Any new .380 pocket pistols coming out?

[G.A.Pster]

I’m going to buy a .380 pocket pistol, I’m planning on buying a Kahr P380.

I was intrigued (because of the cost) by the new Taurus and Diamondback 380’s but it turned out they aren’t good enough.

Befor I go Kahr are there any other pocket 380's coming out?

 

[MCgunner]

Aren't good enough for what? Kahr has had it's problems, too, ya know.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Rohrbaugh is making the R9 in .380 now. http://www.rohrbaughfirearms.com/product/prod_set.html (I have no personal experience with this maker.)

 

[Magic_Man]

Ruger LCP? I still want one as a BUG.

 

[G.A.Pster]

Aren't good enough to trust my life too. ;D

Yep I know they've had problems,
But everyone has had problems at one time or another, I figure pick the one with the best Action type, fit & finish and magazine quality the Kahr fits those criteria.

And as far as the LCP goes, the barrel just flops around (when the slide is back) and on top of that the fit and finish is pathetic and the trigger is horrendous, and Taurus is similar. It doesn’t inspire confidence.

The R380 isn’t out yet?
It’s off my list since it’s not as small as the Kahr and even more expensive (atleast if I remember right) (I wonder if you have to keep replacing the recoil spring like the R9?)

 

[mcdonl]

Shoot... well CANT shoot is more like it. I have started carrying my .357 again because I can shoot it on a regular basis... I cannot find .380 to save my life... quite literaly...

 

[MrCleanOK]

And as far as the LCP goes, the barrel just flops around

In what way does it flop around? Mine locks up pretty tight.

 

[DasFriek]

Diamondback 380’s but it turned out they aren’t good enough.

Can you explain how this gun isnt good enough for you?I haven't held one yet but i have a feeling it will be Kahr's only competition and should do well hopefully but only time will tell.
Altho opposite from a Kahr i find the Sig P238 to be a better pistol.but its like comparing apples to oranges with these 2.
The Microtech ArcAngel i know will be in .9mm but possibly .380 i hope,that should be a winner in line with Rohrbough quality.

 

[Just One Shot]

And as far as the LCP goes, the barrel just flops around and on top of that the fit and finish is pathetic and the trigger is horrendous, and Taurus is similar. It doesn’t inspire confidence.

The heck you say!

The barrel flops around? This is a new one on me. Mines tighter than old man Scrooge's grip on his wallet!



I've also heard the comments about the trigger being bad which is strange. I must have gotten one that was worked over at the factory by a bored employee because it's just fine.

It's a little heavier than some models but for a gun without a safety I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[KBintheSLC]

I too have never seen an LCP that has this flopping barrel phenomenon. I shot my friend's and it worked quite well. The trigger was long, but that is sort of the point of it. I guess you could try the Sig 238 since it has a SAO trigger system.

 

[searcher451]

No sense in reinventing the wheel, IMO. The Walther PPK or PPK/S in .380 is a time-honored, time-tested design that both functions well and looks rather elegant, all things being equal. Walther just came out with the PK380, and it can't hold a candle to a PPK, in my book.

 

[KBintheSLC]

It is hard to beat an old PPK when it comes to performance (this does not include the new Interarms/S&W ones)... except if we consider the size and weight factor, which happen to be two major issues for a carry gun. Nowadays, there are many 9mm and 40/45 options in that size/weight configuration. In that respect, the old steel frame PPK is a bit out dated.

 

[batmann]

The two best 'small' .380 ACP's out there are the Kel-Tec P3AT, which I carry, and the Ruger LCP which is a pretty close copy of the KT. I have shot my KT quite a bit and (knock on wood) have never had a malfuntion. Ammo is hard to get, but it is out there. Double Tap, Buffalo bore and Cor-bon all have good loadings in the .380, just have to order off the inter-net.
I like my 'pocket pistols' small and light and the KT fits that.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Every small pocket 380 that I have heard abou has had problems. EVERY ONE. To say the KT or LCP is better than the 238 is insane IMO. AFAIAC, the KT and LCP are the crudest pocket pistols out there. To claim those 2 are the best is a little bit much.
The Diamondback 380 looks very interesting and it may take the place of my 238 once it gets some time under it's belt. Yes I have owned 3 KTs in 380 and 9mm and they have all worked just fine.

 

[LancerMW]

a Sig p238 perhaps?

 

[G.A.Pster]

I should’ve specified it’s when the slide is back on the LCP that it flops around. I looked at the barrel and I could wiggle the barrel left and right an excessive amount.

I’ve read of 4 people who have shot the DiamondBack and all 4 of them had the striker (or whatever it is) not reset at least once, and 2 of them had more severe problems.
So 100% failure rate IMO.

Their first run of guns should be hand fitted and very carefully made (it’s what they’re staking their reputation on after all).

 

[03Shadowbob]

I can wiggle almost all my barrels with the slide locked back. It's not a rifle.

 

[Pappy109]

Well I will tell you my thinking if I may. Take a Kel-Tec Pa3t and let me polish the barrel ramp and the trigger cam and you just might find love...

 

[Pappy109]

I can wiggle almost all my barrels with the slide locked back. It's not a rifle.

The .380 ACP cartridge was designed for early blowback pistols which lacked a barrel locking mechanism. The locking mechanism that is found on most other pistols is not necessary for the .380 because of the round's low breech pressure when fired. The recoil spring and the mass of the slide itself are enough to buffer the recoil energy of the round. This simplifies manufacture of pistols chambered for such a round, generally thereby lowering the cost.

 

[jon_in_wv]

And as far as the LCP goes, the barrel just flops around and on top of that the fit and finish is pathetic and the trigger is horrendous, and Taurus is similar. It doesn’t inspire confidence.

I don't even know where to start with that statement other than to say that it's 100% false in my experience with my personal LCP. It locks up tight, the fit and finish is very good, and the trigger is very smooth. I would suspect his statement isn't from personal experience. I have over 400 rounds through my LCP with NO malfunctions. Thats good enough for me.

I should’ve specified it’s when the slide is back on the LCP that it flops around. I looked at the barrel and I could wiggle the barrel left and right an excessive amount.

Which would be the case for about 99% of all the pistols of the tilting barrel delayed blowback design. Which would be MOST semi-autos.

 

[trimore]

After a bunch of searching, an LCP came home with us. Nice little gun. I can shoot it better than my Kahr PM9 although, can't shoot as many rounds at a session.

 

[PT1911]

the wiggling barrel you speak of is part of the gun design!!!! it is that way to facilitate feeding in such a small gun.. if it was a fixed barrel design the gun would jam with every round... as the slide begins to move backward the barrel tilts up allowing the next cartridge to feed into the chamber at an upward angle (much like it is already resting in the mag.) This facilitates smooth feeding.... I have the Kel Tec P3At and am happy with it... I actually prefer it to the Ruger.

 

[G.A.Pster]

I understand vertical movement is required for the mechanism to function and all pistols with tilting barrels have some horizontal movement.

However the amount of horizontal movement I saw on the LCP was just sloppy.

I have not fired an LCP; my opinions on it’s reliability are from reviews I've read and by looking at the quality of its construction.

I have looked at 3 and they all looked about the same, quality wise.
Also the trigger on all 3 were the same, long, stacking, and heavy.

 

[Rex B]

I have a bunch of pocket .380s dating back to the 1940s.
I have carried both P3AT and LCP. But i do have reservations.
When i go to the range, I usually carry 2 or 3 pistols to shoot.
But before I shoot any of them, I set up a target, then pull my pocket gun and empty the mag at the target. When doing this, both the P3At and the LCP have responded with a click at least once. Somehow, the hammer wasn't cocked. How they get that way with a round racked into the chamber I don't know. But if I can't pull it out and have it go Bang, I don't trust it. I know now to look at the hammer before I put it i my pocket every morning.
Today I'm carrying a P238. It's a little heavier, but I know that I can, and must, cock the hammer before it will fire. But it WILL fire. And no, I won't pocket carry it cocked and locked.
Plus, it has a real safety and real nite sites.

 

[Guns and more]

Before buying the Kahr P-380, look at the Sig P-238.
This coming from someone who owns a Kahr PM-9 and loves it.
The Sig is easy to shoot, minimum recoil, much smaller than a PM-9.
Mine is 100% reliable, good looking (Rosewood edition) The Nitron finish is perfect, and the night sights are bright.
It's my new favorite.

I think you'll find the Kahr snappy to shoot, although it's a bit smaller than the 238.
Both are fine guns. I went with the Sig and don't regret it.