wendelb
Member
I'm in the market for a pocket 380. So in commenting, please refrain from the beretta 84/85, makarov, etc. Yes they fit in my pocket, but so does my 1911- but it's not considered a pocket gun.
What I'd really like is opinions from owners. I'm torn between the Keltec P3AT, Diamondback 380, Sig P238 and the new S&W bodyguard. I have held all three, but only shot the keltec. Currently, I own a Micro Deagle, and hate it. It's reliable so far, but it's very uncomfortable to shoot- was painful until I used a jr rubber sleeve grip, and added some epoxy to the grip- and ext. mag baseplate.... and it went from feeling like a .500 S&W to just uncomfortable. Despite it not jamming yet, I still don't trust it.
Most importantly is reliablity, obviously. However, still important is comfort. Not comfort as a range gun, but not cringing from shooting 20 rounds either.
I love the feel of the diamondback. For it's size, you can get a lot of grip on it. I know some people have had problems with it. But someone, somewhere has had a problem with every gun. The range reports on it are all A+'s. Also, being designed loosely after the glock, and being striker fired, I'm inclined towards it, as striker fired has proven it's reliablity.
The keltec wasn't too bad shooting... fairly mild, which was impressive since it's polymer, and weighs 40% less than the micro deagle. Adding extended base plates would help even more.
The S&W bodyguard I know nothing about, beyond the basics. I haven't read a range report on it, and have only met one person who has one. And they hadn't shot it yet, so didn't have an opinion. I played around with it, and it was fairly nice. 380s are really the only thing that I'll tolerate a laser on, and it has one built in- though I'm not sure if it's decent construction, or something that breaks after 200 rounds, and I'm better off with a crimson trace on the diamondback or keltec.
Lastly, is the sig P-238- modeled after the Colt Mustang, but aluminum frame. I love sigs, they've always shot well. It's a mini-1911, so that's kind of nifty. Never held it, don't know anyone who's shot it. I know the originals had a recall about a spring or something, but nothing bad since. And, well... it's a sig.
There are a few other 380s I've thought of, but harder to come by, and up in the $600 price range. Those four are $250-$400. I'm sure without this I'll get a dozen people ignoring my plea's and suggesting the Kahr 380. While comfortable, and similar to Glocks, I bought a Kahr PM-9 for my wife's first gun. It had a dozen issues, bad recoil spring, bad magazine springs, bad ramp, the last of which was the nickel plating rubber off the striker, and gunking up, preventing a good primer strike/ignition. While that may have been a fluke, I'll never trust my life with a Kahr.
So, opinions on those 4 please? Good, Bad, and the Ugly?
ADD ON: Does anyone have a crimson trace laser on any of their pocket pistols, doesn't matter what type of pistol, I'm interested in the CT and it's operation... easy on? Does it AD whenever you touch the gun, or from pressure in your pocket? Yay? Nay?
What I'd really like is opinions from owners. I'm torn between the Keltec P3AT, Diamondback 380, Sig P238 and the new S&W bodyguard. I have held all three, but only shot the keltec. Currently, I own a Micro Deagle, and hate it. It's reliable so far, but it's very uncomfortable to shoot- was painful until I used a jr rubber sleeve grip, and added some epoxy to the grip- and ext. mag baseplate.... and it went from feeling like a .500 S&W to just uncomfortable. Despite it not jamming yet, I still don't trust it.
Most importantly is reliablity, obviously. However, still important is comfort. Not comfort as a range gun, but not cringing from shooting 20 rounds either.
I love the feel of the diamondback. For it's size, you can get a lot of grip on it. I know some people have had problems with it. But someone, somewhere has had a problem with every gun. The range reports on it are all A+'s. Also, being designed loosely after the glock, and being striker fired, I'm inclined towards it, as striker fired has proven it's reliablity.
The keltec wasn't too bad shooting... fairly mild, which was impressive since it's polymer, and weighs 40% less than the micro deagle. Adding extended base plates would help even more.
The S&W bodyguard I know nothing about, beyond the basics. I haven't read a range report on it, and have only met one person who has one. And they hadn't shot it yet, so didn't have an opinion. I played around with it, and it was fairly nice. 380s are really the only thing that I'll tolerate a laser on, and it has one built in- though I'm not sure if it's decent construction, or something that breaks after 200 rounds, and I'm better off with a crimson trace on the diamondback or keltec.
Lastly, is the sig P-238- modeled after the Colt Mustang, but aluminum frame. I love sigs, they've always shot well. It's a mini-1911, so that's kind of nifty. Never held it, don't know anyone who's shot it. I know the originals had a recall about a spring or something, but nothing bad since. And, well... it's a sig.
There are a few other 380s I've thought of, but harder to come by, and up in the $600 price range. Those four are $250-$400. I'm sure without this I'll get a dozen people ignoring my plea's and suggesting the Kahr 380. While comfortable, and similar to Glocks, I bought a Kahr PM-9 for my wife's first gun. It had a dozen issues, bad recoil spring, bad magazine springs, bad ramp, the last of which was the nickel plating rubber off the striker, and gunking up, preventing a good primer strike/ignition. While that may have been a fluke, I'll never trust my life with a Kahr.
So, opinions on those 4 please? Good, Bad, and the Ugly?
ADD ON: Does anyone have a crimson trace laser on any of their pocket pistols, doesn't matter what type of pistol, I'm interested in the CT and it's operation... easy on? Does it AD whenever you touch the gun, or from pressure in your pocket? Yay? Nay?
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