do you own and shoot a .380?

Aliengear probably has something for you.

I use their ISWB holsters.

 

Tell her to wear gloves. (Nitrile)

Some solvents stink more than others. I use Ballistol. The smell isn't very strong & dissipates pretty quickly. Non-toxic, too.

Hoppes 9 is pretty much kerosene. Will stink up a house. Use that stuff outside.

 

Is Hoppes 9 toxic? I have it, I use gloves, wash my hands, etc. But, if Ballistol is as effective and less toxic, I'd consider switching.

 

How interesting. I was just reading a thread about the Dangers Of Hoppes On Nickel. That MSDS shows that it does not now contain any ammonia or ammoniacal compound that might be prone to attack a copper strike under nickel electroplate.

I have an old Stoegers with a full page ad for Stogerol which I suspect to be a copy of Ballistol or just relabelled Ballistol, it is recommended for practically anything you might think of, including disinfectant.

 

I love the smell of Hoppes in the morning…… it smells like… victory.

 

Wow holy hell regarding Hoppes!
Does Ballistol work well?

 

Yea...standard Hoppes 9 is as dangerous as kerosene/gasoline.

Ballistol works about 85% as well in regards to general carbon fouling. Just as well for everything else imo.

If I had a particularly neglected, old bore I might pull out something stronger but for regularly fired guns AND black powder, its fine. It's the original CLP.

Here is the MSDS for Ballistol:

It's not a dessert topping, but mostly mineral spirits. Even California says it's not known to cause cancer.

https://ballistol.com/wp-content/up...Ballistol-Multi-Purpose-Liquid-Revision-4.pdf

 

The OP, "do you own and shoot a .380"
Yes. SIG P230, love it, great shooter, has always been reliable. Only downside, bottom mag release, and only because it is different than all other guns we shoot. (I had to use it once to qualify in a course, and though it is different, under timed pressure, I ran with it, no problem.) This is wife's gun, she has smaller hands and it works great for her. Also have Taurus P38T. Like the concealability of it, wear it in a cell phone case (no one can see that it's a gun) or in pocket.
Both shoot well, accurate, dependable.
As for feeling undergunned, sure, I'd love to run around town in an Abrams tank to feel really secure, but that's not practical. Carrying my other CCW's that are more powerful, etc., Sometimes it just doesn't work well. Box cutter vs. knife? Knife vs. .22LR? Vs. .380 vs
However big you want to go. I agree with other posts following thoughts, .380 vs nothing, no brainer. I generally have never needed anything that has caused me to go into dangerous neighborhoods,etc. I go along with boy scout motto of "be prepared for any ol thing", but also avoid things that are in my control, such as areas with bad reputation, etc, you get the point.

 

Just picked up the Bodyguard tonight. I think I got a good deal for $220. It's used but is fully functional. I test fired it before buying, and the LGS gunsmith gave it a second lookover in front of me.

 

Nice! Great that you got to fire it first!

 

I have carried a Kahr PM9 since they were introduced. At the time, it was the smallest, lightest weight 9mm on the market. Years later, I wanted something even smaller and lighter, and I turned to the Kahr P380. Notice that in neither caliber did I go with the "C" or cheaper series in these guns. The "P" series is, oh, a third more expensive, but the quality is top-notch. I hand load for practice, and the P380 has not given me any problems whatsoever. Nor do either seem to be "wearing out" as I read elsewhere. I've put a lot of stiff hand loads through both - thousands in fact.

Did I mention that I had taken a side route into an early Ruger LCP380? Well, that didn't work for beans. Two went back to Ruger, and then I sold it off.

There are a lot of good .380's out there. Shucks, the venerable Sig 365 even comes in a .380. But, if you want the smallest possible size and the lightest weight, it's going to be a Kahr or a Seacamp.

My advice is to buy as much quality as you can get in a .380 if you want to shoot piles of hand-loaded practice ammo or shoot IDPA, ect. In my opinion, that leaves out the Rugers and Taurus. Their take-down pins (read recoil pin) are not stout enough nor is the pin bore hole reinforced enough. Going to stick w/ factory defensive ammo and keep the round count down? Then the world is your oyster.

Good luck.

 

Alien Gear!

 

Can’t tell you about the ammo. Haven’t own a .380 in about five years. A mistake on my part.

Just Ordered a CZ-83 via Buy Now yesterday (on Guns A.) because:

A) I should not have sold my CZ-82 years ago and—
B) my impressions of the Czechs’ small arms quality.

My CZ PCR and VZ-58 look fwd. to their new ‘little brother’ in .380.

 

Everyone that shoots my Browning 1911-380 loves it. The locked breach makes it much more pleasant than blow back 380's. It is one of my favorite pistols. Although it has very nice weight and dimensions for carry I have never carried it. I do carry an LCP in 380 sometimes and feel comfortable with the 380 critical defense loads. I usually prefer to carry a pocket 9mm, usually a DB9 but I just purchased a Hellcat to give it a try.

I predict you will be very happy with the Browning 1911-380! It is a pleasure to shoot.

 

It's a great pity, but there aren't any what I'd call "fine guns" in .380.

GP Roxor is a a racegun appearance package, but it's blowback operated, and not useful for any actual competitions because the rules mandate 9mm.

Erma KGP-68A is cute like a button, but it's very unreliable.

The Browning 1911-380 is also very cute, but it's skin-deep. It's not paritcularly durable. And the S/N plate in that plastic frame is a bit deplorable.

My Taurus revolver is also kinda okay looking, but it's not a Korth or Python. Not even a Smith. Although it has a key lock (fortunately in the hammer; I pulled the mechanism out and filled the cavity with lead).

Frommer Stop is a mechanical marvel, and a steampunk pistol that 9mm shooters do not have, I suppose. But it's hardly a Swiss made jewel.

Speaking of Swiss-made, the only thing we get is AT-380S: that's right, a DAO gun with a safety. And a blowback!

The Beretta 84 is the okayest of the bunch, but it reached the peak "fine" before the 84F released with utilitarian plastic grips and ugly squared trigger guard.

In the end, the .380 admirers have to make do with Colt Hammerless re-productions and FN 10/71. And a PPK with machining marks.

 

I think the Sig P-232 has a sleekness to it, maybe even sexy. But my favorite is still my Browning BDA, nickel plated with wood grips and rounded trigger guard it’s my connection to a more classical gun making era.

 

Oh, those are good. Indeed P232 is slick looking. Although, BDA is basically a Beretta, it's still quite nice. I just wish Browning made that 1911-380 with a steel frame, of maybe Beretta made a "Baby Billenium".

 

Or at least aluminum alloy.

 

One of the most reliable semi-auto guns in the world is a Makarov. Such a very rugged gun.

The commercial .380 version is extremely common in the US.
This was my first carry gun and natural support hand movement means that it must go downward - sooner or later - from its hold Anyway (even for a fresh mag.....does it not?)

Natural movement downwards made it very easy to place the support thumb on the heel mag release.

Nothing to it.