What's your favorite 380?

[Mitch Rapp]

Curious what .380 is the favorite to actually SHOOT?

Hated wifeys PPK and very much disliked my LCP. Wifey also had a P238 at one point that wasnt too bad. I kinda liked it, but she couldnt get used to carryng in Condition 1, so it got sold, too.
My daughter has a Walther PK380 that is actually a pretty nice little shooter. Probably the one I like most of all of them

 

[Cocked & Locked]

All time favorite .380 to carry and shoot is the Glock 42.

 

[Radar]

All time favorite .380 to carry and shoot is the Glock 42. View attachment 605670

That 42 is hard to beat. I sold mine for a 43 several years back and I still carry the 43 or a 365 most days. The 43 is honestly hard to beat in 9mm. Granted the early 42’s had some issues when they first arrived on the market, but Glock fixed them quickly and they are just like any other Glock, reliable and rugged.

 

[mellocollins]

I like my old Star Super S. Same size the baby browning but, uses a tilting barrel locked breach instead of straight blow back and a steel frame. Very soft shooting little pistol. More recoil than my beretta or Walther 32acp but, much less than full size 9mm. It is a great step when training a new shooter.

 

[RegularJoeGunGuy]

I have a love / hate relationship with 380 pistols. I want to like them because they're just so damn small & convenient. But I hate them because they're just so small and inconvenient to shoot lol. That being said, my favorite used to be my Beretta Chieftain. But alas, it's not mine anymore. So, I'll go with the little Glock 42 for now. .....but....there's always a but....there are two interesting offerings in 380 out or coming out by Beretta (80x I think) and one by Girsan? Not sure on that model name/number. We'll see.

 

[jimmyjames8]

S&W 380 Bodyguard. Great little pocket gun. Ive had others but they were all the about the same weight and size of a 9mm so why not carry a 9 for the same size and weight penalty.

 

[cubrock]

 

[Average Joe]

I have a love / hate relationship with 380 pistols. I want to like them because they're just so damn small & convenient. But I hate them because they're just so small and inconvenient to shoot lol. That being said, my favorite used to be my Beretta Chieftain. But alas, it's not mine anymore. So, I'll go with the little Glock 42 for now. .....but....there's always a but....there are two interesting offerings in 380 out or coming out by Beretta (80x I think) and one by Girsan? Not sure on that model name/number. We'll see.

I’m wanting to get my hands on the Girsan. Hope it shoots as good as their 1911s. The model number MC 14T

 

[JohnFreeman]

My butt ugly P3AT. That thing has been with me a long time and I carry it everywhere.
Terrible gun to shoot, but if needed, that'll never be noticed.

 

[Pop N Shots]

Bersa 380 plus. Love that little gun.

 

[RegularJoeGunGuy]

I’m wanting to get my hands on the Girsan. Hope it shoots as good as their 1911s. The model number MC 14T

Thanks for the model number. Frankly, I think I'd rather have the Girsan vs. the Beretta.

 

[Bull Durham]

Loving my LCP Max.
It has supplanted my faithful little LCP II.

 

[Red Marley]

OK, you asked what's my favorite 380 to shoot: Browning 1911-380. I have others that stand out in one way or another, but this is the one I always want to shoot; it's about 7/8 the size of a Govt 1911, half the weight and only 3/4" wide at the slide. I think @MacEntyre has one too. Super fun to shoot.

I have an LCP and P3AT for pocket carry; as posted above, they are not exactly the most fun pistols to shoot. This one is.

 

[kcult]

Browning BDA

Beretta 85 and 84

View attachment 605661

One of the guns I wish I had back is my nickel BDA380. That was one awesome pistol.

I had it and the Berreta 84 at the same time.

 

[specops56]

The stainless Walther PPK/S I gave my wife for our first anniversary in 1987.

Terry

 

[JohnFreeman]

OK, you asked what's my favorite 380 to shoot: Browning 1911-380. I have others that stand out in one way or another, but this is the one I always want to shoot; it's about 7/8 the size of a Govt 1911, half the weight and only 3/4" wide at the slide. I think @MacEntyre has one too. Super fun to shoot.
View attachment 611614
I have an LCP and P3AT for pocket carry; as posted above, they are not exactly the most fun pistols to shoot. This one is.

That's a real beauty.

 

[Timfoilhat]

Only .380 I own is a Feg APK. It's like a PPK knockoff. Terrible trigger from the factory. Double action exceeded my trigger scale at around 20 pounds. I put a new lighter spring in it and got it down to something more reasonable, but it still sucks to shoot.

 

[JohnFreeman]

Only .380 I own is a Feg APK. It's like a PPK knockoff. Terrible trigger from the factory. Double action exceeded my trigger scale at around 20 pounds. I put a new lighter spring in it and got it down to something more reasonable, but it still sucks to shoot.

I have the PA63 (circa 1994?) and it's got a sweet trigger . I paid $99 back in the day. Wonder what the diff is between the two?

 

[Timfoilhat]

I have the PA63 (circa 1994?) and it's got a sweet trigger . I paid $99 back in the day. Wonder what the diff is between the two?

Manowar's Hungarian Weapons & History

Manowar's Hungarian Weapons & History, Feg, Frommer, Femaru, Mannlicher, Werndl, Steyr, Budapest, Roth, Gasser, Danuvia, FegArmy

hungariae.com

Best resource to find out.

 

[Mr. Bggs]

OK, you asked what's my favorite 380 to shoot: Browning 1911-380. I have others that stand out in one way or another, but this is the one I always want to shoot; it's about 7/8 the size of a Govt 1911, half the weight and only 3/4" wide at the slide. I think @MacEntyre has one too. Super fun to shoot.
View attachment 611614
I have an LCP and P3AT for pocket carry; as posted above, they are not exactly the most fun pistols to shoot. This one is.

Is that frame steel?

 

[Red Marley]

Is that frame steel?

Frame is polymer.

 

[Mr. Bggs]

Frame is polymer.

I've always wanted one but i was hoping for an all metal version. That thing looks amazing!

 

[Red Marley]

I've always wanted one but i was hoping for an all metal version. That thing looks amazing!

Ironically, the .22s are all metal, or at least they were when they came out.

 

[Mr. Bggs]

Ironically, the .22s are all metal, or at least they were when they came out.

I remember that. Then when the 380 came out i got all excited and then saw they were polymer frames...

 

[Horerczy]

My favorite would be the CZ83 I used to have. Good weight and capacity. Sold it to my dad because he needed it more than I do. It still serves him today.

 

[xtp308]

AMT backup. Mine's been great.

 

[saiga12shooter]

Fave 380 would have to be between my Colt Mustang MKIV and the Browning BDA. It would be hard for me to pick between those.

 

[raven911]

My Bersa 380

Same. Love that little thing.

 

[JRV]

This:



Carried in this:



I hated PPKs until I shot a pre-GCA German one. The trigger is smooth and manageable.

 

[Rune]

My favorite .380 i own happensto be the only .380 I own - P230.



My favorite one that I’ve shot and isn’t at home is a P238. (Though I promise I’m not a SIG fanboy.) In a “one that got away” story, I had found a Legion model at my FLGS pre-COVID with 3 magazines tagged in the upper $400s.

Unfortunately, my wife had threatened to shoot me with the next firearm I came home with, so it stayed in the case at the store. Looking back at it now, I wish I had attempted to call her bluff.

 

[raven911]

My daily carry set up

 

[bondjamesbond]

The best 380 I have ever shot and also own is a Beretta 84bb.

 

[THE PUNISHER]

When my ruger lcp in 380 would bounce bullets back at me when I shot it (target on a plywood board) I sold it and anything in 380…

 

[Average Joe]

When my ruger lcp in 380 would bounce bullets back at me when I shot it (target on a plywood board) I sold it and anything in 380…

Ok, you just can’t say something like that without more details. So what’s the details! That’s crazy.

 

[JRV]

When my ruger lcp in 380 would bounce bullets back at me when I shot it (target on a plywood board) I sold it and anything in 380…

Okay, but what’s your favorite .380?

 

[specops56]

When my ruger lcp in 380 would bounce bullets back at me when I shot it (target on a plywood board) I sold it and anything in 380…

Were you shooting rubber bullets? Or maybe very anemic reloads? That's the only way I can see that happening. But I wasn't there so please tell us what ammo were you using? Not trying to be snarky here. We're genuinely curious.

Terry

 

[THE PUNISHER]

Were you shooting rubber bullets? Or maybe very anemic reloads? That's the only way I can see that happening. But I wasn't there so please tell us what ammo were you using? Not trying to be snarky here. We're genuinely curious.

Terry

Factory fmj, scared the hell out of me….I think the plywood flexed enough to cause the bullet to bounce back.

 

[THE PUNISHER]

Okay, but what’s your favorite .380?

One that shoots 9mm or bigger….I think it’s a fine caliber just not for me.


I guess the ruger lcp was the only 380 I owned and I didn’t like it.

 

[THE PUNISHER]

Ok, you just can’t say something like that without more details. So what’s the details! That’s crazy.

Factory fmj load, don’t remember the brand, just left me with a bad impression about the round.

 

[JRV]

.380 is a compromise, just like 9mm looks like a compromise to the 10mm crowd, and .25 looks like a compromise to the .380 crowd.

At least it’s another datapoint on threat profiles—if you expect to be attacked by someone or something wearing lumber, pick something bigger!