Locked breech .32 or .380 pistols that aren't tiny pocket guns?

[TTv2]

I've been wanting a super low recoil centerfire pistol that isn't a straight blowback design in a small pocket pistol. Also, I don't want a bottleneck, so stuff like the .22 TCM is not an option. About the only one that really sticks out to me is the Rock Island .380 1911 because it's a .380 that uses a locked breech and isn't a tiny pocket pistol like the P32 or LCP, but are their any similar size pistols in .32 or .380 that I'm not aware of or is the RIA .380 my only option?

 

[somethingbenign]

Looking at just current production? I'd guess at least a few of the old European police and military pistols from when they were using those cartridges would be a delayed action.

 

[entropy]

CZ24. Dang accurate guns, too.

 

[TTv2]

Looking at just current production? I'd guess at least a few of the old European police and military pistols from when they were using those cartridges would be a delayed action.

It doesn't have to be a currently made pistol, but I tend to steer away from old stuff because of how terrible the sights are and they're usually fixed sights too.

 

[Skylerbone]

The Colt 2000 is a lock breach but in a full size 9mm. First I can think of. Colt Mustang for another, and the S&W Bodyguard .380

 

[Redcoat3340]

Smith & Wesson .380 Shield EZ and now in 9mm.

 

[hannstv]

Browning 1911 .380 and the LLama Especial are two that come quickly to mind.

 

[ms6852]

If you can find one, a Browning cheetah would be great ,the models 80 and 81 in .32 or 380.

 

[5-SHOTS]

Browning 1911 380
Colt Government 380
Walther PK380
S&W EZ 380
Taurus PT 138
Taurus PT 132

 

[Mosin77]

As far as I can tell there has never been a modern sights era locked breech .32acp until Keltec did it with the P32. Which is a pocket pistol with sights typical of the genre. Maybe star or astra did one, but good luck finding one if so. There was the Frommer Stop, but that’s a 1920s design if memory serves. Uncommon, bad sights, and probably fussy and not inexpensive.

Options are better in .380, I’d look at the S&W EZ or one of the 1911 designs. I’m 95% sure the Berettas and Beretta/Brownings are blowback.

 

[cfullgraf]

The Colt Mustang, Sig P238, and the Kimber Micro are all locked breech and smaller than the Rock Island but larger than the Kel-Tec P3AT.

Yes, the Beretta 80 series and the Browning counterparts are blow back actions and even the single stack versions are larger than the Rock Island 380.

 

[CajunBass]

How about a Kimber Micro 380? Or is that too small? It's a locked breach, S/A "1911 type" pistol, 7+1 capacity. Mine has the optional steel night sights, but steel sights are the standard. It's not as small as say an LCP, but it still fits in the palm of my hand. I was surprised how well I can shoot the little thing. It just chugs along, never missing a beat.

Maybe it's too small for what you're looking for but it fits the other requirements. I suppose I could pocket carry it, but I found a really nice little OWB holster for it and it's just a delight to carry.

 

[hannstv]

I forgot to mention the 380 that I carry daily when I take a walk, the Glock G42. It is probably getting very close to the size of those micro 380s that you wanted to avoid. Even though is very small, it is very shootable and as accurate as any Glock I have owned.

 

[Cary Turpin]

I've been wanting a super low recoil centerfire pistol that isn't a straight blowback design in a small pocket pistol. Also, I don't want a bottleneck, so stuff like the .22 TCM is not an option. About the only one that really sticks out to me is the Rock Island .380 1911 because it's a .380 that uses a locked breech and isn't a tiny pocket pistol like the P32 or LCP, but are their any similar size pistols in .32 or .380 that I'm not aware of or is the RIA .380 my only option?

I was in a similar frame of mind as you a couple of months ago and was looking around at what was available in 380acp. I have a Beretta Pico in 380acp and wanted a larger gun in that caliber. I checked out the S&W 380 EZ and liked it. I bought it and am very pleased with it. I like the size and it fits my hand good. It is a nice gun to shoot and carries good in my DeSantis leather holster. It fit the bill for me. Look one over and see what you think.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Colt Govt. .380?


They are pretty scarce, and mags even more so, but the SIG P250 was available in a mid-size .380 configuration too-

 

[Charlie98]

Colt Govt. .380?

+1 on that. It's actually a very nice pistol to shoot, far more comfortable to shoot than a blowback like the PPK/s...

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

+1 on that. It's actually a very nice pistol to shoot, far more comfortable to shoot than a blowback like the PPK/s...

View attachment 1030384

Yup, had 2 PPs and Id rather grab the Govt. every time.

 

[MAKster]

I've been wanting a super low recoil centerfire pistol that isn't a straight blowback design in a small pocket pistol. Also, I don't want a bottleneck, so stuff like the .22 TCM is not an option. About the only one that really sticks out to me is the Rock Island .380 1911 because it's a .380 that uses a locked breech and isn't a tiny pocket pistol like the P32 or LCP, but are their any similar size pistols in .32 or .380 that I'm not aware of or is the RIA .380 my only option?

The Rock Island "Baby Rock" 380acp is straight blowback. It may look like a mini 1911 but operates differently.

 

[zaitcev]

About the only one that really sticks out to me is the Rock Island .380 1911 because it's a .380 that uses a locked breech and isn't a tiny pocket pistol like the P32 or LCP, but are their any similar size pistols in .32 or .380 that I'm not aware of or is the RIA .380 my only option?

I'm not exactly sure we're talking about the same thing, but the only Rock Island gun in .380 that I know is Baby Rock, and it is a blowback. In addition it's not quite full size and only resembles a 1911 vaguely. It actually is a clone of one the Spainish pistols popular in the 90s, either Llama or Star.

The Browning 1911-380 is about the same size as Baby Rock, but it is locked breech operated. Neither of the two is what one would call a "compact" or "full size".

I think your only choice in the U.S. market is the S&W M&P "Shield" 380EZ. Unfortunately, it uses a single stack magazine, derived from its parent M&P Compact 22. As such, it's not actually what we used to know as "Shield", but S&W market it so. The 380EZ splits the size difference between an actual Shield and Glock 19.

 

[zaitcev]

Colt Govt. .380?
They are pretty scarce, and mags even more so, but the SIG P250 was available in a mid-size .380 configuration too-

These are excellent choices but they are not currently in production.

 

[zaitcev]

I forgot to mention the 380 that I carry daily when I take a walk, the Glock G42. It is probably getting very close to the size of those micro 380s that you wanted to avoid. Even though is very small, it is very shootable and as accurate as any Glock I have owned.

The grip of G42 is quite short. I actually made an extension for it. This made it much nicer to hold and about the ideal size overall. But the idea to modify a perfectly good gun and lose the ability to accept OEM magazines failed to gain traction among the shooting public.

As some undoubtedly know, ETS magazines do not have an excellent reputation. They were phenomenal in my testing, much more reliable than Promag, and on par with OEM magazines. So I think it's completely fine to rely on them in Glock 42, even if not in other platforms perhaps.




At this point I think the best option would be to develop a complete 3D-printed frame for those Glock 42 owners who prefer larger grips. They can swap the parts over and keep the original frame in case they ever want to sell it. Note that such a frame would be considered a gun, so while it's generally okay for owners to print their own, I have no plans to offer it for sale.

 

[hannstv]

The grip of G42 is quite short. I actually made an extension for it. This made it much nicer to hold and about the ideal size overall. But the idea to modify a perfectly good gun and lose the ability to accept OEM magazines failed to gain traction among the shooting public.

As some undoubtedly know, ETS magazines do not have an excellent reputation. They were phenomenal in my testing, much more reliable than Promag, and on par with OEM magazines. So I think it's completely fine to rely on them in Glock 42, even if not in other platforms perhaps.

View attachment 1030413


At this point I think the best option would be to develop a complete 3D-printed frame for those Glock 42 owners who prefer larger grips. They can swap the parts over and keep the original frame in case they ever want to sell it. Note that such a frame would be considered a gun, so while it's generally okay for owners to print their own, I have no plans to offer it for sale.

I bought a couple of the ETS 7 round mags for the G42 but have never used them yet, mine were very hard to load. I, too, have read a lot of negative reviews.

 

[Tallball]

IIRC, the Rock Island is not locked breech and the Browning is, but the Browning is also light because it doesn't have a steel frame. Someone will quickly correct me if I'm mistaken.

The Colt Government Model, like the two above, is not a pocket pistol and is not full-sized, either. I would call it medium-sized. It is steel and fires from a locked breech. The recoil is minimal.

The CZ83 is blowback, but it is a full-sized service pistol, or close to it. They have a steel frame and the recoil isn't bad at all. You can find them surplus on Gunbroker almost any time. My FiL has one that's an outstanding shooter.

The Colt Government 380 has such light recoil that my recoil-averse daughter shot it at a fairly early age - maybe eight or nine. Its precursor for her, after she got bored with only shooting 22's, was the Colt 1903 in 32acp. It is blowback and not a full-sized pistol. However, it's not small either, and it's made of steel. The recoil is minimal, about like 32 long in an old steel revolver.

Colt Government 380

• Tallball
• Jan 23, 2018

Colt 1903

• Tallball
• Jan 7, 2018
• 1

 

[lysanderxiii]

Remington Model 51

 

[gc70]

The S&W M&P Shield EZ (6.7" L, 5.0" H, 1.1" frame W, 18.5 oz) is a hammer-fired SA single-stack (8 rounds) pistol that is still in production.



The SIG P250 (6.7" L, 5.3" H, 1.4" W, 20.6 oz) is a hammer-fired DAO double-stack (15 rounds) version of SIG's P320. Unfortunately, the P250 was discontinued a few years ago and is somewhat scarce.



The above guns are similar in size to the CZ 83 and Beretta 83/84 blowback models, which were the last of the widely used mid-size .380 duty guns.