The lowly .380

[Ura-Ki]

I used to carry a PPK in ether 9 mm Kurtz ( .380) or a CZ-82 in 9X18 Mak, and both would suck to get hit by, though the 9X18 would suck a little more, with it's hot 100 gr hollow point blowin through ya gizzard! The primary difference and reason I prefer the CZ is the better grip, better sights, and longer barrel, while still being nice and slick for discrete carry, and that's 12 rounds of nasty business when needed! Outside of that, I carry a full size double stack, something I started up about 5 years ago, and I carry those more and more as we move closer to the lawless wild wild west!

 

[gryghin]

No matter what I'm wearing, I always have my Sig P238 on me. Sometimes it's my only pistol but more often than not, its my B.U.G.

Why limit yourself to one caliber.

A wise Navy Chief told me: "One is none, and two is one... so you better get three"

I find that it is hard to CC three weapons, but it's not impossible.

 

[Firemansim]

I've carried a PPK in .380 for over 30 years. It's by no means a fighting handgun and as I've termed it much more of an anti-mugger piece. But it's easy to conceal and shoot well.

Anti-mugger piece is also what I'd call my Pico. It's a great deep conceal gun, but it's so small I can't get a good group at 7 yards. It works great as a pocket gun, or with shorts and a t-shirt, but my normal EDC is my P365.

 

[nehalemguy]

I carry a .32acp sometimes. But, it is not a shoot once sort of gun. But I can have 10 rounds on target fast.

I was thinking about .32ACP as well but I was just sitting here quietly in the gallery. I've got two of them now, a Walther PP and a Beretta 81. You can get 12 rounds off real fast with the Beretta.

-E-

 

[Aero Denezol]

I've carried a PPK in .380 for over 30 years. It's by no means a fighting handgun and as I've termed it much more of an anti-mugger piece. But it's easy to conceal and shoot well.

^^That's right. Draw and double tap < 5 yards.

No matter what I'm wearing, I always have my Sig P238 on me. Sometimes it's my only pistol but more often than not, its my B.U.G.

The P238 is an excellent choice in .380

 

[Firemansim]

My friend has a P238, and I really like it. It'll be my next .380 gun.

 

[Makers Mark]

Both my wife and myself original purse/pocket carry was the 1st gen LCP .380, aka 'Mister Snappy'.
Got my wife transitioned over to a G43 9mm, and I got one of the LCPII's for pocket carry when I can't or won't belt carry my primary sidearm (seldom). I find the LCPII just large enough that I can shoot it fairly well, but not too large for front pocket carry.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Carrying a Savage automatic?
View attachment 718465

I want one of those. Mauser1914, West German PPK, Beretta 81, Beretta 3032 have all been ones I have carried, along with an FN 1910.

 

[revjen45]

When we lived in TX a few yrs back I carried a Mak in 9X18. a Mak ain't a .45, but I didn't feel like I was almost unarmed either.
According to Ellifritz caliber is not the salient factor in effectiveness once you get to .380.

 

[thorborg]

I now use LeHigh Defense ammo in my carry guns which is a game changer for smaller caliber projectiles from yesteryear.

 

[Firemansim]

And you can use it to drive screws...

 

[Shotts4fun]

My friend has a P238, and I really like it. It'll be my next .380 gun.

Love my P238! Heading to Tillamook next week for a custom trigger upgrade.

 

[Dinglenutz]

I've read some of those same tests, that make 380 seem almost not so bad. My own water filled milk jug results continue to raise the question though.

There is an interesting data mining study regarding stopping ill-intended people with firearms. Pretty interesting: An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power | Buckeye Firearms Association

Back when I was traveling for my consulting business I carried a .380 daily and never thought twice about it.

The little gun you have is always better than the big one you wish you had today.

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

Maybe shot placement IS more important sometimes than caliber. I dunno.

I have this 36 cal 1851 Navy from Cabela's. I shot it through an empty green propane cylinder the last time I took it out. The roundball punched a hole through that steel on one side, and a bigger one right out the other side without leaving any lead fragments inside the cylinder. 18 grain black powder load. Even surprised me, and those things are less than a 1000 fps generally.

 

[Medic!]

Carrying a Savage automatic?
View attachment 718465

Great little guns.
They had a staggered magazine long before the High Power came out.

 

[po18guy]

The 22LR is still, by stats, one of the most lethal calibers. Robert Kennedy comes to mind (Iver Johnson Cadet).

 

[ma96782]

I like my PPK/s (in .380 ACP). However, I find it a bit heavy for what it's throwing.

Thus, I CCW a Diamond Back 9mm.

What If.... I had a Kel Tech 3AT (or other plastic .380)?

Well, I believe that I'd still stick with the Diamond Back. But, that's just me.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Dinglenutz]

I used to carry a Keltec p-32 everywhere, it was my always gun. Sometimes it was my backup, sometimes it was all I had. Way way better than nothing. Now I have a S&W in 380 that does the same duty. Mostly got it for the integrated laser.

 

[oldcorpgunny]

I carry a .380 either a Key-Tec or Ruger. I'm a fat guy and I wear a belly band holster so that I can wear tee shirts. When in the marines, I carried a .45. I had occasion to actually use it. The ball ammo passed right through the VC and so did two other rounds. He actually ran a few steps before heading off to meet his ancestors. Adrenaline does amazing things to the body. During the American civil War, some calvary officers were actually carrying .22 cal rounds in personal revolvers! Todays ammo is very potent and that includes the .380. The real issue for me is that rounds should be aimed for center of body mass and at least three rounds fired in rapid succession, more if there are no other assailants. I was a cop a long time ago and was made aware that a local city constable had fired six rounds from a .357 Magnum and reloaded and fired four more into the robber before he finally quit crawling. The guy was loaded up with drugs and then of course there's the adrenaline again.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I think I noticed in this thread some tempted to put the corto in roughly the same class as the 9mm since "it's the same dia bullet and all and only a little lighter".
Just remember velocity is squared.. a good 9mm load makes 500fpe +.