Hi everyone,

 

I'm thinking of getting a .380 auto. I know some people think it's not enough gun for a self-defense, but I have two reasons for it.

 

1. It's the biggest caliber my mom is willing/able to shoot. She won't touch my 92FS because it's heavy (she has wrist problems) and she's afraid the recoil will be too much. However, she was comfortable with a Sig P232 when we rented it, and it felt good in my hands too.

 

2. I may be leaving the People's Republic of New Jersey in a few months depending on grad school offers, so I'm thinking a .380 auto would make a nice CCW if/when I move to a free state. (There's no way I'm gonna try to conceal carry the Beretta.)

 

Here's the rub: the P232 retails for $650 and I'm not looking to spend that much. I've looked at the Ruger LCP, but the grip looks pretty small (I'm 6'3" with big hands). I've also looked at the Bersa Thunder 380 and it seems nice, but I want to throw this out here before I make a move:

 

Can anyone recommend some other .380 auto pistol that's good quality on a budget?

 

Thanks,

Pythagoras

I have a good friend selling a walther ppk/s that is almost new. Let me know if you are interested

PM sent, I know Walther is a good brand.

 

But I'm still interested in what people have to say about "budget" .380 auto's of good quality.

Take a look at the Ruger LC380 which, as I understand it, the bigger LC9 but in 380. I have always been a PP/PPK/PPKS fan but am considering the LC380.

 

Don't give up on carrying the Beretta as a CCW. I carried a Taurus 92 as a plain clothes duty weapon for about 5 years. It will work with the right holster.

I am a big Khar fan, when I carry smaller I carry a CW9.

If your hell bent on .380 and want something small and very well built.

 

http://www.kahr.com/Pistols/Kahr-P380-w-LCI.asp

A .380 blowback tends to be snappier than a locked breech 9mm... That said, I will vote for the PPK as my favorite small auto.

S&W Bodyguard .380

If you are looking for a large frame 380 look for a used Taurus PT-58. sweet pistol..

 

found one on gunbroker.

 

http://www.gunbroker...?Item=326046746

 

new one did not know this was being made, looks nicer than the old version but i still like the wood grips,,

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=326002580

Honestly, a very nice and reliable .380 can be found in the affordable Bersa Thunder. Bersas really aren't my thing, but I know many with one and have shot them myself and they are GTG.

S&W Bodyguard .380 or Colt Pony...

My gf has the pk380 from walther. I really like this pistol. Very light racking force and very small recoil. The only downside is its a little bigger than a "carry" sized 380. It is almost exactly the size of my sr22.

I think I'll 3rd the S&W BG380.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

One bit of advice I can give is to buy known quality. You'll pay more upfront, but fewer problems will mean less spent on repeat ammo testing and range fees. And a quality piece will keep it's value.

If you are looking for a large frame 380 look for a used Taurus PT-58. sweet pistol..

 

found one on gunbroker.

 

http://www.gunbroker...?Item=326046746

 

new one did not know this was being made, looks nicer than the old version but i still like the wood grips,,

 

http://www.gunbroker...?Item=326002580

 

Aww, it's like a baby Beretta 92! I agree, I like the old one with the wood grips. That sounds like a good deal, but I think it's a little bigger than I'm looking for.

 

Meanwhile the the SW BG380 and Colt Pony look too small for my hands. I know I'm not making it easy with the size requirements: big enough for my hand but small enough to make an easy CCW. I think I'm gonna go with either the Walther or the Bersa depending on budget, unless someone comes along with something interesting out of left field.

 

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

http://www.beretta.c...m=82&f=2&id=787

 

if you ever pick one up & feel it, you'll fall in love.

Beretta Cheetah Nickel 84FS

or a 85FS

sig 232 or ppk

http://www.beretta.c...m=82&f=2&id=787

 

if you ever pick one up & feel it, you'll fall in love.

Beretta Cheetah Nickel 84FS

or a 85FS

Any real difference between the 84Fs and 85FS.... I'm not finding it?

 

I handling, not firing, I have noticed that the Beretta and Sig build quality and machining seem a few notches above many others. Is that just me?

Any real difference between the 84Fs and 85FS.... I'm not finding it?

 

The 84 is a double stacked magazine and the 85 is single stacked... capacities are different.

 

I know the 84 has a 13 round magazine. Think the 85 holds 8... but not 100% on it.

I can tell you right now that if your mom has wrist problems that any pocket sized .380 is going to be a problem for her.

 

Look into a CZ83... or its much cheaper and cooler brother the CZ82. Soft shooting and still very consealable.

 

How about a used Colt 1911 Government Model .380? Small like the Mustang, but with a 7 round mag. Carried in Condition #2 you have 8 rounds. A steel gun so recoil isn't a consideration.

 

So what's Mom going to use when you take this .380 to school?? How about a .38 revolver with a 3" tube that won't snap her wrist back?? Think outside of the box my friend!

 

Dave

I can tell you right now that if your mom has wrist problems that any pocket sized .380 is going to be a problem for her.

 

Look into a CZ83... or its much cheaper and cooler brother the CZ82. Soft shooting and still very consealable.

 

 

Well she fired the Sig Sauer P232 without any real trouble, I just can't afford it on my college student budget right now.

 

Will definitely consider the CZ82! That's a lot of gun for $270! http://www.classicfirearms.com/c-r-eligible/cz-82-pistols

How about a used Colt 1911 Government Model .380? Small like the Mustang, but with a 7 round mag. Carried in Condition #2 you have 8 rounds. A steel gun so recoil isn't a consideration.

 

Hmm, the Colt Gov Model 380 prices I saw discussed on ar15.com are out of my range, about $800 or $900. I'm spending less than that on a real 1911! (Not a fancy one, just a Remington 1911 R1. Again, college student budget.)

 

So what's Mom going to use when you take this .380 to school?? How about a .38 revolver with a 3" tube that won't snap her wrist back?? Think outside of the box my friend! Dave

 

I thought about getting a .38 revolver "just for her" because I don't really need it since 9mm is ballistically similar. But then I realized that if I'm living away at school as North Carolina resident for instance, I probably can't leave my guns here in NJ. So for cost reasons I'm trying to find something that will suit her in the short term, but also be good for me to carry in the future.

 

 

She's a weird kind of squeamish around guns. Comfortable enough to go the range with me or use a gun in self defense, but too squeamish to apply for her own FPID and be legally hers...*shrug*

Which begs to question. Can you buy a gun and leave it for your Mom to use?

I carry a gun daily and have had most of the popular ones. The P232 will give you slide bite as there is very little headspace between the web of your hand and the slide. Plus the slide is very hard to rack. The PPK is not noted for its reliability and is too heavy and large for pocket carry. The LCP is small and a gun you forget your are carrying but not friendly to those with large hands. Plus it barely qualifies as having sights. The Bersa is a good gun for the money. Big sellers around here but not a pocket gun. Ruger has come out with a new LC380 which gives you the larger grip of an LC9 with a .380 caliber. Too big for pocket carry and has a very long trigger that does not break until it is almost touching the rear of the trigger guard. A little practice will take care of that but not my cup of tea.

 

My only .380 carry gun and the envy of all .380 lovers around here, is my Sig P238. I carried it today when I went for a haircut. Carried well in my pocket but also works well in a belt holster. Get yourself an extended 7 round mag and you can get a full three fingered grip on it. Combined with very useable night sights that enable you to make good hits at 15 yards and acceptable to 25 yards, it is the best of breed in my opinion.

 

One word of advice. Get a gun for now and not for what you think you might do. Most never move from the place they were born in or find work despite what they think. Life is funny like that. I spent 58 years of my life moving between NYC and NJ because that is where my family and work was. Only now have I been able to move to Florida. More free advice for what it is worth is that if you can shoot a .380 you can shoot a 9mm. It is all a function of weight and size of the gun and the weight and load of the ammo. My HK P2000SK shoots softer than my LCP did.

Which begs to question. Can you buy a gun and leave it for your Mom to use?

I don't know. I've thought about asking in the law section but I want to scour the statutes before I bother this community with it.

I carry a gun daily and have had most of the popular ones. The P232 will give you slide bite as there is very little headspace between the web of your hand and the slide. Plus the slide is very hard to rack. The PPK is not noted for its reliability and is too heavy and large for pocket carry. The LCP is small and a gun you forget your are carrying but not friendly to those with large hands. Plus it barely qualifies as having sights. The Bersa is a good gun for the money. Big sellers around here but not a pocket gun. Ruger has come out with a new LC380 which gives you the larger grip of an LC9 with a .380 caliber. Too big for pocket carry and has a very long trigger that does not break until it is almost touching the rear of the trigger guard. A little practice will take care of that but not my cup of tea.

 

My only .380 carry gun and the envy of all .380 lovers around here, is my Sig P238. I carried it today when I went for a haircut. Carried well in my pocket but also works well in a belt holster. Get yourself an extended 7 round mag and you can get a full three fingered grip on it. Combined with very useable night sights that enable you to make good hits at 15 yards and acceptable to 25 yards, it is the best of breed in my opinion.

 

One word of advice. Get a gun for now and not for what you think you might do. Most never move from the place they were born in or find work despite what they think. Life is funny like that. I spent 58 years of my life moving between NYC and NJ because that is where my family and work was. Only now have I been able to move to Florida. More free advice for what it is worth is that if you can shoot a .380 you can shoot a 9mm. It is all a function of weight and size of the gun and the weight and load of the ammo. My HK P2000SK shoots softer than my LCP did.

 

Thanks for all the advice! She finally agreed to shoot the Beretta on our next range trip so we may tip the scales in favor of carry after all.

My $.02, I agree with the 9mm being as easy to shoot as a .380 if the weight and balance is right. But I have to agree with CHECKER50 on the PK380 from Walther. My 21 year old daughter shoots mine and it will be hers as soon as her permit comes in. You can fit your whole hand on the grip, and it has (forgive the use of this term) an ergonomic feel. The slide is easy to rack, especially for my 95lb (soken wet) daughter.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of bigger bullets, but I have a Sig 238 on layaway till my permits come in.

 

The one with the most toys in the end wins!

S&W Bodygaurd

I have a S&W 380 body guard. Not something I would buy for my mother without out her test shooting.

 

I bought it for my wife to use and she only fired 1 mag through it and never picked it up again.

 

It is snappy and the slide can be difficult to rack for some. Although not as uncomfortable as the little Kel-Tec 9

 

Have you considered a revolver?

http://www.beretta.c...m=82&f=2&id=787

 

if you ever pick one up & feel it, you'll fall in love.

Beretta Cheetah Nickel 84FS

or a 85FS

 

 

^^^this!