Suggest a 380 as a shooter

[Mosin Bubba]

My dad's got some money burning a hole in his pocket and wants a new 380. I have no interest and little experience with 380s, so I figured this would be a good one to ask the internet.

Some details to help.

-Use will be 95% as a range shooter and a fun gun. It might get thrown in a motorcycle saddlebag, but it's not going to be an EDC.

-No micro 380s: LCP, Kahr, etc. We've both shot those and agree that they aren't fun.

-My dad has large palms and vise like grip strength. Larger is probably better and recoil isn't a big issue.

The two I've got down for him so far are the Beretta 85s being imported through Bud's and the Browning 1911-380, so info on those would be appreciated. He likes the look of the Beretta but is hesitant about buying one without being able to get hands-on with it first.

Any other suggestions are more than welcome; like I said, I really don't know what's out there for 380s. If there isn't a 380 you really care for as a shooter, that's a valid answer too, cause personally, I can't think of any really small autos I've enjoyed shooting.

 

[12Bravo20]

I would say go with the Beretta if your dad has bigger hands. I have an older Llama IIIA which is very similar in size to the Browning. I have small hands and the Llama looks tiny in my hands compared to a 1911. Here are a few photos to compare the two.

 

[Wildbillz]

:The Smith & Wesson 380EZ is nice. Easy to work with and should fill the hand just fine. Its only a 7 shot though. I like the Beretta but because its a straight blow back the recoil is more then from a locked breach gun. I still have one but I don't shoot it much.

WB

 

[magyars4]

Why not a 9mm? I'm sure your Father could handle the recoil in a large handgun.

 

[ms6852]

I bought the 911 Springfield for two reason. Lighter than the ones you have listed, lighter than the Kimber micro, and the Sig p238. Ironically the magazines are interchangeable with the Kimber and the Sig but the costs of magazines are almost 50% less. It fits well in my big hand. I normally carry it only at night when I walk as I have no belt on my warm up clothes I use, only an elastic waist band. The 911 is so light that fully loaded and an extra magazine will not pull my pants down. It is a great shooter and recoil is very manageable and smooth. Does not have that flip that small guns get when shooting from such a short barrel. The night sights are very very bright too.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

I would say go with the Beretta if your dad has bigger hands. I have an older Llama IIIA which is very similar in size to the Browning. I have small hands and the Llama looks tiny in my hands compared to a 1911. Here are a few photos to compare the two.

View attachment 933473 View attachment 933474 View attachment 933475

Perfect! Thank you for sharing that.

Why not a 9mm? I'm sure your Father could handle the recoil in a large handgun.

He's got a couple 9s already, but he wants to have a 380 just to say he has a 380.

I can understand that, because I bought a Bersa Thunder for the same reason (that, and to get my Bond on for $230). Don't care for it, cause that sucker bites. I'd give it to him, but he doesn't like it either.

 

[barnetmill]

380 is a nice round to shoot, but the ammo is expensive and it would be a good idea to reload if you shoot a lot of it.

 

[C0untZer0]

I'll say Beretta Model 86

 

[WisBorn]

First of all I'm not a Glock fan so my recommendation might not fit. I have shot (don't own) the Glock 42 and was surprised by how much fun it is to shoot.

I think a Walther (Bond Time) would be cool.
I have an LCP2 for my daily carry

 

[Armybrat]

Maybe a Colt Government .380 could be considered...

 

[Ernie Bass]

380 ammo is about the hardest to find now. But if you want a small gun that is extremely Mild to shoot, with one of the lowest recoil rating out there. Then you might want to look at the Beretta APX Carry. Even though it is 9mm which will somewhat easier to find, it is small and again, very MILD to shoot.

 

[entropy]

Aside from the CZ 24 I owned, the best shooting .380 I've ever shot, both for accuracy and feel, was a Beretta 84. Of course, both of these guns are bigger than many newer 9mm's.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

A little big (though not impossible) to carry concealed, but one hell of a nightstand/ range gun.

 

[12Bravo20]

Here is another photo, this time of my Sig P938. The Sig P238 is slightly smaller than the P938. The Sig 238, Kimber Micro 380 and Springfield Armory 911 380 are all the same size, 5.5" long and 3.9" tall. The 911 is 12.6oz, Kimber 13.4oz, and Sig 15.2oz. While I love my P938 (9mm) and have shot several P238's, they are small. Not as bad as the baby 1911 style 380's (Llama, Browning, and Baby Rock Island). The best suggestion is to go check out all of the available 380 pistols to see what fits the best. The micros and baby 1911's are more for conceal carry and not for range use.

 

[swoter]

Sig p238. It’s a very nice, all steel single action 380. Very nice pistols.

 

[Old Dog]

Beretta 84, 85 or 86.

Colt Gov't.

SIG P-238

 

[Waveski]

Reliable , points well , very pleasing to the eye.

 

[Charlie98]

Colt Goverment .380 all the way. Single-action, locked-breech goodness!

 

[swoter]

I’ve heard that the Sig p238 is basically a copy of the Colt 380 government. I’ve never had a Colt 380 though, so can’t say for sure.

 

[bannockburn]

Have always been a big fan of the Colt Government .380 and it's smaller brethren, the Colt Mustang! My SIG P238 fits right in as well. It's sized perfectly to the cartridge, has a very nice SAO trigger, is lightweight and easy to conceal, and has very little in the way of felt recoil.

 

[12Bravo20]

Yes the Kimber, Sig, and Springfield Armory micro 380 pistols are copies of the Colt Pony. All three scaled up the design for 9mm. The Colt Mustang actually started out as a Spanish Star Model DK. They are nice little pistols and one won't go wrong with owning one.

 

[FL-NC]

380 costs more than 9mm and can be hard to find. That said, I kind of like the old Walther PPK as a shooter if your dad doesn't mind transitional DA.

 

[Armored farmer]

If I were using your criteria, I would try the S&W EZ.

 

[Charlie98]

I’ve heard that the Sig p238 is basically a copy of the Colt 380 government. I’ve never had a Colt 380 though, so can’t say for sure.

The P238 is a basic copy of the Colt Mustang... the smaller (micro) verson of the Colt Government .380.

I mentioned in my previous post about the Gov't model about the locked-breech. Recoil on the locked-breech pistols is much more controlled and, IMHO, easier to handle... vs... a straight blowback design like the PPK or PPK/s. My brother has a PPK/s... that thing cracks your hand like nobody's business.

 

[chicharrones]

:The Smith & Wesson 380EZ is nice. Easy to work with and should fill the hand just fine. Its only a 7 shot though. I like the Beretta but because its a straight blow back the recoil is more then from a locked breach gun. I still have one but I don't shoot it much.

WB

True enough. IMO, might as well get a locked breech 9mm as the felt recoil will be about the same as a blowback .380, or a blowback 9 Makorov.

So, a locked breech .380 would be my choice here. Although, a blowback Sig P230 or P232 would be very hard for me to resist if one was in front of me.