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1. Some say that the .380 is not a viable round for personal protection. This is because there is a thought running through the community that bigger is always better.

   Prior to WW1, a lone gunman (part of a larger plot) killed the archduke [Ferdinand] and his wife, Sophie with one shot each from an FN Browning .380 starting the first world War.

   Now I personally believe that the .380 ACP will be as good as the person using it. There is an argument against rounds that can be too under powered. The .25 ACP half the time can’t even work the actions of the guns designed for it. I think I would choose a .22 LR pistol over a .25ACP.

   1. I carry a .25, in my experience it is very susceptible to ammunition differences. Mine handles Remington well but can’t tolerate Fiochi, even though on paper it’s the better ammo.

      I have met many men who claim that small calibers are less than useless, but I have yet to meet the man who is willing to take a bullet from one to prove how harmless they are.

      1. Of course, Vagus, you have never met a man who is willing to take a bullet from a .25, or any other small caliber round. Do you wish to be stung by a bee?…most men do not. Has nothing to do with “manliness”.

         1. I spend a lot of time fighting what I see as faulty logic.

            To run with the analogy though, you would have to insist that bees weren’t venomous and couldn’t sting.

2. I find it interesting to see positive reviews about Taurus products. Mention that name in most of the “tacticool” crowds and you get a great deal of derision, but if you politely engage them you will find almost nobody that holds that opinion from firsthand experience but rather from hearsay. Personally, I have found the Taurus G2 9mm, the gun mentioned as one of Pat’s wife’s carry guns, to be a dandy pistol that’s easy to shoot accurately, has second strike capability, and a very good “in between” size and capacity that’s useful for both holster and conceal carry. In addition, I have picked up several of them on the local market for between $200 and $250. I’m not personally a big 9mm fan, but a cheap, accurate, and (for me, anyway) reliable pistol is a nice thing to have hidden about the house in various places, and also a “stock” of for those grasshoppers I know that will need weapons when they inevitably show up at my door, hat in hand, should something really bad happen. I also have a PT-709 slim 9mm, which is closely related to the G2 but makes a nice purse gun and that’s what my wife uses it for. I don’t have any problems with either model of pistol.

3. I thought it was Ferdinand, but I wasn’t going to check in the middle of writing this post.

   Incidentally, the Ruger LCP .380 is a very nice gun that works well. I would own one if my hands weren’t so darn big. A Bersa Thunder .380 is much more manageable.

4. I regularly carry a SIG P238 mini 1911 steel frame pistol with extended mag for 8 rounds of 95 grain JHP. It’s an easy small framed firearm, has a little more weight than most pocket pistols and is incredibly reliable. I’ve put close to a thousand rounds through it over the years and am very comfortable with it. My open carry pistol is a Kimber 3” 1911 in .45 but not many pistols conceal better than the little SIG. I’ve replaced all the springs twice and have no concerns over its performance. I’m convinced that the “right” self defense pistol is the one you shoot well.

5. I have a s&w bodyguard. 380 and use it as an occasional summer time pocket carry gun. I wont carry it againuntil June now.

6. I have a difficult time even considering purchasing a Taurus product. I have owned 2 and had big problems with both. Having said that, maybe their quality is improving? I lean towards glock and daily carry a Ruget LCP II in the summer but maybe I’ll do some research.

7. For 380 carry try either the Lehigh Defense 65 gr Xtreme Defense load at 1150 fps or the same bullet loaded by Underwood Ammo at 1450 fps which is a Plus P load. I carry a Ruger LCP when even my EDC Glock 26 is too much to conceal, or headed where a backup is a good idea. Works very well in the Ruger and the bullet has a profile almost matching a FMJ. Watch some of the videos on this round available on the net and I would go with it rather than depending on a hollow point to expand.

8. I bought a Taurus Judge had it professionally Dura- Coated. Lost a spring when it was reassembled sent it back to Taurus and received a call saying the gun needed to have the “paint removed” before Taurus would replace the spring ( factory item ) I tried several gunsmiths to see if spring could be ordered and also LE gunsmith since I’m a LE officer NO LUCK. After sending to Dura-Coat the coating was removed and tried to send back to factory. Taurus said the gun had be modified and suggested I sell it for parts and Taurus would be nice enough to give a 10% discount if I wanted to purchase another. I was fortune enough to go to Shot Show and also NRA and talk with the head of service NO LUCK either. I called several times after I was given a business card from service manager finally gave up after 5 plus calls. GUESS what several local departments were looking at Taurus for LE and I had told them forget it.. I even offered to buy spring and pay for installing it still NO LUCK. I won’t by anything from Taurus again also you couldn’t give me any Taurus product either I consider them hunks of metal or boat anchors….. Guess I just stick to Colt-Canik-Smith-Wesson-Ruger and a few other companies for handguns

9. i have a glock .380…sweet shooting little pistol…would i carry it for protection, yes…it’s about shot placement…and i’ve seen my share of suicides and 90% were with a .380 and they are all dead…also have a little tank of a .380, the bersa thunder i bought for the wife to carry…it’s easy to use and has a safety and for $150 you can’t beat it…personally i prefer my G17

10. The Springfield 911 with night sights is an excellent (and all metal) pistol. After considering just about every other .380 out there (including the SIG, which is almost the exact same form factor as the Springfield) I didn’t want to settle for something tiny with worhless sights (yes, one can shoot a small .380 accurately, and at extended ranges, as long as the sights are quality.). The 911 was the clear choice for me. Quite concealable, very accurate, and reliable. Highly recommended.

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