9mm or .380

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Why?

There’s nothing wrong with 380, but I ask as I prefer to do things for a reason.

My first EDC CCW was a PF9 as it was the smallest 9mm at the time. I the. Went to an XDs 45 as I wanted a larger caliber. Now I’m seriously thinking of going to an M&P 9 Compact as I’d like more rounds. I say this as I feel the possibility of running into group rioting is growing.

So I’ll use the other two as needed. Basically the PF9 when I need small for dress clothes. And the XDs when I’m not going to the big locality.

In your case I’d weigh what the 380 offers that your 9 doesn’t. If it’s size for deep conceal it may make sense. Otherwise weigh the pros and cons and the uses and then decide.
 
Only reason to get a .380 is if you need a smaller gun to pocket carry OR you want something the same size with less recoil. If you're comfortable carrying a 9 and you can shoot it well, stick with it.
 
ruger 1911 lw commander 9mm, but i do like the 380 just don't have one, had a walther pp in 380 loved that gun but i let it go wish i still had it!
 
460Shooter said:
I view the 380 as a step down from 9mm. If you just want a smaller gun, then go for it.
Click to expand...

I agree. Except after church last Sunday, our beautiful daughter showed off her brand new 380 Smith M&P Shield to us. At the advice of her fiancé, she had traded in her almost new 9mm Smith M&P Shield because she said the 9mm kicked harder, and the 380’s slide was easier to rack.

I’m not saying I agree with our daughter’s decision, because to me, her new 380 M&P Shield looked to be about the same size as my own 9mm M&P Shield…which I didn’t have with me to compare. But the decision wasn’t up to me. Besides, I had to admit, her 380 M&P’s slide was super easy to rack.

I’m just glad our daughter has a fiancé who is into guns and wants to make sure his future bride has a gun as a means of protecting herself. BTW, my wife carries a 380 Glock. But that’s because she thinks it’s the most firepower she can easily carry, and handle, in such a small package – like you said.
 
What is your preferred method of carry? What are your experiences firing either round?

These will interact with the stopping power discussion that will ensue.
 
.308 Norma said:
I agree. Except after church last Sunday, our beautiful daughter showed off her brand new 380 Smith M&P Shield to us. At the advice of her fiancé, she had traded in her almost new 9mm Smith M&P Shield because she said the 9mm kicked harder, and the 380’s slide was easier to rack.

I’m not saying I agree with our daughter’s decision, because to me, her new 380 M&P Shield looked to be about the same size as my own 9mm M&P Shield…which I didn’t have with me to compare. But the decision wasn’t up to me. Besides, I had to admit, her 380 M&P’s slide was super easy to rack.

I’m just glad our daughter has a fiancé who is into guns and wants to make sure his future bride has a gun as a means of protecting herself. BTW, my wife carries a 380 Glock. But that’s because she thinks it’s the most firepower she can easily carry, and handle, in such a small package – like you said.
Click to expand...
Yep, easier recoil and slide cycling would be good reasons too.
 
GEM said:
What is your preferred method of carry? What are your experiences firing either round?

These will interact with the stopping power discussion that will ensue.
Click to expand...
I carry a Taurus 9mm pt709 slim, a friend of mine said he would sell me his Ruger LCP .380 for $130, was thinking about summer carry
 
You can carry a 9mm in the summer. I live in the TX inferno and manage it. Unless there is a reason for pocket carry or you can't shoot a 9mm, I wouldn't go for an LCP.
 
I carried a .380 for a number of years, but finally upgraded to a 9mm... a Kahr CW9 is the same basic size as my Colt Gov't .380, and weighs less... win/win! Unless you specifically need a pocket pistol, I don't know why you would pick a .380 over a 9mm when the are, generally speaking, about the same size, with the exception being the true pocket pistols like the Kahr CW380
 
LCP is worse than that PT709 (Assuming your Taurus is a typical, reliable model) in all ways besides size and weight. I like sights on my pistols ya know??

That said LCP is ideal if you really do need that concealment factor, and sometimes you do.

I wouldn't mind having both :)
 
ndjpow74 said:
a friend of mine said he would sell me his Ruger LCP .380 for $130
Click to expand...
If it's in good shape, for $130 I'd buy it. I already have a 9mm, but I've been thinking about a small 380 to try out ankle carry. If I don't like it, -$130 isn't going to put me in the poorhouse.:)
 
380s are, for me, the best option when you absolutely, positively, gotta keep 'er concealed. You can conceal a LCP, TCP, CW380 ect wearing pretty much anything more than flip flops and a speedo.
 
index.php

Top bullet is 90 grain .380 ACP HP. Bottom is 9mm 124 grain HP.
Each was fired into a separate single plastic gallon bottle full of water.
The 9mm exited the bottle, the 380 didn't.
Fired from a Kahr CW380 and an CW9 from the same distance.
Draw your own conclusions.:evil:
 
Charlie98 said:
I carried a .380 for a number of years, but finally upgraded to a 9mm... a Kahr CW9 is the same basic size as my Colt Gov't .380, and weighs less... win/win! Unless you specifically need a pocket pistol, I don't know why you would pick a .380 over a 9mm when the are, generally speaking, about the same size, with the exception being the true pocket pistols like the Kahr CW380
Click to expand...
I'm actually thinking about going the other direction. I carry a cw9 now but have been looking at the cw380. Same gun just smaller. It would be for times I feel the cw9 is too big to keep reliably concealed.
 
Got to admit, the Kahr CW380 sure is cute. My wife carries it from time to time, but she also carries a CW9 or CW45 depending on which side of the bed she got out of in the morning.

She retired a S&W 642 after 40 years, due to recoil hurting her hand.. She went to the CW45 and has worked her way down to the CW9 most of the time, and CW380 once in a while.
The recoil spring on that little 380 is tighter than a bull's butt in fly season. That is one reason she seldom carries it.

I can envision some times when the 380 would be handy, but I have a Ruger LC9s that works pretty well for a pocket pistol when I need one.
 
The smallest 9mm pistol I am aware of is a DiamondBack DB9. The LCP is a considerably smaller and lighter gun. My LCP goes many places and will melt away in many clothes that the DB9 will not. By owning a 380 I am armed many times that I would not be armed if I only owned the 9mm which completely justifies the 380 as a carry piece for me.

0128192149c.jpg

For me owning a 380 augments owning a 9mm but does not replace the 9mm.

The NAA 22lr revolver (upper right) is concealable with a bathing suit... for some reason all my speedos always dissapear whenever my daughter does the lanundry so I have started wearing boxer type trunks again.
 
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.308 Norma said:
If it's in good shape, for $130 I'd buy it. I already have a 9mm, but I've been thinking about a small 380 to try out ankle carry. If I don't like it, -$130 isn't going to put me in the poorhouse.:)
Click to expand...
A good friend of mine likes to say, “It ain’t a kidney.”
 
Heck, both Itchy and I have Seecamp .32s lurking around somewheres.. They are better for defense than harsh words or begging.:cool:
 
A 380, like the LCP, is perfect for those times when you're wearing basketball shorts that have only a drawstring for a belt. Very light and thin, easy to conceal well.
 
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I have a N. American Arms .380 Guardian; it's a nice gun but I can't hit anything accurately farther than 15' with it. I can't
make that trigger work for me - that being said I do (pocket) carry it occasionally, loaded w/ Underwood 90 gr XTP/JHP's
(1200 fps) which have great ballistics, and with the heavy Guardian (handles the power rounds well) I can ventilate
anything nicely in my "close range" limits. I daily (IWB) carry my XD-9 sub compact (Cond. 1) with 13+1 rounds of nice,
9mm HST 147 gr +P JHP's.
 
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