Talk A Noob Through Concealed Carry 380s

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dranrab said:
Give me some ideas on a good inside the pants holster. I do like the Sig P238. I got to alternate holding the Sig and the Mustang side by side. I liked them both.
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I live in a warm climate, so i do wear shorts alot. I've found the most comfortable inside the waistband holster for shorts and hot weather to be the N82 Tactical Original. I have found pocket carry to be less than ideal. It takes up a pocket i use for keys and the pockets on many different shorts do not provide good concealment.
 
The reason carrying handguns in cars and trucks is such a problem? Handgun were invented centuries before seat belts. John Browning would have designed a gun friendly "Automobile".:D;)
 
Ask yourself some more questions. Do you like a manual safety or not? Single action, double action, stryker fired? Are you set on a 380? What kind of sights do you like? If your 5'11" and 175, how small of a gun will still fit your hand comfortably? Do you want a gun that will fire without a magazine in it?
My preference is a Springfield XDs. I think that is the size gun I am comfortable with carrying and shooting. I get to the range at least once a week with it. I feel like I compromise with concealed carry. I carry a smaller gun IWB with reduced capacity than if I were going to carry open OWB. Smaller sights and shorter barrel. The XDs is my comfort spot in compromise.
My holster is a DeSantis tuckable IWB holster. It's leather and has a J clip, so the only part of the clip that shows is at the very bottom of my belt. It is the first holster I bought for this gun and I like it. I haven't wanted to try anything else.
Remember that 380 ammo is more expensive than 9mm ammo and a Glock 43 is really close in size to a Glock 42.
 
dranrab said:
The class I find most appealing is the class that lies in between those two. The Glock 42, Ruger LC9S and Colt Mustangs.
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I've been to this rodeo myself and I think you've pretty much nailed it, with the small correction that I prefer SiG P238 to the actual Mustang. But it's very obvious to me that Glock 42 is the leader in the class of pocket(able) .380s. It simply is a better gun than everything from Bodyguard to RM380. The LC9s is a 9mm gun, more comparable to Glock 43. The only thing I would suggest is take a look at Kahr CT380. It is a +1 version of CW380.
 
I like cocked and locked carry in a belt gun. The Mustangs and Sig P238s are top notch choices in .380.Pocket carry is another story.

I tried front pocket carrying a Sig P938 for a short while. While it would fit comfortably in my pocket, drawing it quickly and consistently was a real challenge. Just getting a combat grip in your pocket and yanking your fist up and out is a challenge. Trying to draw from a pocket and keep my thumb pointed up to work the safety didn't go well. Plus the exposed hammer would catch the top of the pocket. Pulling with all my might resulted in the crotch of my pants pulled into a painful wedgy, and the gun still lodged in my pocket.

For front pocket carry I prefer a hammer-less safety-less design. The P3AT, LCP, P380 designs work well for me. I personally carry a Kahr P380 because it has 3 dot night sites. You may or may not see the need for sights on a pocket gun, but I'm used to night sites and want them on carry guns.
 
Don't buy a big gun or you will end up leaving it at home because it's too heavy to carry.
On the other hand, I have the original LCP and it's really too small to be a good shooter.
Something like a Kahr CW9 is about the right size.
Zeke
 
zb338 said:
Don't buy a big gun or you will end up leaving it at home because it's too heavy to carry.
On the other hand, I have the original LCP and it's really too small to be a good shooter.
Something like a Kahr CW9 is about the right size.
Zeke
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I respectfully disagree. I feel like the lcp shoots pretty good for a pocket gun. It takes practice.
 
zb338 said:
Don't buy a big gun or you will end up leaving it at home because it's too heavy to carry.
On the other hand, I have the original LCP and it's really too small to be a good shooter.
Something like a Kahr CW9 is about the right size.
Zeke
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Nonsense. You don't know what you can carry until you try. Plenty of people carrying G19s. I've been carrying a G26 for seven years and not thinking about changing.
 
zb338 said:
Don't buy a big gun or you will end up leaving it at home because it's too heavy to carry.
On the other hand, I have the original LCP and it's really too small to be a good shooter.
Something like a Kahr CW9 is about the right size.
Zeke
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I don’t think I can disagree with anything here.

Most everyone I know, including me, carry’s some form of compact handgun.

I’m sure someone shoots an LCP well. And practices with it often. Not me.

I’m sure lots of people carry G19’s. It’s a bit too big for me. Jellyroll.
 
I would recommend getting something without a manual safety for carry. I'm pretty sure the Ruger LCP doesn't have one. I don't understand why anyone would want to deal with a safety if they were in a situation under pressure. Some people will say that it doesn't take them any longer to draw and flip their safety but that is total horse shiat. If you're scared to carry without a safety consider something with a de-cocker instead.
 
Alrighty. Another 4-page .380 thread and nobody mentions my favorite. First, I normally carry a .38 j-frame, right front pocket. When my clothing doesn't allow (and that's not very often), I carry a .380' in the same pocket. Started with a P3AT, but had reliability issues. Then I saw and bought a Magnum Research Micro Desert Eagle. Totally reliable, as accurate as can be expected for a small .380, all stainless steel so it's heavy enough to be relatively comfortable to shoot (14 oz), and should last forever. I see it as a poor mans Rohrbaugh, but it's more expensive than the Ruger, Keltec, etc and thus not popular. A high quality pistol nonetheless.

https://www.magnumresearch.com/Firearms/Magnum-Research-Micro-Desert-Eagle-Nickel.asp

I use a high noon pocket holster. In the truck, I take it out and stick it between the seats with the grip up enough to grasp. Cover it with a hat or such. I can get it in and out of my pocket very covertly.

Thanks for your service, and good luck with your decision.
 
I work in LE and carry everday on duty. Off duty I carry concealed everywhere and I have a drawer full of discarded holsters and some CC handguns that I don't carry anymore in the safe. Started off thinking like you and got a small .380 Keltec and while I love that little gun and it shoots accurate I just don't love .380. After all the school/movie theatre/shopping mall shootings in recent years I wanted to go with more rounds and at least a 9mm. I upgraded to a glock 19 but found it is too big for me to carry comfortably most places. I am 5'6 160 lbs. I ended up with a Smith and Wesson M & P shield 9mm that I fell in love with. It holds 8 rounds of 9mm and is very accurate and reliable and carries better than a thicker Glock 19. I also got it for $299 on sale and the Glock 43 was more like $550 at the time. I would say what is more important than gun size is the holster. My absolute favorite holster that I carry everywhere is a N82 original holster that I paid $39 for. It is super comfortable and conceals great(even my glock which also fits it). The biggest issue is that It is so comfortable that I usually forget it is on me until I am changing out clothes for bed so I found myself even carrying at home. No other type of holster compares in my opinion and I have spent hundreds of dollars on holsters.
 
Everybody will recommend what they own most likely.

Of the .380's I have owned and shot I would recommend them in this order:
#1. SIG P-238
#2. S&W Bodyguard
#3. Bersa
#5. Walther

But you know what? They are all good choices so try them out and see what fits and feels the best!
 
dranrab said:
I have been around guns all my life and even carried a Beretta M9 as a duty weapon when I served with the Coast Guard for 20 years. I have never carried concealed. I am interested in getting started. I know what class and caliber of gun I want to start with, I just don't know what specific one or how to carry it.

I just got back from a gun show where I held everything from the tine Ruger LCP class guns on up to larger Glock 43 sized guns. The class I find most appealing is the class that lies in between those two. The Glock 42, Ruger LC9S and Colt Mustangs. I know I don't want to go any larger than that class. I could be talked into the smaller LCP class. I know I want a semi-auto rather than a revolver.

So sell me a specific Glock 42 class pistol or talk me out of that and into a specific LCP class pistol. Since this is a fairly broad subject, for the sake of staying on task, please don't try to talk me into anything else. I simply am not interested. Stone cold reliability is the most important factor. How important are sights on a point and shoot short range concealment gun? From an ergonomic standpoint, the LC9, G42 and Mustangs feel great. The LCPs less so. What else is important to you?

Then tell me how I should carry the pistol. FWIW I am 5'11" 175 and don't wear baggy clothes. I am completely ignorant on concealed carry. Give me the 101 class and make some recommendations please.

Thanks.
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The most difficult to shoot and easiest to conceal Beretta Pico the easiest to shoot and most difficult to conceal CP380.
 
BudgetBucks1 said:
I work in LE and carry everday on duty. Off duty I carry concealed everywhere and I have a drawer full of discarded holsters and some CC handguns that I don't carry anymore in the safe. Started off thinking like you and got a small .380 Keltec and while I love that little gun and it shoots accurate I just don't love .380. After all the school/movie theatre/shopping mall shootings in recent years I wanted to go with more rounds and at least a 9mm. I upgraded to a glock 19 but found it is too big for me to carry comfortably most places. I am 5'6 160 lbs. I ended up with a Smith and Wesson M & P shield 9mm that I fell in love with. It holds 8 rounds of 9mm and is very accurate and reliable and carries better than a thicker Glock 19. I also got it for $299 on sale and the Glock 43 was more like $550 at the time. I would say what is more important than gun size is the holster. My absolute favorite holster that I carry everywhere is a N82 original holster that I paid $39 for. It is super comfortable and conceals great(even my glock which also fits it). The biggest issue is that It is so comfortable that I usually forget it is on me until I am changing out clothes for bed so I found myself even carrying at home. No other type of holster compares in my opinion and I have spent hundreds of dollars on holsters.
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That holster looks perfect!
 
IMHO, there are two truly great .380s. All metal and kind of made the old school way.

1. Beretta 84/85 Owned both, great guns, expensive, way expensive to buy new. I have a nice Israeli surplus 84, and another 85 on the way. I stupidly sold my 85 for a nice profit back about 1987 or so.
2. Browning BDA 380, basically a closed slide version of the Beretta 84. I sometimes carried it at work as a security guard.

These aren't ideal for carry due to size, but I've never even seen one of any of these guns no matter how awful of condition they were in, that ever had a single issue that wasn't due to bad ammo.
 
I have no real advice regarding a .380 ACP as I normally carry a 9mm concealed. It's a Sig Sauer P-938 which is small but fairly low recoil. I do have a .380 Bersa Thunder which I have carried in the past, but stopped because I lost confidence in it's dependability. I will suggest that you pick out your weapon of choice, then nail down how you want to carry. This is really a matter of comfort & personal choice and for me more important than the gun. For example, because of my stature, it find IWB holsters very uncomfortable. Therefore, I like a belt holster that rides high so it can be easily covered by an untucked shirt.
 
Glock 42 is the only tiny .380 I've ever owned that actually shot like a full size gun. Pocket carry is the easiest, the gun prints less than my cell phone.
 
Which one are you most accurate with? Perhaps a rental range can help with this. Before impulse buying, I rented a Sig P238 & was so accurate with it I wound up buying one. I would think the Mustang or Glock would be more accurate. The LCP was a little too snappy for me, and I wasn't that accurate with it.
 
LCP with the hogue handall grip, 13lb spring and steel guide rod goes in my pocket, These upgrades make the little LCP more pleasant to shoot.

The lc9s, sig 238, or lcrx usually ride on my hip.

The sig can go in a pocket but I have the extended mag and the army "talo" version with the fatter grip, so it prints a bit more than the lcp and it is a little heavier.

99% of the time if I am sticking a gun in my pocket it is the LCP. My only complaint is the sights, hard for my old eyes to see, so had to paint the front one and it wears off eventually, so have to do it again.

The Sig has great sights, and if I could only have one little .380 it would be the sig, but it is also almost 3x the price of the lcp.

d
 
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