is .380 enough gun?
AvidshooterTX

AvidshooterTX

New member
There was another thread where people were talking about maybe buying .380s but the ammo might be scarce. Started me wondering if a .380 is enough gun. Found this article.

Carry Enough Gun: Just Say ‘No’ to Mouseguns for Off-Duty and Back-Up :: Blue Sheepdog

If seems to indicate that it is not but one of the commenters at the bottom of the article has a different opinion and backs it up with test results on a pork shoulder.

I figure any handgun will do the trick under certain conditions if fired accurately but is a .380 really a good choice?

Thoughts?
 

These were common police calibers in Europe for a long time.

I read of a guy stupidly carrying one in his waistband. He tried to pull it from his pants and caused in to discharge.

The bullet went clean through his thigh, glanced from his femur exited his leg and went through the floor of the car.

None of those deriding smaller calibers would ever want to be shot with them!

-Doc
 
A 380 can be good enough, but shot placement is critical, type of ammo, type of firearm, all of these need to be though out carefully. :biggrin:
 
I think the writer's opinion is valid, but is also from a law enforcement officers view point.
I would never want my local policeperson carrying a .380 as their service weapon.
However, their job, and why I carry is possibly different. They are likely to have to shoot at a suspect at a greater distance and they may be behind a barrier of some type (Car door, wall, etc).
MY job carrying concealed is to stop a threat that is directly in front of me, in most cases..

It is hard to believe that a .380 did not enter a skull at point blank range.. Could it happen, sure.. but unlikely in most cases.. There have been people hit with a .45 multiple times, and still live.

His point about the sights, etc again are not that important to me as a concealed carry person.. YES, I need to be able to hit what I'm shooting at when I shoot. Again, I'm shooting at a body size object 10-15 feet away from me.. IF I can't hit that without using my sights, I probably shouldn't be carrying.. I'm not shooting long distances and I'm aiming at center mass, not someone's foot.

I personally carry a 9mm, but I would carry a .380 and my wife does carry a .380.. Again, it is to STOP A THREAT, if the BG lives, so be it, so long as the threat is stopped..

I'm sure others will disagree, but most people I've talked (typed) with that disagree have a "Combat" mentality.. That's fine for them.. I don't live in Iraq, or Afghanistan and I'm not a paid mercenary.. I am a concealed carrying citizen out to protect myself and my family, If it has "good" stopping power (this is where the opinion comes in), works reliably, can be concealed well.. Then it's good to go.. a .380 is my minimum..
 
HootmonSccy said:
I think the writer's opinion is valid, but is also from a law enforcement officers view point.
I would never want my local policeperson carrying a .380 as their service weapon.
However, their job, and why I carry is possibly different. They are likely to have to shoot at a suspect at a greater distance and they may be behind a barrier of some type (Car door, wall, etc).
MY job carrying concealed is to stop a threat that is directly in front of me, in most cases..

It is hard to believe that a .380 did not enter a skull at point blank range.. Could it happen, sure.. but unlikely in most cases.. There have been people hit with a .45 multiple times, and still live.

His point about the sights, etc again are not that important to me as a concealed carry person.. YES, I need to be able to hit what I'm shooting at when I shoot. Again, I'm shooting at a body size object 10-15 feet away from me.. IF I can't hit that without using my sights, I probably shouldn't be carrying.. I'm not shooting long distances and I'm aiming at center mass, not someone's foot.

I personally carry a 9mm, but I would carry a .380 and my wife does carry a .380.. Again, it is to STOP A THREAT, if the BG lives, so be it, so long as the threat is stopped..

I'm sure others will disagree, but most people I've talked (typed) with that disagree have a "Combat" mentality.. That's fine for them.. I don't live in Iraq, or Afghanistan and I'm not a paid mercenary.. I am a concealed carrying citizen out to protect myself and my family, If it has "good" stopping power (this is where the opinion comes in), works reliably, can be concealed well.. Then it's good to go.. a .380 is my minimum..
Click to expand...

Thanks. Very sound logic and very well thought out. One of my wife's carry guns is a .380 Beretta Cougar with the pop-up barrel. A very nice firearm with checkered walnut grips. I always wondered if it was enough. Both of us mostly carry our Taurus titanium 5-shot .38 +P revolvers although I often carry my 9mm 92FS because of the number of rounds. But it always seemed to me that the .380 was adequate for close encounters of the ccw kind.
 
AvidshooterTX said:
Thanks. Very sound logic and very well thought out. One of my wife's carry guns is a .380 Beretta Cougar with the pop-up barrel. A very nice firearm with checkered walnut grips. I always wondered if it was enough. Both of us mostly carry our Taurus titanium 5-shot .38 +P revolvers although I often carry my 9mm 92FS because of the number of rounds. But it always seemed to me that the .380 was adequate for close encounters of the ccw kind.
Click to expand...
Just remember the .380 is the same bullet diameter as the 9mm, it just has a slightly shorter cartridge(less powder), and the bullet is usually a few grains lighter..
Again, at 10 feet, nobody will probably know the difference.. at 50 yards, I would think there is a big difference..

.38 +P = generates 240.6 ft-lbs of energy
.380 = generates ~200 foot-pounds ft-lbs of energy

17% less power than the .38 +p
 
I go every other Monday night to a plate shoot for 22LR only for fun and some small prize money. I've found that I will need a gun better suited for this than the Sig Mosquito w/ open sights.I have my eye on a S&W 22A-1 that I will add a red dot to.:biggrin:

A few of the people attending bring different carry guns along and allow me to do a try it before buy it. I fired the Ruger LCP this Monday and was not all that excited by it. A little too small for me. Kinda felt like it was gonna jump out of my hand. One of the other guys had a Kel-Tec P3AT. Still feels too small for me. I guess for a BUG it's a good choice. A sh!t has hit the fan gun...

For me I love the 45 auto and I love the .357 Mag. They hit hard and have been proven as great defense rounds. My guns are just too large to hide in light summer attire. So I was looking at the Walther PPK. Good size, not too tiny. My friend had one so I know how they feel to shoot. The issue I see now is the price and supply for the .380 ammo. I noted the 9mm stuff is coming back and it's cheap. Better ballistic performance with the 9mmm vs the .380, but still not as good as the 45 or 38+P or 357...

I was also looking at a J frame 5 shooter 38+P. Then the issue is the ammo limit. I could just get the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm compact and have 10+1 in 9mm. or the .40S&W compact and get 10+1 in a slightly bigger round... Same size for both, small enough to hide in a Supertuck, I have the M&P 45 full size so I know and like the platform...

I have done the real world shooting test with the .380 vs the 9mm and the .357 and the .45 so I see the .380 as being a compromise in real performance for conceal size...Eh... :unsure:

I think I've talked myself into the 9mm compact. Will see what the money tree has in store in the spring...

Peace...
 
I prefer to carry a 40 cal (usually a Glock 27 or a Kahr PM40). Sometimes I carry a 45 (Colt Gov 1911 or Kahr CW45).
However, I often a little Diamondback 380 loaded with Gold Dots, because it is logistically possible when the bigger stuff isn't.
This gun weighs less than my beretta 21A 22LR (12.5 OZ. LOADED W/ 6+1), and it's thinner.
Do I prefer a larger caliber? Yep, but I'm not a priority/high profile target.
 
theicemanmpls said:
Adolf Hiter shot himself with a walther PPK. Could of been the .32 or the 9mm kurtz aka .380.
Click to expand...

Adolph Hitler's endorsement of any firearm would not impress me. He took away 4 years of my dad's life as he piloted B-17s over Germany. But every time we fire it now I will think fondly of the big hole it would make in der fuhrer's head.
 
In my book, it should be assigned duty as a back-up when possible. Now, that being said, there have been times when I carried a .380 as a CCW gun in short and t-shirt weather. I have several, but prefer to carry my Airlite Titanium S&W J frame in 357 Mag, usually with 38 Gold Dot +p's if I have the choice. A little more punch and penetration. I have used a 380 in a Narcotics assignment with a Walther PPK, and also a Beretta 84 13 shot. Remember the first rule of a gun fight is have a gun. It sure beats sticks and rocks. Though I would prefer not to have to battle with a couple of armed Thug Monkees with a Ruger LCP OR a 38 snubby. Sometimes you have to carry what you are able to carry, and a 380 LCP in the pocket, is better than a 1911 at home in the safe. I always try to carry a larger or full size 45 or 9mm, but either way, whatever you carry, practice with it for real. Practice drawing it from your carry mode and engaging multiple targets. It just may get you out of a jam. Any gun can save your life, IF you train with it.
 
My preferred carry is my Glock 23 but I do have a Ruger LCP and a Sig Sauer P238. I ride a Harley and I can pocket carry either of the .380's in either my jacket or vest. I like the Ruger and love the Sig. I have practiced enough with both that I have complete confidence that they can do the job if needed. That said, I would not carry anything smaller than .380.

I have a mental block against the 9mm. I was in the Marine Corps when they replaced the Colt 1911 with the Beretta. It just griped my ass that the U.S. military replaced an American icon with an Itallian metric. Although my Glock and Sig are foreign, I strongly believe that American troops should trust their lives to American made weapons. Double standards don't have to be rational :laugh:
 
.38 standard pressure and .380 are about equal. With .380, you usually get more rounds in mag plus quicker reloads. Ask anybody that has been shot with a .38 or .380 if it was enough. Remember, USA police carried .38 for many years
 
6shootercarry said:
I go every other Monday night to a plate shoot for 22LR only for fun and some small prize money. I've found that I will need a gun better suited for this than the Sig Mosquito w/ open sights.I have my eye on a S&W 22A-1 that I will add a red dot to.:biggrin:

A few of the people attending bring different carry guns along and allow me to do a try it before buy it. I fired the Ruger LCP this Monday and was not all that excited by it. A little too small for me. Kinda felt like it was gonna jump out of my hand. One of the other guys had a Kel-Tec P3AT. Still feels too small for me. I guess for a BUG it's a good choice. A sh!t has hit the fan gun...

For me I love the 45 auto and I love the .357 Mag. They hit hard and have been proven as great defense rounds. My guns are just too large to hide in light summer attire. So I was looking at the Walther PPK. Good size, not too tiny. My friend had one so I know how they feel to shoot. The issue I see now is the price and supply for the .380 ammo. I noted the 9mm stuff is coming back and it's cheap. Better ballistic performance with the 9mmm vs the .380, but still not as good as the 45 or 38+P or 357...

I was also looking at a J frame 5 shooter 38+P. Then the issue is the ammo limit. I could just get the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm compact and have 10+1 in 9mm. or the .40S&W compact and get 10+1 in a slightly bigger round... Same size for both, small enough to hide in a Supertuck, I have the M&P 45 full size so I know and like the platform...

I have done the real world shooting test with the .380 vs the 9mm and the .357 and the .45 so I see the .380 as being a compromise in real performance for conceal size...Eh... :unsure:

I think I've talked myself into the 9mm compact. Will see what the money tree has in store in the spring...

Peace...
Click to expand...

I have a RIA compact 1911A1. With IWB and shirt untucked, it conceals nicely. Just need a pretty good belt to keep it up where it belongs.
 
Hey Y'all: Just sayin. I knew from the getgo of CC that the only thing I would carry was the smallest and lightest since I hate "stuff" in my pockets or on my clothes or body. The bigger stuff (38 and shotgun) is in the house. I marvel at the amount of metal some of these posters can carry. My compromise came down to a 380 and I chose the kel tec P3AT--it is the lightest and smallest and even with all the new ones out there, it still is--it is also one of the least expensive and, in my case, has never caused me a lick of trouble. I practice so I can hit what I aim at and at close quarters, which would be the only CC-actual firing I could envision responsibly; a 380 to the body will change someone's ideas if not their lives. I am practicing point shooting, which also seems to be the only logical way to look at CC and defense at close quarters since it allows you to defend yourself that much quicker without relying on the small guns' sights, which are essentially non-existent. Think that is about it. Hope comments are helpful.
 
.380 works for me. My primary carry is either my P-3AT or my LCP(with
CT) depending if I want the laser or not.

For the warmer climate, pocket carry works best for me these are great pocket guns. I'll go up to the 9mm or the .357 if needed, but then comes the concealment problems. I figure a .380 on me is a lot better than a .357 on the shelf.
 
Although I have not read all the posts on this thread, I would like to share my opinion; at the moment I carry a PX4 Storm in a .40 S&W and love it.

Now .....

I recently rented a Bersa Thunder .380 and shot some Buffalo Bore ammo through it, the load was Buffalo Bore's 90 grain JHP (gold dot style) + P round, this round is rated at 1150 feet per/sec. with 288 lbs of energy and 10 inches of penetration. The recoil on this pistol/round is half that of my .40 S&W ... I was able to stay on target much better then my Beretta, 2nd shots were much faster and placed better. I can group better with the .380 vs. the .40 S&W. I left the range confident my next handgun purchase with be a Bersa .380

*** KEEP IN MIND I INTEND TO LOAD THAT .380 WITH NOTHING BUT BUFFALO BORE AMMO ***
 
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