.380 or 9????

[Ghostmaker]

This is the way to go for care free ankle gun carry. You never have to worry about giving yourself away..unless you plan to go without trousers, then you have to settle with jockey short holstering. With the 9mm already a far step below a formidable slug, the .380 isn't much of a drastic change IMO, and way more concealable and effortless to carry.

 

[Charger]

Tom Gresham had a show on stopping power with Greg Ellifritz, from Active Response Training.
it was very interesting Sun, 20 May 2012 part a here is a link he comes on about half way through the show

http://ec.libsyn.com/p/6/d/4/6d48b5...1ce3dae902ea1d01cc8630d4c1548337&c_id=4549259

I would pick a 9 over a 380 but a 380 will do a lot more damage than your fist.

 

[Steve06]

Go to a range and rent both 9mm and a 380. Many 380's are of a blowback design and have more recoil than a 9mm. A compact 9mm is, generally speaking, about the same size as a 380 and is a better performer.

 

[Rik]

I carry the PF9 daily, IWB, up front at 2 O'clock. Shorts, pants, sit or stand it's comfy and hidden.
The feed ramp polish is a must.
I do wish my XD9 compact was a single stack & thinner it would be my daily carry.

 

[bumbazine]

From your OP it sounds like you're asking about pocket carry. I had a PF-9 for over a year and now own a S&W bodyguard .380. The Bodyguard is much easier to carry in a pocket. I could carry the PF-9 in my pocket just fine, but I always thought it looked like I had a gun in my pocket.

The .380 will not bounce off the noses of bunny rabbits, as some internet warriors will tell you. You just have to put the bullet in the right place, and that means practice.

The Bodyguard is also easier on the hand to practice with at the range. (I have arthritis in my hands).

On the other hand, 9mm ammo is cheaper, so you can practice more.

What I'm getting at is, if you can carry in a holster, you should go with, at the least, a good 9mm.

I know there are many smallish 9mm and .45 pistols that are a lot more comfortable to practice with than the Kel-Tec. I own a few.

Good luck.

 

[jrprich]

Take a look at the Sig P938 9mm and as tiny as a .380

 

[Goat Herder]

.380 vs 9mm; 9mm vs .40 S&W; .22 vs. .380... The debate can go on and on. All these rounds are adequate if you have a reliable firearm and you are trained to use it well. Find the firearm that fits your need and your comfortable with.

But if I had to choose between .380 and 9mm, I'd go with 9mm. It's cheap, readily available, and many many defensive round options.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Problem with 9mm is only Jack Bauer can hit s... with one. And that's on a dead run at 40 yards in the dark. But this ain't Hollywood. The smaller the caliber, the better you can practice your accuracy as you work your way up in size.The issues are concealability, weight and gun size. I'd rather pay more for .380 ammo than lug around some boat anchor 9mm that can't be shot accurately because of a multitude of reasons..might as well get a .45 long colt/ .410 revolver..at least somebody will be digging out buckshot at the end of the day. A Titanium Taurus would not even sag your golf shorts. Stealth, accuracy and speed... In any climate... Prepare for any contingency when in public..save the big dogs for the big country.

 

[SynapticSilence]

I have a Kahr CM9 I pocket carry all day. Cost me all of $385 new if I correctly recall. It's the same as the more expensive PM9 except it has conventional rifling instead of polygonal (good, since you can shoot lead reloads in it where you can't in the polygonally rifled barrel), the marking on the slide is laser etched vs rolled in, the front sight is staked instead of dovetailed in, and the slide stop is MIM, not machined. Totally reliable with everything from Tula garbage to Speer 124 grain Gold Dot +P rounds, smoothest double action trigger ever made, accurate as anything else I shoot including high end guns, amazingly light recoil and minimal barrel flip for such a lightweight gun, and I trust my life to it. The last post about no one but Jack Bauer being able to hit anything with a 9mm is one of the least informed posts I've ever seen on this forum. A .380 is just a 9mm short for heaven sakes. A 124 grain 9mm hollowpoint at 1100 plus feet per second is amazingly flat shooting, accurate, and powerful in terms of stopping power.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[40salas]

thx guys. I'd like to shoot the pf9;before I buy it.

 

[JORHAMMER]

Here is a study that was made not so long ago. An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

 

[FarmerTed1971]

Excellent read! Thanks for sharing.

 

[JORHAMMER]

YW! I carry 2 different 380's depending on how I feel that day. I have a Walther PK380 that I carry IWB when I am wearing jeans or a S&W Bodyguard in my pocket when I wear shorts or dress pants. Feel comfortable using any if the situation ever came up and I know they will stop anyone with a well placed shot.

 

[andreys21]

I didn't even read anything yet and just gonna tell you to go 9mm. You give up too much with .380 in comparison to 9mm.

 

[idRATHERbeOUTDOORS]

I would say carry as as big a caliber as you feel comfortable and proficient with. While still being comfortable to conceal.

 

[idRATHERbeOUTDOORS]

Do a search and check out the Boberg compact nine, The power of a nine in a 380 sized package

HOLY CRAP!- That looks like an awesome little gun. BUT THE PRICE IS MAD!

 

[Redcap]

9MM is WAY more powerful.. the case is tapered and designed for more pressure. You fill in the blanks

But without good shot placement, all that extra power won't do a damn bit of good. Believe me.

 

[coop44]

I personally carry a .45, but, if you gotta go small check out the mauser hsc in 380. cool little old school pistol. You know what they say, "ain't no school like the old school".

 

[nitestocker]

i have a few cary guns i first started carrying a glock 27 then a kahr pm 40 and know most of the time i pack a kahr p 380 loaded with two 95 gr. +p buffalo bore hp and five 100 gr. lead flat nose hard cast buffalo bore +p these hard cast bullets have penetrated 6 one gallon milk jugs at once thats all i had the hp go though 2 thats pretty good for a little 380 i carry the 380 most the time

 

[Blitzkrieg]

,380 if you like return fire, 9MM +P if you want a marginal chance at stopping most attackers