.380 and 9mm

[Geckgo]

Hi all, not this is not really a 380 vs 9mm discussion, there isn't much of a discussion there. My question is more about recoil and firing speed.

My wife is in Afghanistan at the moment, but when she gets out of the military at the end of the year she is wanting to get a gun for CC. She has a small frame so something like my 45XD will probably be too bulky (though I would love it if she picked a 1911, that probably won't happen). If she decides to go with a smaller caliber for whatever reason, I was thinking that I would steer her to the 9mm. Ultimately she gets to pick, after all it will be her gun and she has enough experience to know what she likes.

With the 9mm being a more powerful caliber, I wonder how much the recoil increases from .380? I've never shot these calibers and don't know much about them. Are "pocket 9s" harder to control than "pocket 380s"?

 

[wristtwister]

If she's "post-military", I'd wait until she got home and then let her go pick out her own gun. I'm working in a gun store, and I haven't met anybody who could read a woman's mind yet. The woman who works at the store with me carries a .45, as do most of the employees there.

WT

 

[Geckgo]

She's not to familiar with handguns (in the Army and not an officer or MP). She doesn't even really like to shoot. If she gets one it'll be me dragging her down to the range once a month (or more) to practice Really just curious. It helps me deal with her being over there when I think of all the stuff that we can do together when she gets home. We got a nice little camping trip planned already

 

[Shadow 7D]

Um, sorry but, she needs to try out the guns,
many people say that 45 is easier than .40 to shoot out of a similar size gun

If you get a pocket mouse in .380, read up on them, as many are not fun to shoot, but get one in about the same size as a 9mm, and they are more controllable,
if you are looking for a pocket size gun, consider .32, which is enough for social work...

But once again, you need to take her out and let her try the options, as in the end, she is the one who will have to carry, a P32 by Keltec is good for pocket size, Kahr and Keltec both make small 9mm, which I find much easier to shoot than a .40 in the same package.

 

[rellascout]

With the 9mm being a more powerful caliber, I wonder how much the recoil increases from .380? I've never shot these calibers and don't know much about them. Are "pocket 9s" harder to control than "pocket 380s"?

380 auto due to their design kick more than most 9mms IMHO. The blow back design sends the recoil straight back into the shooters hand.

Mini 9mms IMHO do not kick anymore than their 380 auto counterparts. If I were choosing I would go with a 9mm. I would recommend funding a range with an assortment of smaller 9mms and 380 autos that she can shoot. One will pick her as much as she picks it.

 

[Geckgo]

thanks rellascout. There is a police range close by and they have a lot of guns. I'm sure that she won't want to make a day out of it, but if she wants a gun I'm gonna make sure that she practices with it. My plan is, let her shoot the .45, and if she's comfy with that, then handling guns at the store may be my next course. Then zero in on the ones she likes at the range. If she's not comfy, she needs to anti up and get some range time

 

[stanger04]

She may not carry it but Beretta made the military packs, the box and gun had a division on it. If you are looking for a gift that would be cool.

 

[MutinousDoug]

If she is not a shooter then let her try a revolver. I just went through this with my sister and after shooting my .45 ACP, S&W model 39, S&W model 15, Bersa380 and my Colt Mustang .380 she wanted nothing to do with automatics. She went with a S&W 442 and I couldn't be happier. K.I.S.S.
YMMV

 

[Geckgo]

Good thought Mutinous. Stanger, I like the idea but nobody in the military that I know personally (that's not to say that there are not others out there) really don't like their berettas for some reason. My brother destests his (officer) and the only real complaint I've heard as to why is that it's heavy. For whatever reason though, he hates it

Jen's not very nostalgic (except when it comes to paperclips, another story). But I like the thought, thank you.

 

[stanger04]

Geckgo I hate them too but if I was just out I'd appreciate it as a rememberance to the time I served. I would also show my kids you see this never ever buy one,lol.

Go with a G19 or G26

 

[Geckgo]

never ever buy one, hahahaha

 

[dashootist]

Forget 45 for carry, too wide. I don't like 380, too expensive to shoot. I'm thinking a mil-surp Makarov with 9mm Mak calibur would be nice for her--small and thin enough, heavy enough, ammo almost as cheap as 9mm Luger. If it's good enough for the Soviet military, than it's good enough for me.

 

[Jotobo]

Im guessing the TS has thought this through better than we can through the internet. Assuming its for CC, the best will be a .380, as there are just so many solid compact options. There are a few 9's that are real small, dont get me wrong.

380 - LCP, P3AT, Seecamp, Kahr, Bersa......so many

9mm - PF9, P11, R9, and a few Kahrs....

Good luck.

 

[DenaliPark]

A no-brainer, the mini 9's(Glock-26, Kahr, M&P9C, ect)are far easier to shoot well then are such likely CCW efforts as the LCP, or whatever. As someone else has stated above, the little .380's can be punishing to practice with, where as a G26 is markedly more comfortable, accurate, and powerful then any .380.

 

[Jotobo]

Get her a $500-600 gift card at the local gun store. When she gets back, she can start picking all of them up, putting them in pocket or IWB holsters and buy the one she loves.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Gecko,
no Beretta lover here, I shot expert, and helped a buddy out with the spare mag I had left over after knocking all mine down. It isn't the smallest gun out there, I'm accurate enough, but it just doesn't turn me on. That said, I have literally seen guys shoot the dirt 15 FEET in front of them (~5m) when punching paper at about 25-30 feet in the army... So, I'm more scared of being hit by the tankers than the enemy should be if it comes down to pistols.

So, for many in the military outside of medics, officers (who usually carry a M-4 if they are 'combat' arms) and MP's, pistols are pretty much never seen or dealt with. And for the first two, very rarely, I was a medic for 7 years, and NEVER had a pistol issued, assigned, but never issued, I had a M-4 for that.

 

[SmokeySam81]

My wife had to come look, and after all the things we tried she took home a walther ppk/s in .380. I tried to get her to go for the makarov clone but she had trouble with the trigger on double action, and doesn't like pulling the hammer first. But it was "cute" and it fit her hand nicely. Fortunately it shoots very very accurately, though it is picky about ammo. Plan ahead, but expect her to go for something totally off the wall, like a .45/.410 derringer or something just as odd, though useful.

 

[Geckgo]

Pretty much the plan at the moment, Smokey. Thanks everyone for the input. Like I said, just trying to get a "grasp" on them lil calibers Maybe I need to go down to the range and drain a couple sometime, not that I need an excuse to go shooting For all I know she might pick up a DE or a .454 and say "I want this one"

 

[19&41]

Be familiar with what is available for her , take her out to find out what SHE wants. Go somewhere where she can try them. That will also make for some quality time spent together which can be very important. Remember, she shouldn't choose something for it's own sake, then not be comfortable and confident with it and not carry it.

 

[PabloJ]

Woman thinking with her head will always make better decision then a man because males of our species tend to think with testicles.

 

[kokapelli]

(though I would love it if she picked a 1911, that probably won't happen). If she decides to go with a smaller caliber for whatever reason, I was thinking that I would steer her to the 9mm.
With the 9mm being a more powerful caliber, I wonder how much the recoil increases from .380? I've never shot these calibers and don't know much about them. Are "pocket 9s" harder to control than "pocket 380s"?

Since you mentioned that you like the idea of a 1911 I'd suggest she try a P238. It's a very soft shooting pocket sized gun in 380 cal and in a 1911 format less the grip safety.

The P238 has much less felt recoil than any of the 380 blow back pistols in any size and is a joy to shoot.

A PM9 that would be an excellent choice in 9mm, but the P238 has less felt recoil than the PM9 and is significantly smaller.

 

[Deanimator]

With the 9mm being a more powerful caliber, I wonder how much the recoil increases from .380?

Actually, depending upon the gun, it often decreases.

Almost all .380acp guns are pure blowbacks. The only thing holding the gun closed (and slowing down the operating cycle) is the inertia of the breech mechanism and the force of the recoil (and hammer/striker) spring.

While the 9x19mm cartridge is more powerful than the .380acp, in an m1911, Glock or other locked breech pistol, it has to do more work, over a greater period of time. That translates into lower slide velocity and less perceived recoil.

If I were you, I'd have her at least look at the Springfield EMP. It's a compact M1911 style gun downsized to better fit the 9x19mm cartridge.

 

[kokapelli]

Almost all .380acp guns are pure blowbacks.

Oh Please!
The SigP238, the Kahr P380, the Walther PK380, the KelTec P-3AT, the Ruger LCP, the Taurus TCP, the Smith and Wesson BodyGuard, and the Diamondback 380 are all 380 pistols with locked Breach actions and I probably have missed some other ones at that.

 

[bannockburn]

Geckgo

I would consider something other than a straight blowback design in a .380. Maybe something along the lines of a SIG P238, Colt Government .380, Colt Mustang, Kahr P380 (though for the money I would probably go up in caliber to 9mm.), or a Taurus TCP.

Moving up to a 9mm., I would recommend a Glock 19, Kahr PM9, Ruger SR9c, or a CZ 75 D Compact.