real world comparions sought on 380 vs 9mm

[stogiegila]

My wife is showing an inkling (is that a word?) toward coming to the range with me and possibly getting a handgun.

I've been reading about the 380acp, thinking it might be a good caliber for her as she currently is shying away from bigger sizes. After reading comparisons between overall size of say the Sig P232 and Bersa 380 vs a G26 (which I have), there doesn't seem to be much difference.

I'd like to hear some opinions regarding the actual feel of the 380's vs the compact 9mm in terms of overall girth, weight and also how both models tend to feel when shooting.

Is the 380 more snappy than a 9mm? I love my G26, but am not sure my wife would be comfortable with it once I get her over her initial fears.

PS..she feels that my 1911 is a cannon.

Thanks
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[usp9]

There a many .380s on the market that are very popular because they are the perfect size and heft for alot of hands, while the 9mms tend to be a bit bigger and heftier. Sometimes it simply comes down to which one you like, points naturally, fits your hand, etc...

The Kahr line feels like many .380s. A P9 or K9 is just the right size for many uses and hands. I'd stick with a Kahr that offered a full grip if it's for your wife. They offer smaller guns in 9mm, .40 and .45 that compare to the normal .380 sized guns.

Few guns feel as good as a Sig P232, it just feels good. These are accurate, reliable, lightweight and come in several variations. The slide is heavy when loading and may offer a challenge to some women.

The Beretta 85 is the gold standard of reliability...a little bigger and heavier but a phenominal shooter.

The Sig and Beretta are the only two .380s I'd allow my wife to carry ,(well maybe a Sphinx AT380 if I could find another one), because they are top quality.

Sometimes a gun just "sings" in your hand. Finding a patient, knowledgable gun store clerk, that would let her fondle many guns is one route. Who knows what she might land on and want. Just make sure it's a quality firearm. Many people talk about ".380 snap" but personally I think they are pretty easy shooters and again, this is why they are so popular. With quality ammo a .380 is a fine choice for personal defense.

 

[wrangler5]

My regular carry gun is a Makarov. The 9x18 Makarov cartridge is slightly more powerful than 380 ACP (9x17) but not up to 9mm Luger (9x19) levels. Extremely reliable and very accurate, it is also the centerfire pistol I shoot the most, just for fun. It's all steel and so is a little heavier than many of the 380 pistols out there, but that also makes it more comfortable to shoot than, for example, a G26 (which I've also enjoyed shooting on a number of occasions.) More comfort allows more practice which develops better accuracy, and this will increase confidence in the gun.

The Makarov also has the advantage of taking a 22 rimfire conversion kit which installs in a couple of minutes and makes for the ultimate in low cost, low recoil shooting. (I have a second Makarov with a 22 unit more or less permanently installed - it's my favorite 22 auto pistol.)

 

[amprecon]

The smallest quality 9mm I trust is the Kahr P9/K9, I currenty own a P9 and find it a perfect fit for the 9mm cartridge. I also own a Kel-Tec P3-AT and find that the really slim grip and blowback design make the recoil worse than with the P9 shooting +P's. I do have a Hogue wrap-around slip on grip on the P9 which was a must for me, the P9's frame was too thin for my hand to shoot it well enough without. The only problem with the P9 is that my wife and daughters have a hard time cycling the slide because the spring is so stout, but after some practice they do better.

I personally don't like a .380, but the P3-AT is about as small as you can get and still be able to handle decently.

Other .380's I have fired were a Sig 232 and a CZ83 and I once owned a Colt Gov't .380(which I sorely regret losing).

The Colt Gov't .380 was not the Pocket-lite or Mustang, it was a mini-1911 and it was just plain awesome, slender and small with just enough heft to it, it was fairly accurate and the recoil was not bad.

A fellow range member allowed me to shoot his CZ 83 and I found it to be a very accurate pistol with some heft to it and it just exuded quality, it also fit the hand very well and the recoil was very pleasant.

The Sig 232 was a finely built pistol, but even though it is dimensionally smaller than the CZ 83 it felt like a bigger gun. It is also lighter, it fit the hand very well and the action was smooth. It was also pretty accurate as far as I can remember and the recoil was ok. It just seemed big though.

I don't have any experience with any Berettas or the Bersas but they too get high reviews and are definitely worth checking out.

If possible, I'd go to a range and rent all of them, the CZ 83, Sig 232, Bersa .380 and Beretta 85 if .380 is the way you want to go. If 9mm is still a consideration, there aren't alot of them available in the .380 sized guns, but the Kahr series are about as small a quality 9mm you'll find.

 

[GaryArkansas]

I carry CZ 75 9mms (75B and P-01) and I also carry a Bersa Thunder 380. Depending on my clothing, I switch around my carry piece. Today it was a CZ 75B.

In terms of brand, I value my wallet as much as my life, so I carry the Bersa 380 instead of the Sig. The Bersa fits a smaller hand very well, has a great trigger out of the box, and is reliable.

With the proper ammunition (Cor Bon DPX), 380 ACP is more than an acceptable self-defense caliber. Although smaller than most 9mm pistols, the felt recoil is manageable.

The CZ P-01, although considered a compact pistol, is a larger pistol in size and weight. It goes without saying that it has a snappier recoil than my 380.

In an Arizona climate, the 380 will be more comfortable to lug around. As people wear lighter clothing, 380 will also be an adequate defensive caliber.

 

[innerpiece]

yeah mabey try out the Kahr CW9 or P9..

the only few .380's Ive fired (sub compact) recoiled more than a 1911... and more than any of the 9mms Ive fired.. mostly because they were subcompact tho..

ip.

 

[rantingredneck]

Small blowback operated guns recoil sharper than somewhat larger (yet still compact) locked breech guns.

 

[stogiegila]

Great info guys

Thanks

The more I look around the more I keep coming back to my G26. Maybe my wife will like it too.

 

[O.S.O.K.]

Couple of things

My wife actually prefers my 1911 in 45ACP as it is more of a "push" and "cachunk" than a quck "snap" as in the 9x19. The other thing is why not a nice Smith & Wesson revolver? Like a good L frame that is medium sized in 357 Mag - that she could shoot 38 Specials out of. Most women prefer a revolver as they are very simple to operate, point well and shoot mild cartridges. Most women don't intend to carry on their belt. If you want a little more compact so that she could easily carry it in her purse, then a good Ruger SP101 would be a great way to go for her.

If this is purely for recreational use, then I would really suggest a Ruger MkIII .22 LR. She will really like shooting that and it could then lead to a defensive pistol if that's where you are trying to get to...