Looking to add a 380 but which one?

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solman

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I had a Sig 238 and didn't like it. Mine was experiencing FTF too often for my liking and I sold it last year. I would like to purchase one again but would rather a Da/Sa over the single action only. Price is not my first concern but don't want to spend more than necessary. I tried my friends Glock but the trigger is mushy to me. I thought perhaps a Walther PK380 but I've heard mixed reviews on it.
Wondering what else to consider? Don't want the tiny cheap stuff and concealed carry is not an option in NJ.
I have heard of the Ruger lcp gen 2 but not sure about it. The ppks gets a bit expensive but it's the old standby I guess.
Suggestion?
 
I like my Kahr P380. Not sure what you consider tiny though and it's not DA/SA. I also have fun with my Beretta 85F Italian Police turnin, about $400. The newer 85FS Cheetah is $700. These are bigger pistols and attenuate recoil as the .380 can be snappy in smaller guns. Had a student with a Bersa Thunder .380 that he shot very well and it seemed reliable. Prices on those appear to be under $300.
 
solman

If you don't mind a .380 that's a little bit larger than your typical pocket auto size, you might want to consider something like a Beretta Model 85 (8 rounds), or the slightly wider Model 84 (13 rounds). A bit pricey (Bud's Gun Shop has them for $698), they have a very decent DA/SA trigger, easy to acquire sights, and are soft shooters. There is also the SIG P230 and P232 (no longer in production but can be found used), which are two of the nicest, well made .380s for the money.
 
Like my cz, don't remember the name, but i think they make just one.
 
Love my LCP2 and my Kimber Micro. The LCP2 is a little more pocket friendly.
 
I’ve accumulated more .380’s than I intended to, trying to find the one that my wife liked best (that’s my story, & I’m sticking to it!). So for DA/SA that I own or have owned:

Bersa Thunder (or older models) - they’ve been making them for decades, & all the issues were worked out long ago. Some have concerns with the Bersa brand, but this one is a flagship model. I have the CC model, & I really like it.

Walther PPK/S - as you said, an icon. Mine will chew on my hand with sharp edges & slide bite.

CZ 83 - heavy DA trigger (but so does the PPK), but this one has a double stack mag; 13 rounds IIRC. You can find them fairly inexpensive since there are com bloc police surplus coming in from time to time

One I don’t have but it’s probably the best - Beretta 85/Cheeta. One of the largest .380’s, & correspondingly easy to shoot. (I have an all metal, blowback, airsoft replica that’s licensed by Beretta & is the same size & weight - it is a hoot to shoot in the back yard)

Walther PK380 - yes, I too have concerns about long term durability & reliability, but it is my wife’s favorite. Hands down the easiest to rack (an issue with her hand strength). It’s a nice shooter & reliable with the +/-300 rounds thru it.

Sorry your P238 wasn’t a good experience. Mine is my favorite .380, although I mostly EDC a Kel Tec P3AT. I’ve got a couple more, but they are DAO or striker fired or SA, so they don’t count here.
 
I have a 1970's Beretta 84, Ruger LCP, and Interarms PPK/S. If you want a range gun the Beretta is real beauty and a sweet shooter. The LCP is my daily carry it's a 1'st gen with heavy trigger and microscopic sights however it's absolutely reliable and the recoil is not bad. The Walther PPK/S feels like a brick in the pocket, has a very heavy but smooth DA pull and very snappy recoil, I still enjoy shooting it from time to time.

P.S. Duh, I just noticed concealed carry not being an option. My advise would be find something that fills the hand and is pleasant to shoot.
 
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If you can find a Makarov in .380, it should be rock-solid reliable. The all steel construction really soaks up recoil. The worst thing I can say about mine is that the sights are smallish and primitive by current-day standards.


I also have experience with the Bersa Thunder (classic, not CC). I like it fine. Good way to see how you feel about .380 in a duty-sized gun for not too much coin. Much lighter at 21 ounces compared to the Makarov's 27.
 
A lot of the 380s' that are being recommended here are straight blow-back designs. In contrast, most of the newer 380s' use some sort of a locking mechanism. Aside from being able to handle higher power loads, the non-blow back offerings are easier to charge.

Two that have been mentioned here, that I own are the Kimber Micro, and the Walther PK380. Be aware, in the 380 world, the Walther is a surprisingly large pistol (I can't help but feel that it was initially planed as a double stack, then a decision to go single stack was made when it was nearly done. I have nothing to support this other than the gun itself, along with the oddly shaped single stack magazines.).

I will also throw in the Glock 42. However, having one, I can say that it has a terrible trigger. I will report back in a week or so on the ability of the trigger to be improved with a spring replacement.

As far as the Makarov, it is a very heavy pistol for what it is. Mine is reasonably smooth after I detail stripped it and polished all of the internal components. However, out of the box they are rough and they, being blowback, are hard to charge. As a positive, they are durable and accurate. Of all of them, considering what you initially posted, I would recommend a closer look at the Walther PK 380. After that, The Makarov.
 
I like medium-sized metal service pistols in 380acp.

Here is a Hungarian one from FEG (Model SMC, I believe). Like lots of others, it's "inspired" by the PP and the PPK.

View media item 1443

The Sig P230 is roughly the same size. It has a very nice balance, and it's pretty.




The CZ83 is a nice one. It's doublestack with nice sights and trigger.

View media item 1495
 
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Here's my Beretta Model 84. It's doublestack and similar in concept to the CZ83. IIRC, the CZ is steel. The Beretta (like the FEG and Sig) has an aluminum frame.



Here's my Russian Makarov in 380acp. I bought it NIB maybe in 1988 or so. It's steel and has a single stack magazine.



This last one is different. Unlike the others, it wasn't an issued service pistol (that I know of). It's the Colt Government Model. It's like a significantly larger Colt Mustang, nearly the size of these other pistols. It fires from locked breech and has very low recoil.



If it were me starting out again with 380, I would buy a service pistol like one of the ones above. Other than the Colt (more) and the Makarov ($89 brand-new), the other pistols were surplus that cost me in the $175-$330 range. The CZ83 is as good as any of the others, and it's easy to find one in nice shape for $300.

To elaborate, the OP wanted DA/SA, so the Colt is out. Since they are all pretty good shooters and pretty much the same size, you might as well have one of the double-stacks. The CZ and the Beretta are both nice pistols. I shoot them and enjoy them equally well. Maybe I like the CZ just a little better. Plus they are a little less expensive.
 
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Hi. I have somewhat large hands. The Sig P238 is my current carry pistol, and I think it's good also as a target pistol. I've had absolutely no problems with it. I had no accuracy with the Bersa. If I had a second 380, I would pick the CT380. I had one & the slide is stiff to rack, but no issues otherwise and it was very accurate.
 
I should add that my Bulgarian commercial Makarov has the traditional fixed sights you find on other milsurp specimens, whereas the Russian commercial .380 Mak has the adjustable rear sight you see in Tallball's picture.


They have crept up in price over the years, but can still be found for around $325 (give or take). A lot of people who remember what they originally went for refuse to pay a penny over $300. YMMV.
 
GLOCK 42! Hands down the most enjoyable shooter of any .380 that I've owned. I haven't owned all makes, but the G42 is my favorite among the Ruger LCP, Sig P238 and the Khar CW 380. The G42 is a bit large for pocket carry, but it is a dream for OWB carry. Conceals great. It's also more accurate than the other .380s I've owned. I still have the LCP. Very nice for pocket carry.
 
There is the Grand Power CP380. That is a hammer-fired DA/SA pistol with a 12+1 capacity. It is a polymer framed direct-blowback pistol.

There is also the Girsan MC14 - a hammer fired DA/SA pistol with 13+1 capacity. It has an aluminum frame and uses short-recoil locked breach operation. Its a close copy of the Browning BDA. Most people have said it is a very soft-shooting pistol. :

mc-14.jpg
 
I've heard differing versions on whether or not the MC14 is direct-blowback or short-recoil locked breach. Looking at the lug under the barrel, if the barrel travels to the rear, wouldn't that lug engage the frame and move upward? Or maybe the barrel doesn't move ?
 
I've heard differing versions on whether or not the MC14 is direct-blowback or short-recoil locked breach. Looking at the lug under the barrel, if the barrel travels to the rear, wouldn't that lug engage the frame and move upward? Or maybe the barrel doesn't move ?

I am also interested in this. The reason I didn't get the MC 14 was my concern that it was a blow-back pistol. Can anyone confirm if this pistol is a standard blow-back or a locked breech pistol.

My reasons for staying away from blow-back are hard charging, and fickleness about ammunition. I looked at many online reviews and the answer wasn't clear on them. In what little information there is on this pistol, there isn't clear information on the action type.
 
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I have been carrying a Ruger LCP for years. I like it, but dont love it.
The sights are poor.
Doesnt hold open on the last round.
On the plus side......
Low cost
Reliablility
And perhaps its' finest virtue, concealment.
1516803655521354867223.jpg
If i were shopping for a different .380, i would get a glock 42. I bought one to donate to a friends benefit raffle, but didnt get to shoot it. lol
 
The Ruger LC380 is about the size of the PPK/S. The LC380 is the .380 version of the 9mm Ruger LC9/LC9s/EC9s, so it is certainly sturdy and as a locked-breech design, recoil is very light.

+1 on the LC380. Had one a couple of years ago that I sold off for a smaller pocket pistol.
Was then seduced by the Beretta 85. Never got rid of a gun a fast as this one. The slide was difficult (for me). Reassembly was difficult (for me). And the blow back design exhibited more recoil than I expected despite it's weight (learned a practical lesson on blowback vs. locked breech).
Ended up purchasing another LC380.
 
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