.380

[C-Money]

I have two sig 238s (one for the wife) and I highly recommend them.  Easy to carry and feel great in the hand, especially with the magazine extender.  A .380 +P round is more than enough.  I like the buffalo bore +p rounds, shoot well out of my sig.

The extended mag is a must. Makes the gun feel so much better. I am using the Bitter root Valley 90gr hollow points for carry. My only complaint about the 238 is my safety gets pushed down "off" in my current holster throughout the day from the strap that goes over the end of the gun. Not a good feeling when its a cocked and locked gun. I am looking for a strapless holster. Great gun, it feels about as heavy and takes up the same amount of room as my Motorola Minitor pager on my belt.

[magnanimous_j]

How many people , when chit hits the fan are accurately going to put lead on said vital zones! Very very few! 

That’s probably why only like 5% of gunshot wounds end up being fatal. We all make fun of gangbangers for shooting each other multiple times with no fatalities, but that’s probably what it would be like for us as well. Plenty of people have been hit with .45ACP and are still alive to talk about it.

There are only 2 ways a bullet can kill. One, it hits something vital. Two, the bullet doesn’t hit anything vital but the person bleeds to death. In either case, caliber doesn’t matter as much as you would think. A .380 in the heart will kill just as effectively as a .45 to the heart. And as for bleeding, human tissue is very elastic. The wound will close in on itself to a point, making the extra .07inches in diameter somewhat trivial.

A rifle bullet that travels three times the speed as a handgun bullet causes all kinds of extra damage by creating a stretch cavity and then crash cavity which shreds softer tissues and turns bone into shrapnel. This makes bullet placement a bit less important. But handgun bullets simply do not have the velocity necessary to cause that kind of carnage.

That being said, there is a lower limit as well. I wouldn’t carry anything smaller than a .380 because I don’t believe it has the horsepower to reliably punch through a skull, or a leather jacket, or a car door, or just a good old fashioned fat guy.

But once you get into the power range where reliable penetration is expected (.380 - .45) then you’re probably in good shape. I’m not saying a .45 isn’t more powerful than a .380, but to think a .45 is a one hit death ray and the .380 is a glorified pellet gun is grossly overestimating one and grossly underestimating the other.

[300rum]

I would suggest that the .380 (Probably more specifically the Ruger LCP) has done more to help the 2nd amendment and our gun rights in the last few years then just about any other pistol out there.  There are tons of people with a .380 in their pocket or purse right now, walking around, who would never put a "clunky" holster and bigger pistol in their waistband/purse.

The .380 is cheap, small, simple and very easy to carry.  It is also a "gateway" for first time gun owners to eventually step into other firearms or support/join an organization like the NRA. 

If every good, law abiding citizen had a .380 in their pocket every day of every week, we would see a big difference in the perception of guns from those who are "in the middle".  We would also see a difference in crime and the outcome of crime against people.

Just looking at my little world, I can think of 9 people (without thinking really hard) who carry a .380 on a daily basis who never carried or rarely carried before they purchased it.  The diminutive .380 has done some mighty things for our gun rights.   



       

[high country]

How Reliable is the Kia Compared to the Caddy?   Your splitting hairs here!

Bad guy breaks in your house! You have two pistols sitting next to one another. One is a .380 other is .40!  No one in there right mind would grab the .380 over the .40

What? The BG has now violated the 20 foot rule....you need a "quality edged weapon".

As someone who has had to pull on a home invader, let me just say......you are three shades of screwed without a dog to provide early warning and deterant. It happens fast.

Fwiw, I was behind my g27 because it was close.

Think about it....how long does it take to bust out a window in the farthest corner of your house and be on you in bed?.....now if the guy has a light and you are blinded......well, good luck.

[nocklehead]

Yes, the little .380s are great for getting new CPLs

 I carry something bigger, but got my lady the Bersa CC in .380 for Christmas....

I gotta admit, if Im working hard in shorts and a T-shirt and gotta run to the store or something, that .380 goes in my pocket....I call it the Costco special, but thats a different story  Only in winter and fall clothes I feel comfortable carrying CC in full size with my custom shoulder rig.

BTW, I didnt see an answer to the edged weapon question....I believe its 21 feet. If someone threatens you with an edged weapon within 21 feet, you can put them down, that is the criteria LE uses. They say 21 feet can be covered by an attacker in 1.5 seconds, just enough time to draw and fire, barely.

 I do also have a huge bladed weapon that, inside the home or in close range would be VERY deadly and never misfires or runs out of ammo, dosent make a sound, goes right through most bullet vests, and carries a huge  factor.

[Fisherdave10]

Maybe you should tell the Military and Most law enforcement that the Caliber does not matter!!!   You guys kill me with your rhetoric of bullet placement! How many people , when chit hits the fan are accurately going to put lead on said vital zones! Very very few!  Caliber dont matter? Really, why do we all not hunt with 10/22 then??? Hmmm maybe caliber DOES have something to do with lethal force! 

You can argue until your blue in the face, you will never convince me or most of the population on your false statement.   

Im all done with this one ! Enjoy your bb gun

While your ignorant rant is entertaining, you have argued yourself wrong. 

when chit hits the fan are accurately going to put lead on said vital zones! Very very few! 

  If you aren't going to be hitting your target, then caliber truly means nothing.  The supersonic crack of a .22 is going to sound the same as a .308 when both fly over someone's head.  In this case, caliber DOES NOT MATTER.

why do we all not hunt with 10/22 then???

  A 10/22 is a great hunting companion and used for hunting many species of small game, but not all game.  You have to consider the capabilities of the projectile at it's given velocity.  A 36gr bullet at 1,200fps isn't going to plow it's way through an elk.  It doesn't matter is it's .10 caliber or .45 caliber.  When you move up in caliber, the capabilities of the caliber increases because of mass and velocity (energy), sectional density and bullet design.  You want deep penetration from a handgun?  Try a 200gr hardcast 10mm.  You want shallow penetration?  Try a 135gr JHP 10mm.  Same caliber, but different effects on target. 

I never argued that one should hunt anything with any specific caliber.  A .380 has a specific role in civilian concealed carry.  It does it's job pretty well.  I could legally carry concealed my 7.62x39 AR pistol, but I choose to carry my LCP.

As much as I love wasting time in a pointless caliber debate, I have a medical terminology class in 30 minutes that I need to study for. 

OP, carry .380 with confidence!  You can't go wrong with a Ruger LCP.  Taurus makes a lot of lemons, but there's always a chance of getting a good one... 

[C-Money]

I am gonna side with shot placement is more vital than size. Unfortunately, I have seen many GSWs, from most popular calibers. Many that have lived and many that have not. For instance, I have seen people survive being center punched by a 30-06, (still doing well today) yet another DRT from a 25acp. My stance is, It is by far better to carry a sidearm that you know well, shoot accurately, and is comfortable enough to carry at all times. If you leave your weapon at home, for what ever reason, it wont help you away from home.

[rtspring]

Maybe you should tell the Military and Most law enforcement that the Caliber does not matter!!!   You guys kill me with your rhetoric of bullet placement! How many people , when chit hits the fan are accurately going to put lead on said vital zones! Very very few!  Caliber dont matter? Really, why do we all not hunt with 10/22 then??? Hmmm maybe caliber DOES have something to do with lethal force! 

You can argue until your blue in the face, you will never convince me or most of the population on your false statement.   

Im all done with this one ! Enjoy your bb gun

While your ignorant rant is entertaining, you have argued yourself wrong. 

when chit hits the fan are accurately going to put lead on said vital zones! Very very few! 

  If you aren't going to be hitting your target, then caliber truly means nothing.  The supersonic crack of a .22 is going to sound the same as a .308 when both fly over someone's head.  In this case, caliber DOES NOT MATTER.

why do we all not hunt with 10/22 then???

  A 10/22 is a great hunting companion and used for hunting many species of small game, but not all game.  You have to consider the capabilities of the projectile at it's given velocity.  A 36gr bullet at 1,200fps isn't going to plow it's way through an elk.  It doesn't matter is it's .10 caliber or .45 caliber.  When you move up in caliber, the capabilities of the caliber increases because of mass and velocity (energy), sectional density and bullet design.  You want deep penetration from a handgun?  Try a 200gr hardcast 10mm.  You want shallow penetration?  Try a 135gr JHP 10mm.  Same caliber, but different effects on target. 

I never argued that one should hunt anything with any specific caliber.  A .380 has a specific role in civilian concealed carry.  It does it's job pretty well.  I could legally carry concealed my 7.62x39 AR pistol, but I choose to carry my LCP.

As much as I love wasting time in a pointless caliber debate, I have a medical terminology class in 30 minutes that I need to study for. 

OP, carry .380 with confidence!  You can't go wrong with a Ruger LCP.  Taurus makes a lot of lemons, but there's always a chance of getting a good one... 

The only thing. *censored*!  Really ? You cant hold a debate without calling someone ignorant? Thanks for your steadfast input!




please refrain from name calling

[CAM38]

Rt done!  When has that ever happened?  I hope that every criminal I ever come accross is as *censored* as you to think a .380 is a bb gun!  Does it make you cringe and grit your teeth that I'd rather have my .22 single six over any handgun I'm not familiar with?   






please, no name calling

[mountainman]

I am gonna side with shot placement is more vital than size. Unfortunately, I have seen many GSWs, from most popular calibers. Many that have lived and many that have not. For instance, I have seen people survive being center punched by a 30-06, (still doing well today) yet another DRT from a 25acp. My stance is, It is by far better to carry a sidearm that you know well, shoot accurately, and is comfortable enough to carry at all times. If you leave your weapon at home, for what ever reason, it wont help you away from home.

[rtspring]

Rt done!  When has that ever happened?  I hope that every criminal I ever come accross is as ignorant/arrogant/clueless as you to think a .380 is a bb gun!  Does it make you cringe and grit your teeth that I'd rather have my .22 single six over any handgun I'm not familiar with?   

Arrogance, comes with experience!  Have you ever shot at a man or are you just shooting paper or steel targets? Im getting dumber just replying to your post...   WE through this whole debate have argued back and forth, CONCLUSION, No matter what caliber you choose to carry, the objective is to accurately put lead on said vitals. Correct? or will you find some clueless point here to argue also? FACT, I WILL CAPS IT ALL FOR YOU, VERY FEW VERY FEW .380'S ARE ACCURATE. DO YOU SEE MY POINT YET??

Calling a .380 a BBGUN was some what of a joke!!  ha ha ha  get it, or are you going to use your big boy words to defend that statement too. Im not here to argue whether you should carry you little pink red rider or a .500 SW.  You have an opinion just like me.  I simply do not like the .380 caliber, and I would be wasting my words to explain the obvious reasons why to someone who knows everything and anything on the subject.  So when you get attacked and pull out your BBGUN dont worry someone with a real gun HA HA will hopefully stand up and protect you while your playing with your toy....

PS here is a little secret, there is an ignore option to not show my posts! Since I am arrogant and clueless and last but not least ignorant...  maybe just maybe you can learn something one day instead of knowing it all... 

I kill elk, I could really care less about your opinion of a BBGUN.......Grow up and put your big boy panties on.....

RTSPRING

[mountainman]

Anyone have an opinion on the 32 acp
caliber???

[C-Money]

Anyone have an opinion on the 32 acp
caliber???

I always thought that a Beretta tomcat would be a great carry gun. I kinda want one!

[mountainman]

That was just a wisecrack to either end the bickering, or maybe just add to it? Lol! People are taking this discussion to literal. Bullets in the right place stop things, period. Some better then others ? Doesn't matter as long as that thing is stopped!

[Heredoggydoggy]

Anyone have an opinion on the 32 acp
caliber???

I always thought that a Beretta tomcat would be a great carry gun. I kinda want one!

A guy I know bought one a few years ago.  Shot reliably and well, but the ammo is not as plentiful as .380...