.380 vs 9mm carry gun

[ajeandy]

Just bought a glock 42 going to range test it today!

 

[Tater36]

If you want to be able to shoot it often, I would say 9mm. .380 is like gold now days, hard to find and you are gonna pay an arm and a leg

 

[88E30M50]

If you want to be able to shoot it often, I would say 9mm. .380 is like gold now days, hard to find and you are gonna pay an arm and a leg

Another great reason to get into reloading. .380 is one of the easiest and cheapest rounds to load. It's been a while since I've done a batch, but I used to be able to do a box of 50 for less than $5. If you are not reloading, .380 can be a tough caliber to shoot due to sporadic ammo shortages.

 

[juans]

I love my glock 26. It is not very small, but is very accurate. 9mm

 

[lovemachine]

Thru all this hot humid weather, I have found that I can easily carry my Glock 26 in a snug t-shirt, and it's concealed very easy.

I have come to this conclusion:

Yes, sometimes it would be nice to carry a smaller pistol. But why? With a good belt and quality holster, I can carry a Glock 19 all day long in the hottest temperature, and keep it concealed no problem. I'm even betting I can do the same with my new Glock 17.

My Glock 26 is better than any .380 out there. It's a far better round, and even more reliable. With the size of today's 9mm handguns, anyone that chooses a .380 over the new 9mm pistols are, IMO, lazy. It's not that difficult to carry a 9mm.

 

[duboismd]

The Sig P938 is almost as small as the P238 and with full size sights is a great carry gun. I couldn't believe how accurate it is. For warm weather, everyday carry it sure works for me.

 

[dhw9am]

Other than the cost of the ammo, buy the gun that you shoot best.
If most shootings occur between 0-20', just shoot them in the center chest. Whether it is a 380 or 9MM, won't matter.

 

[Tobias]

IMO with all the sub compact 9mm out there it would be hard for me to choose a .380 over a xds, pm9, 938.....ect. Although being a 170lbs 5'8" guy in some extreme concealment situations a lcp is just bout the only option. Those who say you can easily conceal a G19 wearing a tshirt (that doesnt look like a dress) just doesn't work for a person similiar to my size when you are in a situation where a firearm absolutely can not be noticed. Some situations and professions simply can not remotely chance what the average person considers a cell phone, someone else may suspect a firearm.

 

[Redhorse]

Another great reason to get into reloading. .380 is one of the easiest and cheapest rounds to load. It's been a while since I've done a batch, but I used to be able to do a box of 50 for less than $5. If you are not reloading, .380 can be a tough caliber to shoot due to sporadic ammo shortages.

Forgive my naiveness but will 9mm bullets work for .380 brass? My dad is teaching me to reload so I'm still learning.

 

[rcwill]

My advice is either a Shield or XDS in 9mm...aside from the debate on stopping power of the .380, 9mm is widely available now.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

Lovemachine, your opinion is that anyone who decides to carry a .380 is lazy.

Profound.

 

[lovemachine]

Lovemachine, your opinion is that anyone who decides to carry a .380 is lazy.

Profound.

As a MAIN (primary) carry gun.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

Forgive my naiveness but will 9mm bullets work for .380 brass? My dad is teaching me to reload so I'm still learning.

They're both .355 diameter but I don't think you'll find 115 grain data for the .380. It's probably out there somewhere but I'd stick with 80-100 grain bullets.

Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading

 

[Tater36]

just purcahsed a Kahr PM9, haven't even gotten it to the range yet. If it proves reliable, it has potential to be a great carry option...more to follow after some range time.

 

[Cemetery-man]

I highly recommend the sig p938...it's a great gun...I carry mine daily and it's very nice to carry even with the mag extension. And there are quite a few models out there to choose from to suit your taste.

 

[GIJEW]

There all kinds of 9mm pistols now that come in sizes that 20 years ago would have been .380 by default. Unless you want a pistol for real deeeep concealment (keltec, ruger LCP etc) I'd chose 9mm unless you find the recoil a problem in a small pistol.
One thing to consider about really small pistols is that they can be hard to handle/shoot because of their size. Sometimes less is just less. The bottom line is that the balance between concealability and everything else is something you have to experiment with yourself and decide what works for you

 

[ajeandy]

I think 380 will kill/stop sometime just as easily as any other carry caliber with good shot placement...people that say 380 sucks have never been shot with one. There's no doubt 9mm and up carry more of a punch, but 380 is sufficient with little recoil and would be my choice for concealment, but not home defense.

 

[Cemetery-man]

There all kinds of 9mm pistols now that come in sizes that 20 years ago would have been .380 by default. Unless you want a pistol for real deeeep concealment (keltec, ruger LCP etc) I'd chose 9mm unless you find the recoil a problem in a small pistol.
One thing to consider about really small pistols is that they can be hard to handle/shoot because of their size. Sometimes less is just less. The bottom line is that the balance between concealability and everything else is something you have to experiment with yourself and decide what works for you

For my CCW needs, exactly why I pitched my LCP and upgraded to the P938. 9mm compact, better quality, more accurate, very easy to conceal in any clothing and much more easy to handle/shoot. I was never sold on a "one purpose" gun so after many years of experimenting I believe I now have a great CCW and a respectable range gun all in one small package. Do I compare it to my favorite Kimber and my other full size shooters? No way! But it sure is a lot easier to carry .

 

[lovemachine]

I think 380 will kill/stop sometime just as easily as any other carry caliber with good shot placement...people that say 380 sucks have never been shot with one. There's no doubt 9mm and up carry more of a punch, but 380 is sufficient with little recoil and would be my choice for concealment, but not home defense.

If a .380 is sufficient for concealment, but not for home defense, why carry it then?

My life and my families lives are just as important out and about in public as it is in the house. I will not compromise any more. I'll carry the best pistol I have on my as I would use as my house gun. And a .380 doesn't even come close.

 

[Birds Away]

I have a couple of guns chambered in 9x18 Makarov. They are not primary for anything. I will occasionally slip one in my pocket if I am just going up to the corner gas station. For home defense or primary carry I would not go below 9mm.