38 special or .380?

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David E said:
If we are talking medium or service size guns, then you can't ignore the 9mm.

Barring a physical limitation, why would anyone choose a large double stack .380 over a 9mm of similar size and weight?
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The OP didn't specify any gun size at all just 380 or 38Special. Everyone just assumed the rest. I admit to carrying a modified LCP at times and a SP101 depending on where I'm going. After that my Mountain Revolver or Officers ACP are along. I do prefer the 8 out of either auto to 5 out of the 101.
 
David E said:
If we are talking medium or service size guns, then you can't ignore the 9mm.

Barring a physical limitation, why would anyone choose a large double stack .380 over a 9mm of similar size and weight?
Click to expand...

We can totally ignore the 9mm if the question isn't about the 9mm. We don't know why other calibers were excluded, so there's no point in including them.

The real point of my reply -- and it's probably my fault for not being clear enough in the first place -- is that either will do the job. Hence, the only factor that comes into play from my perspective is the format.

My point wasn't to preach the virtues of any other caliber. I carry a 9mm myself. It works for me. (Or I hope it will, if needed, but hope more that I'll never have to find out.) But it wasn't included in the original question.

Edit: To answer your question: Another reason some people may exclude service calibers but look at service sized guns in .380 is that in some countries service calibers aren't legal. Doesn't seem to be the case here, but I assume the OP has reasons for looking at these two calibers, so didn't bother to second guess him.
 
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My grandfather claimed it was better to carry a revolver than an automatic. In his instructions when the... animal by-product hit the air condition... you were either far enough away to find a "defensible area" or were so close you needed the best ball you could get. Since the .38 Spec has a bit more "umph" than the .380 out of respect for his teaching I would go with the former.
 
I have both and shoot /carry both and hand load for both .38 and .380. I have shot .38/.357 mag for all of my shooting life (over 40 years) and only recently, with the release of the Glock 42 become proficient and experienced with the .380. I'll have to add that in my experience, and in the experience of a small "support group" we have formed here, the short barreled .38 snubbie is about the hardest gun to shoot well next to short barreled .357 and larger caliber, short barreled revolvers. Snubbie revolvers are just plain hard to shoot well/accurately and if one adds the SD aspect with rapid accurate follow ups it becomes a serious issue for all but the most experienced and best shooters. One has to be pretty serious to get good with a .38 short barreled revolver...it cannot be a casual relationship.
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Odd. I shoot my .38 revolver, 2" Taurus Ultralite model 85, better than any pocket auto. Oh, I'm nearly there with my Kel Tec 9, but the Taurus has an AWESOME DA trigger that just makes the trigger a non-issue DA or SA. It points naturally for me and I can get on target from 7 yards post haste just point shooting. Beyond that, I find the sights which isn't that slow, either.

We used to have a 14" gong target hanging at 100 yards made from a 12" slip blind at our club range. It was great sport to lay out roll over prone and fire at it with the .38 snubby. I could hit it 3 out of 5 when I ate my cherrios once I got the elevation down. Now, I could NEVER do that with most pocket .380s, never ever. Don't tell ME my .38 snubby is tougher to shoot than a .380, just ain't so. Its inherent accuracy is far superior, just up to the shooter to put it there. I've owned that gun for 18 years and still shoot it a lot, but I never really had a hard time with it. It was a tack driver from day one. I mean, it won't outshoot my larger framed guns, but it'll hold 3" groups off a sand bag from 25 yards. For self defense, that's BETTER than good enough.
 
I carry one of my colt snubbys IWB at about 4 o'clock. With the right holster and belt it's an easy carry and an untucked shirt or t-shirt covers it fine. I see no need for a smaller gun.

I have found that I shoot the colts much better than my LCR or J frame and they are only slightly bigger. My Diamondback and Detective Special weigh more but my Colt Agent only weighs 15 ounces. That's light enough for me.

And I shoot the Colt better than the LCP. Killed a running raccoon at 21 yards with my Colt Detective Special. :evil: I was using a SWC-HP at 825 fps. Basically the old FBI Load. Hit him 3 times and all left nasty wounds. Any would have killed him quickly.

If anyone is interested I have tried many holsters but the best for me is a Simply Rugged Pancake with IWB loops. The holster is made of thick leather and weighs more than some of the new kydex type but the leather is smooth and conforms to your body. After a couple of weeks it's so comfortable you almost forget you are wearing it. I put it on with my pants and take it off at night when I take my pants off.
 
Either will do, I carry them both. I use my own handloads in both, that are fairly high level. For penetration, obviously the .38's 158gr bullet is a better penetrator and barrier defeater than a 100 grain, given similar velocity (which mine are, and more than typical commercial loads).

I had an old cop tell me 'you run out of time before you run out of bullets' and recommend a revolver. He retired in the automatic era, but still thought it was the first two shots, not the next 16 that decided the issue. And to get to those first two he wanted absolute reliability, despite the errors he might make, the technical sophistication of the gun, his familiarity with it. Simplicty won out.
 
.38 Special or .380 ACP ?

I own both.
The reasons I prefer .38 Spl. (J frame) over .380 are:
1. More powerful caliber.
2. More reliable function.
3. Ease of operation.
4. Less chance of accidental discharge, especially in CC.
5. Usually easier to conceal.
6. Drops in your (my) pocket, with or without a pocket holster.

Each has his/her own needs. Pick what suits "YOU".:)
 
IMO, I'll go with my 38 spcl. and my +P 125 gr. JHP reloads. I have a couple .380's, I think I still have them, I don't even shoot them any more. But a 38 spcl. is so much accurate, lethal, and reliable for at least 8 shots, from my 8 shot revolver anyway.

GS
 
For me they are both pocket calibers only. And I carry one of either every day.

I call it a wash for my purposes.

A slight power advantage to the .38 +P with the 125 grain Gold Dots I use in my LCR.

A slight capacity advantage and faster reload for the LCP or Pico. 7 rounds versus 5. Both with 90 grain Corbon JHPs or 90 grain Gold Dot JHPs. And the .380 is slimmer and flatter.

Many will say the revolver has a reliability advantage over the semi-auto, but my two .380s have been perfect in function. And I've had unburnt powder flakes keep a revolver's cylinder from closing when they got under the extractor star, though admittedly they were my reloads with a dirty burning powder.

I consider my .38 and two .380s equally reliable.

If I HAD to pick only one for pocket carry, I'd go with the .380, but fortunately I don't have to make that choice.
 
I like the fact that the .38 moves a 158 grain bullet even if the energy isn't all that much more. I have a reliable, if not real accurate .380, a 12 shot old Grendel I haven't even fired in years. Don't like the trigger on the thing. But, I think I'd STILL rather carry my .38 on ballistics, alone.
 
MCgunner said:
I like the fact that the .38 moves a 158 grain bullet even if the energy isn't all that much more. I have a reliable, if not real accurate .380, a 12 shot old Grendel I haven't even fired in years. Don't like the trigger on the thing. But, I think I'd STILL rather carry my .38 on ballistics, alone.
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Always been my belief too. A j frame spends a lot of time on my hip most days.

That 158 grain bullet, even if moving slower, is much more effective than a 95 or 100 grain 380.
 
I’ll also go with the 38 special. Bought a 380 12 years ago when I moved to AZ and could carry. Then I got S&W model 37 and the 380 has been collecting dust ever since.
 
GP100 3" or 4" in (or similar) .357 Magnum. You can shoot anything from mouse toot 38 Specials right up through full house .357 Magnum rounds. Lots of choices; far more than for a .380 ACP.
 
Like a lot have said carry what feels good. I carry a BERSA THUNDER .380 plus and love it. My wife carries a small Taurus revolver for she can not rack the slide on auto loaders do to and old wrist injury. I shoot them both and have carried both and like them the same. For some it may come down to were does your heart lie revolvers or auto loaders.
 

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