Any other revolver guys/gals having a hard time going to the other side?

[David Lapell]

I have never had a problem going to the dark side when I buy a Ruger or maybe a Colt, but you really have turned Sith when you buy a Taurus!

[LeMat]

The nice thing about the LCP is that it can be with you at all times without any sort of discomfort. Just throw it in your pocket and carry on. I've had one in my pocket pretty much every day for over two years now.

That being said, it really does spoil you for carrying a larger, heavier gun. And it would surprise you just how heavy those lighter guns are after carrying an LCP. I find it rather a chore to strap on something heavier than 12 oz (about the weight of a loaded LCP).

I reload for mine and for the price of four boxes of 45 ACP, I can buy 1,000 95gr LRN pills and load to my heart's content. And with much less discomfort and wear on the gun from shooting factory loads. I don't think the .380 is the best, but it's always with me and that's something anyway. If I feel the need to pack something with a little more oomph, then I'll do so.

If you're comfortable with the possibility that it might actually get more carry time than many of your other favorites, then I'd go for it. If that's something you're not really comfortable with, I'd stick with what you have.

[Injunbro]

I own & trust several revolvers... the only centerfire auto I own is a Glock 26 that has proven totally dependable in any position w/ any load. My pocket gun is a American Arms .38 double action derringer. I don't care for the .380 round but any gun is better than none when you need one. However, I'd make sure it was absolutely dependable 100% percent of the time before I trusted one w/ my life & that of my loved ones.

[DocZeus]

If the .380 Auto is REALLY your "thing", and at the risk of being ostracized here, have you considered a Kel-Tec P3AT?

I have three of them (one "hard-chromed" slide, and two parkerized-slide ones), and they've never failed to go "bang" when I pulled the trigger......Granted, sights are non-existent, but they're designed as a "turn-me-loose", belly-gun anyway. If there's a smaller, flatter, LIGHTER, and easier-to-carry .380 Auto out there, I haven't found it yet....Best part about the Kel-Tec's are, I paid $255 for the Hard-Chromed one, and $215 apiece for the parkerized ones (on sale).....



I can only take pics of two of 'em right now....The Wife has the other one tucked away in her purse as a BUG, it's a parkerized steel one, too. In the pic above, the OD Green/HardChromed one is stoked with "Pow'R'Ball" ammo, and the parkerized one is stoked with Federal Hydra-Shok's....The Wife carries the Pow'R'Ball loading in hers.....It has a "ball-ammo" profile, covering the hollow-point, for less possible feeding problems and to prevent clogging of the hollowpoint with fabric during penetration, though NONE of mine have EVER had a FTF or FTE with ANY quality .380 ammo I've stuffed in them....and their accuracy will SURPRISE YOU, if you do your part....

Here's a few links to a local shop that carries the Kel-Tec's, and where I bought two of mine.....Not bad, considering today's prices:

Kel-Tec P-3AT Hard Chrome Green Grip 380 ACP 2.76" Bbl

Kel-Tec P-3AT 380ACP Parkerized Black Grip

Here's my usual method of "pocket-carry" when I do carry a P3AT, and old, AMERICAN-MADE Uncle Mike's pocket holster....



And there are a few .380 factory loadings, if you do not reload, that are fairly powerful in it's class. Nowhere NEAR a 9mm or .45 ACP, but "minute of eye socket" accurate and powerful:



If you don't mind carrying the extra weight, and as GearChecker (Gregory) is finding out now, and you have the cash, you can NOT beat a Colt in .380 Auto caliber:



The longer barrel on the Colt wrings out the best potential for the fairly-weak (by 9mm standards) .380 Auto round.....Here's a few pics of a recovered bullet, it's one of the Remington 88-grain .380's in the ammo box pics above, and was recovered from a 4"x4" post at a range I used to frequent, from a range of 20 yards:





Expansion was impressive on this loading, and I've found it to be ultra-consistent in expanding uniformly.....when I fired this 88-grain hollowpoint load over a buddy's chronograph, out of the above-pictured Colt .380, it clocked 1090 fps.....not bad for a "weak" round.

I, too, would suggest a larger caliber, but if you've settled on the .380 Auto, PRACTICE with it a lot, and SHOT PLACEMENT is EVERYTHING on these smaller, weaker rounds.

Okay, let the Kel-Tec Crucifixion Begin.....

DocZeus
AKA
David

[1 old 0311]

The odds of a civilian, well one who isn't a bouncer in a Hells Angels bar, guard for a drug king pin, or a doorman at a crackhouse, is less that 1% BUT when you need it you really need it. For that reason this is my choice.

[Forester]

I do know what you mean. Currently without a center fire pistol. Every time I think I need to add a pistol, I see a nice revolver I just have to have.

[Injunbro]

[QUOTE=1 old 0311;133141]The odds of a civilian, well one who isn't a bouncer in a Hells Angels bar, guard for a drug king pin, or a doorman at a crackhouse, is less that 1% BUT when you need it you really need it. For that reason this is my choice.


Less than 1%? OH, OH! We must be living wrong! My wife & I have 3 incidents when we needed handguns for defense... 1 mountain lion (me), 1 mean dog (her) & 1 particularly aggressive rattler (both). Maybe we should give up this clean living lifestyle & take up knitting or something...

[Bob K]

Tripplelock is driving me nuts over those K-frames. Still my favorites.

A lot of members tend to agree with you about K frames. I carry the J frame M-36 alot more...... simply because it is easier to conceal, and saves 10 ounces compared to the M-10. But.....I do prefer to shoot the K frame. The 36 is my "Kit Gun". It's just handier to have around. Bob

[19and41]

I own a P3AT also, I've had no problems with it nor it's laserguard. I'm ok with it's box looking more expensive than the gun, as long as the gun performs.

[Dalan]

My brother has two. He loves it. He bought the second one used, it was cheap. Fits in a pocket, or anywhere.

I do not do .380. My hands are big, .380 ammo is not cheap. I do not want to reload it, because of my fumble fingers.

My Ruger SR9c gets it for me. Concealable. If I want a revolver (I prefer them) then I have my Ruger SP 101 in .327 Federal.

All my Smiths are larger guns, mostly N frames. But the gun that may save your life is the one you may carry. In my mind, the .380 is not a HD cartridge. But even a .22 LR is better than nothing, and often comes out on top. Any cartridge and gun tops nothing. And the gun you mention can go anywhere on a body, with no printing, or other issues.