380 Caliber Handgun - To continue our discussion of the .380 ACP concealed carry advantages, in this installment of our pocket pistol series, I compare six popular miniature .380 pistols. Details in the video below, or scroll down to read the full transcript.

By my count, there are no less than 16 different models of .380 ACP pocket pistols currently in production. And that's not counting the different colors, configurations, and other options of each model. Almost every major pistol manufacturer has at least one pocket .380 in their lineup. The simple reason is that these guns sell well. They are easy to carry, inexpensive, and have become one of the most popular concealed carry pistols in the last decade.

380 Caliber Handgun

380 Caliber Handgun

I've spent a lot of time with .380 handguns over the past few weeks, and today we're going to take a look at how some of these models compare to each other. I couldn't spend time with every .380 on the market, so I limited myself to the six most popular models. If you're considering buying a .380, while I won't cover it, this should at least give you an idea of ​​the different models and what features to look for.

Ruger Lcp Standard .380 Acp Pistol

I am also limiting this review to pocket miniatures. The Glock 42 is the largest handgun on this list, and it pushes the boundaries of this type of category. So today, I don't think of big guns like the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ, and old heavy classic designs like the Walther PPK/S. That's not to say there's anything wrong with these guns, they just don't care about our modern pocket pistols.

The models I've seen today are the Glock 42, Sig Sauer P238, Kahr CW380, Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, because almost half of all .380s made in the US are from Ruger, and we have two of their miniature pistols: the LCP Custom and the LCP II.

Before I get into the details here, I want to make one big caveat about .380 pocket pistols: they are all bad. When I say one of them is good, please understand that this is in comparison to other pocket pistols. I say this mainly because of all the modern handguns we have to choose from, miniature semi-autos are unlikely to work when you need them most. In general, semi-automatic pistols are very reliable, but the smaller they are, the less likely they are to perform, especially in real-world combat situations.

If you have to pull the gun out of your pocket and hold it awkwardly, or when you shoot the gun, you turn your hand back to avoid grabbing someone - these can easily cause a malfunction. Many of these handguns seem to have mechanical issues as well – quality control issues crop up more often than their full-size and compact counterparts. If you're going to pocket carry a .380, test fire it wide, keep it clean and well lubricated, and really familiarize yourself with the troubleshooting exercises.

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The Glock .380 came on the scene relatively late. When the 42 was released in 2014, many were skeptical at first because it was larger than most of its competitors in a category valued for its small size. But that's exactly why I consider this rifle to be the best .380 rifle out there. It's a pocket pistol, like a full-sized one. It's a great gun for the new shooter, and if you're a better shooter, the 42 won't mind. It takes less mental energy to operate one of these pistols than a smaller .380 pistol or a miniature 9mm pistol like the Glock 43.

For most people, the G42 is too big for the pocket, but I think the Raven Concealment is tied with a minimalist leather case like the Vanguard. You can carry it on your belt, but it's much smaller than a traditional belt. I reviewed this Glock 42 for our blog back in 2014, and since then I've added a set of Trijicon HD Night Goggles. A low profile and large orange sight like a simple pattern for a pocket pistol.

I've fired thousands of rounds with this gun and never had a malfunction in my hand, but I've seen it a few times when I let inexperienced shooters try it out. It takes less than a textbook. So, the Glock 42 has a lot going for it, but it still suffers from the same problems common to most pocket pistol designs.

380 Caliber Handgun

Sig Sauer introduced the P238 in 2009 as a clone of the Colt Mustang that was retired in the 90s. It is a 1911 style design with a single action trigger and manual safety. It only has a left-handed safety, but Sig also offers an ambidextrous version. There are similar 1911 styles on the market in .380. Colt brought back the Mustang a few years ago, and Kimber and Springfield Armory also have entries in this category.

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The P238 is slightly smaller than the Glock 42, but it's the heaviest handgun on our list, with a 17.2-ounce chamber. Like the Glock, the P238 is amazing to shoot thanks to its low recoil, short, light trigger, and large night vision goggles. The slide is lighter than other small .380s, and they can be pulled with lower-than-average grips. But for a few reasons, I don't recommend this gun for immediate concealed carry.

Manual safeties are often problematic for inexperienced shooters because people often forget to use them. They didn't practice safety while carrying the gun, or forgot to turn it off when they wanted to shoot. Both of these mistakes can be fatal, so if you want to carry a safety gun, you'll need a lot of practice before you can reload it when the sights are off and the target is off. became conscious. Furthermore, the P238 safety pad itself is not an ideal design. It bends too far back, making it difficult to actively control it with your thumb or pad.

Safety aside, the P238 seems to have some serious reliability issues. But unlike the Glock 42, they're usually not a consumer problem. This particular P238 worked well for us, but I owned it a few years ago and it couldn't get through a full box of .380 shots without two or three reloads. After speaking with other P238 owners and shooting instructors, reliability issues are common even by pocket pistol standards. You may end up doing it the way you did.

Kah entered the .380 market in 2010 with the P380. Three years later, they came out with a lower-end version called the CW380, which we tested. Functionally, they are essentially the same gun, the CW380 comes with a smaller size and magazine.

Walther Ppk/s 380 Acp, Stainless, 2x7rd Mags

Like all Kah pistols, it is pin operated and the trigger feels like a light double action. It's not the absolute smallest or lightest .380 on the market, but it's not far off. It is smaller than a Sig or Glock.

Of the six guns I tested, this was the only one that surprised me. I've owned three different 9mm Kah pistols at various times over the years, but I've never really looked into using any of them, and I'm not a good shooter either. We ran a ballistic gelatin test with the Kahr CW45, and it has to be the worst and most reliable gun I've ever used. So I had low expectations for the CW380, but it turned out to be a great shooter. Recoil is amazing for a gun of this size. It's not as light a shooting experience as a Sig or Glock, but it doesn't have the quality you want with a pocket .380s. I am kind

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