Recommendations on a .380?

[BB57]

I have a couple PPK/S pistols in .380 as well as FEG AP9S, APK9S, and SMC, a Beretta 81, an RIA Baby Rock and a Kimber Micro.

The FEG AP9S and APK9S pistols are fun to shoot, being just a bit larger and heavier than the Walther PP and PPK/S.

However the Kimber Micro and RIA Baby Rock are my preferred .380 ACP pistols. Both are accurate and reliable. The Baby Rock is a great budget option and is a PP sized blow back operated pistol. The Kimber Micro is alloy framed and half the weight but felt recoil is similar thanks to the delayed blowback locking system.

I also own a Taurus 905, and Taurus roulette wheel QA issues aside, they are nice pistols if you get one that works. Mine is in 9mm but they also come in .380 ACP and if you like revolvers it would be a pleasant way to shoot up that .380 ACP ammo. Get TK Customs moon clips however as the Taurus moon clips are too soft and bend easily.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Can't imagine why anyone would want to plink with a mouse gun.

Find a Sig as mentioned above or a CZ83. Much better for plinking.

 

[LVSteve]

The S&W EZ380, Sig P238 (if you like small), Sig P250 compact or subcompact (if you can deal with the revolver style DAO) are locked breech .380 pistols that I have shot, and shot well. I shoot the LCP OK, but it's hardly a fun range gun.

You could try finding a Star Model S, a steel locked breech gun with a 4 inch barrel and mini-1911 looks. If you like spending money, then the Colt Mustang and its clones spring to mind.

I had no idea the Springfield 911 had been discontinued. Shows how fickle the market can be.

 

[v84x4]

I love my KAHR lineup
As much as people ***** about it
The KAHR p380 is an awesome EDC and only 11 OZ
fits in my front pocket I would take this gun over an LCP any day
The only other .380 I would carry is a "BAYARD" from the late 20's

Just My Opinion
best of luck and best regards Rick

 

[pawncop]

Back in the day, the.380 ACP was considered a fine backup and many officers I worked with carried one. I carried a Walther PPK/s inside the vest where I could retrieve it with my weak hand. Along comes technology and for the same weight I carried a Glock model 23 in 40 S&W. The difference was 8 rounds of .380. versus 14 rounds of 40 caliber.

At this point the 380 became a nice secondary sidearm. I have several including the Walther and a Colt Mustang.

 

[Speedo2]

FN (or Browning) 1910. The gun that started WW1.

 

[smoothshooter]

Ruger LCP MAX. It will fit easily in a pocket holster in your pocket.
( I have 2)

The more I fool around with .380's, the more I like them.

 

[buckshotshorty]

I carry only 380. I have been through a few but the three best that I have found in order of preference are: Glock 42, Sig 238 and Sig 365/380 ACP.

GOOD luck with your search. Let us know what you end up with. I would be curious to find out which one you choose.

 

[Grayfox]

I like .380s and have several of them. Since you mentioned selling off your Walthers, I'm guessing you are not interested in another. Too bad, I'm quite fond of the PP series.
If you want a range toy, I'd suggest staying away from the smaller blowback guns. Recoil on these can be quite uncomfortable and accurate shooting suffers.
My personal pick would be the Colt .380 Govt or Mustang. Excellent guns, very accurate and their locked breech design makes recoil easy to handle. Simply a scaled down 1911.
But if you want a true classic, find yourself a Colt 1908. A fine pistol to bring out your inner Bogart.

 

[adwjc]

.380

If you are actually going to shoot up that ammo, then get the Glock 42 or the S&W 380EZ. Most of the other .380s are fine for pocket or concealed carry, but don't shoot like these two.

The suggestion to sell the ammo and get a new small 9mm might be the best way to go, and that ammo is the cheapest you'll find, aside from RF.

 

[cometpx4]

.380

As others have said, Glock 42 is an easy to shoot, accurate, 100% reliable pistol. Plink all day with it or carry it. Shines in either role. I have 2.
I have had every major manufacturers .380 on the market. Beretta Cheetah, PPK, Colt Mustang, Sig 238's, Sig 232's, Smith EZ, Beretta pico, Ruger LCP (original and Max) and on and on. Some look better, some were reliable but not accurate, some accurate but not reliable, some hurt to shoot (ppk). The G42 has it all.
Just my opinion based on 1,000's of rounds thru all of them.

 

[Buick]

I LOVE MY BERSA .380s INEXPENSIVE, ACCURATE, FEED ANYTHING

 

[malph]

As others have said, Glock 42 is an easy to shoot, accurate, 100% reliable pistol. Plink all day with it or carry it. Shines in either role. I have 2.
I have had every major manufacturers .380 on the market. Beretta Cheetah, PPK, Colt Mustang, Sig 238's, Sig 232's, Smith EZ, Beretta pico, Ruger LCP (original and Max) and on and on. Some look better, some were reliable but not accurate, some accurate but not reliable, some hurt to shoot (ppk). The G42 has it all.
Just my opinion based on 1,000's of rounds thru all of them.

Yep. My heart says Walther, Colt, ... but my head says just get a Glock 42.

They are readily available, comfortable to shoot, reliable and pretty accurate.

 

[BB57]

I LOVE MY BERSA .380s INEXPENSIVE, ACCURATE, FEED ANYTHING

That's true enough….at least as far as you've mentioned.

In addition to the Walther PPK/s pistols, the FEG clones of the PP, PPK/S, and PPK, Beretta 81, and the mini 1911 style RIA and Kimber .380 pistols mentioned in my previous post, I also have a Bersa Thunder.

The fact that I forgot about it in my prior post speaks volumes. It is inexpensive ($250 new in the box less than a year ago). In fact, I bought two, one in. 380 ACP and the other in .22 LR ($225).

They are both accurate for the type and impressively reliable. The Bersa Thunder in .22 LR is very enjoyable to shoot, and the trigger is comparable to that on my Walther PP in .22 LR (a German military marked British L66A1).

However the Bersa in .380 is the most unpleasant .380 ACP pistol I've ever shot. Bersa got everything absolutely right if their goal was to maximize .380 ACP recoil. The front sight even objected to the abuse and parted company with the slide after about 100 rounds. (But on a positive note the front sight cost less than $10 to replace, was easy to find on line, and was here in less than a week.)

Despite the KBI imported FEG SMC being both smaller and lighter, it's more pleasant to shoot than the Bersa. It almost defies physics how obnoxious the Bersa Thunder is in .380 ACP.

Two stars, do not recommend.

 

[gdogs]

To carry, I highly recommend the Remington RM380. I've got two and they've both been 100% reliable. For a range gun, the Beretta 80 Series guns are hard to beat. I've got an 85F and an 86. A little big for 380's, but they fit the hand well and have very little recoil.

 

[M29since14]

I can't see any use for a .380 pistol these days unless it is Keltec/LCP-size. Of course a gun like that is certainly no target pistol, and barely tolerable to shoot enough just to maintain reasonable proficiency. Unless you're interested in a gun of that size/weight, I'd agree with the suggestion to try to sell the .380 ammo - and buy a P365 in 9x19.

 

[Buick]

That's true enough….at least as far as you've mentioned.

In addition to the Walther PPK/s pistols, the FEG clones of the PP, PPK/S, and PPK, Beretta 81, and the mini 1911 style RIA and Kimber .380 pistols mentioned in my previous post, I also have a Bersa Thunder.

The fact that I forgot about it in my prior post speaks volumes. It is inexpensive ($250 new in the box less than a year ago). In fact, I bought two, one in. 380 ACP and the other in .22 LR ($225).

They are both accurate for the type and impressively reliable. The Bersa Thunder in .22 LR is very enjoyable to shoot, and the trigger is comparable to that on my Walther PP in .22 LR (a German military marked British L66A1).

However the Bersa in .380 is the most unpleasant .380 ACP pistol I've ever shot. Bersa got everything absolutely right if their goal was to maximize .380 ACP recoil. The front sight even objected to the abuse and parted company with the slide after about 100 rounds. (But on a positive note the front sight cost less than $10 to replace, was easy to find on line, and was here in less than a week.)

Despite the KBI imported FEG SMC being both smaller and lighter, it's more pleasant to shoot than the Bersa. It almost defies physics how obnoxious the Bersa Thunder is in .380 ACP.

Two stars, do not recommend.

Thats odd. My wife and I enjoy shooting our Bersa .380 CC models. Thats the lightest and slimmest Bersa .380. Luckily the "sights" are integral with the slide and cant fly off.

 

[alwslate]

You already own the best .380 ever made, the 1934 Beretta. If you must have another one I suggest a Glock 42. Very durable and very reasonably priced for the quality. I have a bunch of .380s including a G42, 1934 Beretta and a Ruger LCP. You would not like plinking with a Ruger LCP.

 

[robvious]

a friend of mine had the same issue.. sold his ppk and had a couple thousand rounds of mix & match 380 to burn... he got a HiPoint 380 and some extra magazines... about $150... he and his son loaded magazines and shot until they couldn't feel their thumbs a few Saturdays in a row and made it thru the ammo... the HiPoint never skipped a beat and fed everything.... he the sold it for $135... problem solved.

 

[TheHobbyist]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone, it is sincerely appreciated.

I was sort of cleaning and organizing when I realized that after selling the PPK/s', it left me with just the Model of 1934. Please excuse the lapse in judgement, you all are correct, I definitely do not want to be burning up a bunch of ammo in a LCP. Fine gun all around, but I am looking more for a range toy.

I feel bad that I actually forgot about some of these options; thank you again for the reminder. How could I forget the Colt Mustang, Beretta's, Glock and others?

I'll update the post once I get something. My gut feeling is either the Beretta, Glock or Colt(s) mentioned above.

Best,

TH

 

[hittman77]

I have never owned a polymer 380 that was reliable.

That includes LCP and its big brother the LC380.

My recommendation would be what you've already gotten rid of; PP and PPK.

 

[gmiller0737]

I have 2 .380's a Original LCP that I pocket carried for quite a while & still have it snappy recoil & tiny sights but reliable replaced it 3 or so years back with a Glock 42 it's sights are far superior (Installed Glock Night Sights) feels better in the hand & much more accurate/shootable while still easy to pocket carry in a pocket holster.

 

[Old Newf]

The wife LOVES her Browning 1911-380.I can't say I blame her at all:it shoots tighter 10 yard groups than our Berreta M9A3.It's pretty fussy about cleanliness though.

 

[BC38]

Thats odd. My wife and I enjoy shooting our Bersa .380 CC models. Thats the lightest and slimmest Bersa .380. Luckily the "sights" are integral with the slide and cant fly off.

Agree 100%. The Bersa Thunder CC is one of the best shooting value priced pistols I've shot. My Colt Government Model 380 is softer shooting since it is an all-steel locked breach design, vs. the Bersa's aluminum frame and straight blow-back design. But for a lightweight alloy-framed CCW, the Bersa is a great gun for the money IMO.

 

[coltle6920]

I have never owned a polymer 380 that was reliable.

Curious as to what you mean by "reliable". Are we talking accuracy or mechanical function?

I own a Bersa Thunder Plus in 380 and while I haven't put 1000s of rounds through it yet it has proven to be quite accurate with no failures and minimal cleaning.

 

[BC38]

Curious as to what you mean by "reliable". Are we talking accuracy or mechanical function?

I own a Bersa Thunder Plus in 380 and while I haven't put 1000s of rounds through it yet it has proven to be quite accurate with no failures and minimal cleaning.

While I agree with your assessment of the Bersa, it doesn't fit the description of what he was talking about since it is alloy framed - not polymer.

FWIW, I have a polymer framed 380 that has been very reliable. A Taurus PT738 - a.k.a. a TCP. As long as you don't limp wrist it, it fires and cycles 100% of the time. If you do limp wrist it, then not so much, but that is a failing of the shooter, not the gun.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have a 9 year old LCP. No issues. No complaints.

I also have a 23 year old Bersa Thunder .380. See above ^^^.

 

[dsf]

I was given a few thousand rounds of 380 ACP FMJ ammo a while back - this is my favorite for range plinking:



High Standard Model GB. A pretty heavy pistol, great grip and a nice trigger.

Have a 2nd one on the way courtesy of a "bid & forgot about it" RIA auction.

 

[.357magger]

Choice #1

Colt Model M (1908) in 380.

Mine is circa 1924 and runs like a scalded cat, even with the original magazine and springs.

THE iconic 380 of the early 20th Century, if it's good enough for everyone from Fu Manchu to Mark Twain (not to mention Dillinger, Bogart, Patton, Eisenhower, the Shanghai Municipal Police, and many others worldwide)...it'll be a great addition to any collection. And one that will continue to appreciate in value.

They're great shooters to boot.

 

[BC38]

I was given a few thousand rounds of 380 ACP FMJ ammo a while back - this is my favorite for range plinking:

View attachment 587957

High Standard Model GB. A pretty heavy pistol, great grip and a nice trigger.

Have a 2nd one on the way courtesy of a "bid & forgot about it" RIA auction.

Too cool for school!
I can't say that I recall ever having seen the High Standard Model GB before. Kind of a High Standard 22LR on steroids. I LIKE IT!!
But I think I'd like being given a few thousand rounds of .380 even more!