Best .380 Under $200

[Brent Lea]

I have been saving up for a decent AR so my funds are a little low but am thinking about grabbing a cheap .380 for pocket carry as a backup. I have done some research on Cobra Freedoms and Jennings .380s and still am not sold on putting my life on the line for a 100 dollar gun (even as a backup). I carry a G27 IWB with an extra mag every day and couldn't feel safer but I have been entertaining the thought of grabbing one of these Saturday night specials I guess just for frills.
1. What are your thoughts on a budget .380?
2. What .380s under $200 would you recommend?
3. Should I just buy a sexy wheel gun instead?

 

[kelcarry]

I have been saving up for a decent AR so my funds are a little low but am thinking about grabbing a cheap .380 for pocket carry as a backup. I have done some research on Cobra Freedoms and Jennings .380s and still am not sold on putting my life on the line for a 100 dollar gun (even as a backup). I carry a G27 IWB with an extra mag every day and couldn't feel safer but I have been entertaining the thought of grabbing one of these Saturday night specials I guess just for frills.
1. What are your thoughts on a budget .380?
2. What .380s under $200 would you recommend?
3. Should I just buy a sexy wheel gun instead?

You seem to have questions about what you want and what you want it for. iMHO a 380 is a belly gun--close up and not much more. they put lasers etal on these things and IMO they are for profit only. I have a simple Keltec 3AT. Have had for many years. Never, thank g-d had a reason to use it but have carried it. In practice I have NEVER had a failure. It is simple, easy, small, around $200. I bought for its purpose and not for gimmicks and not for style. Nough said.

 

[jturner3]

Just bought a Taurus 738. 199 at academy. Reviews say this one can take a licking with most rentals having thousands of rounds with no hiccups and only regular cleanings.


Edc: taurus 24/7 g2 compact 9 in desantis invisible agent tuckable holster

 

[bofh]

From an earlier post:

For the .380 Cobra, there are a number of reviews out there, such as Gun Review: Cobra CA380 - The Cheapest Handgun in America!. This article points out that the Taurus 738 TCP costs just a little bit more, but is an overall better handgun in that price range. I have the Taurus 738 TCP as a jogging gun and I am happy with it for that purpose.

 

[BC1]

Don't look for bargains in personal protection, medical care, insurance and parachutes.

 

[BigSlick]

Given that this is a purchase for frills only, I would go with a sexy wheel gun.

 

[indyyy]

My first pistol was a cobra and i bought it when i was ignorant and knew nothing about guns and i got screw.. 'cause the gun store charged me $300 for it. I shot 7 rounds through it, let it sit for a few years and when I went to try it out again the magazine wouldn't feed the ammo, so it's now a 1 shot pistol - even after a thorough cleaning and a new magazine. I don't know - that was about 10 years ago. Maybe they make them better now. All I know is I'll never buy another cobra. I'd take an extra month or two to save another hundred dollars and get something better.

I've read reviews and been looking at the Taurus TCP someone else mentioned but haven't got one yet. Have a 9mm 16 round S&W and a Taurus 357 4 inch barrel revolver. Maybe for Christmas I'll pick up one of those TCP's - it has great reveiws and it would be nice to have a gun I can put in my pocket.

Oh yeah, and I still have that Cobra I bought 10 years ago sitting in the back of my closet to remind me to never buy another one. :big_boss:

 

[Ringo]

I bought two Glock 42 .380's. One for myself for pocket carry & one for my wife to carry in her purse. Payed $430.00 each out the door. Glock quality, no complaints.


Life Is Good. :dance3:

MARANATHA! :victory:​

 

[aacx22]

Armscor M206. 38sp in the price range. Revolver dependability makes a good backup gun.

 

[N R A]

Don't look for bargains in personal protection, medical care, insurance and parachutes.

or GFs

 

[N R A]

you guys that use less than issue strength tools for protection worry me as an instructor. Sure .22 can kill, but what police force issues .22 handguns for patrolman? What police force issues .380 for patrolmen? The answer is NONE, except you guys changed the question. You changing the question, does not change the threat. Threat is not adequately countered with small munitions, to the extent, other rounds are better equipped. . Also, .380s generally are single stack magazines. Your threat steals large caliber, large capacity guns, and uses them to do attacks on us, so one must meet threat, with an equal or better counter. Can one defend ones self with a .380? Sure. In a movie, I once say Burt Reynolds kill someone with a credit card. That was fiction. carrying a .380 and thinking that is good enough may also be fiction. Be Safe

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Feel free to strap a target on your ass and stand at seven yards.....

It's ONLY a .380! It can't kill ya, right?!