is .380 enough gun?


As a 69 year-old carrying owner of a full-size 1911 (.45 ACP) and a Sig P238 (.380 ACP), I much prefer to carry the .380. At my age, I avoid risky situations. And the .380 is acceptable insurance against random violence. However, if I anticipated some unavoidable degree of risk, I'd strap on the 1911. I guess what I'm trying to say is, for me, the choice is situational.
 

There are a few threads that will forever linger in the minds of men. #1 Is the .380 enough gun and #2 What do you think of CCW Badges.

IMHO #1 is yes
#2 is for LEO wanna bees:sarcastic:
 
Guys and Ladies, as it has ben said a 380 in most cases is plenty of weapon, if used as primary you should be way above average in proficency, it just does not allow for any mistakes in shot placement, but hey if thats what you want to carry and are comfortable with it, great, personaly if I could comfortably carry the 454 I would,
 
Rocketgeezer said:
Guys and Ladies, as it has ben said a 380 in most cases is plenty of weapon, if used as primary you should be way above average in proficency, it just does not allow for any mistakes in shot placement, but hey if thats what you want to carry and are comfortable with it, great, personaly if I could comfortably carry the 454 I would,
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I had a 454 in my Chevy truck .... it used to much fuel so I sold it :sarcastic:
 
Rocketgeezer said:
Guys and Ladies, as it has ben said a 380 in most cases is plenty of weapon, if used as primary you should be way above average in proficency, it just does not allow for any mistakes in shot placement, but hey if thats what you want to carry and are comfortable with it, great, personaly if I could comfortably carry the 454 I would,
Click to expand...


Also, you need to look at Buffalo Bore Ammo and what it push's a .380 too. It makes it one hot little round, it's only a few inches short of a .40 S&W in regrads to penatration, also the Buffalo Bore .380 expands to a little over .50 of an inch

I am confident with my .380 packing Buffalo Bore
 
Buffalo Bore

PX4storm said:
Also, you need to look at Buffalo Bore Ammo and what it push's a .380 too. It makes it one hot little round, it's only a few inches short of a .40 S&W in regrads to penatration, also the Buffalo Bore .380 expands to a little over .50 of an inch

I am confident with my .380 packing Buffalo Bore
Click to expand...

Buffalo bore is usually hot, but be aware they have had several failures to fire and at least one KABOOM that I know of in the big bores (44mag, 454 Casull). Ruger vs Buffalo Bore - Alaska Outdoors Forums

In the 380 the Corbon DPX is probably one of, if not, the best out there. GoldenLoki.com
 
I encourage posters to go to mouseguns.com and select "mousegun tactics" on the list of views. It provides, IMO, a complete and sensible discussion of what a mouse gun is all about and what purpose it serves and when should it be used. It also provides basic appreciation of any kind of potential situation where you are considering the use of a firearm. Everything is already known by most but having it all in one article is a good way to rereview your opinions and scenarios.
 
I feel the .380 and the .32 are okay for personal carry. The whole idea is "protection" isn't it? If you load uo with HP's think what the round looks like once expanded. I own a Taurus 738 .380, a 709 slim 9mm, and a PT145 .45acp and I carry either one, depending on how I'm dressed at the time.:pleasantry:
 
Ed Hamberger said:
I feel the .380 and the .32 are okay for personal carry. The whole idea is "protection" isn't it? If you load uo with HP's think what the round looks like once expanded. I own a Taurus 738 .380, a 709 slim 9mm, and a PT145 .45acp and I carry either one, depending on how I'm dressed at the time.:pleasantry:
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Hey Ed, I'm wondering how you like the Taurus 709. I saw one yesterday at a gun shop and am seriously considering it. What ammo do you use in it? What holster configuration? Right now I carry a Sig P232 .380 in a Galco IWB holster. I'm a short curvy lady and adequate concealment is a consideration.
 
AvidshooterTX said:
I don't understand the personal attacks on this board. My moniker means that I'm an avid shooter. I've replaced 2 barrels on my Baretta FS92 and gone through probably over 30k rounds in that pistol. I haven't put as many rounds through my Taurus titanium .38+P but enough. I've been happy with these firearms and was just asking about the 380 since my wife had one in addition to her .38+P. I read about firearms in American Rifleman and Guns and Ammo and other magazies but all the gun mags rave about every gun that comes out. Hell, they liked that Grendel when it came out. In my opinion the gun writers don't want to piss off the manufacturers and stop getting the cool new guns to test so they tread very lightly. So how about everybody being a little more civil?
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amen
 
Hey roho-amarillo and AvidshooterTX: Excuse me if I am repeating, but I found the Am.Rifleman 380 comparison/review a little "funny" as I examined the wording of the reviews. To start with the picture on the outside of the issue had me already somewhat suspect---why the Taurus? why not a montage of all the firearms? . When I read the article, I realized that the only firearm that received 100% OK was the thousand dollar firearm (I guess you get what you pay for); all the others for one reason or another and mostly for the same reasons had some "problem" of some sort. What got me was the more positive nuance of the "problem" with the Taurus as compared to some of the other firearms--I could not help but think about the $$$ that went to the NRA from Taurus. Maybe I am a complete skeptic these days but IMO there was a "slant" in this article. I also get a kick out of all the questions that get asked about this mfgr or that mfgr or this gun or that gun. For every reply in the positive there is always a reply somewhere in the negative except, perhaps for Glock; that does not necessarily mean that Glock is the perfect firearm--again being a skeptic, it means to me that the souls who pray to the Glock god do just that---anything less is heresy.
 
I'm kinda thinking that these lil guns need a laser it is just a point and shoot operation. I'm not going after the guy down the street with a .380. That caliber and type of firearm is strictly for up close and personal work.
 
I have a similiar problem. I would very much like to buy a small gun. I realize the distance matters but I would like to get a 40mm compact. I honestly do not think the 38mm has the stopping power. I have a Sig 226 which is a 9mm. Great weapon but it is to large to carry on a regular basis. It is not the easiest to conceal. My instrctor recommended the Sig 226. When I carry a weapon on a regular basis I really want the stopping power. I can not visualize a 38 mm doeing the job. That is why I would not buy a sub compact but a compact weapon. I feel that I have a choice between a 45 mm, 40mm and a 9 mm. I would honestly choose the 40mm. It is my opinion that it makes a difference when you need something that works. What do you think?
 
rock919, the .38, .40 and the .45 caliber is measured in decimals of an INCH, the 9mm is measured in millimeters. a .38, 40 or 45mm would make a great anti-aircraft gun though!
 
I have several .380's, 2 Ruger LCP's, a Walther PPK-S, a Colt Mustang and a Mauser HSc and they are all loaded with JHP ammo. They all conceal very well, and for the most part are satisfactory...but if I know I am going into a dicey situation I also carry either a Glock 19 9mm, Kimber Pro Carry II .45 or S&W 337 .38 +P.











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HootmonSccy said:
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
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If you use Buffalo Bore (BB) ammo you get 236 ft-lbs of energy even from the little Kel-Tec P3AT or Ruger LCP. If you have a longer barreled 380 you get over 240 ft-lbs. I have several different guns in calibers ranging from 45 to 22 but my concealed carry guns are either my 16 ounce Taurus J-frame .357 or my 8 ounce P3AT. Whenever this 380 debate comes up I post this link to BB 380 tests on pork ribs:

Link Removed

This pretty well speaks for itself. The BB 380's outperform 38 Special +Ps. Like the guy in the article said "Compare the P3AT with BB Gold Dot at 236 ft-lb actual measured energy with a S&W SnubNose 38cal +P Double Tap Gold Dot at actual measured 199 ft-lb. I'll take the P3AT any day."
 
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