opinions on .380 revolver

[toddellis]

i'm looking for a edc for my wife. she is small framed and due to some injuries, has trouble working the slide on the p3at i got for her. i, however, have found that i LOVE that little pistol and am going to use it myself. to minimize ammo variation i'd like to find a .380 revolver. i have a charter arms pitbull in .40 s&w - but have not been thrilled with it. it's very picky about the ammo it will eat and she needs something reliable.

or - should i forget the whole thing and get a lcr?

 

[tcox4freedom]

First, welcome to the forum.


Personally, if a revolver was my only choice, it would be something similar to an LCR. (Nothing below 38sp) But, your wife may need to try a few different revolvers before buying because sometimes DAO triggers can be almost as difficult as manipulating a slide. I would also suggest having your wife take a class or two in order to learn better technique. I've seen quite a few small & frail people with physical limitations learn how to very proficiently & effectively operate semiautomatic handguns.

I personally have a friend that had his hands severely burned in an accident. He lost a finger and one hand is all but useless and the other is about 50%. But, retraining will help overcome most limitations.


-

 

[Tom Connolly]

I have the exact same issue. My wife has had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis since she was 12 yrs old. She has a very difficult time working the slide on any semi-auto. At the range, I have to set up my Glock 36 for her so she can at least fire and be familiar with it (you know, if needed). The gun we chose for her is not my number one pick, but it works. We have the Taurus 65, which is a nice .357 which we refer to as "snubbie". That's her gun (when my 14 yo daughter isn't dry firing it). I would have preferred the Ruger LCR in .357; hammerless with a beautiful trigger pull, but we were under a time crunch and one wasn't available. Although it is a .357, I do have it loaded with .38 hollow points. The recoil is just a little less and will still do the job. As always, comfort and training with the gun is as important as the type and style. Personally, I have had some issues with women firing .380's, where they tend to limp wrist and the cartridge does not eject properly. A good revolver in .38 minimum seems to have bee a good choice for us. Hope this helps, best of luck in finding her a gun she is comfortable with.

 

[barrygray0]

do not look over a 22 magnum there are round that have a good ballistic report . SHOT PLACEMENT AND BEING ABLE TO HANDLE THE FIREARM ARE THE MOST CRITICAL FACTORS IF SHE GETS IN A SITUATION . Try going to a indoor range that rent firearms and let her try a few different ones in different calibers . While a bit of a cost it is much cheaper than buying a gun than find it won't fit the bill
GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS

 

[toddellis]

thanks. she has had multiple surgeries on her c-spine and simply cannot jack a slide --- so revolver is where we sit. weight is also an issue - need something light. she has had (some) training and is an excellent shot - so i'm not too worried about that. we'll probably try out a lcr.

 

[telpinaro]

thanks. she has had multiple surgeries on her c-spine and simply cannot jack a slide --- so revolver is where we sit. weight is also an issue - need something light. she has had (some) training and is an excellent shot - so i'm not too worried about that. we'll probably try out a lcr.

Careful about going too light... can make recoil more irritating. Personally, I like something with some weight to it... sure, have to tighten my pants a bit but just feels better in my hand. Each to her own, though... dealing with surgery and arthritis makes for some interesting choices.

I've heard lots of good things about the LCR, but I haven't tried one. Falia at FALIA REVIEWS has one and carries it regularly. I have a Chiappa Rhino that I love... it might be heavier than she wants, but it's very manageable, even with .357 magnum. It fires from the bottom cylinder, aligning the force with your arm so you don't notice it. Unfortunately they aren't easy to find. I wound up taking a chance and buying it online because it wasn't available in stores. Gander Mountain carries them now, though.

 

[Secofun]

Good morning,
I also have a wife with issues about semi autos and weight. While trying my various semi autos from 22 lr to 9 mm, polymer to steel, she just wasn't pleased with the way they felt. She happened to see 3" J frame 22 lr, tried it and stated it just felt good in her hands. We went out looking and picked up a Charter Arms lightweight .380 revolver, DA only. She still practices with the 22, I got her a blue finger exerciser, and have her fire one cylinder, reload with the moon clip, and fire it again. The DA is heavy but between it's light weight and moderate recoil, she did pass her concealed carry class. Now if I can just get her to have it on her person instead of in the luggage, I'll be happier when she travels alone. When I asked her why she didn't bring it on a weekend out of town together, she replied I was there. What if I had to leave where she was with my G22? She pointed to a discrete case in my bag and said the 40 High Power was all ready cocked and locked.

 

[barrygray0]

I almost forgot to mention MAG-NA-PORTING[sp] it is a process that "slots" are cut into the front of the barrel . IT reduces the recoil a great deal

 

[bofh]

to minimize ammo variation i'd like to find a .380 revolver.

Do you mean a revolver that shoots the same .380 Auto ammunition like your Kel-Tec P3AT? Take a look at the 5-shot Taurus M380. The 12-pound trigger pull can be apparently reduced to 9 pounds: Link Removed

The 6-shot 9 mm Pitbull Rimless Revolver from Charter Arms also takes .380 Auto: Charter Arms Pitbull 9x19mm Rimless Revolver

I am personally not a fan of revolvers using rimless semi-auto ammunition. This is just a recipe for a reliability disaster as the cartridge needs to be seated correctly when you load the revolver or you will have a malfunction (misfire or cylinder jam). Get a real revolver, like the Ruger LCR, instead.