Giving Up - .380 Is A Bust For Me

[Old cop]

I've carried a J frame for almost 50 years but when the little .380s came out I was intrigued. Started w/Ruger, then S&W, Glock and Ruger LCP again. Recently I posted that the mag had popped out of my LCP a couple of times but I changed pocket holsters and tried again. Mag popped out the other day and that was it. Every .380 has had some sort of reliability issue and that's a no go for anything carried for self defense. It's a shame b/c I shoot the little LCP very well and actually like practicing w/it. Same w/the Smith M&P Bodyguard but light strikes, after two years of solid performance, did that one in.

I pulled the no lock 340PD out of the safe and went to the range to reacquaint myself w/it. Still shoots great w/standard pressure as well as +P, so my LCP has a permanent place in the gun safe (until I decide what to do w/it) and the 340 is back in my pocket. It could be the little auto loader is not for me but either way I'm done for good.

Thanks for indulging me, rant over.

 

[Rpg]

The little 380's are attractive but seem touchy.

I like the old M38.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

About 15 years ago I had a .380 Sig P232 follow me home one day. I really liked it, carried it for over a year, and thought I had found the solution for all of my daily carry needs.

Excellent pistol in many ways. Very lightweight (about 16 oz. empty). Very good ergonomics. Easy to shoot well.

Range training sessions left me less and less enamored with the .380. The blowback-operated pistols produce unexpectedly sharp recoil, more than many might expect. I also found that I had to be very careful how I gripped the Sig, because a high grip places the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and trigger finger in close proximity to (or in contact with) the lower edges of the slide as it cycles, and it wasn't unusual to have strips of skin ripped away during rapid-fire combat drills. Started carrying antiseptic wipes and band-aids in my range bag.

I had similar experiences years ago with the Walther PPK, and more recently with the Makarov. I decided that these compact pistols just weren't going to meet my needs, and I returned to the full-size 1911-style pistols and K-frame or larger revolvers for my daily use.

Perhaps some folks will benefit from these thoughts.

 

[RGVshooter]

I sold my M&P bodyguard 380 because of the light strikes. I would get one maybe every 75-100 rounds with quality HP loads and more frequently using FMJ range ammo. I tried different brands. No dice.

But because my 380 was mostly used as my traveling companion while going for long 5-6 mile walks down the trail in a urban area I wanted a lightweight pocket pistol and my 642 was still a bit cumbersome in the hot Texas heat. Soooooooo I picked up a Kel Tec P32.

Some people might say that the 32acp is not up to self defense standards. I say I wouldn't want to get shot by it. It holds 7+1 vs the P3-AT 6+1 capacity in basically the same size/weight. So far I've ran 200 rounds thru this featherweight and it has been 100% flawless.

P.S. my EDC is a 642

 

[texmex]

Autos are a passing fad

 

[malph]

The little 380's are attractive but seem touchy.

I like the old M38.

I agree in general. I've had good luck though with the Glock 42. It's been very reliable. Still...I keep coming back to the J Frames.

 

[malph]

About 15 years ago I had a .380 Sig P232 follow me home one day. I really liked it, carried it for over a year, and thought I had found the solution for all of my daily carry needs.

Excellent pistol in many ways. Very lightweight (about 16 oz. empty). Very good ergonomics. Easy to shoot well.

Range training sessions left me less and less enamored with the .380. The blowback-operated pistols produce unexpectedly sharp recoil, more than many might expect. I also found that I had to be very careful how I gripped the Sig, because a high grip places the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and trigger finger in close proximity to (or in contact with) the lower edges of the slide as it cycles, and it wasn't unusual to have strips of skin ripped away during rapid-fire combat drills. Started carrying antiseptic wipes and band-aids in my range bag.

I had similar experiences years ago with the Walther PPK, and more recently with the Makarov. I decided that these compact pistols just weren't going to meet my needs, and I returned to the full-size 1911-style pistols and K-frame or larger revolvers for my daily use.

Perhaps some folks will benefit from these thoughts.

I've had similar experiences with the Sig P230/P232.

I really wanted to like that gun. Easy to shoot, lightweight and accurate. Plus, it just looked cool.

I just couldn't get over the railroad track like cuts it left on the meat of my hand every time I shot it.

I owned a P230 and then a P232. Wanted to like them...ended up selling them both.

I went back to the honest pain that comes with shooting lightweight J-frames.

 

[Execpro]

Had a first gen 380 sigma. You could not make it malfunction no matter how hard you tried. A 32 auto Kel tec, same thing. NEVER should have sold them!!! Carry a 38 snubnose now.

Be SAFE and shoot often!

 

[M29since14]

I've had good luck with the Shield .45; with the Shield 9 and Bodyguard 380 - not so much. With ANY J-frame I've ever owned, from my oldest (Model 37) to my most recent (340PD), never a problem. I don't blame you one bit.

 

[Farmer17]

I've owned blue and nickle Chief Specials, M49 Bodyguards, Centennials, and liked them all but they just aren't pocket guns to me. I wear cowboy cut blue jeans most every day and have muscular legs from decades of weight lifting so the j-frame feels like a baseball in my pocket. My LCP II fits in the front pocket and is barely noticeable so it is my main carry gun but it's very common for criminals to have a high capacity 9m/m so I do feel a bit under gunned but I would with a snub revolver also.

 

[BC38]

I've carried a J frame for almost 50 years but when the little .380s came out I was intrigued. Started w/Ruger, then S&W, Glock and Ruger LCP again. Recently I posted that the mag had popped out of my LCP a couple of times but I changed pocket holsters and tried again. Mag popped out the other day and that was it. Every .380 has had some sort of reliability issue and that's a no go for anything carried for self defense. It's a shame b/c I shoot the little LCP very well and actually like practicing w/it. Same w/the Smith M&P Bodyguard but light strikes, after two years of solid performance, did that one in.

I pulled the no lock 340PD out of the safe and went to the range to reacquaint myself w/it. Still shoots great w/standard pressure as well as +P, so my LCP has a permanent place in the gun safe (until I decide what to do w/it) and the 340 is back in my pocket. It could be the little auto loader is not for me but either way I'm done for good.

Thanks for indulging me, rant over.

I read a post by someone else on one the gun boards I frequent, where they were having this same problem.

The solution a couple of people recommended that had worked for them was to Dremel the mag release button down to where it was almost flush with the frame.

Haven't had to do that myself, but more than one person posted that it had worked for them if you'd like to give it at try. If it doesn't work for you, and you want to return it to original configuration, a replacement part shouldn't be too hard to find.

 

[carpriver]

I am still testing a Springfield Armory 911 380 acp. It's all medal, aluminum and stainless. It's been on the market a few months.
the grip appears just a tad longer, the mag has a pinky extension. The mag with the extension is seven round, the second mag is 6 rounds. It shots well manageable recoil, at 15 feet I was able to keep all my rounds within 4 in group.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I carry 2 Charter revolvers-an on duty that weighs 12 oz's unloaded and is rated for +P 38 spl, and a charter bull dog 44 which weighs 21 oz's without the 5 44 spl rounds. Charter revolvers are known for safety and reliability, with many LEO's using them as backups. Couple of speed loaders and I'm ready.

 

[dr. mordo]

I had the opposite trajectory. My first CCWs were .380s, then a 9mm, then I've cycled thru a few others until getting really, really sick of auto malfunctions. As soon as a gun malfunctions, I'm thinking, "ok, how much time and ammo will I have to invest before I trust it again? Will I ever trust it again?"

Finally, I broke out the Colt Police Positive Special I've had for 30 years but hadn't shot for 15 and couldn't believe how much I enjoyed shooting it, and also that I shoot it as well as almost any auto I have. During the next trip to my LGS, luck dropped a used-but-unfired 637 Performance Center in my lap, and it's been my primary CCW ever since. I still am in absolute lust with it. What a fantastic pistol - *beautiful trigger*.

These days I typically carry two revolvers, one AIWB and one in my pocket. The AIWB gun has changed a few times but is right now firmly stuck on my 3" M629, but 80% of the time my pocket gun has been that 637. I've flirted with a LCR327 I bought my wife (that I do love), and I just got a 2" M30 that will see some carry time for sure, but I have a feeling the 637 will continue to be my main gun for quite a long time.

And now I don't have to worry about malfunctions caused by the gun.

 

[Old cop]

My current LCP, the one that keeps popping out the mag in my pocket, has been reliable w/over 200 rounds of FMJ & HP, and accurate out to 7 yards. It WAS the perfect package, and w/ a spare mag, gave me 14 just-in-case rounds (seven round b/u mag). During my LEO career I had to use my revolver to defend myself and know these scenearios develop without warning. Grabbing the LCP from my pocket in an emergency, and discovering it's a one shot wonder b/c the mag popped out, is not something I'm interested in experiencing. I'm going to call Ruger to see what they will do.

 

[Breakaway500]

I have carried a Kel-Tec P32 for over 20 years. Not ONE problem,none...and thousands of rounds (Yes,thousands) I have added two Kel-Tec P3ATs to the lineup based on the dependability of my P32. No issues with either one of those. None. Considering the negative things I hear about the Kel-Tec line..I think I am living in an alternate reality...

 

[oldiesradio1560]

I've carried S&W .357 magnums since the 70's. Both 4" and 2" models 66, 686, 2 640's and my last carry revolver was a 640-1 Pro Series. Never one auto in all that time Until February, 2018 when the .380 Shield EZ no safety came out. I held one at my LGS and fell in love. Finally an auto that acted like a revolver. Since I've put 800 rounds thru her and I love her. Fun shooter. Very accurate with Remington 95 grain UMC FMJ. No problems at all. I sold my 640 Pro and only carry my 380 S&W Shield EZ.

 

[bigwheelzip]

It's not helping your scenario, but when my husband and an LGS employee were determined that I should give semi-autos a chance, they sold me on a SIG P238, mainly because it was the only thing I could rack. That was in Oct. 2014. Since then, a half dozen novice shooters and myself have put about 2000 flawless rounds through it. It gets carried when it's small size is required.

 

[Chief Wiggums]

I agree in general. I've had good luck though with the Glock 42. It's been very reliable. Still...I keep coming back to the J Frames.

Good luck w a G42 as well (the wife actually)
the 380 footprint just doesn't work for me , my level of confidence in accuracy is marginal.

 

[Florida J Frame]

My current LCP, the one that keeps popping out the mag in my pocket, has been reliable w/over 200 rounds of FMJ & HP, and accurate out to 7 yards. It WAS the perfect package, and w/ a spare mag, gave me 14 just-in-case rounds (seven round b/u mag). During my LEO career I had to use my revolver to defend myself and know these scenearios develop without warning. Grabbing the LCP from my pocket in an emergency, and discovering it's a one shot wonder b/c the mag popped out, is not something I'm interested in experiencing. I'm going to call Ruger to see what they will do.

LCP or LCP II?

 

[M29since14]

Considering the negative things I hear about the Kel-Tec line..I think I am living in an alternate reality...

I don't think so. They look crude, but the ones I have been around all worked pretty darned good. I sold my Keltec in .380 to buy the Bodyguard, mainly because I like S&W products and I wanted the thumb safety. The Bodyguard looks much nicer, and feels better in my hand, but it turned out to be a mistake. If I had any sense I would liquidate the Bodyguard and go back to the Keltec, crude as it may be. The Ruger was a trigger-finger pincher for me. I would like to try the little Kahr .380 but have never been around one I could tinker with and after the bad luck with three different Bodyguards (ALL guilty of failure-to-fire ) I was done with mini-.380s for a while. J-frames are not a perfect solution for me, but they come close.

 

[silentflyer]

I once owned a .380 Bodyguard for about 1 month, worse firearm I ever owned.

 

[M29since14]

I once owned a .380 Bodyguard for about 1 month, worse firearm I ever owned.

I have yet to see one that is reliable, and I've seen a lot of them. I've heard about reliable ones, mainly on the internet, but never seen it.

Sorry for the anti-Bodyguard thread drift, but I am with the OP on the reliability thing when it comes to J frames. I guess my experience with them has spoiled me. However handy it may be, a gun that won't fire reliably is WORSE than a paperweight to me. How hard is it to make a gun go bang?

 

[Jdavis]

Different strokes for different folks. To me nothing is as easily concealed as a little .380 pocket pistol. I have carried a Kahr P380 for years which is reliable and with a good pocket holster simply disappears even with light summer clothing. There is nothing wrong with packing a J-frame if you are comfortable with it. In fact, I infrequently do so but, it is a bit more bulky than my Kahr. I know many LCP owners who are very pleased with them, The OP should have contacted Ruger C.S about his problems. They have a good reputation for quickly making things right.

 

[cmansguns]

EDC since late 1960's, always as shown below M36, M60 and for the last 20 + the 637. S&W holster on a stiff heavy leather (Galco most recently) gun belt. Only variable was the finish of the gun and of course....the waist size of the belt (always larger, never smaller...for some unknown reason).

Never really tried much else...especially semi-autos simply because the practice time, hence comfortable zone for personal protection just wasn't available so reliability and knowledge that at least 5 will end up where needed if confronted became the only parameter that stayed with me to this day.

Op....you tried, it doesn't work (reliably) for you...return to J Frames and peace of mind...which is why most of us EDC in the first place.

 

[TomkinsSP]

Forty years of "a J a day".

 

[BAM-BAM]

There are a few lock breach .380s out there.....I've got an old Colt Mustang Pocket-lite in .380......that really eliminates the blow-back recoil issue.

I guess the new Sigs are also lock-breach design?

 

[Buford57]

Wife and I have had good experiences with the RM380. She can rack the slide with her arthritic hands and both guns have been ultra-reliable. I like the long, smooth DA pull. The only downside I see is that dratted take-down pin. If you rack the slide slowly while holding it at 90 degrees BTDC (Detroit cant) the pin may just drop out. There is only one way to hold the gun during reassembly to drop the pin back in.

 

[petepeterson]

I carry a P3AT when I have athletic shorts on around the house, or I'm out for a run. It's been a good gun, maybe one or two hang-ups in 500+ rds. It's my "gun for when I can't carry a gun."

As soon as feasible, I step up to a 442. I recently bought a Kahr CM9 for the same purpose, but it's too heavy to replace the Kel-Tec.
It would be hard to justify the Glock 42 when the 43 is so close in size.

 

[federali]

S&W .380 EZ

The new S&W .380 EZ goes a long way in solving gun handling problems, especially for people who have difficulty retracting a slide. Yet, in you tube reviews, the reviewer had difficulty feeding and chambering the last round from the magazine. It appears to be a magazine issue but I'm surprised that S&W did not detect this weakness when testing the gun prior to release. In making the magazine easier to load, it appears that there is insufficient spring pressure to control the last round for proper feeding.