.380 Compact pistols

[slimplmbr]

Just got a LCP about 6 months ago and put around 200 through it so far and never had 1 problem. Just need to make sure that its clean. Funny story bought it for my wife because of ease of pulling the slide back she shot it and said I like your 45 better 380 "jumps around too much". She now has a 40.

 

[GlockMan40]

If you check ammunitiontogo.com they have .380's now you better hurry.

 

[RHorn]

I've shot the LCP a few times and it's a fine little gun but I recently bought a P3at and I think it's a fine gun too.
I'm sure there can be problems with any gun type and like most posters have said in the past, make sure you know your gun and trust it before carrying it for protection.
I have not shot the new 738 taurus but i have handled it and it seems like a nice piece. The only odd thing about it is, the front is angled (to give it a cool/different look?) and the bottom of the light weight barrel is not protected from damage. just my 2 cents but all of these little guns have very light weight barrels. Maybe I'm just worried I'll drop it or set on something and bend it with my danty 265 lbs

Here's my P3at and it shot 16 of my 18 shots in about 4" at 10yrds off hand freezing my but off in the snow (don't laugh at me to hard, I pulled the 2 lower shots playing with the trigger pull )

Do you like the keltec better than the LCP? I am looking to get one or the other. I have shot both and the keltec was really hard to hold onto. I have kinda big hands and the rough edges cut into my hand.

 

[88E30M50]

I decided to buy the db380, but ended up coming home with a SIG P238 SAS. I've put around 140 rounds through it so far and for the most part, it's been perfect. The only ammo I had any trouble with were the Corbon 90g JHP and did reasonably well with those, but not perfect. It had a FTF on the second round of two magazines out of four magazines. It handled Hornady Critical Defense perfectly as well as a bunch of FMJ S&B.

I'll admit though, as much as I liked the db380, I ended up spending twice the money on the Sig because I thought it was about the best looking gun I've ever seen. It's probably not my best decision of the year, but I do love this little gun. I'm reasonably accurate with it and it carries beautifully. It's also my first pistol with night sights and now I'm thinking I need a set of those on a couple of more guns.

 

[GlockMan40]

Taurus PT 738 TCP

Just got one about a month ago. So far great little gun. 400 Rounds and the only ammo it really dosent like is PMC Bronze. It has a problem feeding the first round when you release the slide it will not set in place needs a little push, after that shes good to go. I use this ammo for range only. So far i have feed Buffalo Bore +P, Georgia Arms, Sellier & Bellot, CorBon DPX eats it all up. All for $328.00
Stay away from DiamondBack DB.380
Piece of crap. Buddy of mine got one not 200 rounds through it and its in the shop for round 2. Lets see what happened this time.
Its a shame its a very nice gun. It just dosent work.

 

[Misplaced Yankee]

Do you like the keltec better than the LCP? I am looking to get one or the other. I have shot both and the keltec was really hard to hold onto. I have kinda big hands and the rough edges cut into my hand.

I prefer the Ruger for my . I shot them both, and the Ruger just felt more "substantial". Now I know they're pretty much the same gun, but the LCP came out the winner to me. I love the little thing, even though I need to get to the point where I can hit the broad side of a barn with it lol. Until then, the self-loathing Glock 27 is my friend.

To explain, the little guns seem to "point" well, or aim without looking. I don't like to be off by that much, therefore I need to get to the point where I can accurately aim the dang thing.

 

[RHorn]

Thanks Yankee. I was leaning towards the Ruger anyway. I can hit pretty small groups with both of them I just felt like the Ruger was more comfortable to shoot.

 

[Amishman44]

A few years ago, I had a Bersa Thunder .380 and my wife had a Beretta 84 Cheetah in .380 and a Glock 26 in 9mm. We liked the guns a lot. While shooting at in a auto junk yard with a PO friend of mine, we noticed that the .380 wouldn't penetrate a windshield (neither would the 9mm...not even in 147 grain)...they would just ricochete (sp) right off in to nowhere. Not a lot of protection there. The subsonic .38 +P penetrated every time as did the .40 and .45...but the best was the .357 mag. Needless to say, in a real life-type situation, the .380 demonstrated that it wasn't heavy enough for our satisfaction. We sold the .380's and the 9mm, but we still have the .38's, the .357mag. I ended up trading the .45 Officer's model for a Glock 32 in .357 SIG. I now have a Ruger LCR in .38+P...or I should say my wife has it...and we couldn't be happier.

 

[JAH]

Had a .380 about 20 years ago, I traded a guy even up, got a Model 19 Smith for it. The 19 was purchased new in 1959 and I have the box and reciept.

 

[samwathegreat]

Anyone had issues with casings not ejecting from the keltec?

 

[MinuteMan47]

Anyone had issues with casings not ejecting from the keltec?

Kel-Tec and really most 380 autos need a break in period. I thought it said in the Kel-Tec manual that the break in period is usually 200 rounds.

 

[DoctorJ32174]

The LCP is a great little gun. Easily concealed. Near flawless operation.

 

[apovinelli]

Maybe this is why I can never find any ammo for my bersa...

 

[apovinelli]

I was unfamiliar with this gun, and I started looking at some pics and reading some things, now I want 1!

 

[pokersamurai]

The LCP is a fine gun and very concealable, but it's not even in the same league as the Sig p232. In my opinion the 232 is the best 380 on the market in terms of reliability and accuracy.

 

[Gungho_1989]

A quick heads up on the DB380 I took home.
Its broke after about 180 rounds. I was attempting to get it broke in and after several magazines with multiple FTF's it started to run a but better, I was hopeful that after its break in it would turn out to be a great little pistol... But this was not to be, The trigger bar broke clean in half Jamming the gun with a live round in the chamber. It took alot of work to get it out.
We sent it back to th manufacturer, hopefully this was an isolated incident and the gun will come back running like a top.

 

[inFALable]

I thought it was a decent article. I've carried a Keltec P3AT for the last 3 years when I'm in dress pants. I sent it back to Keltec twice before it would function correctly. I've had a Kahr P380 for 6 months but haven't carried it yet for the lack of carry ammo to run through it to ensure it functions 100%. I've put several hundred rounds of ball through it flawlessly.

The Kahr is far superior to the Keltec. It surpasses it because of ergonomics, having real adjustable sights, slide lock, more corrosion resistance, and being much more accurate.

I plan on getting a PM9 though.

 

[snowwalker]

I have a Bersa thunder plus that I bought 2 years ago, shots great with everthing I put in it no issues, just not enough punch. It is a backup for me now, but my main carry is a G21.

 

[Sanguine Samurai]

Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380

On the .380 subject. I was watching Youtube videos from the 2010 Shot Show and Smith & Wesson has a new .380 semiautomatic they call the "Bodyguard". It looks neat (I know that doesn't mean much), has full sights, manual safety, a slide catch, and a built in 2 stage laser sight system. It is due out in May I think... a little pricey though.

 

[SSGSAD]

On the .380 subject. I was watching Youtube videos from the 2010 Shot Show and Smith & Wesson has a new .380 semiautomatic they call the "Bodyguard". It looks neat (I know that doesn't mean much), has full sights, manual safety, a slide catch, and a built in 2 stage laser sight system. It is due out in May I think... a little pricey though.

Yeah, but it's a SMITH.....