S&W PPK/S, Bersa Thunderer, Kahr, Beretta, Sig 232

[Chaffee2]

I'm thinking of getting a .380 but up here the gun selection is not that great. I've handled the S&W and Sig and they fit me and seem like well made guns. The others I have not seen up here.

What are your opinions? Anyone have one of the guns mentioned in the title? Any others that would be better choice. Mostly just going to pack it when a bigger gun is not practical.

What .380 ammo do you all like?

[RYAN50BMG]

Umm, I don't think any here shoots a .380, at least not in public. :mrgreen:

[Chaffee2]

I knew none of you guys would shoot a .380. But I thought maybe someone may know of a Cali girlie-man that would have some experience with one :mrgreen:

[XJ]

:mrgreen:


http://www.glock.com/te_g19.htm

[KarlPMann]

Well, I had a Beretta 84BB years ago. I loved that little gun. It was large enough to be comfortable in my big hands, recoil was near non-existent, but it carried 13+1 IIRC. I liked it a LOT. Karl.

[chrisguy]

Umm, I don't think any here shoots a .380, at least not in public. :mrgreen:

<looks around, steps forward cautiously>

We bought a Bersa Thunder for my wife a couple months ago. I've only put maybe 120 thru it so far myself (yes, in public :roll:) , but I'm happy with it. Fit and finish is good for a "bargain" pistol, and I was surprised how well it grouped -- about the same as my trusty old 4" Ruger .357.

The straight blowback has some snap, but followup is very good. Only problem I've noticed is that after 100 rds straight, the left grip panel had worked a bit loose. Easy enough to tighten up a/o add some Loctite if you want.

Got it at a Tanner show from Matt and Gina (5280). Thing just disappears in a large pocket. I tested it w/ some baggy shorts and it didn't print at all. Had a couple misfeeds with the first few rounds but none since. You can get 'em NIB w/ one mag for about $250, maybe less if you look around or buy online.

Better to have something small on ya than something bigger/better in the safe at home, yadda yadda.

[Colorado Osprey]

What are your opinions? Anyone have one of the guns mentioned in the title? Any others that would be better choice. Mostly just going to pack it when a bigger gun is not practical.
I had a Sig 230 which was the predacessor (SP?) to the 232....only difference was mag release. I bet my life on it as a back-up weapon to my duty pistol. I have shot and owned a Walther PPK/S but they are natorious for bite in the web of your thumb....need a band-aid. Glock 26 are nice, but in 9mm. I have a baby Taurus PT-22 (22lr) when nothing bigger will suffice.
What I have settled on as a civi, is a compact revolver......they always work and you can carry a larger cartridge in a smaller package. Currently I use a 5 shot .357mag Taurus 605S.


What .380 ammo do you all like?
My Sig liked Cor-Bon +P JHP...they were almost the same energy as a standard 9mm....personally I see the 9mm as the absolute minimum in a gun fight. I've taken a 9mm and I'm still here with only a minor wound.

[cheapo]

I too had a Bersa 380. It is kind of a poor mans Walther PPK. It shot very well for me. I put rubber grips on it and it felt great. I was going to use it for my carry gun, but 2 things (and it is just me, better shooters have no problem), I had a hard time getting used to the upward motion safety, as opposed to most 1911 which are a downward release, and I just don't like the longer trigger pull on a DA/SA first shot. But, I like 380s. They are usually a very concealable CCW guns. My current carry gun is even smaller than the Bersa 380, it is a Kahr PM9, which I really like except for the rather long beakin preiod for an expensive pistol.

[Gman]

I have a .380 and actually shot it at the last shoot...in public. It is a 7.2oz. Kel-Tec P3AT. I prefer to carry something that has a caliber that begins with a "4". The P3AT can be carried when I can't get away with anything larger and disappears in a pocket holster.

[Chaffee2]

Thanks for all the replies. I put a Sig 230 on lay away it is like new with the factory test target and all the paperwork. Good timing as the local Big R had a sale on ammo so I picked up a bunch of PMC .380 for $7.99 with 15% off.

I'll bring it to one of the shoots next summer if you all promise not to laugh me off the range. :mrgreen:

[Richard K]

I like my Kahr PM9 for CCW. Why .380 and not a 9mm? Recoil is quite managable in the PM9.

[Obiwan]

"Umm, I don't think any here shoots a .380, at least not in public."

[roll]

[car-15]

.380's are like fat girls and moped's, you can play with them in private all you want, but you dont take them out in public. :mrgreen: