.380 carry - does anyone do exclusively ?

[madwabbit]

Kel-tec P3AT exclusively most of the time I don't even know it's there.

+1. if I need to deep conceal with 0% chance of being made, its the p3at all day

 

[JadeRaven]

Kel-tec P3AT exclusively most of the time I don't even know it's there.

Sometimes I wonder if I would remember that I am carrying my LCP. It does in my pocket and I forget about it till the end of the day.

 

[UnseenUSPCompact]

I personally believe a .380 is a perfect round for immediate SD. It is there souly in case I am caught off guard or attached at close range where I am not able to escape first. Im not going to offensively attack somebody with it, it is souly to shoot and then remove my self from the dangerous situation. If I was carrying to get into a gun fight I would carry something else, but people usually get shot in gunfights, and Im not a fan of being shot, so I carry a .380.

 

[JadeRaven]

I personally believe a .380 is a perfect round for immediate SD. It is there souly in case I am caught off guard or attached at close range where I am not able to escape first. Im not going to offensively attack somebody with it, it is souly to shoot and then remove my self from the dangerous situation. If I was carrying to get into a gun fight I would carry something else, but people usually get shot in gunfights, and Im not a fan of being shot, so I carry a .380.

Yeah this.

People like you and me are not planning or even foreseeing some sort of gun battle in our futures. If I was an LEO or military I would obviously need to step it up but a .380 satisfies my needs.

 

[jjb518]

I am just confused why people are so concerned with bullets being able to penetrate 20 inches through 5 layers of denim, yet they also dont want the bullet to over-penetrate. i odnt know about all o you, but i do not wear 4 jean jackets at a time and i also do not have a chest that is 2 feet thick. so i guess my question is, why do people feel the need to carry a hand-cannon to get the job done. after all, the heart is about 4 inches in and the brain about 2.

 

[brewer3401]

I am just confused why people are so concerned with bullets being able to penetrate 20 inches through 5 layers of denim, yet they also dont want the bullet to over-penetrate. i odnt know about all o you, but i do not wear 4 jean jackets at a time and i also do not have a chest that is 2 feet thick. so i guess my question is, why do people feel the need to carry a hand-cannon to get the job done. after all, the heart is about 4 inches in and the brain about 2.

Excellent points.

I think the FBI 12-18 inch takes into consideration a lot of "what if" scenarios and probably compilations of actual shootings.

Appreciate all the feedback - given that not being an LEO, military, etc., I believe at 3 feet to 10 feet, the .380 should be plenty of firepower.

 

[Robhic]

This is by no means the "gospel" on 380 or other "mouse guns" but it gives you a bit more real world info. I would also be the 1st to agree that the gun you carry is 100% better than the one left home! A friend with REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE over 50 years sent this to me in a discussion some years ago regarding 380 as a legitimate carry weapon. Take it for what it's worth but I think it has some good points. Like I said, this guy has real world experience. Something to think about:

Small caliber handguns just do not have the power/velocity, to open a HP bullet in "real world" scenarios. Most all JHP's look good in gel test and most all the crowd rush right out and buy the latest big rapid expanders they saw in a gel test, and think they will perform this way out of their gun (no matter the caliber) in a bad guy. Not so at all.

Especially in the mouse guns (anything under 9mm)

Then there is Hornady with their magical red plastic tipped bullets that are supposed to "push open" the lead/copper nose and give exceptional expansion all while protecting the nose from "clogging with clothes/media etc.." sounds good, but just more marketing hype, like the ever popular HST growing by leaps and bounds.

Do not be deceived with gel test and popular personalities used to "push" certain products.

OK, the standard JHP in a .380 as I said, just does not have the horse power to penetrate very well to begin with. Let's look at what we got to go through: Here comes the bad guy (BG). He may be at an oblique angle, usually always got an arm raised either to stab you, hit you or thinks sheiding himself from your weapon will save him. It is just human response to put our hands out or arm in front of us if we think someone is going to shoot us ...

Now the bullet is fired, if it hits this forearm, (which could have a leather jacket on it) it has to go through that leather or clothes, and through the very elastic skin, and if it hits the bone, it has to still go through that and out the other side of the forearm, and then travel 10/12/14" to get to the chest area, where it now has to "again," go through the jacket/clothes again, and into the skin again.

 

[UnseenUSPCompact]

If a .380 goes 8" and gets stuck on the back of your ribs or blows through your rib cage, either way, an unmedicated/undrugged person is gonna stop what they are doing. If they are medicated or drugged, that opens up an entirely new pallet of "what ifs" and you prob should have cc'd an 870. ANY pistol round short of bear/moose rounds are a poor man stopper.

 

[MyTFAL]

This is by no means the "gospel" on 380 or other "mouse guns" but it gives you a bit more real world info. I would also be the 1st to agree that the gun you carry is 100% better than the one left home! A friend with REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE over 50 years sent this to me in a discussion some years ago regarding 380 as a legitimate carry weapon. Take it for what it's worth but I think it has some good points. Like I said, this guy has real world experience. Something to think about:

Small caliber handguns just do not have the power/velocity, to open a HP bullet in "real world" scenarios. Most all JHP's look good in gel test and most all the crowd rush right out and buy the latest big rapid expanders they saw in a gel test, and think they will perform this way out of their gun (no matter the caliber) in a bad guy. Not so at all.

Especially in the mouse guns (anything under 9mm)

Then there is Hornady with their magical red plastic tipped bullets that are supposed to "push open" the lead/copper nose and give exceptional expansion all while protecting the nose from "clogging with clothes/media etc.." sounds good, but just more marketing hype, like the ever popular HST growing by leaps and bounds.

Do not be deceived with gel test and popular personalities used to "push" certain products.

OK, the standard JHP in a .380 as I said, just does not have the horse power to penetrate very well to begin with. Let's look at what we got to go through: Here comes the bad guy (BG). He may be at an oblique angle, usually always got an arm raised either to stab you, hit you or thinks sheiding himself from your weapon will save him. It is just human response to put our hands out or arm in front of us if we think someone is going to shoot us ...

Now the bullet is fired, if it hits this forearm, (which could have a leather jacket on it) it has to go through that leather or clothes, and through the very elastic skin, and if it hits the bone, it has to still go through that and out the other side of the forearm, and then travel 10/12/14" to get to the chest area, where it now has to "again," go through the jacket/clothes again, and into the skin again.

Please tell me which part of this is ineffective....?

 

[brewer3401]

I love this movie.

 

[LACamper]

Also, the FBI penetration guidelines are a national guideline. 3 or 4" of winter clothing is not unreasonable. Not to mention penetrating any type of cover or items carried (book bags, auto glass, etc).

 

[luv1979]

I carry a .380 probably 90% of the time.

 

[Dave328]

Please tell me which part of this is ineffective....?

Ummm, the part where he got hits on both BG's and they were able to both run away, get hunted down and caught by LE, and only then go to the hospital. These seemed to be two stupid kids pulling a quick robbery, had they been true evil-doers intent on mayhem, I'm sure the outcome would have been much different.

 

[madwabbit]

Please tell me which part of this is ineffective....?

the part where they weren't shooting back despite having a round or two inside their bodies.

 

[brewer3401]

I had seen that clip a while back.

My first thought was that the shooter needed to practice more (maybe more dry firing)

Also, I think i noticed a 7 O'clock push when he shoots.

If nothing vital was hit, I don't think it mattered much what caliber he was shooting.

 

[madwabbit]

judging by the fight-or-flight in those kids, he could have been firing blanks and fetched the same result.

 

[brewer3401]

judging by the fight-or-flight in those kids, he could have been firing blanks and fetched the same result.

They looked a tad scared.

I do commend the shooter for stepping up and diffusing the situation.

 

[UnseenUSPCompact]

People run away from .45 rounds as well...it all depends on what the bullet hits, like I said before, a normal/common pistol round is a poor man stopper.

 

[MyTFAL]

The point is in a real life situation the .380 immediately stopped the assault, I am comfortable with it's abilities.

 

[brewer3401]

The point is in a real life situation the .380 immediately stopped the assault, I am comfortable with it's abilities.

When I got back into shooting a couple of years ago, I couldn't decide on 9mm or .40

Most everyone said .40, including my brother in law that is a career Navy man.

He said, anyone hearing that go off inside of a house will realize they're in deep **** (he kind of smiled when he said it, so I think he goofing somewhat)

I think the .380 would scare almost as much.

If i were in a battle, I would automatically choose the .40

I'm not a battle kind of guy - just want something reliable that I can defend myself with, and feel comfortable carrying all day.

The P229 weighs twice what the P232 weighs.

Think I've resolved myself to carry the P232 whenever I can not very easily conceal the P229 with an OWB holster.

Thanks again for all of the feedback and suggestions.