It's not a lot of the fun at the range as it is small and powerful and beats up your hand but it's not supposed to be. What a great gun although much bigger than the Sig. Josh is a gun writer with several years of experience, who has devoted his life to teaching people about firearms, while continuing to learn himself. Thats why the Kahr is the winner here. You left of far and away the best .380 on the market the Springfield 911, best of the bunch as far as recoil and a beautiful gun optically, sights are top of the line right out of the box. Also, I never carry a handgun in my pocket. Having more gun to hold on to helps you get better control of the gun. It eats anything you feed it. The Remora works great! Mine is the Tribal edition. One "embarrassing" point is, my wife Does use a 9mm. This is one very inexpensive pistol that works very well. Both run flawlessly. This gun has less felt recoil, is about the same size, super easy to conceal, but with 9mm firepower. I have qualified with it twice and I have full confidence in shot placement. PSs-I've owned/own Brownings, Rugers, Sigs, Smiths, Springfieldsadd Bersa to the list! For some of us the best 380, is actually going with a mini 9. Ruger LCP Max 380 ACP Pistol 4. up to the present, it cannot be ignored. However, by being super compact and lightweight the gun is quite snappy and simply not fun at the range. As I carry 9x19, I was trying to find out, what round has the smallest chance of overpen. A design that has been manufactured for 91 years! In my considered opinion anything less than either a 9 x 19mm, or a 45 ACP pistol is for people who dont know any better to drool over and covet. Either one will give a bad guy some reasons to reconsider his actions. I NEVER leave home w/o my Ruger on me! "When I put two in your chest an one in your forehead, you'll never know the difference.". Smokeless Powder, Black Powder, 209 Primers, as well as Fuses are shipped from our warehouse in conjunction with other items. Ruger sells the LCP II with a neoprene pocket holster (which has the Ruger logo on it), and it actually works quite well. Also, the P238 slide is easier to rack/manipulate than many other mouse-guns. For this reason, I recommend only 1911 style p238 firearm, hammer uncocked but a round in the chamber. Absolutely love this lil gun. I have read conflicting reports about it. 16 years and fired thousands of rounds through it. Of course, being retired I wear loose fitting cargo pocket pants/shorts. My two sons, their wives, my wife and I, and my wife's sister all have the P238. The 'P' series has a Lothar Walther match barrel - the thing is ridiculously accurate! I, too, love the Sigs. The Ruger LCP II, released by Ruger at the end of 2016, sought to remedy many of those downsides. A very fine pistol. The gun has that phenomenal Sig quality, is very comfortable in the hand and shoots extremely well! Colt Mustang XSP Lite Polymer 8. Easily the best .380 weapon out there in terms of cost, reliability, features & looks. After each gun's name, you'll see its average user rating, that rating's margin of error and the number of votes: 1) Diamondback Firearms DB380 (4.3 stars 1.0, 25 votes) It pains me to include the DB380 on this list because I bought one a couple years ago. I had to pass! Bought the Beretta Cheetah 84sf Nickel Probably one of the prettiest guns in the safe, shots very well and 13 round magizine's . I've heard the same thing about it being a bit picky on ammunition, but never experienced it. Its a common belief that pistols chambered in .380 ACP are great for newer shooters because the 9mm-short (as its sometimes called) is so small that guns shooting it are super low in recoil. Its internal mechanism has nothing like the Walther, not at all, other than its external appearance and that the spout is fixed. The 380 is in between the 22/25 pocket pistols and the 38spc/9mm sub compacts. Jimenez, Lorcin, Raven, Jennings, and a few I'm most certainly missing are all part of this certain category of firearms best described as junk. I could shave in it if I was inclined to do such a silly thing!!! I have fired hundreds of rounds to this little pistol with zero failures. LCP is a JAM-O-MATIC that I wouldnt trust my life to. Most people don't stand a 25-75 chance within 21 feet of an alert active attacker because they can't react, draw, point and shoot under stress in under 1.5 seconds. So Bodygard is "BETTER". The grip shape is comfortable and recoil is no worse than any other .380 pocket pistol. Snappy but controllable and also pretty accurate for the size. I've been armed for over 50 years on a daily basis. The .45ACP pushes harder, the .380ACP is a bit sharper, but with one in a heavy gun (31oz empty) and the other in a light gun (16oz loaded) they handle very similarly. I think the Pico would, on the other hand, please me the way my older S&W revolvers do, when I just handle them -they seem to ask for, and certainly get, appreciation as something more than a tool. I carry it cocked and locked. towards your level. We started with the drawbacks now lets hit some of the positives. Too low, imo. Because they are so small, they dont weigh a lot. Many years. I own 2 of your top 5; the Sig P238 and the S&W 380 EZ, plus, my 85 year old father owns the Ruger LCP and my friend the Bersa Thunder and both love them !! Hey Glenn, thanks for writing in! I bought the glock 42 and have used a lot of different ammo(hollow point and fmj) and it has never failed very nice gun, My bodyguard was $225 shipped. I go to the range often and am a big fan of the Walther PPQ and Creed models. The .38 spl. Its a small pocket gun with similar specifications to most every gun you did list. Yup, we're looking at an update this year! They're chambered for 25 ACP, 22 LR, 22 WMR, and 380 ACP, which are all small cartridges with relatively lightweight bullets and propellant charges. Another thing: With me the 40 S&W caliber is, also, out. Time is not on your side in a crisis. It should be stated here that, while Ive not had many malfunctions shooting one, this is my least familiar gun on the list and plenty of others have had picky ammunition issues from this pocket .380. It was to replace my LCP. Just like the crazies that are carrying guns illegally and using them criminally. All in all, I love it. Still very pleased with the gun. Even then, with properly chosen ammunition, the .38 has an edge in terms of kinetic energy and penetration. I don't need to make a case for it, it speaks for itself as most will know. It looks at over 1700 firearm incidents involving police, military or private citizen armed encounters and looks at the weapons used, incapacitation and lethal effectiveness. This is the round to go to in the 380. I watched my son in law shoot his 40 cal Glock at the range it blew a piece of the slide right out with normal ammo I think Remington, after calling them he sent all the pieces to them and they had the gun repaired all free but kept it 6 mos. I haven't fired one yet but every review I've seen says it's the best 380 trigger out there. Ive shot 3 on the list. They are meant to be defensive arms that can be easily carried in the pocket. Try lugging 500 rds of .223/556, 30/30, 7.62X39, .45, .40, 9mm, .38..think about it carefully..when weight is a premium??? "They get the job done, but several shots may need to be fired to get your point across." Made In United States of America i also see this,, bought the 42 with precision one ammo,, fired over 200 rounds yesterday,, excellent patterns at 25 and 50 feet,, also bought the haugh hand grips and the finger extension on the magazine,, realy helped on accuracy. Also, you can not use Plus P ammo with the S&W as the polymer frame and light spring will not tolerate the added pressure. But, if you can't find a reliable handgun, what's the point? Hey Jeff, it seems great in concept but haven't had any hands-on experience with it. The Sig was great w/ the Glock being my runner up. The article is about pocket .380s. I just purchased a S&W Bodyguard ($50 manufacturer's rebate through June). The problems: 1, Mag wouldn't load properly. The .380 cartridge is as nasty as any other small one! It is also the best shooter out of the very small .380s. It recently was retired to my safe in favor of the Glock 42. Buy your blasters, blaster parts . I like the others the LC-380 has a long smooth trigger pull like the RM-380, both are good I just don't care for that long pull. I know, I had 4 of them. I had a Ruger LCP and after the third round, the pistol began bouncing around in my hand, not good. You can check out ammo quest on YouTube for thorough ballistics testing and these are top for the .380. Have the Taurus TCP really like it. Practice, practice practice. I have a S&W BG that's basically a paperweight. I have lived in Alaska for over 50 years, and would not take it on a bear hunt, but it will do fine on 2 legged rats!!! Somewhere under a 9mm, and about equal to a .38 Special (depending upon the gun, barrel, ammo type, etc.). I routinely carried my duty weapon (early years .357 S & W mod 19) and back up .38 S & W Chief Special with +p ammo. I guess I'm just as a 1911 fan . See ya at the range. I'm not saying that there is any problem with a 380, but people shouldn't be swayed to a smaller firearm if a larger one suits their needs. "He must work for Taurus or at least a gun shop", you say.nope to both. in 50 rounds with the ammo selected by the range, presumably because they think its quality ammo. While the LCP II will accept the same 6 round magazines as the original LCP, it also will not slide lock on the last round with those magazines because they were not designed to do so. So well designed is the Walther PP Series Pistol, that it can be carried in complete safety, with live ammunition in the chamber, without activated safety, ready to be fired with just the trigger in Double Action, just like a revolver. As far as the nature of .380, I have always considered it adequate. Trigger feels like a revolver. Takes about 150 rounds through the gun to train your mind for the trigger pull and, in general, to get familiar with it. Testing so far yields great reliability with brass and self-defense ammobut it HATES steel cased stuff. We had one jam with my initial reload recipe, since corrected. Patrick O. Jams other 380 hollowpoint. I have put rounds through all of the pistols in your post. Barrel length is 3.675 inches, so you get accuracy and better performance from ammunition. I've shot thousands of rounds through it and truly can't recall a FTE or FTF ever. I don't care for the whole 1911 thing, I'd rather have a single or double action striker but this P238 is amazing. Oh, and the first time he put a full mag in the weapon three rounds came popping out for him just like it did for me!!! I traded it 2 weeks after buying it and the guy gave me $100 in trade! Anyway I decided to purchase the revot in spite of that absurd and stupid law. These write ups for .380 always list guns like the P238, colt mustang, etc.without explaining the issues with carrying SA only pistol (especially in a pocket). Well go over whats fact and whats fiction. Hi Chuck-I was thinking the exact same thing in regards to the trigger. Nothing beats the 9mm caliber when it comes to self-defense. This is typically not discussed or practiced. Or do other pocket guns eject toward the rear? Walther PPK 9. It always feeds, fires and ejects regardless of what ammo I feed through it. It's light. I've ran 100 rounds through the Sig P238 and not one issue , it is awesome , pricey but awesome . These tiny pistols, especially the really lightweight ones, tend to pull the front sight off target more than others because of the associated recoil. It's hard to find something online, as almost everyone is talking about JP/JHP rounds. 1 jam in the UC ii and 0 in the micro 9 both with 500 rounds through. The big thing to consider using these 380's is the ammo. Again, many thanks!!! White paint applied to the back of the sights with a tooth pick really help. Im with ya on the Remington RM380. He said the safety was hard to disengage. It weighs just over 10 ounces with a barrel length of 2.5 inches. I have lasers on the Kahr and Beretta. hand and it works well for me. It does not fail. It is also used by Underwood ammo who produces it in a +P and +P+ plus loads. - It's made in America (on the East coast of Florida) I prefer the 7 round extended magazine, plus 1 in the chamber. It also feels good and is stupid accurate. light, affordable, easy to master.see where I am going in a real BUG situation.one where you aren't looking to tangle but, with that much ammo you could pin down a group 2X larger or more if necessary out to a maaaaybe 125 yards effectively??? Not adjustable and too hard for me to comfortably see down. Good Luck and Good Hunting. I went to the range last weekend and intentionally gathered up all 380 reloads from my house that I could find. The Judge). Felt and shot like a Swiss watch, as it should. I read your article and found it very interesting and somewhat informative. As a side note, during the interim and before I found ammo that would feed consistently I purchased a Ruger LCRx in .38spl. I do think you missed the boat on adding the Springfield Armory 911 on your list. Can't go wrong with this one. I noticed the Kimber Micro .380 didn't make the list. I love mine. But both only had a max capacity of 6+1 rounds. My wifes CC gun is a Bersa 380 and mine is a Bersa 380CC. Yes there is a difference but not enough to be an issue. The sights on the LCP II are built into the top of the slide like its predecessor. Not sure what's with Ruger on returns for repair. That is good because that is where I see a lot of them ending up. I do like the Kimber Micro too. I watched a u tube vidoe and made a slight adjustment to the magazine and it runs like a champ now where as before it would failure to feed almost every other shot but the little tweek I made fixed the problem and I haven't had a failure of any kind since. TNP Main. Jams all Underwood Xtreme Penetrator or Defender. You need the quickest deployment possible and the point and shoot Seecamp is the only one that makes sense. That is why I also picked up the Baby Rock (a baby 45); solid steel frame made the same exact way Rock Island makes their 45's. If you plan to use it, train with it often. It's reliable, accurate enough and easily concealable no matter what you are wearing which is why I own one. I have both Cheetah and an LCP (with an upgraded trigger) and carry the LCP often for those reasons. , If I were to replace my Bodyguard the Ruger LCP would be my choice. and let me say Where the hell do you expect to conceal your .40 S&W on a 96 degree August day in Florida.! Looking for what is possibly the easiest gun to rackever? The short lived Sig P250 in .380 is my favorite. IWB in a Multihoster or a Remora (works for pocket, too), it hides very well. The Pearce grip extensions help with control. Think of center mass as the torso of your attacker. Thanks very informative article . The original is one of the biggest selling personal carry pistols of all time. Bought one. Had a stovepipe with a Hornady 90 gr Civil Defense, though. I have nothing bad to say about it except it feels cheaper than the others. It's about 30% heavier as a result, but it shoots awesome. I trust both. Ruger has proven that you dont need to have an arduous and gritty trigger pull on a .380 auto and its likely that more manufacturers will now follow their lead. Increiblemente yo cazo con pistolas .380, desde liebres, grandes tats, lagartos extremadamente resistentes, avestruces (algunos de ms de 80 kilos) Uso una walther pp, capaz de poner 5 tiros hornady en 1.5 " pulgadas a 25 mts, apoyado. It is slightly heavier, but packs a wallop with Corbon flying ashtrays. Google it. At the very least you should be able to place all of your rounds at center mass. That's not funny either. As long as its kept clean, the firearm is flawless. My favorite is the Ruger since the trigger pull is 4, maybe 5, lbs. Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more. It's cheaper than any of the guns in your list. The later is for personal defense There are pistols that can be relied upon to save your life in a surprise CQB pistol gunfight, and there are other pistols, like 380's, that do little more than make a handgun carrier feel safe. The best of class (IMHO) is the old P238 HD. Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 380 EZ 3. I felt bad about taking his $100. I've found the fit and overall feel of the pistol to be more favorable than the Sig 238. Carry it anyway you like, in a situation A little heavier than those in this article but re-aquisition is simple. With practice and qualifications I have shot 1,000 rounds and had no issues. Just get the Glock 19. Neither would I want my pistol's barrel to be anything less than 4 inches in length. Just bought a Sig P238 to replace a S&W Bodyguard that absolutely sucks. There is nothing magical about the the .410 slug, either. It also fits my hand perfectly and I can shoot it better. You might check on a Ruger-oriented forum, on Ruger's own website, or call Ruger customer service. I just shot a sig 238 at the range rented man that was a nice shooting gun and right on target every time. For me, the Glock works the best. I prefer these smaller pistols to large cannon-like guns b/c Im almost 51 years old and have a chronic illness which has caused Rheumatoid Arthritis in some of my joints, especially my hands. Bought my wife a Walther PK380 because with her arthritis , she can still rack the slide. Deep carry a kimber ultra raptor II for primary weapon. I recently looked at the ammo testing done by Shooting the Bull. The new LCP II has a light very crisp awesome trigger for a small .380. You forgot or ignored the Bersa Thunder 380. The S&W M&P line of pistols has a huge following from concealed carriers to law enforcement professionals for good reason. While the LCP II is still a small pocket pistol, Ruger made a number of improvements to it. I would recommend it. I wanted to LOVE the LCP because its SO easy to conceal. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. People have a right to not be a VICTIM and carry a gun for protection and to neutralize a criminal gun. Have you tried magazine extender that permits 3 finger grip, or does that magazine you mentioned offer that? Another good one not mentioned in your list: Remington's RM380, which like the Sig is all metal. the 22 LR is routinely maligned. No problem with the safety or trigger on M&P .380 Bodyguard. Fits my wife's hands as well as mine. Subscribe to Pew Pew Tactical's sales and deals email. From Reader Robert C: The Lehigh Defense Extreme Penetrator. Try the Remington RM380, it was a pleasant surprise. I don't think your experience here is typical for the LCP line and you are probably correct that it was due to being a rental. That can be both GOOD and BAD, but Beware of that trigger. Slide it on your waist band or pocket and you almost forget it's there, so I carry it all the time. Opens up a little bit more at 10 yards. This pistol is a real bargain and is one of the cheapest around. I guess everyone is into the crappy plastic guns. I have owned several in different calibers and have carried them on-duty and have the utmost confidence in them. I have extended mags for both but the LCP 2 is still a lot snappier then the sig making it harder to get back on target. 1966-1989, Surprised you left out the Walther PK. As a matter of fact is 1/2 inch longer than a Kahr CM9. I still have a bunch of old stock and they feed and shoot well. I've had a Kahr PM9 for years, thrown everything I could at it, and it has never failed to feed, fire, or lock the slide. Before the Colt Mustang there was the F.I. The original LCP is smaller, weighs over an ounce less, still has a decent trigger for a 380 and is straight up sleek and sexy. So maybe that's why it is not added to this concealed carry list. You forget it's even there. Great article--wishing I had spotted it before purchasing my Kahr P380 which pricewise is above everything on this list. Well done and VERY informative! trigger pull. Prior to purchasing mine, I surveyed the field and was sure to check out almost all the popular options on the market, including all of those listed here with the exception of the Bersa and Kahr (the S&W EZ .380 came out after I bought my 911.) It's hard to find a pocket-carry gun that can top the LCP II, but the new SIG P365 might do it for me. Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>, Guide to Holsters for Any Method You Carry. Thank you for that PPK History lesson! Place you live? The Precision One XTP round did excellent. It ultimately has to do with the ejector. Check them out. Make no mistake about it though, this gun, in my opinion, needs no holster because the gun is so sleek, a holster would hinder its use. I prefer my 357 Mag but I'm seriously considering a 380 due to their size and less recoil. My personal opinion, the Walther is vastly superior to the Smith Bodyguard. I'm very petite so I didn't want firearm with a lot of kick because it could cause me to lose balance and accuracy. The size and weight make it very easy to carry especially with the screw on belt clip. Center mass has never been a problem from the get go. I usually carry pistols in these calibers, .380, 9mm, and .45. Getting hit in center body mass with 95 - 100 gr hollow point will take the fight out of 95% of the human population. If I can't wear my 9mm Shield 2.0 the Bodyguard is my next choice and I have no doubt it will perform effectively in a life and death situation. Then there are the teeny tiny sights. First time I shot it the slide cut my thumb. I bought a ruger LCP I love it the long trigger pull makes it a excellent pocket pistol. And like many of us, we have/or have had a bunch of weapons..some very nice..and some inexpensive. It's hard to not be a Glock fan..it really is. Also, if you keep track of the previous Bersa models and study the mechanism of the Bersa Thunder and compare it with the Beretta 70 and 71, you will be able to confirm what I am saying here. Glock 42 is the best pocket rocket I've shot yet.. Wow, what a horrible experience. Rock Island Armory Baby Rock 7. The 911 has a light, crisp SAO trigger, great night sights, and the 7+1 extended magazine has enough grip to make it easy to shoot. I also just purchased the Rock Island Baby Rock, another great 380. I am a firearm owner and I have made a choice not to carry a gun. This makes me nervous so Ive always sought help to clear the chambered bullet but now I know what to do! Being S&W & a Ruger fan, I was so disappointed in the Bodygaurd & the LCP. Use Winchester FMJ for practice and Speer Gold Dot HP for carry. A review of .380s and no mention at all of Springfield's excellent 911? Carry sig in ankle holster . True, it is to stop the threat. I have a 1st edition LCP. It has a slide stop (not too useful as a slide release but it holds the slide back when you're empty), and second-strike capability which I've had to use. I've never regretted my choice.it is awesome. Small, sleek, thin, no snag points on it, mostly all metal. LCP2 was pretty nice, especially with an LGS price of $280. The few failures I have had maybe are my fault. Model D, based on a Star design that goes back to the 1920's. I have no problem running ball and hollowpoint ammo in it. The plastic grip sides come loose after shooting it. I could go on and on. I'm sure your testing will help out some of the other readers. So given all this my LCP is in the category called "GOOD". If you take aim at an attacker with your .380 pistol but miss four out of five shots, you may just end up angering the person coming at you. Some derringers, like the Bond Arms derringers, are brilliantly crafted guns. I don't know why the author didn't include it in the article but it's lower in cost than any gun in this article AND, it has a higher capacity than any gun in this article AND, it's smaller in some dimensions and lighter than a number of guns in this article!!! Sig Sauer P365 380 Optics Ready 2. But despite those advantages, .380 pocket pistols have also been plagued by a number of downsides. all. It's a joke. I added a Crimson Trace green laser to the Glock 42 and it works great. It's oh so slightly bigger (barely) than a Glock 42. This only naturally makes it more difficult to fire properly like we just talked about. I also carry an extra mag. The Sig has a more "boxy" feeling to the slide, whereas the Kimber's slide is more "melted" along the edges, making for a more comfortable pistol for all day carry. Solid, all metal gun. I just recently purchased the SW M&P .380 EZ which is also sweet. Hard to believe you put the Kahr on a top 5 list. Best .380 (arguable, I know), best carry features (arguable, I know), best price for a P238 (can't argue there). I love my Bersa Thunder Combat. And for the record, I don't work for Kimber. Joshua, do you pull any weight at Ruger? Check out our Best Places to Buy Ammo Online or jump straight to .380 ACP self-defense rounds. And just like my performance center 9mm shield it will run anything without fail. It speaks to me in a purely utilitarian language, which is fine, it has it's place. May as well have a 9mm for about the same size. However, I highly recommend that you opt for the extended magazine to get use of your pinky and the extra round. Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. It goes on for miles and catches me off guard every time I go for more than a short time without firing it. had the 40 cal. Compared to my Taurus PT 709 Slim it is harder to be accurate but worth it from a carry standpoint. While I dont personally own one, Ive fired my fair share and can say that they are reliable and accurate. But, all it took was a disassembly and careful stoning job. Great reviews, here 's my 2 cents. I strongly suggest that you practice with both for two reasons: Pocket .380s are great firearms if its what you carry for self-defense. I laugh at all those that say a .380 is enough gun to get you killed.Really, Having No gun will get you killed ! I bought it used, based on discussions with an off-duty police officer. What do you, or you guys, think about 380 caliber gun( converted zoraki) with extended mag? Select what level shooter you are! I was worried seeing a lot of internet Kimber slamming between the time I bought the pistol and the time I had a chance to run it. It's kind of like the old Sears "Good, Better, Best" thing. I own a Taurus TCP 738 which I upgraded with Galloway trigger and springs and NiteSighter sight dots. You can still find some of the more garishly (rainbow?) 2 major things I would contest though: Ruger did a very nice job here. It is also fully automatic and is suprisingly loud. Very fine gun overall. It fit my large hands and short fingers. When a gun is light in weight, it doesnt help dampen recoil as much as a heavier gun does. Taurus really dumped in their lunch bucket when they discontinued the TCP738 and replaced it with the Spectrum which is, Ive read, as you describe. Highly recommend both, the Bersa Thunder and the ammo, Hornady Critical Defense. No idea what he is talking about when he mentions the safety being hard to engage, but I guess you gotta make one pistol the scapegoat lmao. I've owned a number of 380 carry guns, the Beretta 84FS and the 85FS My favorite was the Beretta 85FS. Wowno North American Arms Guardian .380? A friend of mine carried a gun for months with ammo that didnt cycle. The LCP II also features forward and rear serrations on the slide, whereas the original LCP only featured serrations on the rear. The 938 is very close in size and does have a more punch. Accurate and nice to hold, great controls. I have had this firearm for approx. and pistols shooting shotgun rounds are very effective (e.g. I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, but now I have two. The 380 caliber pistol has the power to defend you while still being small enough to be concealed and easy to handle. 6 I get the mag in, release the slide and it doesn't go fully into battery. Changing brands of ammunition might help. I practice with the .380, but my sweet shooting Shield is still my favorite range gun. (As a 31-year Army combat vet I appreciate decent sights; yes, even on a pistol that is generally considered a "short range" solution.) I did get a .380 3 or so years ago. Should be on the list! That's about 150% more kinetic energy than the .380 can bring to bear!