I agree the Bersa Thunder series is great ! As a matter of fact is 1/2 inch longer than a Kahr CM9. Accurate and nice to hold, great controls. Check Price. While I do find it accurate it is NOT fun to shoot. Today I have a Glock 43. A little larger than the CW380, and much easier to hold for large hands. I thought this would be a good combo for the lady, but she has had difficulty using it on the range. Won't go wrong with the Sig, the Real gun, Besides it last long enough to pass to your grandkids . the plastic won't. A slight correction. Theyre made about 15 miles from where I sit right now. Types Of .380 Pistols Subcompact vs Micro-Compact Single-Stack vs Double-Stack Magazines What Should You Look for in a .380 Pistol? I currently own a S&W Shield, but need something much much smaller to wear on my ankle without moving down to a .22. I own many pocket 380's, Colt Mustang XSP (now called Lite), Glock 42 (two of them), Kahr CW-380, Remington RM-380, Ruger LCP, LCP Custom, LCP II, LC-380, Springfield 911 380, S&W Sigma 380, Taurus Spectrum. Maybe some loctite, but maybe the manufacturer should already have that resolved. Shop 380 Pistols | Palmetto State Armory I am a little surprised that the Walther PK380 was not mentioned. Too bad because it's a fine firearm. The downsides are, well, it's easier just to bullet point this: Unreliable Poor fit and finish This time he is either getting his $ back, or a replacement. (I preferred to use it on woodchucks, however, out to 100 yards, with a good Leupold scope and a .22 Hornet barrel.) Add to that that .22 ammo has come a long, long way too??? The drawback is the size, not bad , but nowhere near as easy to carry as the others I own. The .38 spl. I have qualified with it twice and I have full confidence in shot placement. , If I were to replace my Bodyguard the Ruger LCP would be my choice. In actuality the Seecamp 380 is smaller. While a CZ PCR is my main carry, the PPK/s get the nod when the summer arrives. A .380 pistol will generally produce around 160 to 200-foot pounds of energy at a muzzle while a compact 9mm pistol produces about 280 to 320-foot pounds of muzzle energy. I found the triggers on the LCP and the Bodyguard 380 both unpleasantly stiff by comparison. Buy your blasters, blaster parts . I picked up five loads for function testing from those showing good terminal ballistics at Lucky Gunner 1st round of Win White Box failed to chamber a couple times off the top of the 1st magazine; I hit the magazine release by accident on the 2nd magazine; no other function problems yet with a variety of useful loads FMJ-RN, JHP-RN, and JHP-truncated cone. Great hiker's gun. Just my 2 cents Still very pleased with the gun. Should be on the list! Take the advice. I carry a Springfield Armory V-10. empty., double action, made in USA, HIGHLY rated by every police and LE blog or review I've read (very popular for ankle, backup, etc for our cops).. There are some who believe target ammo (or, FMJ, otherwise known as full metal jacket, ball, etc.) With the added magazine flair, my hand (including pinky finger) fits great. Yea yea, .380 is underpowered, etc, but if you need something you can handle and/or throw in your pocket, .380 beats a .22 or .32 and anything else is to large to pocket. besides, if you hit the target, the .380 WILL do the trick. You must be joking. At the time I didn't really think to try different ammo. As for range ammo I have had no issues with Federal, Fiocchi or Winchester. It fit my hand perfectly. I think you hit on a lot of good points. To the point of I wish these two models didnt even exist. In a real world gun fight capacity rules over caliber. Actually, I purchased all of them for my wife. But damn if my wife didn't like it also. Use Winchester FMJ for practice and Speer Gold Dot HP for carry. In many important aspects, the 911 is quite similar to the Sig P238 but I believe the former is superior in every way. Don't need that. It was a tough choice initially between the Sig 938 and the Kahr CM9, but the Kahr had a great trigger, no safety to worry about and the 1st shot speed and confidence this DAO provides. This is one of the reasons why I almost always recommend people learn how to shoot on a bigger handgun, with low to moderate recoil. Worldwide, and throughout the Cold War, and to this day, it is on the list of backup pistols endorsed and authorized to be used by some US Police Departments. When a gun is light in weight, it doesnt help dampen recoil as much as a heavier gun does. I recently purchased a S&W Bodyguard with the laser. Best and Worst .380 Autos? | Gunboards Forums Love it so much bought the CM 9 big brother for IWB holster use. People have a right to not be a VICTIM and carry a gun for protection and to neutralize a criminal gun. Mine was complete garbage and would come out of battery requiring disassembly! Also no safety to snag and good double action pull such that it could never accidentally discharge. The PPK/S is heavy in the pocket, making it a poor choice for lightweight pants. NOW that's a 380!!! Learn all the important stuff about handgunswith none of the attitude. 5 Worst Guns for Beginners (And Some Good Ones) Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Its a polymer-framed gun with a capacity of six in the mag, one in the chamber. While it's not pocket size, some features I like are the safeties it has, (so when not in use it can be locked without having to put a trigger lock on it and cannot fire without the mag), it has a fixed barrel, it is a 15+1, and while the initial trigger pull is long all others are short and the recoil is nice for control. I have had almost 20 failure to feed malfunctions with this pistol, 3 different magazines and every brand of 380 that Walmart sells Ive tried. If I had to bet my life, my choice would be 1) Sig P238 I really like mine, small and compact. Well interesting take though on all the ammo comparison charts I've seen on this site for popular handgun ammo I've yet to see the 9mm makarov mentioned and personally I carried a FEG PA-63 a hungarian made pistol though no longer on the market here carried it on me for least 5 years before I changed to a SiG P245 Compact due to the fact that I could Extremely easily find magazines available that fix in quiet extended size for the gun as it Accepted Magazines for the P220 as well which is a common officer carry ever since been a SiG guy still got the p245 but switched to a p938 Texas edition few years back But I'll Say this about the 9mm makarov and the FEG PA-63 at that, that is one gun to this day I regret selling but the local gunshop owner wanted it as a carry as he had one previously that got stolen when he was in the hospital and since they were no longer on market here I parted ways with mine but the 9mm makarov Is a absolutely great round can't even begin to describe how well it feels in the hand compared to a Luger. I started with a KelTec P3AT that fit nicely with a custom holster into a back pocket. Sadly, while we wish that were trueit isnt. While larger .380 pistols such as the Walther PPK/S, Walther PK380, Bersa Thunder 380, and Glock 42 dont have this problem, the truly small pocket pistols such as the LCP and TCP most certainly do. I have two Walther PPK/s , and find them to be excellent! My right hand and wrist are sore when I leave the practice range, but they don't ache for days as they have with 9mm. Thank you for your article. The data from the Luck Gunner ammo tests helped me arrive at the same conclusionCritical Defense for the 380. Some survivors who survived being shot from .380 remembered going into paralysis before blackout . The Beretta Pico is a nice gun, very very thin. The S&W M&P line of pistols has a huge following from concealed carriers to law enforcement professionals for good reason. The p3at hasn't failed yet at the range. (ps: author disses the LCP II trigger, and I wonder if he was thinking of the original, or if the LCP II he had was a different trigger design, as my wife's II has a great trigger). I can say that the ones Ive fired were picky about the type of ammo they shoot. Because I have carpal tunnel and arthritis in my thumbs, I bought the S&W 380 EZ. In 1995 S&W introduced their small concealed-carry style Sigma variant. No matter what you choose, the gun on your hip is better than the one youve left at home or in the car even if it does only hold seven rounds like most .380 pistols. Not funny. Thank you for the info. It's got a long trigger pull, but I don't think that's a problem with a concealed=carry gun for close-up self defense. Jams all Underwood Xtreme Penetrator or Defender. LCP 2 has a long heavy trigger? Later issued Glock 19 9mm for duty and carried a Sig P230 .380 as back up. It does have small sights and is a mini-beast to shoot. Don't waste your time with this gun. Im surprised in your updated article Mr. Gillem, you did not mention the Sig Sauer P365-380 (introduced Feb 2022) with the ability to mount a red dot optic like the Sig Sauer ROMEOZero Elite. 5 Hot New Handguns For 2023 | An Official Journal Of The NRA Its much easier for me to shoot my Ruger than it is my S & W! I also purchased Uncle Mike's. USA It's also rock solid reliableOver 100 rounds of mixed ammo types without the first hiccup. The short lived Sig P250 in .380 is my favorite. 7 Best .380 Pistols in 2023 with Review & Buying guide - Marine Approved The Beretta Pico is top dog. Time is not on your side in a crisis. These handguns are reliable and easy to manipulate. Will say that I really liked the Sig because of the night sights,cause goblins come out at night, My p3at , is great. Amen! has put a many people under in the world and was the sidearm of many law enforcement agencies in the U.S. for several decades. Great performance and a 15+1 magazine. concealed carry is about .concealment..It will vary dependent on many factors..like the weather and where you plan to carry..You don't carry a cannon in to a movie theater or other crowded event because every missed shot has the potential to kill innocent bystanders.. One thing that was not improved over the original LCP, however, is the sights. I know the California Highway Patrol carried .38 spl. Now mind you I am only comparing 380s. You need to know how your self-defense ammo handles in your firearm so it doesnt take you by surprise. When I wanted to downsize somewhat for summer carry I went with the P380. It was very ammo sensitive . I have the Bersa Thunder Combat .380 and love it. I also put a drop of a different color nail polish on the visible part of the back of the hammer to help me see when the pistol is cocked. I haven't fired one yet but every review I've seen says it's the best 380 trigger out there. The Ruger LCP has a long, heavy trigger pull, but the LCP II does not. Ive used many .380s but the best is the bersa thunder 380 cc . What is in the box ? S&W Bodyguard .380 7. .380 Pistols: The Best Pocket Rocket Money Can Buy Nowthe LCP Max brings with it 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP. Meaning they do not hold up to a lot of ammo down range. Best .380 Pistols [2023 Guide] | Gun Made Not adjustable and too hard for me to comfortably see down. I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but it's almost a sin that you did not put the .380 Seecamp at the very top of this list. The slide will stop short of full closure and must be bumped from the back to complete the closure. Try adjusting your grip, i.e., grip,the gun a little more tightly, or a bit more loosely. The 4th was picked out by my wife for her ccw. I recently purchased a 911 because I am a fan of Springfield Armory. Rented an LCP II this weekend. A design that has been manufactured for 91 years! 12 Best 380 ACP Pistols - April 2023 - USA Gun Shop While it certainly isnt difficult to take down and reassemble, there are easier ones out there. Oftentimes, the guns chambered in .380 ACP are tiny enough to fit into your front pocket. - It's made in America (on the East coast of Florida) It also fits my hand perfectly and I can shoot it better. Best ergonomics, even for those with larger hands. Also the Decocker and the fact that I can lock the frame as a pistol with the key when my grandchildren are around are a plus. I call these comfortable little handguns pacifier pistols. Adequate penetration is not an issue, either, and bullet expansion can be expected. of this gun and not all were winners. It sports a long, heavy trigger pull with double-strike capability. The semi-concealed hammer allows thumb cocking and decocking without any chance of hammer bite. If you can land multiple shots on an aggressor, in any caliber, theyre more likely to give up or succumb to wounds. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. The Glock doesn't fall into my "favorite" handgun catagory of the pistols I own or have owned but I have never had a failure to feed or failure to eject nor have I seen a FTF or FTE at the qualifications rangeno, that's not trueone time during qualifications, a new officer was having FTE's with her issued Glock. I have a Bersa 383 DA I have carried for over 30 years. WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE .380 POCKET PISTOL? How come the Kimber Micro isn't on this list? Boy, did I sure miss out on that one. That being said, the LCP II can also be carried IWB or in an ankle holster just as easily as it could be carried in a pocket. My favorite carry firearm is my Kahr P380. Shoots fine and no issues. Made In United States of America Final thought? Though it is probably one of the most expensive 380's on the market, I don't think that should matter when it comes to defending yourself and loved ones. Thirteen rounds and easy to shoot. The Bodyguard .380 is a small, polymer-framed handgun weighing in at 12.8 ounces with integrated Crimson Trace laser. Remember, a .380 started a World War. PSs-I've owned/own Brownings, Rugers, Sigs, Smiths, Springfieldsadd Bersa to the list! .just kidding 32,490 views Aug 21, 2021 1.1K Dislike Share nutnfancy 852K subscribers Another ranting review.oh man we do not like this gun! It's probably as small as any on this list, at only 4.7" X 3.6", Ive owned and fired every caliber from my little Colt target 22 to my 50 cal Desert Eagle. I LOVED it for its size and wanted it to come in #1! I recently purchased the Kahr after reading this article, and many others. If you can't hit the side of a barn in a pressure situation the caliber of your weapon isn"t going to save you. That's about 150% more kinetic energy than the .380 can bring to bear! The AMT has a small finger hook at the bottom that helps with recoil. The stopping power, recoil management, and availability make it a more popular pistol caliber than the .380 ACP, and rightfully so. My biggest fear with the LCP as an everyday carry is that most micro 380s have the reputation of being a bit finicky. Went back for service twice. And the right kind of holster too. The barrel length is just 2.75 inches and its capacity is also six in the magazine, one in the chamber. Did you even consider the Springfield? (Available in 9mm, .380 ACP or .45 ACP. A Ruger-oriented forum could help with the holster issue. I had the same thoughts when I bought the Ruger LC380 but I found the long trigger pull made me less accurate so I went to the Glock 42. Walther CCP 6. Slide it on your waist band or pocket and you almost forget it's there, so I carry it all the time. Rock Island Armory Baby Rock 7. No, no, none of the handguns you recommend are a good 380 ACP choice, get yourself a Glock 25, that is like a Glock 19 but chambered in 380 ACP, that gun has almost no recoil and it is concealable but wait a minute, now I remember, you are in the USA so a Glock 25 is a no, no for you. I own a .380 and I'm confident it will neutralize an attacker upon the first of 1 or 2 shots. There's just less to correct for shot to shot. Wowno North American Arms Guardian .380? Carry what makes you comfortable, I guess. All that said, when I go to the range I have to force myself to shoot it. Its looks great and feels great in my hands. While the grip may be a little square for some shooters, the petite size and easy slide makes this gun a great CCW option for smaller humans. Has anyone found something that works reliably. In the worst-case scenario where your shots aren't on point, a .380 will have a harder time taking someone down vs. a 9mm. The Ruger LCP II, released by Ruger at the end of 2016, sought to remedy many of those downsides. It fit my large hands and short fingers. (My LCP had the same problem.). With all due respect, I must point out a conceptual error to you, and that is when you present the good Bersa Thunder pistol as the best Clone of the Walther PPk, the Bersa pistol, it is not a clone of the Walhter PP Series, but of the Beretta Series 70 and 71. And it's accurate or maybe I am ;-) Hi Charles, are the pictures not showing up on your end? Also a quick not for those that carry a .380 I would look at the new XP Extreme Penetrator and XD Extreme Defender ammo by Lehigh Defense. ESTE ES UN TEMA QUE NO EST TRATADO EN EL ARTICULO: LA PRECISION !!! Hanging with wrong people. Easy, real consealment, they disappear under my clothes. A little pricey, but very accurate, no malfunctions, has tritium night sights, and a real pleasure to shoot. Everything about it is perfect for me. My only complaint on this gun was the sights, which I easily remedied by installing a laser on the lower rail. The Ruger is light, easy to carry concealed and is very accurate. Haven't had a chance to try that out but thanks for the rec. The Shield is not hard to carry and conceal, but my .380 is so much more comfortable and concealable that it is the one I choose most of the time. Very happy with my purchase . Nonetheless, the fact that they are difficult to shoot can be a major problem for training and self-defense purposes. I also have a Micro 9 which is a bit larger than the Micro 380. Then you'd love the Bersa Thunder Plus .380 that holds 15+1. You can see the .380 is one of the smallest rounds in popular pistol calibers. How about all that for $459.00 in a plastic box? These flaws include, but are not limited to: .380 pocket pistols have a well-deserved reputation for having some of the worst trigger pulls of any semi-automatic pistols on the market. That and I own a Sig P238 that has been the best everyday carry gun I have ever owned and the 911 seemed to be a copy of the P238 only made by Springfield and slightly better looking in my opinion. So went out and bought a Bersa "Fire Storm"fell in love with the 380 cal. Just wanted to say, I own 4 different caliber Taurus pistols and I am very satisfied with my 357 mag, 1911 Commander 45 acp, and 38 special. I have fired hundreds of rounds to this little pistol with zero failures. Another good one not mentioned in your list: Remington's RM380, which like the Sig is all metal. glock but too big to carry,, traded for glock 42,, excellent patterns at 25 and 50 feet,,at range yesterday,, over 200 rounds,, use the precision on ammo plus p,, called them,, they said this best ammo out there ,, 12 inch penetration with 1/2 in hole,, you right,, if you don't hav it you can't use it.,,also bought finger extension on magazine and haugh grips,, excellent helpers and made patterns alot better. Yes but sig at least bought the rights to it from colt , Springfield just stole it. But I think the problem is not a disingenuous review, but the facts that an 84F is much, much more bulky gripwise, and heavy to lug around and conceal. I have read conflicting reports about it. Less than an inch wide, polymer frame, striker fired. Patience will get you free shipping, too, as Palmetto makes that available every so often. )its features and..how it looked. Still, shoot whatever makes you most comfortable; that S&W is a fine choice. I have nothing bad to say about it except it feels cheaper than the others. It is slightly heavier, but packs a wallop with Corbon flying ashtrays. My Bodyguard did have a few issues with Hornady Civil Defense ammo but Federal HST 99 grain JHP has been off the charts in accuracy and reliability. I had no images on Chrome, but Firefox was fine. Personalize your experience. I've been armed for over 50 years on a daily basis. Agree 100%. Looking for the FBI specs 12 inch to 18 inch in ballistic gelBut here's what I found after all the Self Defense 380 ammo testing. What is very important to me is having a laser and being able to shoot juiced up .380 rounds. In selecting .380 Personal Defense pistols, it would seem that the Taurus TCP 738 Pistol would get an "Honorable" mention if not place in the top 5-10. It speaks to me in a purely utilitarian language, which is fine, it has it's place. I purchased a Browning Black label Pro with 4.25 inch barrel , I also own 9mm of different mfg. .380 pocket pistols have a well-deserved reputation for having some of the worst trigger pulls of any semi-automatic pistols on the market. That last is not the gun's fault, just my age, and it is a problem for me with every gun I shoot, long or short. Weather day or night my Sig's sights glow nice and bright. Thanks for mentioning that the Underwood works in the LCP 2. I can say that cheaply made ball ammo seemed to cycle fine in this six in the magazine, one in the chamber pocket pistol and so do a lot of others. I strongly suggest checking out Kimber. The safety feature is no problem if you practice. I appreciate the tip! It makes a HUGE difference! Self defense means close shooting. As the US Seal replied when asked if his 9 mm was powerful enough and would he prefer a 40 cal? One is a KelTec P3AT, very small pocket gun, and I have a CZ83 in .380acp which is the finest .380 I have ever fired. The Judge). I purchased a Ruger LCP last month, ftf/fte, 35 out of 50 rds, 95 gr. Well, with all due respect, I must point out to you that this is a serious error, indicating at least an ignorance of the history of firearms. Good article but why did you leave out probably the best .380 out there, the SCCY CPX-3? Reliability Significantly less felt recoil than the others, smaller, and lighter. Unfortunately, each of these pistols and others in their class suffer from a number of serious flaws. Consider moving. The Kahr CW 380 is my concealed carry gun. Neither would I want my pistol's barrel to be anything less than 4 inches in length. It's the best of both worlds, no compromise, no having to choose one or the other. 2) .410 for defensive, I strongly disagree with the assumptions made. Also the famous and consecrated King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, wore a Walther PPK / S engraved, with an initial "take care of your business" Now here;'s the good about the LCP.It Feeds CRITICAL DEFENSE like a champ. cant make it jam off of Critical defense. We have a few of the guns in this article, and I have shot them all quite a bit. I use Alien Gear IWB, and put the extra mag in my back pocket. But it is accurate and true and the cost is $350. For work I carry the Glock 43, 9mm. Never carry in a pocket (or elsewhere for that matter) without a proper holster Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). 6 Best 380 Pistols [Updated 2022] - Alien Gear Holsters Oh, and the first time he put a full mag in the weapon three rounds came popping out for him just like it did for me!!! It takes a lot more than just having a gun in order to survive an armed surprise ambush. Standing out as one of the smallest on this list, Kahr isnt a brand you hear a lot but this is definitely an option you should consider. I have a S&W Bodyguard. Nice gun but Ive had a couple of stoppages with it at the range. Super reliable, very concealable. Yeah, I like Clones, mainly those made in Turkey because they've been well made in NATO spec facilities. Another vote for the Rem. Hot cases! (As a 31-year Army combat vet I appreciate decent sights; yes, even on a pistol that is generally considered a "short range" solution.) Great Article Joshua. Thanks for the great article. Check Price. Has Excellent sights (tritium) and safety and did I mention, it's a real gun, not some plastic wannabe. The order I acquired these guns is also my preference for carrying them. Still I agree with you! It includes rifles, shotguns and a wide variety of handguns. Forget the Ruger LCP's, reliable until they are not. Too bad Taurus discontinued them in favor of the Spectrum. Many people place a little too much emphasis on caliber and many are not proficient with their "Big Guns". It looks at over 1700 firearm incidents involving police, military or private citizen armed encounters and looks at the weapons used, incapacitation and lethal effectiveness. I like mine too but my wife has a lcp2. The G42 has a barrel of 3.25 inches, one of the longer ones on this shortlist, and weighs in at 13.76 ounces. I have a Bersa thunder cc chambered in 380 ACP. Have shoot over 1500 rd of all types of ammo. This matters with hands that are not as strong, or that might be arthritic. I was disappointed when we went to the 9mm but I understood why we did so. Super concealable with 10 rounds of .380 ACP although snappy. Sorry, with all due respect, I simply cannot agree with your equating the .380 ACP and the .38 Special. They chew any Ammo you can think of, with ease and practically no malfunction! I have carried and shot many many rounds through both my LCP 2 and my sig P238. I sold my Ruger LCP (original model) and bought the Glock 42. Overall, the trigger on the LCP II makes it infinitely easier to shoot than the original LCP. Anyway I decided to purchase the revot in spite of that absurd and stupid law. There are basically two methods of thought when it comes to self-defense cartridges. - It's cheaper and has much more capacity than the Bodyguard I carry it cocked and locked. It sports a long, heavy trigger pull with double-strike capability. It will digest about anything I throw in it, cheap ball ammo to top notch hollow points, its not finicky and the accuracy for me was great. Thank's David! I have owned a Ruger LCP but it was just a little too small for me but thats just a matter of personal choice. Great reviews, here 's my 2 cents. (might even have been me Limp wristing it) but still it should cycle And the trigger is probably the LONGEST trigger EVER. It just seems like they got this one right-check it out! Availability : In Stock The .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol is one of the most popular categories of concealed carry weapons in the United States and has been for years. I think it came out right around the time of your article so why didn't you list it? 1. Because your firearm is potentiallypointed at your junk! Glad to hear it working out for you, Guy! The Sig was my carry weapon until I began carrying a ported barrel M & P 40 S&W with night sites. Really??? Surprised it didnt make the list. I don't care for the whole 1911 thing, I'd rather have a single or double action striker but this P238 is amazing. The current third generation of Rugers great LCP seriesthe LCP Max is what our editor Eric carries while in athletic gear. Concealable Semi-Automatic Handguns: The Top 15 - The Shooter's Log In not new to guns, shot IPSC for a while. The reason the trigger pull is lighter is because it is a SA trigger versus the DA trigger on the original LCP.