Is 380 the thing now for SD ?

[IronsightsRifleman]

Love my Bersa Firestorm. Bought it BNIB from Sportsmns two years ago for $200. Super accurate all metal blowback. Load it with FMJ - inexpensive and good penetration.

[Garbcollector]

380 is fun to shoot but With so many excellent 9mm loads for self defense not sure why anyone would consider 380

[mossy]

380 is fun to shoot but With so many excellent 9mm loads for self defense not sure why anyone would consider 380

ill bite, I'll even give you a direct apples to apples comparison.

modern .380 pistols are far more Concealable and controllable than anything in the 9mm flavor. I can pocket carry a 12 round .380 that has almost no recoil when firing. Here's the standard version of the micro 9mm and micro .380 sold by S&W. Shield Plus and bodyguard 2.0. Both have a 10 round flush fit mag and extended capacity pinky rest mag. The bodyguard 2.0 is significantly smaller, lighter and controllable. Its a gun that can easily be carried while wearing any type of clothing. Sweats, t-shirt & shorts or jeans & jacket.

[k1dude]

Most people feel 9mm is the bare minimum for self defense. A few say .380 is the bare minimum. It's entirely up to you do decide what's best for you.

There's been a resurgence in demand for .380 which can be attributed to a single gun - the S&W Bodyguard 2.0. It's so small, thin and light, it makes concealed carry a piece of cake compared to anything else out there. It's truly a summertime pocket carry gun and it's 10+1. It also has a full sized grip so it shoots pretty darned soft for such a tiny and light gun. No hanging pinky on the BG2. Now they even have a comped version for even less recoil.

I'm in the 9mm minimum camp. But damned if I didn't buy a BG2 for pocket carry for when I'm in a t-shirt, shorts or bathing suit, and flip flops. My wife is probably going to grab the comped version.

[CALI-gula]

In most cases, it has to do with going as compact as possible without giving up anything smaller than 9mm/.38 in size. Would I prefer to carry .45ACP? Absolutely, but in modern urban environments and especially in place like California that has all sorts of carry restrictions, it's more often than not that one must consider carrying against 'the opposition' when measuring that against one's self preservation where there is little struggle with the moral perspective of going against the grain.

Yet, you want to be discreet.

As well as the old adage, I would not want to be standing on the business end of .380 regardless. Within the 5 feet that most anyone is going to employ their carry gun, .380 is going to be, and do, quite well.

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[mygeaux]

I love .380 and carry one regularly. The bodyguard 2.0 is one of the best micro pistols on the market right now. I think its important for people who are planning to carry 380 to realize carrying just about any JHP in a pocket sized .380 is pointless. JHP'S don't build up enough speed out of micro barrels to reliably expand. they end up getting sh*t penetration with partial expansion or good penetration with no expansion. If you are carrying a micro 380 load it with flat nose FMJ.

More thoughts on loading solids: 380 Auto +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

[acaligunner]

Pistols in the 380 watt range ( 🤣 ) are easy to Carry and lightweight ~ which means that for family / folks that really don’t want to carry a firearm, there is little reason for them to make any more excuses not to.

Also when I shoot that little sig p238 ~ it’s like a little pop gun in my hands ~ which means folks not use to recoil, can enjoy shooting / hitting what they are shooting at ( because they will not tense up and can then aim ) .

I do like the little 380 ( I don’t carry it myself ) for what it is - light, easy to reload and for those that don’t like heavy pistols / revolvers ( although there is good pistols / revolvers out there ) it’s a nifty firearm for the elderly / folks that are recoil sensitive.

[acaligunner]

Sig P238

IMG_1523.jpg

[stormvet]

Strictly in a back up or deep cover gun, with the number of sub-compact 9mm’s now days. If your primary carry gun is a .380, You’er doing it wrong.

[Mute]

Some .380 pistols allow for less recoil and a lighter recoil spring which makes racking a slide much easier. For those with compromised hand strength, this may be the most viable option for using a .380 for self defense. In those instances, I can see why that would be the choice. Pistol size is no longer an issue. It used to be that 9mm pistols in general were larger than .380, but nowadays just about every small pistol in .380 can be had in 9mm with equal or very close overall size.

[enorbit3]

I'd love to get a bodyguard 2.0.

[Dan_Eastvale]

If I carried a pocket gun it would be my wife's LCP II. Tiny and light. Sig, Kimber, et al are still a little too big and heavy.

Otherwise a non pocket small Glock or S&W 9mm.

I carry my heavy Smith 60-7 OWB. Very heavy...

[Silence Dogood]

I don’t have anything chambered in 380 and would only carry it as a BUG or deep concealment if I did, as others have stated.

No one has mentioned the Kahr 380s. It seemed to be popular for a while a few years ago. What do we know about it, Calguns?

[Notpc]

I will stick with my Kahr PM9 (9mm) for deep concealment. With a MagGuts kit, the flush fit mag holds 7 rounds. So, one in the chamber +7, is enough for me. The extended mag holds 8 with the MG kit. The PM9 is smaller than the Bodyguard 2.0.

https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/kahr-pm9-vs-smith-wesson-bodyguard-2-0

[jben]

Love my Bersa Firestorm. Bought it BNIB from Sportsmns two years ago for $200. Super accurate all metal blowback. Load it with FMJ - inexpensive and good penetration.

This.