.380
 

Hey i was looking at the Walther PPK/S which comes in .380 as my first concealed carry. What do you know about the .380 round, decent knock down? Any info on the caliber is appreciated!

RE: .380
 

The only real "advantage" of the .380 is the smaller packages it's available in. Having carried a 9mm (the .380's big brother) in Iraq, it's difficult to convey the sense of being "without apparel" that you feel with it - and it's more "powerful" than the .380.

The PPK is a nice little firearm, but I think I'd look into one of the newer, compact .40s or .45s and skip the .380. Or maybe check into a big can ofpepper spray instead?

Sorry - while I own two 9mms, I purchased both before my life depended on one. Thank God for the M16/M4.

RE: .380
 

Every forum has reports and opinions on the gun and cartridge in question. Try the forums and do some searches.

RE: .380
 

New developments in ammo have made the .380 more effective, but it has also done the same for every other cart out there. I personally carry a 9mm, and on occasion, a .41 magnum. I would stick with 9mm or bigger.

RE: .380
 

One thing to get straight right off the bat is that there is NO SUCH THING as "knockdown"!

When the Army was first experimenting with Kevlar as body armor, I personally witnessed a demonstration at Ft. Bragg, NC., in which a sergeant using a "catcher's mitt" made from Kevlar CAUGHT .45 ACP 230- grain hardball bullets that were fiired at his "mitt" from 10 feet away. His hand snapped back upon bullet impact about the same amount as the firer's hand did when the pistol was fired. The catcher then held out his hand to show us the bullet he had just caught. This pretty much disproves the old myth about a person being "knocked off his feet" by the impact of the .45, regardless of where the bullet hit! This is pure BS! And the .380 delivers about half that amount of energy!

In order for a bullet, any bullet that a human can fire from an idividual weapon of any sort, to stop an attacker (or game animal!!), it MUST disrupt some significant bodily function. This means one must place the bullet well in order for this to happen.

That said, the .380 is a pretty decent little round in a small, concealable handgun. About the only thing better is a .40 or the .45 ACP in a little gun like the discontinued Star PD or a .45 of similar size & weight.

Regardless of what you get, marksmanship is still needed!!

RE: .380
 

My favorite CCW is a S&W Sigma in .380. Small, lightweight, and I have shot it enough to know I sure wouldn't want to be on the receiving end......

RE: .380
 

I own 4 Colt Govt. .380's. and had a 5th that was stolen. They are wonderful LITTLE guns, that are highly concealable. I think they are a super carry gun. I carry that or an HK USP Compact in .40 cal. There are times when carrying the HK is next to impossible, but that .380 Colt really hides up nice..... It has now gotten to where I carry one of the .380's more than any other carry gun I own.

I am not in a war zone, but I guess you could say I still am staking my life on it , just the same.

God bless,

Michael

RE: .380
 

9mm and .380 are the same caliber. ;)

RE: .380
 

Try putting a 9 in your .380, and let me know how it works. Similar bullet, different cart.

RE: .380
 

No kiddin'! However, the statement was that the 9mm was bigger. I took that as pertaining to caliber as I'm sure most would not cartridge length. Very seldom is cartridge length a real selling point or topical discussion where energy and terminal performance is the topic. That said, I responded by simply stating that the common 9mmParabellm cartridge and the .380 ACP cartrdge which was the original topic are both the same size caliber. Both are .355 caliber, not one being bigger as was posted.
Cartridge length is not automatically a "bigger= more power" anymore than larger calibers automatically equaling more power.

Same bullet different cartridge. I didn't say the 9mmParabellum would chamber in a .380. I stated they were indeed the same caliber.

RE: .380
 

I have a colt 380 and that is my ccw, I also have a browning 9mm and a couple 45's but they are just too big and bulky for my liking. I have never concerned myself with whether it is big enough or not, when I was in high school I worked in a morgue part time and let me say this a .22 willterminate someone if needed.....

RE: .380
 

Generally, when one refers to a cartridge as ".308" here on the forum, most of us think ".308 Winchester", not ".308 Norma Magnum". Same thing goes for "9mm".

The COMMON reference to "9mm" anymore is the "9mm Pararbellum", or "9x19mm NATO", not the "9mm Largo/9x23mm."

Though some will errantly say "caliber" when they mean "chambering" or "cartridge", most of the postings above clearly indicate a discussion regarding cartridges.

RE: .380
 

If you want to get technical, then yes, they use the same bullet. However most would take what you said to mean they are the same round, which they are indeed not. The .380 is more like a 9mm short.

When comparing federal's Hydroshock loadings the .380 is slightly less powerful than a .38 special. Getting similar velocities out of a lighter bullet. When you step up to the 9mm you can get the same velocity with a bullet that is almost 50 grns heavier. Not to mention the availability of 9mm ammo and probably less cost as well. And with some +P loads you can get similar ballistics to a standard .357 mag.

The Walther .380s are nice guns though, I owned one for a while. My only complaint was that it wasn't very accurate. After owning both, for me I would opt for a compact 9mm over the 380.

Paul

RE: .380
 

Relax, I was just giving you a little grief. I just like the 9mm because it has little more punch. Having been shot with both a .380 and a 9mm, I can tell you the 9 is a better way to go. I carry a 9 mainly because my wife can shoot it easily. When she tried the .40 at the range, it was a bit much for her, so I got the Glock 26 so we could both carry it. I don't think I'll ever get her to shoot the .41 mag.

RE: .380
 

Woaw ... dude.... Big tiny ... you been shot with both a .380 and a 9mm ...??? And you are still letting the wife handle your guns..... mannnnn we need to talk...:D

MET

RE: .380
 

"Woaw ... dude.... Big tiny ... you been shot with both a .380 and a 9mm ...??? And you are still letting the wife handle your guns..... mannnnn we need to talk...:D

MET "


[8D][8D][8D]

RE: .380
 

It wasn't my wife that shot me! :D:D:D

RE: .380
 

Carry a gun that you will carry! A gun you leave in the car or in the safe at homeis no good to you. I have a 9mm, a 357 revolver, and a sub-compact380. I bought the 9mm & 357 first but found I was leaving them at home and even though they arecompact models,they still made me uncomfortable as they were bulkier and heavier. Now, I almost always carry the 380 because I can slip in the pocket of my shorts or inside a windbreaker and it is not noticable and is light to carry.

Anyway, I'm not looking to get into a gun fight and don't hang around some of the less desirable areas of town, so I just want something to fall back on if the unexpected happens.

RE: .380
 

Texas Bow Hunter Quote: "I have a colt 380 and that is my ccw, I also have a browning 9mm and a couple 45's but they are just too big and bulky for my liking. I have never concerned myself with whether it is big enough or not, when I was in high school I worked in a morgue part time and let me say this a .22 willterminate someone if needed..... "

The morgue? Dude, they were already dead when you shot them!

RE: .380
 

I have a Bersa 380, and it's a great little CCW gun. Nothing wrong with a 380 IMO. Yes there are bigger badder rounds but then they guns that shoot them are bigger and harder to conceal. With today's ammo choices, the 380 can be a good round for a carry gun. I believe Corbon makes a good defense round for the 380.

And the 380 is nothing more/less than a "9mm short" basically. I would NOT shy away from the 380 if it's a gun you can conceal and shoot well.

RE: .380
 

Bigdawg - Before you go purchasing the Walther (and I know I'm going to get grief on this) - but look into the Bersa Thunder. There are a lot of reviews on this pistol. And all basically will tell you the same thing. It is as reliable as the Walther, almost identical in appearance/feel, but without the cost.
After reading these reviews I purchased one with the two tone finish. After hundreds of rounds, this pistol has never jammed, stove piped or otherwise malfunctioned.
As for concealability, it fits comfortably inside my waist band under a shirt, and can easily be hidden in the pocket of my looser fitting shorts. I've carried it this way many times and even my wife never knew I had it with me. (guess she thought I was happy to see her).

RE: .380
 

Still waiting on a better story then "it wasn't my wife.''

RE: .380
 

I knew I should have been more clear on this statement...:D
There were several subjects that came through the there that were terminated with .22 caliber weapons while I worked there.

RE: .380
 

I heard a quote somewhere recently that went something like:

"I carry a handgun when I'm 100% sure that I'm NOT going to get into a gunfight. Otherwise I carry a rifle."

A concealed carry pistol in .380 is certainly better than nothing, and may save your life. I don't remember the statistics, but a large number of crimes are averted by someone just pulling out a firearm without ever shooting it. Besides, a well-placed shot by a well constructed .380 round will certainly kill someone pretty quickly. Shot placement with handgun rounds is key.

Get a .380 and practice a lot with it, especially fast shooting at close ranges. Most handgun engagements happen very quickly and at very close range, and your shots need to count.

RE: .380
 

OK, the 9mm that got me was from a mental patient in a wheelchair. I was still in uniform back then, so the vest caught one of them, and another went just above the collar, missed my collar bone and sunk into the muscle behind. Felt like I got hit with a brick. Fortunately, the nutjob was cheap and was shooting a Jennings, which jammed after about 4 shots.

The .380 that got me was on a UC drug buy that turned into a rip. I had no vest and went in unarmed(it was necessary, long story). The guy popped me from across a coffee table. I was up before he got the weapon out, and one went just under my arm and took out my transmitter, so my friends down the block didn't know it was a rip, they just thought I was having equipment trouble. The second one dug into my abdominal region, to my left. I didn't even know I was hit until later. The shot that hit my transmitter registered, but not the second one. He didn't get off a third shot, things kinda got ugly.

RE: .380
 

Yup brother, that sounds a whole lot better than my wife kicked my arse on night and was one pizzed off woman and shot me........ cop stuff sounds better......;):D;):D

MET

RE: .380
 

Thank for the explanation.My life seems so boring now.

RE: .380
 

I'm out of the game now, so mine is boring too. Not such a bad thing...

RE: .380
 

sum up a 380 in a nutshell?


Worthless and puny.:)

RE: .380
 

380 is my backup weapon. As it was described to me years ago its an ear, nose and throat gun. Place your shot into one of those three areas.
I carry a Glock 23 40cal. for off duty carry, and a Sig229 40cal on duty.I am switching to a 38+p for a backup gun next week.

In my opinion, a 380 is not the ideal ccw, but its better than nothing, there are numerous accounts of how well and how bad they have performed.
You mayalso want to look into asub-compact glock in any other caliber of your choosing (9mm, 40, 45, 357sig etc), orpossibly the hk p2000 in 9mm and don't over look the Jframe revolvers, in 357 or 38. all these guns will fit into the same price range. (except the p2000)