# Looking for help .380 on larger frame that won't kick for my wife



## Pjm1127 (Jul 10, 2013)

I'm looking for some advice on a new pistol for my wife. She has shot my Colt .380 and did not like the bark. She did like my Springfield 9mm but that is too large for concealment carry. One of my local buddies tells me that there are very good .380 pistols that are made on a larger frame similar to a 9mm. And because I'm more of a shotgun/rifle collector need some advice on what I should consider looking at.

Looking for something $400 or less and would be greatly appreciate some suggestions from you.

Thanks


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## qwiksdraw (May 11, 2012)

Be sure to check out the Bersa Thunder 380. It is easy to shoot, reliable and accurate.


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## Gruesome (Apr 30, 2013)

Perhaps the Walther PK 380.

I have not fired it, but holding it made me sit up and take notice. It's ergonomics are fantastic and it just settles in the hand like few other guns I have held. It is small, so perhaps it is well suited to a woman's (likely) smaller hand. I am considering buying a gun for my son in a couple of years and I am seriously considering the PK 380 or the P22 (whcih appears to be very similar - perhaps they are modular twins?)

The Walther PPK/S is also right up in there, but as I understand it a new PPK would bust your budget and the Bersa already suggested is a clone of the PPK, so perhaps the Bersa is the best option there.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I can't recommend a specific gun because I'm not into that caliber but stay away from anything with a fixed barrel because the blowback designs are the worst for recoil.There are some smaller 9s she may like,but the only way to tell is take her to a shop/range that has rentals.


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## 45tex (May 20, 2013)

Consider a stainless steel gun, they are heavy and that helps with the recoil. My wife has claimed my S&W 640 as her own. She loves it because its easy to shoot. A gun you will use is a gun you will take with you.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Look at a Bersa .380. A great gun for the money.

But, stay away from the Walther PPK/S by all means. It's a horrible gun, and is a real *itch to shoot. Slide is all but impossible to rack, and the checkered plastic grips make 40 grit sand paper feel good.


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

The Bersa Thunder .380 is still on the light side. Not a whole lot of mass + fixed barrel etc.

I also ditto the comments on passing on the Walther PPK.

I would take a look at the Sig 233, or Beretta 85s.

If 9mm is not out of the question, take a look at the *Kahr K9*. Don't let the MSRP scare you off, if you shop around you can find them at a good price.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Although the price has recently risen, I suggest that you examine the Colt's Model M, .380 ACP "Pocket Hammerless." You can probably still find one in Very Good condition for under $700.00; mine, made in 1912, was Very Good (with Excellent bore) and cost me $600.00 about two years ago.
(Yes, I carry a pistol made in 1912. It is all-steel and completely original, including all springs but excluding its four magazines. It is easy to shoot, accurate, and perfectly reliable.)

This is a medium-size semi-auto which holds seven shots in its magazine. It has both a grip safety and a thumb safety. Models made before about 1935 do not have a magazine safety, while later versions do have it. (I think that magazine safeties are abominations.)

The only bad things I can ascribe to this pistol are: Thin, fine-notch sights; straight-blowback operation, which requires a strong recoil spring; and that its magazine release is at the heel of its grip, rather than under one's thumb.
Recoil is gentle, trigger action is crisp (but heavy), and the gun is inherently very accurate.

(I had previously written that my pistol dated from 1920. Further research has proven me wrong.)


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## aarondhgraham (Mar 17, 2011)

*Beretta Model 84 or 85,,,*

The Model 84 is 12 (I think) round in .380,,,
The Model 85 is 8 round in .380,,,
The 85 has a slender grip.

I own the Model 85 and it's the lightest recoil .380 I've ever handled.

I also own a Bersa thunder 380,,,
I find that the recoil of the Bersa is a bit more than the Beretta.

Physically, they are almost identical in size.










The bad thing is that the Beretta will cost 2 to 2.5 times as much as the Bersa,,,
Also according to the Beretta website the Models 85 and 84 are no longer available in the US.

I know the distributers still have some Model 85's in their warehouses,,,
A friend of mine just ordered one less than two months ago,,,
So hurry if you want to buy your wife a new one,,,
Look to spend approximately $650.00.

The Bersa is a dandy handgun,,,
One lives in my briefcase holster at all times.

Buy her a matching set of a Thunder 22 and a Thunder 380 for less than one Beretta,,,
Unless your wife is adamant about the recoil a bit of practice will inure her to it.










Aarond

.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

$650 for an 85,holy crap.I could have bought them all day long for less than 1/2 that when nobdy wanted them.Hindsight eh?


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

My 73 year old mother has a Bersa thunder. One of the few guns she had the hand strength to work the slide on.


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## zeke4351 (Jan 29, 2013)

Take a look at the Sig P250 in sub compact .380. Great gun and great price with low recoil.


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## Overkill0084 (Nov 28, 2010)

paratrooper said:


> Look at a Bersa .380. A great gun for the money.
> 
> But, stay away from the Walther PPK/S by all means. It's a horrible gun, and is a real *itch to shoot. Slide is all but impossible to rack, and the checkered plastic grips make 40 grit sand paper feel good.


Oh come on. My wife bought herself one. While it's not my favorite pistol, it's actually not a bad little shooter. The trigger isn't too bad once you break it in. 
The OEM grips were ugly, but not unpleasant by any means. I replaced them w/ a Crimson Trace. If my recoil sensitive wife with the arthritic wrists can shoot it with no complaints, it's not that bad. It's certainly not "horrible" or a "*itch" to shoot.


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## retired_diver (Jun 22, 2013)

There might be another way for your wife; You could get a revolver in 380 for her. Assuming your set on that caliber. I'm not a big fan of Taurus pistols but their revolvers are OK. They make a model M380 that holds 5 rounds and might be what she could use.


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## retired_diver (Jun 22, 2013)

The bersa is a good gun for the money. I would rather have a colt also (as mentioned above) but they are way over your price bracket. There is a Glock G25 that is a 380, it is for LEO's only but they do sell them used as cop trade ins. IMO the compact sized one would be perfect for her, if you could get it. I shoot the G19 and G23 in 9 and 40 and a 380 in an AMT backup. the AMT is all steel and single action, recoil IMO is not to bad because it weighs 18 ozs and is very easy to conceal if necessary.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

You guys need to realize that some of these 380s.. Like that Glock 25 just mentioned (which ya can't get here anyway) are blowback. They have more recoil than a 9mm. I had a Beretta 85.. That thing had more kick than my 9mms too...


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

I don't think you can go wrong with either a Bersa Thunder .380 or the Ruger LC380.


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## AngeloG (Aug 26, 2012)

Of all the 380's that are out their you have to find not only about the the kick but also can she pull back the slide ?. Are her fingers long so she can let the trigger reset?. Is the grip the right size for her hand?. My wife went tru five guns untill she found the Sig P238 the right gun. Put on a set of rubber grips and she was good to go.........................


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## Dirvin (Jun 16, 2013)

IMO as a female the 2 easiest .380s to rack and shoot are the Walther PK380 and the Sig P238. I have both. I prefer the Sig because of its size and accuracy but both are good guns. VERY easy to rack. I tried the Bodyguard and the Kahr, couldn't stand either one. The Bersa was OK, quite a bit of recoil. If you could manage to find a used Sig P238 in your budget, jump on it, otherwise, go for the PK380. There is no a gun on the market that is easier to rack than the Pk380, I've tried them all, it's a huge issue for me with small guns. 

The Sig is not a blowback design. The Walther is but has very little recoil. For the price, it's a great gun.


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## cedarhill (Apr 9, 2013)

Try the Walther PK380, easy to rack and not much kick. I really enjoy mine. The PPK/S is hard to rack and is hard on the hand because it is a blowback action. The closed breech models are easier to fire.
J


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## Huskybiker (Jul 27, 2011)

I'm pretty sure this is the exact application Ruger had in mind when they created the LC380 (not the same as LCP).


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## JerseyJubal (Feb 1, 2013)

Look at the military/police "trade-in's" Astra Constable and Constable II's on Gunbroker.com, they're ALL steel which results in less kick, makes it easier to get back on target quickly plus they can be had for under $250.00.

Here's just one example:

link: Astra Constable II - 380 ACP : Semi Auto Pistols at GunBroker.com (aftermarket magazines are available online)


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## malonezn1972 (Jun 30, 2013)

Definitely look at the Walther PK380. My daughter has one, and recoil is SO light on this gun!!! Also, even using the proper technique, my petite daughter has trouble jacking the slide on some guns, including my Sig 9mm. She has NO problem jacking the slide on the Walther. Also, we have fired about 4 different kinds of ammo through it with absolutely no problems. For the recoil, functionality, and weight, it would be very hard to beat the PK380 for a female shooter.

I recently purchased a Bersa 380 that I had to take back and never fired the first shot through it. It was $30 cheaper than my daughter's Walther, but the Walther is actually functional, so I guess you get what you pay for.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

no one has mentioned the new Ruger LC380
it was designed to eliminate most all of the above complaints
easy to rack the slide and low recoil due to two springs
and a smooth even trigger pull

I like the Sig 238 the most but the poster doesn't want to spend that much money


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