do you own and shoot a .380?

I have a couple of full-sized .380s and an LCP for my pocket gun needs.

LCP is snappy to shoot, as most will tell you.

The Bersa Thunder .380 Classic has been fine, no complaints. I haven't shot it much. I feel like it is a good value.

I got a Makarov in .380, and the gun is so heavy that it tames the .380 recoil down to almost nothing.


I like .380 okay, but it is not my primary and preferred SD caliber. It is often compared to 9mm, which makes sense but is also a bit unfair. I don't reload, and it's generally a bit expensive for me to just shoot for funsies (even more so nowadays). So I have a couple of guns and some boxes to feed them with, but I don't plan on going any further than that with .380 in my collection.

CDW4ME said:

The purpose of carrying is to stop attacker(s) ASAP hopefully before they can inflict serious or fatal injury.
I was a cop too, has no influence on my carry, nor was it counted in 25+ years.
"Meets the needs" is vague, and vague may be indicative that something relevant is omitted.
For example: one says a 380 "meets their needs".
They don't say they carry bigger than 380 when going to an area of greater anticipated threat, or that they are unwilling to carry bigger in a "good area".
Its usually more about preferred manner of dress than it is caliber but often some do not just say that.

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You are correct I should have wrote,

"The purpose of carrying a firearm rests in its ability to inflict a serious wound on your opponent...to stop him". I failed to include the last three words as I thought that was understood.

Meets the need is not vague. However, in your response you've omitted your explanation as to why an entry and exit wound is different if made by a 380, 9x18, or 9x19.

Kleanbore said:

"Most" is nowhere near enough for prudence.

That may be possible in assassinations, but it is most unlikely in a defensive situation.

May do that, sometimes.

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1. I've only paraphrased a quote often repeated in the Armed Citizen. I never said one doesn't need to be trained and willing to fight.

2. I'm not suggesting assassination. I'm just stating that most people shot in the eye will stop fighting. I don't think you'd categorize Mozambique Drills as assassination.

3. You're correct a 22 or 25 may stop an attacker. We should also consider the times when a 357, 40, 45, 12 gauge, or any other firearm fails to stop an attacker as we often see. I've already acknowledged a bigger caliber is more likely to stop.

GRIZ22 said:

You are correct I should have wrote,

"The purpose of carrying a firearm rests in its ability to inflict a serious wound on your opponent...to stop him". I failed to include the last three words as I thought that was understood.

Meets the need is not vague. However, in your response you've omitted your explanation as to why an entry and exit wound is different if made by a 380, 9x18, or 9x19.

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Olive branch.
I'm guessing your position is that something is better than nothing and 380 is good enough.
I'll agree that something is better than nothing and that one is better off with a 380 than if they didn't carry. But, why stop there (the minimum) ...

Next level.
I would not be "better off" with a 380 if defending my life than a Glock 19.
We could debate whether I'd be "better off" with my Glock 23 or 32, or even 30SF than the 19, but I definitely would not be "better off" with a 380.

Back to, strive carry what would be preferred to defend yourself, wherever.
If one prefers a 380 that preference should not change based on where they are standing ("good vs "bad" area).

Kleanbore said:

The .380 Auto, which does not meet those specifications, is less likely to do that.

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In FMJ, yes. But, there are a couple of JHP which will get to the FBI "envelope, if only just. And "just" is often "enough."
Life is often a search for certainty, and certainty is hard to come by.
Which is why these arguments drag out so.
Even .357mag has failed to "stop" even with COM hits. Not often, but often enough to be a consideration.

The real question winds up being closer to "Does it offer an '80%' solution?"

Kleanbore said:

"Most" is nowhere near enough for prudence.

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A prudent man exercises "such skill and care as a person of ordinary prudence and intelligence would use."

The vast majority of people are unarmed. Any weapon puts its carrier well above the average, so we are busily parsing the degree to which we are above average.

My .380 Mauser Super HSC .It hold 12 in mags and the wide grip soak up the recoil. My other two .380 s are a WAC French Made MAB detective model, which is a great pocket pistol, and a nice Remington 51 which has far less recoil and outstanding design and workmanship

MAB Model C .380 Imported into US in 19502 by WAC . Blow back , small all steel weighs 21 .oz and is 7 shots. Has good grip safety and thumb safety. Decent sights , very reliable but mags are hard to come by .


Remington 51 .380. Beautiful deign and workmanship . Accurate and reliable and light recoil . All steel weighs 20 .oz and a little longer barrel but still rides well in the pocket. Miniscule sights. Real hard to get a good mag for. I really like this gun better than the rest of my .380s

Armybrat said:

View attachment 1024672

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How's the recoil and how hard is it to rack the slide on that CT380?

Yup, but I gotta admit that it does not get shot enough..............

It is carried almost every day....shhhhh, don't tell anyone...

My .380 choice for LCPII and Bersa Thunder

• Cartridge : .380 ACP
• Bullet Brand : Lehigh Defense™
• Bullet Weight (gr) : 68
• Bullet Construction : Solid Monolithic
• Bullet Model : Xtreme Defense®
• Bullet Material : Copper
• Case Type : Nickel Plated Brass

Pistolay said:

How's the recoil and how hard is it to rack the slide on that CT380?

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Recoil is very easy compared to my LCP, but racking the slide is a real bear.
Especially for my old arthritic hands.
It is a very reliable shooter though - eats everything except WWB.
Nice gun.

DTL said:

My .380 choice for LCPII and Bersa Thunder

• Cartridge : .380 ACP
• Bullet Brand : Lehigh Defense™
• Bullet Weight (gr) : 68
• Bullet Construction : Solid Monolithic
• Bullet Model : Xtreme Defense®
• Bullet Material : Copper
• Case Type : Nickel Plated Brass View attachment 1024734

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What do they cost currently ?

Armybrat said:

Recoil is very easy compared to my LCP, but racking the slide is a real bear.
Especially for my old arthritic hands.

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I was afraid you were going to say that, with the CT380 being generally available at the moment. I really wanted a P380 about a year and a half ago, but the guy at the gun store warned me about the difficulty of racking the slide. He let me handle one of their rental guns with a few thousand rounds on it, and even that one was very difficult to rack. I ended up with an LCP II instead. I also have arthritis, and the Elsie Pea is no joy to shoot, but it's fairly easy to rack and disassemble, so I'm good. With the CMC arthritis in my right thumb (I'm right-handed), a gun that's difficult to manipulate bothers me more than one with snappy recoil.

Pistolay said:

I was afraid you were going to say that, with the CT380 being generally available at the moment. I really wanted a P380 about a year and a half ago, but the guy at the gun store warned me about the difficulty of racking the slide. He let me handle one of their rental guns with a few thousand rounds on it, and even that one was very difficult to rack. I ended up with an LCP II instead. I also have arthritis, and the Elsie Pea is no joy to shoot, but it's fairly easy to rack and disassemble, so I'm good. With the CMC arthritis in my right thumb (I'm right-handed), a gun that's difficult to manipulate bothers me more than one with snappy recoil.

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I am probably going to replace my every day carry LCP (1st generation) with an LCP Max. They are supposedly easier to shoot.

BTW, I paid $280 new for my CT380 about 5 years ago. It will be gifted to one of my sons for Christmas.

huntsman said:

What do they cost currently ?

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Underwood direct about $28/20, I believe they still do flat rate shipping at low cost.. Also available in +P, not sure of +P+. In line with quality HP's.

"Do you own and shoot a 380?"

If I did, I don't know that I would admit
to it publicly.

Armybrat said:

I am probably going to replace my every day carry LCP (1st generation) with an LCP Max. They are supposedly easier to shoot.

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My Max's are a bit easier to shoot than my LCP II, mainly because the grip fits my hand better. I've never shot the original LCP, but from everything I've read, you should notice even more of a difference. The Max is a really nice gun. Nice enough that I have two of them.

Ranger99 said:

"Do you own and shoot a 380?"

If I did, I don't know that I would admit
to it publicly.

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Yeah, I don't talk about my carry guns in public, but here at The High Road . . .

View attachment 1024928

I do, just not today - I forgot my loaded ammo on the bench when I went to the range.

another nod for lehigh extreme defense

Lehigh makes the bullet, quite a few ammo manufacturers use it like Underwood. Another option I tried and liked was Inceptor ARX 65 grain, also available in +p which I never have tried.