The .380 good or bad carry choice

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I carried one back in the late 70's and 80's, because they were the only cartridge available in a small package , "walther ppk's", other, than a 38 snubby. In today’s world of viable 9mm packages, why carry a pistol that uses a round that is by most accounts, on the edge of acceptance as a good choice for home defense, or personal protection?
 
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It's my humble opinion that you should carry what you're proficient with and WILL carry and practice with. The .380 on your hip beats thew .45 on your dresser. I, personally, like a larger round but, in the end, shot placement and weapon availability mean a whole lot more than caliber.

I carry a .45 half the time and a 9mm the other half depending on a few factors. I prefer the .45 but, in a gun fight, the real advantage will go to the person who actually has A gun.

Besides, people who argue about the effectiveness of .380 to stop an attack never do so when you're pointing one at them :D
 
You answered your own question. 9mm platforms of the same size as 380s abound, and you are probably aware of the relative scarcity of 380 practice ammo.

Of course, Hydra-Shoks of any stripe are better than nothing....
 
Better than a sharp stick in the eye. Rule 1, Have a gun, you are more likely to carry if it is easy to do so. If you live in a warm climate they are much easier to conceal. Maybe not the best choice power wise but I disagree with the "bad choice" comment. Light in weight, cheap to buy (ammo is harder to find FWIH) You are talking Self Defense at 30" or less not engaging targets at 50 yards wearing armor.
 
With the abundance of small 9mm pistols and high prices of .380 (if you can find it) I would think the 9mm would be a better choice.

Anything less than a proven military cartridge is pushing your luck.

With the modern +P loads available for the .380 they can be a viable self defense weapon. I personally don't like the recoil and muzzle flash of some of these ultra lightweight 9mm pistols. Small is good but ultra light can be painful to shoot.

That being said, since I have a good supply of .380 and a couple of reliable small package pistols to shoot it, I carry a .380. I practice and I'm a good enough shot to take someone down with my .380 but I do sometimes feel under-gunned.

I wouldn't want to be shot by even a .25 acp. There is a chance that one shot in the right area could kill or maim me.
 
There are simply NO 9mm guns as small & light as a Kel-Tec P3AT or Ruger LCP.
They fill a niche that no other bigger caliber can fill.

That being, a big enough gun to get the job done, that you can carry in your shirt pocket if you so desire, or need too.

If you move to a bigger, heavier .380 like a PPK/s or Bersa, you could have / should have got a 9mm the same size.

IMO: Anyone who says a .380 ACP with modern ammo is too under-powered to be a viable SD gun hasn't shot anything with one.

rc
 
I think a .380 is a great choice. I just picked up the Ruger LCP for 200 bucks. but it all comes down to what you are comfortable with. If you won't practice with it or carry it then there is no point of having it.
 
I wouldn't shop for a .380 unless you're specifically looking for a pocket pistol.

Otherwise, with the Glock 27's and XD40sc's out there there's no reason to have 10 rounds of 40 in an easily concealable package. I stopped carrying my PPKs once I got an XD40sc.
 
As has been said, the LCP/Kel-Tec is so small it is very easy to carry, which is good. Means you might actually HAVE a gun when you need it. Downside is that, at least for me, they are harder to shoot acurately. For bad-breath distance defensive work, I think the cartridge IS adequate. If you are able to carry something just a TAD bigger, go the 9mm route. More power, easier to shoot well, and more capacity. Powerball in a .380 looks like it will do the job, if needed, though.

Practice, practice, practice. I was shocked what happened to my accuracy at 5-7 yards when I started training w/ mouseguns. YMMV

Steve
 
I think you answered your own question.

The .380 is a much better option than it used to be. There is ammo out now that is much better than it used to be.

Small guns are expert guns. They are harder to shoot accurately and have more felt recoil. When I talk to experienced shooters who want to keep it as an option, I shut up. But when I talk to newbies who just want to carry one for comfort and convenience I yell at them.

And yes, why bother when you can get a sub-compact Glock in 9mm, .40, .357 SIG, .45 GAP, .45 ACP, or 10mm?

I could see getting a tiny gun as a backup piece, but I wouldn't use a .380.
 
Yes I did answer it for myself, your right. I put it out there only because it seems like a lot of folks are carrying 380's again. It seems like a few gun manufacturers are pushing the small easy to hide 380's and maybe newer shooters just aren't aware that the 380 is considerably less powerful than similar defensive load in 9mm. I have no problem with it as a backup, second gun scenario.
 
I have the Ruger LCP and have been carrying it for the past year or so. I have only fired it at the range a couple of times, but I was able to keep all shots on a 6" paper plate at 10 yards. The LCP is very light, weighing only 12oz with a loaded magazine, one round in the chamber, and including the weight of the Fobus evolution holster I use. It is small enough to be comfortable on my side when sitting in a vehicle, and it won't print even through a T-shirt. I keep two extra loaded magazines in my left pocket, in a pouch I made, and those are also very comfortable.

I keep my LCP loaded with Magtech Guardian Gold .380 ACP +P 85 Grain JHP, rated at:
Muzzle Velocity: 1082 fps
Muzzle Energy: 221 ft. lbs.

The Magtech Guardian Gold 9mm Luger +P 115 Grain JHP is rated at:
Muzzle Velocity: 1246 fps
Muzzle Energy: 397 ft. lbs.

The .380 is 86% as fast and 56% as powerful as the 9mm. That is a pretty big difference in power, but the .380 will still ruin or put an end to a badguy's day - especially with proper shot placement that I am able to achieve from at least 10 yards. Also, I carry my pistol every day, but I don't shoot a badguy every day. If I know I'll be in a questionable area, I'll often carry my Sig P226 in 9mm. Otherwise, I think the sacrifice in power is worth the every-day carrying comfort of the Ruger LCP .380.
 
A 100gr .380 ACP hollow point traveling at 1000 fps (which isn't all that much less powerful than a 115gr 9mm (same dia as a .380 ACP bullet) traveling at 1100 fps) may not be as good as a 230gr HP at 860 fps but it'll still do the job.

I, for one, wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one.

And I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut neither would anyone else.

Moral of story: Carry what you're comfortable with and shoot the best.
 
Getting a tub of cat urine dumped on me would ruin my day too. I certainly wouldn't want to volunteer for it. This doesn't mean I will pick it as a viable self-defense item.

The problem with the "I wouldn't want to get shot by it" argument is that it ignores the fact that when we are talking about pistol rounds, PARTICULARLY when they are fired from shorter barrels, ALL pistols are inferior to start with. You are talking about DEGREES of inferiority. Yes, there are rounds WORSE than the .380, but people say the same thing about THOSE rounds. In choosing from a pool of cartridges that suck, you are saying that you are ok with the bottom of the pool.

I'll say it more emphatically. Those who carry a .380 after much experience and training have made a decision based on experience that reflects their knowledge and abilities. Those who buy it for their first carry gun, or because they think that anything larger is just too uncomfortable to carry are rationalizing their unwillingness to make the necessary lifestyle and wardrobe changes necessary to protect their life.
 
The .380 is no good, get a 9mm.

But wait!
The 9mm is no good, get a .40.

But wait!
The .40 is no good, get a .45.

But wait!
The .45 is no good get a 10mm.

But wait!
The 10mm is no good get a .50.

But wait!
The .50 is no good get a .223 AR.

But wait!

You get the idea. It doesn't matter what you decide to carry they'll always be detractor's who will say it the wrong choice for no other reason than it's not what they carry.

I have an LCP in .380, an XD 9mm, XD .40 SC and a 1911 .45 and I wouldn't want to be shot with any of them. With the new self defense ammo that is out there for the .380 it is more than enough to do the job provided you have the ability to put it where it needs to go to stop a threat.

If anyone still states that the .380 is too weak I'll trade shots with you.
:what:

But, I get the first shot!
:neener:
 
I have a Ruger LCP as well as a Glock 22. When I feel the need to carry, I most often take the LCP since the Mrs doesn't like seeing the G22 on my hip (or when attire dictates otherwise). For a so-called 'mouse gun' the LCP (and Keltec) are hard to beat for the size and price. I've never had anybody ask me if I was armed or notice the weapon as it and the pocket holster are very discrete. One person asked me if I had a lighter (the spare mag). I honestly don't feel underarmed with the .380 because I can shoot it well enough to hit my targets within 30 feet and the SD ammo offerings are lightyears better than what was around 7-10 years ago!
 
makarovnik said:
With the modern +P loads available for the .380
Click to expand...

You sure about that there, sport? Show us the official SAAMI specs/designation on .380 +p loading... :scrutiny:
 
.380 is a fine cartridge for a smaller handgun. If you can carry a larger gun, that would be a better way to go...but that isn't always possible.
Also, a small gun one will carry sure beats a larger gun one leaves at home. Most of us East Coast guys cannot carry a larger gun without dressing around it. So, a smaller gun works.
Also, in most states one using a firearm for self defense must shoot to stop, not necessarily kill (although that may be the result). A small caliber, such as a .380, will stop an assailant at close quarters.

I carry a .380 as a back up weapon (mine is a Ruger LCP). Although I prefer carrying a Glock 19, I can't always do that. So, that .380 LCP (along with the .38 snubby in my pocket) works for me...
 
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...the SD ammo offerings are lightyears better than what was around 7-10 years ago!
Click to expand...

Does that include Speer Gold Dot 90gr GDHP? (it's the only 380 defense round I can find).

Les
 
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