Review of the Remington RM380

I took advantage of Remington's Black Friday rebate and Hinterland Outfitter's sale and free Black Friday shipping to pick up a RM380 for $239.00

At first the trigger was OK but then right before it would break it felt like the trigger hit a wall - that's how I describe it. It took a lot of pressure to get that trigger to break. It was like my R9 until the very last when it hit a wall (only way I know how to describe it). But after a lot of dry-firing and a range session the trigger has gotten smoother and it breaks easier. A 10 pull average on the Lyman now shows 8 lbs 10.44 ounces.

I took it to the range the other day. My first pull of the trigger sent a round downrange, my second pull of the trigger just went "CLICK", I took my left hand off the gun only to find that I had accidentally ejected the mag.

I couldn't believe it.

The original R380 had a heel magazine release but I never thought I'd unintentionally release a mag by accidentally hitting the side-mounted mag release button.

I fired about 150 rounds through the gun after that and I didn't depress the magazine release again. I think I had the gun in a death grip at first, expecting the same kind of recoil I get with the R9. The RM380 is actually comfortable to shoot.

I shot 150 rounds. A mix of WWB FMJ flat nose, Federal FMJ and Precision One 90gr Hornady XTPs. I didn't have any failures or malfunctions.

The gun is capable of being pretty accurate, I just couldn't string together 5 good shots. On this shot group - the "flyer" was the fifth round. Shooting standing offhand 21 feet, 4 rounds in 3/4" the fifth round opened the group up to 1 3/4"



I like being able to use 6 O'Clock hold, either the pistol shoots a little to the left or I'm shooting it a little to the left, but I like the height of the POI, its right on the money for 6 O'Clock hold.

I did some rapid fire on a B27 target at 30 feet. I completely lose the black sights against a black background, but I was able to put most of the rounds in the 9 ring, some rounds crept up into the 7 ring, but they were still centerline, so that would be like shooting someone right between the collar bones.

I'm pretty happy with the gun.

I didn't take a picture of my gun yet but here's a stock photo:

Are you able to draw OK from that Recluse holster?

I've been using a DeSantis Nemesis, but I'm thinking about getting another holster. The butt of my R9 is wearing a hole in my jean pocket - just starting to. I think its the heel release actually. But anyway, I was thinking of getting a holster like the Recluse TS that comes up higher and covers more of the butt of the gun.

On the other hand, it is cheaper to just buy a new pair of jeans than buy a holster.

I purchased these jeans in August, the only worn spot on them is the right pocket



I'm thinking, if I buy a new pair of jeans every 5 months it won't take long before I'll have a lot of jeans that are perfectly good except for a worn spot in the pocket...

I think there are some people who absolutely HATE Remington at this point and bash them at every opportunity. I've heard people lambaste the gun so severely I can't see how they're talking about the same gun that Karl and Eric Rohrbaugh designed. The RM380 is just not that different from the original R380.

Someone on another forum said that the RM380 was giving slide bite to shooters at media day at SHOT so bad that Remington had a pile of bandaids in their booth?

Sounds a little suspect.

I snug my hand up pretty high on the RM380 and I haven't gotten slide bite from it.

I've held the RM380 left side facing down - parallel to the ground - and racked the pistol to eject a round and I haven't had the pin drop, I've held it left side facing down - parallel to the ground - and racked the pistol to load a round and I haven't had the pin drop, I've locked the slide back, held the pistol with the left side facing down, released the slide with the stop lever and I haven't had the pin drop. If I turn the pistol to the left and manually pull the slide back very slowly the pin does drop. I didn't shoot the RM380 sideways gangsta style to further test it because...

Well, because its stupid.

cc-hangfire said:

and the same design didn't draw the hate when it was a near $1000 Rorbaugh design.

Click to expand...

I know the pin doesn't drop with the R9, I have to push it out with a toothpick, I'm not sure it needed to be pushed out of the R380.

As far as size, they designed the R9 as small as they could and still have it reliably cycle 9mm. Then sometime later, they decided to chamber it in 380 ACP. They never set out to create an ultra-small 380, they would have basically been re-creating the Seacamp, which I don't think they had any interest in doing.

The trigger on the RM380 has gotten significantly better after dry-firing it and putting 150 rounds through it. I have a friend who has a Nano and he hates the trigger on my R9, he also hates Kahr triggers so... to each his own.