Best .380

[Nathan]

Funny that the Kahr CW380 has not made it here. I find it as small as the smallest, but able to be shot fast like a full size pistol

[Carl the Floor Walker]

"Good grief Carl, what are you doing with so many .380s......of the same make and model?"


To answer your question, I like shooting 380's. There were a challege when I first owned one 10 years ago. Now feel very confident in fast, accurate shooting and drawing.
I do not own 4 LCP's, I only on one now, I went through 3 LCP's. Cracks in grip, split rails and other problems. They have a very snappy recoil, a High Five slap. Now designed to hold up well. First one went down around the 2200 rd. mark.
When I found the Pico, I fell in love with it. Just superior craftsmanship, and such pleasant shooter. I bought the Kahr on a whim, but hey, it is a really nice gun as well. Not a tank quality like the Pico, but still really built well and a mild shooter to boot.
The Pico is a all Stainless Steel frame, I mean solid like a tank, the Kahr has Steel inserts. A must in my opinion for a pocket gun. Never could understand why Ruger did not do this.

[TailGator]

With your budget, an LCP would be a good pocket gun. My pocket pistol is a P238, and I really like it, but you aren't going to get one at the price point you said. If you want a .380 for your car and apartment, and not for pocket carry, you would be able to find a used Beretta 84 for your price. CDI has them pretty often and is a good company.

[Cheapshooter]

To carry in your pocket, without having to comletely empty your pockets of a lot of money....LCP. (NOT LCP II) Small, light, DAO with concealed hammer, and no safety to forget, miss, or slip your finger off of in a stressful situation.

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Don't tread on me.

[great scot]

1. Smith Bodyguard
2. Remington.380
3. Bersa Thunder CC
4. Walther PPK

All 4 guns are reliable with with the Hornady ammo I use. Bersa has the lightest recoil, but RM380 and Bodyguard are easier to pocket carry. I like the Walther because of its looks and history. I've owned a couple LCPs and they were both reliable but recoiled a bit more than I liked. Good luck on your search.

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by Sgt127

Please look at the Remington RM380. I've had one for several months. About 300 rounds through it. All metal. Stainless slide and barrel, alloy frame.

I have a lot of .380's. This is one of the best I've ever owned. I paid $299 at a gun show and now, I think Remington is offering a rebate.

Friday I ordered an RM380 from Bud's - $218 plus $3 insurance delivered before the $50 rebate. $25 FFL transfer. $171 after $50 rebate.

Couldn't pass that up, even though I have 2 LCPs, a Kahr CT380, a Colt Government .380, and an old Remington Model 51 .380.

[Carmady]

$171 after $50 rebate

Just looked, and now it's "As low as $205" after rebate. That's still a good price. They're $380-$400 at the LGS.

[tallball]

I own a number of 380's. The Beretta 84, Russian Makarov, Sig 230, CZ83, and Colt Government Model are medium-sized pistols. All of them but the Colt were service pistols. As a group they are much easier to shoot than pocket pistols. (The OP could get a surplus Beretta or CZ in his price range.)

The Kel-Tec P3AT is a light tiny pocket pistol with a polymer frame. The Ruger LCP is a copy of it. They are not fun to shoot (for me, anyway), but are very easy to carry. They are also inexpensive. I have had a P3AT for about five years now and have had zero problems with it.

[dannyb]

I've gone through a number of pistols looking for the best pocket pistol for me. My main criteria have always been: small, light, DAO hammer fired (don't like DAO striker fired - yes it's probably just fine but I still don't like them - that's what makes horse racing- wouldn't be horse racing if everyone bet on the same horse), .32 or better. My current pocket carries are KelTec P32 in summer (just disappears in a pants pocket as long as they are not skinny jeans; and my butt is not skinny enough for those) and a Beretta Pico in winter when I want a bit more power and am coat pocket carrying more than pants pocket carrying.

Evolution:
Pants pocket: NAA Guardian .32, Seecamp .32, Beretta Tomcat (until frame broke during practice), KelTec P32

Jacket pocket: Bersa Thunder .380 (heavy and clumsy), Sig P238 (didn't like single action and the idea of having to either carry cocked and locked in a coat pocket or cocking the hammer during draw), Colt Pony Pocketlite (a bit heavy and heavy trigger pull but smooth and reliable as all get out, had custom sights put on it), Beretta Pico (first generation, took about 100 rounds to break in, great sights and great weight and size for even light jacket pocket).

[Badgerstate]

Theres lots of great options out there. You really need to go to a gun shop and hold and maybe even rent a few that you are considering to see what you like.
Personally, Im partial to the Walther PPK and Bersa Thunder.
Theyve proven to be rock-solid reliable and you can get a Bersa for less than $300 new.
I really want a PPK but they arent available right now and Im seriously considering picking up a Bersa in the near future.

[1goodshot]

sig 232 is the best 380 Ive ever seen

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by tallball

The Kel-Tec P3AT is a light tiny pocket pistol with a polymer frame. The Ruger LCP is a copy of it. They are not fun to shoot (for me, anyway), but are very easy to carry. They are also inexpensive. I have had a P3AT for about five years now and have had zero problems with it.

I don't like shooting the LCP either - too snappy & beats up the web skin between my thumb & forefinger after 30 or 40 rounds.
The Kahr CT380 is a softer shooting gun with better ergonomics & longer grip frame that is easier to hang on to.

[Laz]

oldfart1944 makes a compelling argument for the Bodyguard which is one I have never tried or even seriously looked at. My vote is for the Sig P238 especially in HD trim. I may have to look more closely at the Bodyguard

[Laz]

oldfart1944, you're going to end up costing me some money.

[volkstrm]

Well for me a gun in 380acp the Beretta 85 single stack(8+1) is a great gun. I have one I got for the wife but even with my big hand's I shoot it well. And much thinner then the 84 for a ccw.. I call it the baby Beretta its just like a small M9 in 380. Very well made gun. I know I can pocket carry it,make's a great Bug. For a smaller pocket carry I would go with the NAA Guardian in 380 6+1 but you can get 10 rounders,also a very well made gun I can use hot B/B +P round's in it & the all steel frame makes it shoot just fine. I can even get hits out to 25yr's with it. Not bad for a small little 380. If it was me I would say away from the Polymer/Plastic guns. liter to carry but harder to shoot & get hit's with.
Good Luck.

[gglass]

For me, the LCP has been my goto backup handgun and primary pocket gun for years. I have never experienced a malfunction of any kind, and this is even after I was able to salvage this beauty from my house fire.

This is my refinished LCP and what it is capable of doing in terms of accuracy... What more could I ask?

[Carmady]

For guys with the S&W M&P Bodyguard .380...has yours given you any light primer strikes?

This gun just got back from S&W CS to address that issue, and round #2 didn't fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feH-ILQJr4k

Hickok45 had some light strikes in his video as well. Also, the slide acted different regarding last round hold open. Sometimes it would stay back, sometimes it wouldn't. And when inserting a loaded mag with the slide back, sometimes the slide would shut on its own, other times he'd have to rack it. Is that because of different mags (like LCP vs LCP II mags)?

[Carmady]

The Pico also allows repeated trigger pulls without racking the slide.

[Reader850]

The Kahr P380 and CW-380 are quality pocket pistols, very small and light. They shoot comfortably and accurately. The CW version is less expensive but functionally the same as the P. Info from the Kahr website:

The CW380 pistol has a 2.58 inch barrel, an overall length of 4.96 inches and a height of just 3.9 inches. It weighs just 10.2 ounces without a magazine. The pistol has a black polymer frame and features 4140 steel inserts molded into the front and back of the frame for added rigidity. It has a machined, solid 416 matte stainless steel slide and a textured polymer grip.
The Kahr CW380 features a lock breech, modified Browning type recoil lug, ... a micro-compact pistol with very little recoil and quick follow-up shots. ... the slide locks back after firing the last round – another feature missing on a number of other value-priced compact semi-auto pistols.

[captainkaos]

I currently carry a Shield but my daughter and her husband both swear by the LCP.
Before I got my Smith & Wesson I carried the Taurus TCP and while it was a decent little pistol the Ruger is easier to shoot. The trigger pull is slightly heavier but not as long and creepy.

Since Ruger has come out with the Gen 2 version of the LCP bargains abound on the earlier pistols.

You also mentioned FMJ ammo.
That's probably only going to piss off whoever you shoot with it.
I personally use Hornady Critical Defense in my 9 and did use it in the TCP, but there have been a lot of advances and just about any decent defensive hollow point should be fine.

[drunder40]

Can't really say which .380 is the best as I have only had 2.. A Colt Mustang XSP and a Sig P238..

Both very small and easy to conceal and very reliable with the Colt being the smaller than the 2.

Both very easy to use.. Can't go wrong with either one.

[dajowi]

Best .380? What a loaded question.

[Oldjarhead]

Glock 42. That said, you can step up in caliber, and just as easily carry a Kahr cm9 or pm9 in your pocket. I easily carry a Kahr PM9 in a Desantis nemesis pocket holster.

[Oldjarhead]

PS: The best .380 ever made was the Colt 1908 hammerless. Gosh, I wish Colt would manufacture and sell them as retro guns, the same way Smith and Wesson has done with some of their old models.