Also, they're a bit big to be a pocket carry firearm. Especially for most women I know.
That is so true, with all the subcompact 9mm handguns out there, .380 acp is no longer King of the hill.
The American PPK jams were due to tight chambers.
"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you, the Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say, you do not improve with age. Founding member of the G&A forum since 1996
check out a company called diamondback firearms they are making some nice 380,and 9mm pocket pistols with good sights imagine that
I looked at the .380 when I bought my LCP. Not bad but a few too many trigger breakage issues. The 9mm has issues with literally falling apart. Local dealer has had a lot of them come back with slides cracking and in some cases literally falling off the gun.
No, I do not have a pink fuzzy bunny fetish but apparently my Facebook hacking wife does.
As much as I don't like the trigger on the Bodyguard 380, I think it's one of the best options out there given your requirements. A few cautions:
1. Make sure you put several hundred rounds through the gun to check for trigger issues and laser malfunction. These are common problems for this gun, especially the earlier ones. The good thing is the S&W customer service is outstanding.
2. The thumb safety is very difficult to operate. Your wife needs to practice dis/engaging it until she's comfortable with it. Likewise with the trigger.
Al
ETA: I own an LCP, shot the Bodyguard 380, handled the SIG P238, owned PPK/S, NAA Guardian 380, and Beretta Tomcat 32
"In a controversy, the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth and have begun striving for ourselves." - Siddhartha Gautama
My personal choice for concealed carry is my BERSA .380 in the THUNDER Concealed Carry model. I like the pistol because it is very compact and a definite pocket pistol. I also like that it is steel and traditional double-action with an external hammer and safety/decock lever. The steel tames recoil. It is a well made and reasonably priced gun. I used to see this comment to describe it: Everything that the Walther PPK should have been.
My personal choice for concealed carry is my BERSA .380 in the THUNDER Concealed Carry model. I like the pistol because it is very compact and a definite pocket pistol.
You must have big pockets.
I agree that the Bersa is a very decent pistol for the money, but like the Walther it is a copy of, is too large for the firepower it can deliver. It is as difficult to conceal as quite a few modern 9mm designs, yet can only deliver a 9mm 'short.'
I looked at the .380 when I bought my LCP. Not bad but a few too many trigger breakage issues. The 9mm has issues with literally falling apart. Local dealer has had a lot of them come back with slides cracking and in some cases literally falling off the gun.
I noticed the 9 mm weighs a mere 11 ounces and many cautions against using +P ammo, I figure anything but weak ammo in such a firearm is pushing the envelope, it seems to be more of an Extreme BUG meant to be carried much and fired very little.
"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you, the Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say, you do not improve with age. Founding member of the G&A forum since 1996
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Sig P238. We've been selling them like it's going out of style. I've had the chance to shoot a few different 238's, and they're wonderful guns... like a tiny 1911 without the grip safety. Still has the thumb safety, and the trigger doesn't suck like the LCP's.
I just picked up a 238 SAS a couple weeks ago and I love it. My normal carry is a Sig 239, but the 238 is a perfect pocket gun as a backup or when wardrobe makes my normal rug difficult to conceal.
As a bonus, it is a blast to shoot and I'm a huge proponent of training with any carry gun. I never thought I'd find a pocket gun I would enjoy shooting, but the 238 is amazing, accurate and quickly becoming my favorite handgun at the range! I'm expecting to lose this one once my wife gives it a spin...
There are lots of options these days, but the Sig 238 is definitely work a close look if not out of your price range! Good luck!
Replies
That is so true, with all the subcompact 9mm handguns out there, .380 acp is no longer King of the hill.
The American PPK jams were due to tight chambers.
I looked at the .380 when I bought my LCP. Not bad but a few too many trigger breakage issues. The 9mm has issues with literally falling apart. Local dealer has had a lot of them come back with slides cracking and in some cases literally falling off the gun.
1. Make sure you put several hundred rounds through the gun to check for trigger issues and laser malfunction. These are common problems for this gun, especially the earlier ones. The good thing is the S&W customer service is outstanding.
2. The thumb safety is very difficult to operate. Your wife needs to practice dis/engaging it until she's comfortable with it. Likewise with the trigger.
Al
ETA: I own an LCP, shot the Bodyguard 380, handled the SIG P238, owned PPK/S, NAA Guardian 380, and Beretta Tomcat 32
Kenny "SureShift"
You must have big pockets.
I agree that the Bersa is a very decent pistol for the money, but like the Walther it is a copy of, is too large for the firepower it can deliver. It is as difficult to conceal as quite a few modern 9mm designs, yet can only deliver a 9mm 'short.'
I noticed the 9 mm weighs a mere 11 ounces and many cautions against using +P ammo, I figure anything but weak ammo in such a firearm is pushing the envelope, it seems to be more of an Extreme BUG meant to be carried much and fired very little.
I just picked up a 238 SAS a couple weeks ago and I love it. My normal carry is a Sig 239, but the 238 is a perfect pocket gun as a backup or when wardrobe makes my normal rug difficult to conceal.
As a bonus, it is a blast to shoot and I'm a huge proponent of training with any carry gun. I never thought I'd find a pocket gun I would enjoy shooting, but the 238 is amazing, accurate and quickly becoming my favorite handgun at the range! I'm expecting to lose this one once my wife gives it a spin...
There are lots of options these days, but the Sig 238 is definitely work a close look if not out of your price range! Good luck!
Regards,
Dutch