"the new" CCW 380
Kel-Tec P3AT
Ruger LCP
Kahr K380
Taurus 380 TCP (may not be out yet)
North American Arms Guardian
etc etc. None of these guns make your list. To me, they are the top of the line CCW, combining the size of a 32acp or even a 25acp with the power of a 380, with new materials making them even lighter than some 'pocket' 25acp.
I am not trying to convince you otherwise, just noting.
of course, NONE of them are target guns.
"The Old" CCW 380
American guns made for pocket carry starting in the 19-teens, and on into the 20s and 30s.
Remington model 51
Colt M 1908,
Savage 1917,
Likewise, there were the European guns which were dual intended for civilain pocket carry and holster carry as the main handgun of the police
German Mauser HSc
Saur 38H,
Walther PP
Walther PPK (compact PP)
Beretta M1935
(Note, these for the most part were 1930s designs...a bit behind the USA in getting to know the 380)
these two catagories is what most people mean when they talk of the 'standard' sized 380.
On the Walther PP, PPK, and PPK/S (<--longer PP frame with the shorter PPK barrel to meet US import laws) thanks to the German factory falling in WW2, the blueprints of that pistol were widely spread throughout the world (mainly in soviet block countries...leading to the FEG PMK, and even the famed Makarov) The original Walther PP series has been known as a handbiter, as are most of it's derivatives. The only one that does NOT have this problem is the Sig 230 and it's 'improved' version the Sig 232. While more expensive, if you are thinking you want a Walther PPK type gun, get the Sig 230 or 234.
Now, as the plans were spread far and wide, I don't think the Walther brand Walther PPK offers anything the Bersa 380 does not. Both have been slightly tweaked in the past, oh, 20 years to be a little less likely to bite you with the slide. The Bersa 380 is everything the Walther is, minus the heratige and name...and the finish isn't quite as nice on the blued models. However, most Walthers you will encounter is Smith and Wesson made Walther PPK, so is it still truely a Walther Walther? Still, James bond made it famous, so there is somethign to be said for that.
The Bersa 380 gets my nod for economy, but really, even it's days are passed because the Kel-Tec P3AT is equally inexpensive, so while i'd recommend a Bersa 380 as a CCW gun, I'd recommend the newer smaller guns even more. Not that anyone who already has a Walther or Walther Clone needs to upgrade, it's just if you are going to make new purchase (even a new purchase of a used gun) there are better options for CCW...and there are better options for non-CCW
and if you want to get something JUST for fun shooting, might as well get the gun liked with James Bond...or, get what is below.
(yes, I realized I recommended then dismissed all of this catagor, the 232 sig for being the best but too expensive and too big nowadays, the Walther because of James Bond, and the Bersa because of an economic price)
"Big" 380s
There happens to be a few very well made nearly full sized 380s. I think part of this is due to the continual use of the 380 by the police in europe, as well as some countries having laws against using 'military' calibers so the 9mms we have so many of here just aren't found.
Browning BDA - a wonderful 13 shot 380 pistol
Beretta Model 84 (double stack, 13 shot) and 85 (single stack)
These two look very much alike. Both are wonderful guns. If you are looking for a used gun in 380 as a fun shooter rather than the smallest lightes 380 CCW you can find...but a gun that would still make an excellent CCW if you ever decided to go that route, I'd suggest these two.
It just happens that I was looking at the Browning BDA at a gunshop today. Wonderful gun, but the Beretta 85, equally wonderful. I think the only difference between the two is the BDA has a slide mounted safety rather than a frame mounted one like the Beretta 85, and slightly different contours on the last inch of the barrel.
I think the Beretta 84 shines as a pistol for anyone with small hands who wants a lower recoiling semiauto than a 9mm, but doesn't necessarily need a really small gun (maybe it is the beside gun, or the person is carrying the gun in the purse)
If you want a 380 mainly to have one in your collection and to blast targets, with CCW being a distant second concern, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with either type of Beretta or the Browning BDA
Edit to Add:
I forgot, Taurus likes to copy Beretta, and they have some 380s. They have the Taurus PT58, which is the Taurus PT92 scaled down and in 380 (the PT92 is almost a clone of the Beretta 92) and that makes it nearly identical to the Beretta 85. At one time they were sold with 12 shot magazines as PT58 S , but now 19 shot 'extended' magazine PT58 HC Plus is how it is sold, it is common in Latin America were it is a big seller as 9mm isn't allowed in many of those countries...and more is always better then! (I am guessing the standard 15...or 17 using mecgar spring magazines, which Taurus switched to on all it's guns...would have been the 58 HC)
when Beretta chopped down their 92 clone and started their PT series in the Era of the 10 round magazine ban, they had a 380 (PT-380?) then..and when they went with the Millenium they had a 380 then too (PT-138). However, none of those guns are are really stand-out
Kel-Tec P3AT
Ruger LCP
Kahr K380
Taurus 380 TCP (may not be out yet)
North American Arms Guardian
etc etc. None of these guns make your list. To me, they are the top of the line CCW, combining the size of a 32acp or even a 25acp with the power of a 380, with new materials making them even lighter than some 'pocket' 25acp.
I am not trying to convince you otherwise, just noting.
of course, NONE of them are target guns.
"The Old" CCW 380
American guns made for pocket carry starting in the 19-teens, and on into the 20s and 30s.
Remington model 51
Colt M 1908,
Savage 1917,
Likewise, there were the European guns which were dual intended for civilain pocket carry and holster carry as the main handgun of the police
German Mauser HSc
Saur 38H,
Walther PP
Walther PPK (compact PP)
Beretta M1935
(Note, these for the most part were 1930s designs...a bit behind the USA in getting to know the 380)
these two catagories is what most people mean when they talk of the 'standard' sized 380.
On the Walther PP, PPK, and PPK/S (<--longer PP frame with the shorter PPK barrel to meet US import laws) thanks to the German factory falling in WW2, the blueprints of that pistol were widely spread throughout the world (mainly in soviet block countries...leading to the FEG PMK, and even the famed Makarov) The original Walther PP series has been known as a handbiter, as are most of it's derivatives. The only one that does NOT have this problem is the Sig 230 and it's 'improved' version the Sig 232. While more expensive, if you are thinking you want a Walther PPK type gun, get the Sig 230 or 234.
Now, as the plans were spread far and wide, I don't think the Walther brand Walther PPK offers anything the Bersa 380 does not. Both have been slightly tweaked in the past, oh, 20 years to be a little less likely to bite you with the slide. The Bersa 380 is everything the Walther is, minus the heratige and name...and the finish isn't quite as nice on the blued models. However, most Walthers you will encounter is Smith and Wesson made Walther PPK, so is it still truely a Walther Walther? Still, James bond made it famous, so there is somethign to be said for that.
The Bersa 380 gets my nod for economy, but really, even it's days are passed because the Kel-Tec P3AT is equally inexpensive, so while i'd recommend a Bersa 380 as a CCW gun, I'd recommend the newer smaller guns even more. Not that anyone who already has a Walther or Walther Clone needs to upgrade, it's just if you are going to make new purchase (even a new purchase of a used gun) there are better options for CCW...and there are better options for non-CCW
and if you want to get something JUST for fun shooting, might as well get the gun liked with James Bond...or, get what is below.
(yes, I realized I recommended then dismissed all of this catagor, the 232 sig for being the best but too expensive and too big nowadays, the Walther because of James Bond, and the Bersa because of an economic price)
"Big" 380s
There happens to be a few very well made nearly full sized 380s. I think part of this is due to the continual use of the 380 by the police in europe, as well as some countries having laws against using 'military' calibers so the 9mms we have so many of here just aren't found.
Browning BDA - a wonderful 13 shot 380 pistol
Beretta Model 84 (double stack, 13 shot) and 85 (single stack)
These two look very much alike. Both are wonderful guns. If you are looking for a used gun in 380 as a fun shooter rather than the smallest lightes 380 CCW you can find...but a gun that would still make an excellent CCW if you ever decided to go that route, I'd suggest these two.
It just happens that I was looking at the Browning BDA at a gunshop today. Wonderful gun, but the Beretta 85, equally wonderful. I think the only difference between the two is the BDA has a slide mounted safety rather than a frame mounted one like the Beretta 85, and slightly different contours on the last inch of the barrel.
I think the Beretta 84 shines as a pistol for anyone with small hands who wants a lower recoiling semiauto than a 9mm, but doesn't necessarily need a really small gun (maybe it is the beside gun, or the person is carrying the gun in the purse)
If you want a 380 mainly to have one in your collection and to blast targets, with CCW being a distant second concern, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with either type of Beretta or the Browning BDA
Edit to Add:
I forgot, Taurus likes to copy Beretta, and they have some 380s. They have the Taurus PT58, which is the Taurus PT92 scaled down and in 380 (the PT92 is almost a clone of the Beretta 92) and that makes it nearly identical to the Beretta 85. At one time they were sold with 12 shot magazines as PT58 S , but now 19 shot 'extended' magazine PT58 HC Plus is how it is sold, it is common in Latin America were it is a big seller as 9mm isn't allowed in many of those countries...and more is always better then! (I am guessing the standard 15...or 17 using mecgar spring magazines, which Taurus switched to on all it's guns...would have been the 58 HC)
when Beretta chopped down their 92 clone and started their PT series in the Era of the 10 round magazine ban, they had a 380 (PT-380?) then..and when they went with the Millenium they had a 380 then too (PT-138). However, none of those guns are are really stand-out
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