Ignoring plainclothes and BUGs, police duty weapons are full-size to "compact", where the advantages of a .380 are somewhat lost. Ironically, plainclothes guys have carried .380s (and still do, I'm sure), and plenty of BUGs are chambered in .380. Not that what the police or military carry has anything at all to do with what a citizen should carry, because their missions are entirely different. Do you wear a kevlar helmet and plate carrier, festooned with batons, spare mags, flashlights, and so on? Huh! I guess you don't necessarily want what the "pros" use!

But whatever. The entire "police and military use X" argument is empty, hollow, and originated by feckless instructors who want to use the two years they spent fixing radios in Turkey to sell classes. It's perpetuated by everybody else that feels their 18-shot .357 Sig Blastomatic 9000 somehow means **** won't stick to them. Protip: bad stuff still happens, and people that deserve to live still die.

Is .380 enough? Sure. It's a gun, and bullets still come out the end. It still stops people, and kills people. .22 Mag is enough, and .22LR is enough, and 9mm is enough, and .38 and .44 and .45 are all enough. You can lug around more gun, and it might make a difference, or it might not.

If you do not believe a particular cartridge is enough, I encourage you to take the Two Shot Challenge. Next time at the range, bring one of those "not enough" guns, stand in front of the backstop (safety first!), and have a buddy put one in your gut.

If you feel like asking him to shoot you again, well, guess you're right. It wasn't enough. Here's a cookie.