is indeed a “monstrously powerfull caliber“ for an CCW.

If you conceal carry the gun should not be bigger than an smartphone.
Max 5x4x0.75“.

That size of gun should be chambered only up to a n 32 acp or 25 acp. 380 acp is already an power upgrade for an cocealed disguised carry gun.

CCW=mouse gun.
 
A CCW is any gun you can successfully conceal and carry, I'm sorry but your definition is not one that holds a lot of water. I can comfortably carry a double stack 9mm and you'd never know it was there. .380 is just about perfect for pocket carry and newer ones are the size of old .25 and .32 caliber pistols.
 
If you conceal carry the gun should not be bigger than an smartphone.
Max 5x4x0.75“.
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Nonsense. I routinely carry a Glock 26, and plenty of people successfully conceal pistols larger than that. I have a pocket gun, too, for times when IWB doesn't work logistically, but that generalization about concealed carry pistols is nonsense.
 
You are Concealed Carrying a Weapon if you have Slippers on, no Shirt on (topless. I mean men not women) and are wearing your underwear on the beach
AND
you carry a gun without People can see it at all.
That is Concealed Carry (don't ask me were you conceale it in that situation).

That is the Situation of CC were I am living (a Little exagerated but Close to reality).

True Concealed Carry is a mouse gun in max 32 acp caliber due to size restrictions of the tiny tiny gun.

I went with the Beretta Pico 380 acp because it is Close to the size of my cellphone. Were I am living the cellphone Holster is the only way to conceal disguise a gun since everybody has a cellphone carrying with them ALL THE TIME.
Over here that is the way to go.
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Source and propietary of photo: https://www.amazon.com/Brown-Leathe...&sr=8-8&keywords=concealed+cell+phone+holster

If you stick a gun inside your Pants, People will notice it since clothing is very light here.
 
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