A couple of 380s side by side .

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A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by RBHarter »

About a 1.5 years ago we bought Ms a Ruger LCP , it fit her hands and is plenty for household pests and unwanted visitors . But it just wasn't any fun to shoot as a result it doesn't get shot as much as it should to be proficient .
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I went to the Cross roads of the West with no designs on anything as far as buying a gun goes . Just a set of target steel plates and maybe pad up some ammo that is lagging . But there was this table with a couple of PPKS , a Llama , and several more tables with assorted small frame pistols ........ Doomed . When did the issue gun of 007 get so pricey ?

I was good and walked away from the Llama , $325 . Magazines would probably be like hens teeth anyway .

Typically I shy away from poly anything , but the Glock 42 didn't feel bad in hand , infact it felt a lot like the PPKS I had on a loan several years ago .

I'd shot the LCP with Federal , Privi Partizan and Mag Tech in 75,90&95 gr FMJ and HP as well as my 358-85 RF NOE . It fed and ran fine with just a couple feed bugs and short strokes in the hand loads and I can live with that due to source , component age and mixed brass . The load may have been on the low side also :oops: . Pie plate is no trouble draw to Weaver stance and apply 2 doubles and a triple , 6+1 . Well aimed 4-5" is possible at 25yd but after 3-4 runs of even single mags and the fun is gone . It requires work to keep shooting .

The Glock is slightly larger than the LCP but keeps the 6+1 . The fuller and slightly longer grip makes shooting much more pleasant .
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We shot 85 rd 50 Win 95 gr FMJ RF and the last 35 cast loads on hand .
I shot some well aimed 25 yd shots , 4 groups of 6 in 4" clusters of 2 touching 2 touching and 2 that wandered off all alone . Stepping in closer to the 7yd line . Draw and fire 3 doubles into 4" and easy to repeat .

For fun I plinked off a few rounds at my buddies steel plate stand at 50 yd and the 8" plate was a challenge but easy enough once the range was found . He brought along a couple of the softball sized self healing reactive targets and we rolled them around for 4-5 mags worth making regular hits at 20-35 yd .
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by GasGuzzler »

Without caliber debate and with knowledge we reload I have never shined on .380 because factory ammo costs as much as .357.....same goes for .25ACP and .32ACP.

9mm (the normal kind) is cheap both ways.
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by RBHarter »

The cal/cartridge debate should end , for the purpose of SD , with if you shoot it well and it's comfortable to shoot then you will shoot it more which leads to shooting it better .

380 is a little more expensive than 9mm or 38 Special , but step into SD ammo and it's all $1/rd . As for reloads I cast 95% of every round I've fired since 2010 . A 90 gr bullet casts 1/3 more per lb than 125 and nearly twice as many as 158-165 gr for 38/357 and 3 times for the Colts/ Schofield sisters . Powder consumption is 60% of 9mm half of 38 and just over 1/4 of the Colts .

Ms wears a size 6 or 7 ring I wear 14 on 3 fingers and my thumb , a 10 fits my pinkies pretty good .

No bones about it I prefer my 9mm HP to just shoot to either of the above pistols and I've carried an XD40 a lot . As much as I love a 1911 , as far as range time goes , I'd rather spend it with a 1917 Smith or a BlackHawk .

Ms shoots the 42 much better than the LCP . It's more comfortable to shoot . That makes it a better choice for her .

I'm aware that if a methed up zombie knocks down the door that a 44 Auto Mag is the most likely to stop it's advance , but if the gun is too big to get properly on target without any chance of a follow up a pen would be a better choice .

Fiocchi 90 gr XTP HP loaded ammo was bought at a show through MiWall ammo at about $12/box in 250rd cans so they come with a little plastic 30 cal ammo can too . The FC FMJ I only paid $14 for and the same for the Winchester white box .

Knowing that Ms has a choice for the coyote on the porch or the Wolf at the door that she uses well is worth $2-5 a box .
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by GasGuzzler »

Nice. I'm not a caliber snob I've just seen .380 SD ammo seem to go way up. Being able to use it is what matters.
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by Ranch Dog »

Steve, RIP, as I remember was fond of his G42. The 380 Auto has become my most carried SD arm. In particular the Taurus TCP 738B. I shoot my TL358-100-RF from it and have actually killed a couple of feral hogs with that bullet in this cartridge.

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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by GasGuzzler »

Cool pic.
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by larryw »

Always have liked a 380, light, compact, fast, although, my all time favorite 380
has to be the Browning BDA, more towards a full size pistol but still very concealable.
That pistol just oozes class :)
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by Ranch Dog »

This is my Taurus PT138 Millenium Pro, I shoot my TL358-125-RF from it which is the same bullet I shoot in my Rossi 351 revolver. Killed a couple of hogs with it & the PT as well.

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This is a real slick double stack pistol. Really nice shooting. I will get a picture of this pistol with the 738, I don't think RB would mind if this becomes a "show us your 380" topic. Let's give some 380 love!
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by Ranch Dog »

Here are my 380s; the PT138 Pro and TCP mentioned above.

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The Millennium Pro is a 12 round, double stack compact pistol. It is an easy pistol to shoot well. In the Pro series, I also have the PT132 32 Auto, PT111 9mm Luger, and the PT745 45 Auto which was Taurus' single stack 45. When I figured out that Taurus was going to discontinue this line, I bought a NIB PT745 just in case something were to happen to the first. I like it that much. Left a Glock 36 for it. It is still packed in the shipping grease like Taurus shipped them, in its plastic case at the back of the safe.
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Re: A couple of 380s side by side .

Post by Charley »

Have two 380s, earliest is a Colt Mustang Pocketlite. Great handgun, but never was really comfortable carrying it. A 1911 type design, with no grip safety isn't what I want. No cocked and locked option, IMO.
When I carry a 380 today, it is a Bersa Thunder. Not the most compact 380, but fells good in my hand, is 100% reliable, and is accurate. SD ammo is expensive, but a couple of magazines of it for testing is no big deal. My practice/plinking ammo is made up of Lee' 95 grain FP over either Unique or AA2.
Seems a lot of people do carry Glock 42s, I sell a fair number of holsters for them.
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