Softest Recoiling 380

TxFlyFish · October 21, 2018, 12:43 PM

Which of the following 380s would be the softest recoiling:

P238
G42
P380

Any other suggestions would be welcome, but atm am not looking at blowback or p3at/lcp/tcp

CDR_Glock · October 21, 2018, 12:56 PM

Of the three, the Sig P238 is the softest recoiling, and most accurate of the lot. When you do the Sig Sauer P238 HD, it’s even less due to a heavier frame. It also shoots only in single action and must carry it Condition 1. No reliability issues for mine, at all. I can easily hit 25 yard steel plates

with it. Handles hot ammo like +P like a champ.

I had a Glock 42. Recoil was moderate but not painful. The original sights are better than a P3AT and it took time, but I could hit out to 25 yards with it. It’s very thin and light. It would be my second choice. I can do a prolonged range session with it. Handles Buffalo Bore +P like a champ.

The P3AT is the thinnest and recoil is STOUT. I don’t like the trigger, either. The sights suck. I’d shoot it no further than 10 yards. I don’t care for it.

But of the 380s the Bersa Thunder has the least recoil of all. To me, the Walther PPK S has very light recoil but I’m only good out to 15 yards these far (right out of the box). It has a nice balance and weight, but it’s bigger than most modern 9 mm micro carry pistols, these days.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

TxFlyFish · October 21, 2018, 02:11 PM

Awesome info thanks. It helps that there are also so many choices for mustang clones for female shooters. I got the same guns as you haha I have a Bersa and ppk as well

blchandl2 · October 21, 2018, 05:41 PM

Softest .380 I have shot is the S&W 380EZ.

John D · October 22, 2018, 01:24 AM

S&W 380 EZ is a pussycat

Ibmikey · October 22, 2018, 07:03 AM

I have all of the pistols. Mentioned above and can rank them as follows:
1. S&W EZ
2. Sig P 238 (and Kimber Micro 380)
3. G 42 ( noticibly more than above)
4. Walther. PPK. 380 (in 32 a pussycat—380 not so nice)
5. A very very distant P3AT with recoil that is just unpleasant to most ( my Sig P938 —. 9mm has less recoil by far than the Keltec).

m&p45acp10+1 · October 22, 2018, 07:13 AM

So far there are 2 that I own that I can comment on.

1. Bersa Thunder .380 Full size. A nice shooter. It is one that can be both carried a lot, and shot a lot without causing fatigue.

2. Browning Black Label 1911/.380 Light weight, and still a soft shooter. Great trigger, and nearly no felt recoil.

mr bolo · October 22, 2018, 12:46 PM

Browning BDA 380 has a nice fat grip and absorbs recoil , soft shooting

TailGator · October 22, 2018, 02:28 PM

I own a P238 (two actually, his & hers), and have shot the G42. The P238 feels softer to me. No first-hand experience with the Walther.

glove · October 22, 2018, 05:59 PM

Remington RM380

kmw1954 · October 22, 2018, 08:11 PM

Will have to agree with the S&W EZ 380

Also have a Witness Pavona 380 and it hits as hard as my 9mm's.

rock185 · October 22, 2018, 10:52 PM

I owned a SIG P230, straight blow back, .380. Did not enjoy the recoil from that one. More recently, I had the opportunity to shoot a SIG P238. I expected the same sharp recoil as my P230, and was prepared not to like the 238. Nope! The locked breech P238 recoil was very soft. I'm not a fan of the .380, and don't know about the others you listed, but the little 238's recoil was surprisingly gentle.........

T. O'Heir · October 23, 2018, 10:39 AM

The heaviest pistol using the lightest bullet will have the least felt recoil. Felt recoil is subjective.
A 1.5 pound pistol shooting a 90 grain bullet at 1,000 FPS has less than half the actual recoil a 6/10th of a pound pistol shooting a 95 grain bullet at 900 FPS.

rwilson452 · October 23, 2018, 11:27 AM

Well said!

Quote:

The heaviest pistol using the lightest bullet will have the least felt recoil. Felt recoil is subjective.
A 1.5 pound pistol shooting a 90 grain bullet at 1,000 FPS has less than half the actual recoil a 6/10th of a pound pistol shooting a 95 grain bullet at 900 FPS.

USNRet93 · October 23, 2018, 12:17 PM

Shot the G42(own one) and Sig P238... they seem a wash to me but the grip design of the Glock was ‘happier’ in my hand...ymmv and all that.

GarandTd · October 23, 2018, 04:42 PM

I've not had any other micro 380's to compare it to, but the Remington rm380 is a locked breach design and is not uncomfortable to shoot. Mine has proven quite reliable and it is bargain priced.

hartgk01 · October 23, 2018, 08:32 PM

Agreed
I'm 70 years young and it's my only pistol I can shoot well one handed.

PSP · October 23, 2018, 11:01 PM

I've owned a bunch of .380s. The softest of the lot is a Walther PK380. A tiny .380 that shoots way softer than it should is the Beretta Pico.

M88 · October 25, 2018, 02:10 PM

Only have one of the OP's pics... the 238...but of my 380's,
Ruger LCP,
Sig P238
Browning 1911-380
...the Browning has the least recoil. It's easy to shoot, fits nice because unlike the LCP or 238 it's large enough to easily aim and hit what you're shooting at.

tallball · October 25, 2018, 06:20 PM

I have a bunch of 380 pistols. The softest-shooting is easily the Colt Government 380. It's basically a larger P238. Since it's medium-sized and steel and shoots from a locked breech, it's recoil is extremely minimal. They haven't been made for a while, but aren't hard to find on Gunbroker.

Super Blackhawk · October 26, 2018, 06:40 AM

Ruger LCP2 just may be the surprise low recoil champ n at 10 ounzes it’s amazing every day conceal carry

Laz · November 2, 2018, 09:00 AM

Quote:

the Colt Government 380

Oh how I wish Sig would produce even a limited run of a government-sized P238, preferably in HD form. I know they won’t but...they’d sell at least one...or two.

Ibmikey · November 2, 2018, 09:18 AM

Laz, The Star S or SS is the pistol the Colt Government is copied from and nice examples are often available at the auction sites. The Star pistols have been imported from the middle forties until end of production in the nineties. The pistol is reliable and accurate and has about the best feeling grip of all the 380 pistols around.

claydoctor · November 2, 2018, 06:28 PM

Have not shot one but judging by my experience with both the 9mm and the 45ACP versions of the S&W Shield, I would also suggest the .380 version.

Carl the Floor Walker · November 2, 2018, 09:34 PM

Man all kinds of guns being thrown into the OP's question.

October 21, 2018, 12:43 PM	#1
TxFlyFish Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2011 Posts: 1,246	Softest Recoiling 380 Which of the following 380s would be the softest recoiling: P238 G42 P380 Any other suggestions would be welcome, but atm am not looking at blowback or p3at/lcp/tcp

October 22, 2018, 07:13 AM	#7
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	So far there are 2 that I own that I can comment on. 1. Bersa Thunder .380 Full size. A nice shooter. It is one that can be both carried a lot, and shot a lot without causing fatigue. 2. Browning Black Label 1911/.380 Light weight, and still a soft shooter. Great trigger, and nearly no felt recoil. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

October 22, 2018, 05:59 PM	#10
glove Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2006 Location: Richfield Ohio Posts: 141	Remington RM380 __________________ NRA Life Member Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club Member 72-75 Don't take life too seriously, No one makes it out alive anyway.

October 22, 2018, 10:52 PM	#12
rock185 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2001 Location: Out West in Rim Country Posts: 1,093	I owned a SIG P230, straight blow back, .380. Did not enjoy the recoil from that one. More recently, I had the opportunity to shoot a SIG P238. I expected the same sharp recoil as my P230, and was prepared not to like the 238. Nope! The locked breech P238 recoil was very soft. I'm not a fan of the .380, and don't know about the others you listed, but the little 238's recoil was surprisingly gentle......... __________________ COTEP 640, NRA Life

October 23, 2018, 10:39 AM	#13
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	The heaviest pistol using the lightest bullet will have the least felt recoil. Felt recoil is subjective. A 1.5 pound pistol shooting a 90 grain bullet at 1,000 FPS has less than half the actual recoil a 6/10th of a pound pistol shooting a 95 grain bullet at 900 FPS. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

October 21, 2018, 12:56 PM	#2
CDR_Glock Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2010 Posts: 704	Of the three, the Sig P238 is the softest recoiling, and most accurate of the lot. When you do the Sig Sauer P238 HD, it’s even less due to a heavier frame. It also shoots only in single action and must carry it Condition 1. No reliability issues for mine, at all. I can easily hit 25 yard steel plates with it. Handles hot ammo like +P like a champ. I had a Glock 42. Recoil was moderate but not painful. The original sights are better than a P3AT and it took time, but I could hit out to 25 yards with it. It’s very thin and light. It would be my second choice. I can do a prolonged range session with it. Handles Buffalo Bore +P like a champ. The P3AT is the thinnest and recoil is STOUT. I don’t like the trigger, either. The sights suck. I’d shoot it no further than 10 yards. I don’t care for it. But of the 380s the Bersa Thunder has the least recoil of all. To me, the Walther PPK S has very light recoil but I’m only good out to 15 yards these far (right out of the box). It has a nice balance and weight, but it’s bigger than most modern 9 mm micro carry pistols, these days. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

October 21, 2018, 02:11 PM	#3
TxFlyFish Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2011 Posts: 1,246	Awesome info thanks. It helps that there are also so many choices for mustang clones for female shooters. I got the same guns as you haha I have a Bersa and ppk as well

October 21, 2018, 05:41 PM	#4
blchandl2 Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: TN Posts: 526	Softest .380 I have shot is the S&W 380EZ.

October 22, 2018, 01:24 AM	#5
John D Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2000 Location: No. Arizona Posts: 436	S&W 380 EZ is a pussycat

October 22, 2018, 07:03 AM	#6
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	I have all of the pistols. Mentioned above and can rank them as follows: 1. S&W EZ 2. Sig P 238 (and Kimber Micro 380) 3. G 42 ( noticibly more than above) 4. Walther. PPK. 380 (in 32 a pussycat—380 not so nice) 5. A very very distant P3AT with recoil that is just unpleasant to most ( my Sig P938 —. 9mm has less recoil by far than the Keltec).

October 22, 2018, 12:46 PM	#8
mr bolo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2012 Posts: 432	Browning BDA 380 has a nice fat grip and absorbs recoil , soft shooting

October 22, 2018, 02:28 PM	#9
TailGator Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,787	I own a P238 (two actually, his & hers), and have shot the G42. The P238 feels softer to me. No first-hand experience with the Walther.

October 22, 2018, 08:11 PM	#11
kmw1954 Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2016 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 1,524	Will have to agree with the S&W EZ 380 Also have a Witness Pavona 380 and it hits as hard as my 9mm's.

October 23, 2018, 12:17 PM	#15
USNRet93 Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2018 Location: Republic of Boulder, USA Posts: 1,475	Shot the G42(own one) and Sig P238... they seem a wash to me but the grip design of the Glock was ‘happier’ in my hand...ymmv and all that.

October 23, 2018, 04:42 PM	#16
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	I've not had any other micro 380's to compare it to, but the Remington rm380 is a locked breach design and is not uncomfortable to shoot. Mine has proven quite reliable and it is bargain priced. __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

October 23, 2018, 08:32 PM	#17
hartgk01 Junior Member Join Date: February 15, 2008 Posts: 9	Agreed I'm 70 years young and it's my only pistol I can shoot well one handed.

October 23, 2018, 11:01 PM	#18
PSP Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2006 Location: Bowling Green Virginia Posts: 4,487	I've owned a bunch of .380s. The softest of the lot is a Walther PK380. A tiny .380 that shoots way softer than it should is the Beretta Pico.

October 25, 2018, 02:10 PM	#19
M88 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2018 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 278	Only have one of the OP's pics... the 238...but of my 380's, Ruger LCP, Sig P238 Browning 1911-380 ...the Browning has the least recoil. It's easy to shoot, fits nice because unlike the LCP or 238 it's large enough to easily aim and hit what you're shooting at. __________________ NRA life member. Making good people helpless doesn't make bad people harmless!

October 25, 2018, 06:20 PM	#20
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I have a bunch of 380 pistols. The softest-shooting is easily the Colt Government 380. It's basically a larger P238. Since it's medium-sized and steel and shoots from a locked breech, it's recoil is extremely minimal. They haven't been made for a while, but aren't hard to find on Gunbroker.

October 26, 2018, 06:40 AM	#21
Super Blackhawk Member Join Date: October 23, 2015 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 50	Ruger LCP Ruger LCP2 just may be the surprise low recoil champ n at 10 ounzes it’s amazing every day conceal carry

November 2, 2018, 09:18 AM	#23
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	Laz, The Star S or SS is the pistol the Colt Government is copied from and nice examples are often available at the auction sites. The Star pistols have been imported from the middle forties until end of production in the nineties. The pistol is reliable and accurate and has about the best feeling grip of all the 380 pistols around.

November 2, 2018, 06:28 PM	#24
claydoctor Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 450	Have not shot one but judging by my experience with both the 9mm and the 45ACP versions of the S&W Shield, I would also suggest the .380 version.

November 2, 2018, 09:34 PM	#25
Carl the Floor Walker member Join Date: June 3, 2017 Location: South Posts: 1,422	Man all kinds of guns being thrown into the OP's question. Last edited by Carl the Floor Walker; November 2, 2018 at 09:54 PM.