Recommend a .380acp

I've tried pocket carrying a Ruger LCP, a Kahr CW380, XDS 9mm, and a Glock 42. My favorite of all them for pocket carry is the Glock 42. It is the most reliable and easiest shooting of the 380's. I now recommend the G42 to anyone looking for a pocket gun

***a pocket holster is a must*** I use a Sticky Holster MD-2 since I have a TLR-6 on mine

SIG P238. Great sights, decent trigger, easy to carry, fun to shoot.

Remington RM380

Water-Man said:

Recommend to me a .380acp.

.good trigger
.dependable
.reasonably priced
.pocketable

Thank you.

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Best to do your own research on each gun, and then shoot as many as you can. I'm sure your local gun range has several in the rental case.

For example, the Taurus TCP has a lot of fans. I really like everything about it, but there is one feature that scared me away: if you short stroke the trigger on the first reset click, the gun can go dead and you have to rack the slide to get it back into battery. The trigger resets on the second click which is almost all the way back to the original position.

Now, many people don't care. TCP owners train on their gun and know how to properly reset the trigger. Me? I solved the issue by simply avoiding the potential problem. In the heat of the moment, I would hope my training would prevail. But who knows.

I found this out by researching the gun.

Just like I found out that the LCP was modified by Ruger in late 2012 by Ruger to shorten the trigger pull and improve the sights.

These "Gen 2" LCPs don't have dashes in their serial numbers.

378-456789 = Gen 1
3730456789 = Gen 2

Plus, you can tell by the sights. You don't want to mistakenly buy a Gen 1.

Good luck on your journey.

The best and most accurate .380 I have fired is the Sig P-238. The smallest and lightest is the Kel-Tec P-3AT. They are on the opposite ends of the cost scale but both are good choices IMO.

My favorite .380 is the M&P Bodyguard. It's robust, accurate, has second strike capability, and actually feels like a "real" gun in my hands.

That said, I have had the Pico on my mind for a bit. Just something about the little Beretta that speaks to me.

m0par said:

It is worth checking out, but it is definitely one you need to handle before even considering. The grip is so tiny.

It is literally a one-finger grip for me without the extended mag baseplate, and the factory extended baseplate is too long to be pocketable.

I wish someone would make a different grip/frame for it. The thinness and shortness are OK for what it is, but the distance from the trigger to the rear of the grip is too short--for me anyway. I'd love to see someone come out with a frame that had a substantial back strap on the grip and maybe just a little bit of a palm swell on the sides.

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It is very modular and the frame isn't the serialized part, so a replacement frame is possible. You can already buy different colors, laser, and light options. Also, I feel a lot more comfortable tinkering knowing if I bugger things up a frame is cheap and doesn't require an FFL.

I love that the sights are easily removable and replaceable.

It does come with an extended mag as well which should let you get another finger on there.

In my book... from what I've tried. In the .380 arena

Ruger LCP
Bersa Firestorm

Look if you need something small the LCP is the ticket. Mine has been reliable, and accurate for what it is. The sights are tiny but up close? It isn't gonna matter. The Bersa is bigger but fits the hand better. After the stock mag was swapped out, have had zero failures. I've tried all of my reloads with it and they all feed and cycle reliably.

In an IWB holster, it pretty much disappears. Nothing like the LCP though, that one I can palm! For summer wear it just can't be beat.

My only other .380 that I really like is the Colt Government .380, which isn't available anymore but think 1911 scaled down. Closest current model would be a Colt Mustang. Also, very reliable and very slim. If you are used to a 1911A1, this one just fits naturally.

G42, decent trigger out of box, can be improved with 3.5# connector, reliable, soft shooting, and Glock customer service is great. I pocket carry my G42 every day in a DeSantis Nemisis holster.

Fiv3r said:

That said, I have had the Pico on my mind for a bit. Just something about the little Beretta that speaks to me.

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Have you shot one? "Hate" is too mild a word for the way I feel about the trigger on the Pico that I had. I loathed it. I despised it. Heavy, heavy, heavy, and it didn't break until it was almost touching the frame. Factor in a mag release that you can't operate one-handed and a slide that's not only hard to rack but hard to even get a grip on, and you get ...

But they do look nice.

Ladies review the Glock 42, Colt XSP Mustang, S&W Bodyguard, & Ruger LCP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7nWBMIeIXI
Women comparison shoot some .380s. They have all shot before but no one is an expert.

Here is my opinion. I had a LCP. Its real small, reliable and inexpensive. I sold it. If you are the kind of guy who actually shoots his carry gun to know how to use it chances are good you are going to hate this gun. If you are going to shoot it rarely and carry it all the time it might be OK for you. I hated the long pull on the trigger. I absolutely hated to shoot it so I sold it. There are studs out there that can make this gun work. They are manly men because I could not.

Anything else is going to be bigger and more expensive. I hear good things about the Bersa guns. Never shot one but they have a good reputation. Cost is good and are about the size of a PPK.

Glock 42, more expensive, about the size of the Bersa but light. A very good shooter. I saw at least one thread disparaging range guns. Personally, I like to hit what I aim at. I like to practice with a carry, so if I have to use it I can use it well. It shoots like a Glock.

SIG 238 Expensive, might well be worth it. Heavy, pretty much the same size as a Glock 42 but a little smaller. 1911 ergonomics. Nice guns, but its a Sig and you pay for that with a Sig.

My recommendation for a .380 would be a SIG P238. Decent SAO trigger, great night sights, and very soft shooting for such a small pocket pistol.

JohnBiltz said:

SIG 238 Expensive, might well be worth it. Heavy, pretty much the same size as a Glock 42 but a little smaller. 1911 ergonomics. Nice guns, but its a Sig and you pay for that with a Sig.

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I have a SIG P238 and a Glock 42. The size difference isn't that much, but it's right at that critical stage where the SIG is easy to get into a jeans front pocket but the Glock isn't. The SIG is heavier. They are both good shooters.

If you shop around for sales, you can often find the bare-bones P238 hovering around the $500 mark. It's more expensive than the G42, but not by a huge amount. I think the main decision comes down to striker-fired vs. single-action hammer-fired.

And there is the Sig P290 RS. It comes in .380 and 9mm. I own the 9mm version and I like it a lot. Trigger is probably 9 pounds.

I shot 14 rounds out of a Ruger LCP and hated it. The recoil was really hard on my hand. Made it numb for a few minutes.

Water-Man said:

How come no one has mentioned the newer Ruger LC380, or did I miss it?

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Have one of those too... The LC380 with the 9mm conversion. Personally, it shoots well and haven't had a single problem with it. I just don't like it as much as a LCP or Bersa, but I have shot the heck out of it with both calibers. It's just a bigger LCP in my book. It does have a better feeling trigger, but the footprint isn't as small as it's little brother. At that point I'd rather go with a G26 in 9mm.

GAF said:

....

I shot 14 rounds out of a Ruger LCP and hated it. The recoil was really hard on my hand. Made it numb for a few minutes.

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LOL, the first time I shot it, it really caught me by surprise. The trigger isn't as predictable as I'd like. It definitely isn't a range gun where you'd blow a 100rds at a time with it.

For CCW duty I'd better not need the full 7 rounds!

I like my LCP and it is with me all the time every day. I admit that I added a Sweet Pea Trigger, Galloway Precision springs and stainless steel guide rod, Magguts 7 round magazine conversion and a Hogue grip wrap. The grip wrap took the nasty out of the recoil, and the Sweet Pea and Galloway parts changed the trigger pull into a dream. It is deadly accurate for me at 15 yards and has never failed to feed or fire with any brand of ammo. It is the best BUG I feel I ever could have bought.

I bought a couple LCP's for trading material probably 4 years or 5 years ago maybe even longer.
I traded one off and I have to say I came out a quite well with the trade. The 2nd LCP sat in the safe for all these years.
A couple weeks ago I decided to take it to the range. I was very disappointed to say the least.
I had 100 rnds of the Winchester White Box target/range ammo with the flat point. It did feed them but several didn't go into full battery unless I helped it. Okay my first thought was it has to be that ammo.
I have a couple bulk boxes of the Remington UMC Yellow Box I should have taken that to the range instead of the Winchester. I would have if I had known or realize the Winchester was a Flat Point. I didn't notice that until I opened the box at the range.

It gets even better.
I tried 12 rounds of the CCI Gold Dots. In those 12 rounds there was 2 or 3 that would not feed.
A few days later I went to our local Cabela's and bought a box of Remington Ultimate Defense ammo and a box of Hornady Critical Defense. I haven't gotten to the range to fire them but tried loading up them behind the house.The Critical Defense is hit and miss. So far the Remington is feeding like it should. The slide has no hesitation going into Full Battery with the Remington's.

I don't know what generation I have.
This LCP by far is the worst trigger I've ever had. My buddy has a SCCY and I thought his trigger was pretty bad. It's like the difference between day and night.
When I bought these Ruger jewels I cleaned them and put them away. The one I traded was NIB. I guess it's my fault because I never tried the trigger on either one of them.
After firing a magazine full my trigger finger was actually hurting. If it proves to be reliable I'll slip it in my pocket but chances are I will never fire it again.
My EDC is a Sig P-938 I just want to slip this LCP in my pocket for walking the dogs or a quick run to get gas.. We got my wife a P-238. I realize it costs 2X's closer to 3 x's as much as the LCP. No comparison.

Bottom line I regret I regret buying this LCP. I've been a Ruger fan for over 40 years but not so much so with the Ruger semi autos. I should have stuck with my gut feeling and went a different route.

I prefer the S&W Body Guard with the laser. Great for these old eyes. Load it up with Hornaday Critical Defense and you are good to go.

@ Ruger Redhawk:

Did you take your LCP straight out to the range from your gun safe, or did you clean/lube it first?

I ask because I had a similar problem with one of my guns that hadn't been shot for several years. Took it out to the range and right away had very similar problems to what you experienced. Occasional failure to go to full battery plus some ejection problems.

I had never had any such problems before with that gun, and the ammo was the same as I had always used.

I gave it a brief cleaning and lubing and it worked A-OK from that point on.

It was a learning experience to me that, just because I stored a clean and lubed gun several years ago, that didn't mean that the lube held up properly over that long a time period.

Anyway, if you haven't cleaned/lubed it, you might give it a shot and see if that helps.

alexcue said:

LOL, the first time I shot it, it really caught me by surprise. The trigger isn't as predictable as I'd like. It definitely isn't a range gun where you'd blow a 100rds at a time with it.

For CCW duty I'd better not need the full 7 rounds!

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I can agree with that. It most certainly not a range gun. I`d rather shoot a S&W 500.

Colt Mustang

RetiredUSNChief said:

@ Ruger Redhawk:

Did you take your LCP straight out to the range from your gun safe, or did you clean/lube it first?

I ask because I had a similar problem with one of my guns that hadn't been shot for several years. Took it out to the range and right away had very similar problems to what you experienced. Occasional failure to go to full battery plus some ejection problems.

I had never had any such problems before with that gun, and the ammo was the same as I had always used.

I gave it a brief cleaning and lubing and it worked A-OK from that point on.

It was a learning experience to me that, just because I stored a clean and lubed gun several years ago, that didn't mean that the lube held up properly over that long a time period.

Anyway, if you haven't cleaned/lubed it, you might give it a shot and see if that helps.

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RetiredUSNChief
Thanks for your reply and recommendations,


I think you hit the nail on the head and I thought the same thing when I got back from the range that day. As I said I cleaned the 2 of them when I first got them. This one I took to the range hadn't been out of the safe since I cleaned it probably 4 or 5 years earlier.
Knowing I had cleaned and lubed it I assumed it was good to go and just took it from the safe to the range. When I got home and cleaning it was when it dawned on me I should have re-lubed it if nothing else.
I still think there might be a problem when it comes to feeding the Hornady Critical Defense. Cleaned and re-lube it still won't feed them.
I've been having a problem with my neck lately. Once I get it straightened out I'll take it back to the range. I read that Ruger revised the triggers on the later LCP's. If I can get this shooting reliably then I'll probably contact Mike Fifer and find out what we can do about this trigger. I've had several email conversations with Mike Fifer over the last few years. He's good people.
Thank You again for your help and comments.