# What are the best 380 auto's?



## cclaxton

I have two 380 guns: Bersa 380ThunderCC, which I like to shoot and is accurate, reliable, etc., and the Bodyguard 380 auto. And, I own 4 9mm guns, and am really loving the Cz 2075. I like the Bersa a lot, but what is better for a 380 pistol in DA/SA?...or DAO?

I lean towards the Walther PK380 or the Cz 83. 
Any other 380's still in production I should consider? ...not looking for pocket gun, but high end 380.

Thanks.


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## 1jimmy

ruger has a lcp 380 and a lc9 9mm, sig has a p290 9mm and a p238 380 beretta has a 84fs 380, walther pk 380 is an excellent choice and glock even has a 380


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## denner

One of the best, if not the best quality .380's on the market is the Beretta 84FS Cheetah. Although, for this Rolls Royce your gonna have to lay down some dime, but it will last a very, very, long time.. MSRP $770 TO $830. Mama-Mia! However, they have been around a while and used ones can be had very reasonable.


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## jakeleinen1

Not a fan of .380s

But if I get one it will be the Sig P238, their small little 1911 design in .380 looks badass


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## Steve M1911A1

I'm not sure that I understand your question.

If you are not looking for a pocket gun, why would you want a .380 ACP pistol at all?

If one wishes to carry a compact or full-size pistol, anyone could handle a more effective caliber than that.

"Traditional Double-Action" (TDA) semi-autos are harder to shoot well than even "Double-Action Only" (DAO) pistols, because one has to handle the second-shot transition from DA to SA, which is a distraction. The ideal is to have a weapon which presents the exact same trigger action for each and every shot.


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## Cat

My wife hits bulls all day long with her pk380 at 25yards.Very nice pistol in a 380. It is the first time,I picked up a walther. But I can say, It is a very nice pistol. And I pick up the p22 for my kid.And she love it as well.

pk380 is all most the same size as my glock-27. Very close,Glock is little bit widder. :supz:


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## 2gunkenny

I like the Bersa and have had more/carried more of them than others. I liked the Beretta but it was too nice of a gun to carry. The Ruger and Keltec are nice as pocket guns but I didn't care for the triggers or Dao. The Bersa is a good choice even though people seem to think they are a lower grade pistol. I like the DA/SA setup myself and they carry nice. For all those who think the 380 is not a good choice for a defense round,get shot in the head by one and see how you like it.


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## Steve M1911A1

2gunkenny said:


> ...For all those who think the 380 is not a good choice for a defense round,get shot in the head by one and see how you like it.


The issue is not whether or not one will be injured or hurt, or whether one might eventually die, but rather how to immediately and decisively stop a fight.
There is no question that the .380 ACP round is not an immediate and decisive fight stopper, unless one's shots are extremely well placed.
None but the extremely well practiced and cucumber-cool will make accurate head shots during a save-your-life panic.
Don't kid yourself.


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## hideit

IMO i think the 380's could soon be an after thought
the new single stack CCW 9mm's are, in all practical dimensions, the same size.
yea i read the dimensions and i keep a table of ccw weapons but until i went to a LGS 4 weeks ago i was amazed at the size comparison.
my initial thought was WOW forget the sig238 and get the 9mm, like kahr CM9, or keltec PF9, and save several hundred dollars and also save on the cost of ammo.
my LGS doesn't like the Kimber solo - not sure why


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## cclaxton

I own both 380 and 9mm guns and have seen the results of gel testing and my own testing with good quality HP rounds in 9mm and 380, I think there are not significant differences in the two rounds with regards to effectiveness. The gel depth differences are 20% deeper for the 9mm...but overall gel depth is 8-11 inches for the 380. The size of the round in grains creates a bit more punch and will thus create a larger shock area in the body around the wound. I carry my Bersa with Mag-Tech 85gr hollow points with complete confidence. 

The cost of ammo is definitely a factor in my mind, though. I can get new 9mm brass ammo for 20 cents a round, but the best I can do with new brass 380 is 28 cents a round. 

However, the reduced recoil allows for greater control, and getting better shot placement. I am considering getting a better 380 to see if I can be as accruate as I am with my Cz 2075 and my FNX-9...or better than I am with them. But finding a high quality 380 that will handle at least 14 rounds and have all the same features I like is challenging since there are less models to choose. 

For decades the 380 was the standard police issue for most of europe....that was not because they wanted less powerful guns.


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## jakeleinen1

2gunkenny said:


> For all those who think the 380 is not a good choice for a defense round,get shot in the head by one and see how you like it.


Hahaha

Cosign

Right now if Im forking over money I prefer to by bigger caliber handguns, Im sure someday I will acquire one. .380s allow you to carry a very very small gun comfortably almost as if you dont even have a gun on you


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## Cat

Ya,The 380 is one of the cooler pistols in the world. 9mm just a little bit bigger,And yes they make a small 9. But like the BG380 Size is one of the best ones ever made.So small you can put it in your picket.And not see it at all. Why do I know this,6mo's ago I picked one up for the wife for the hell of it.Do I think it's the best pistol (BG) No. Do I think it will save her life,Yes. If you put the bg next to a Hp25cal or Hp22 phoenix, The hp25/22 is a bigger pistol.:reading:

So did s&w do a grate job,Hell yes they did.

And as you read up on pistols,The 380 is one of the most honor pistols in the world. Just like a 38 special, The handle of a 9 is a little bit bigger. And wider, That why lady's don't like them just for that. Not as easy to hide on their body's.

The 380 will never go a way. Let see how many women to man in the world. What 25 to 1 I think now.:smt115

Just like Steve said, You have some one that can't shoot good, Put the 380 in their hand. They will do a lot better then using a 9m.Funny you said that Steve,We teach just that in are class room.

Love your pistols,They love you so much.They will kill for you.True :heart: love:!: :smt109

:smt067 :snipe:


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## cclaxton

I was talking to a rangemaster at the NRA range and telling him about the MagTech 85gr +P and asking him if he knew of other +P 380 HP rounds. He said, "A 380 +P....isn't that the same as a 9mm?"


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## ozzy

BG380 I don't leave home without it. My perfect summer carry.


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## MLB

I don't think I saw the SIG 230 (or 232) mentioned. If you're looking for a quality .380, that's not a pocket pistol, the 230 is a good lead.


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## cclaxton

I stopped by Gander Mountain and looked at the Sig 232 and liked how it felt in my hand. But it has a couple of wierd things about it:
1) Mag release is on the bottom of the mag itself...no button on grip to release the mag;
2) No slide release. You have to release the mag, then pull the slide back and release to put it into full battery. With bullets in the mag, pulling out the mag is not required;

I like the trigger, hammer, weight, decocker, etc. 
Also, don't care that it is 7+1 rounds only for the magazine. 

I also looked at the Beretta Cheetah 84. It handles 10+1, but is 1.4" thick and weights 23oz without ammo, and slide release is hard to reach with thumb and very difficult to release the slide with the release tab. It is a bit heavier than I wanted. 

So far it looks like the Cz 83 and the Walther PPK are the top 380 pistols. Any others?


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## Packard

I had a PPKS which mostly I carried on the ankle. I could shoot one hole groups at 20 feet with it no problem. Light recoil, good sights, long first trigger pull, short light ones after that. It is heavier and bigger than current .380s--bigger and heavier than some 9mm. But if you want a light recoiling weapon that is easy to shoot and has a 50 + year history of reliablity, then you can do a lot worse and not much better than the Walther.

I had the Cheetah too (though I don't recall it having that name back when I owned it). Similar comments to the Walther. Easy to shoot. But a big, fat grip due to the double stack magazine. It does not conceal as well as the Walther. But it was reasonably light. The open slide is good for reliablity.

I don't buy that these mid-sized .380s are obsolete. For some people it can be the perfect weapon.

Addendum: As I recall my Beretta was called a "Beretta Model 84".


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## MLB

The only difference I can recall between the SIG 230 and 232 was the location of the magazine release button. I though it was the 230 that had the European (heel) release, but since you held the 232, perhaps it was the other way around.

Regarding the slide release, the Walther ppk and ppk/s work the same way as you described the SIG. No slide release. Empty mag should lock the slide back. Current production of the ppk or ppk/s is by S&W by the way. There are a few differences from the German, French, and Interarms incarnations that were made previous to the newer ones. 

I most often carry a S&W produced Walther ppk/s and am happy with it. It had some sharp edges that I addressed myself (stainless - no touch up needed), and it was in for the hammer block recall a few years ago. It's been a fine shooter though.


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## Packard

When I got my PPKS it was made in Portugal but said "Made in Germany". At the time German law said that if the final assembly was done in Germany then they could say "Made in Germany". In my case the entire gun was produced in Portugal and the two grip halves were screwed in place in Germany. Made in Germany.

That having been said, I saw no manufacturing deficiencies in my gun and I don't know if it could easily be determined if a weapon was made in a third country other than Germany. With current production you know at least that it is produced in the USA (and not China or Viet Nam or Korea). 

There have been some quality issues raised about these weapons but I think S & W turns out fine products with excellent production control. Start up in any new factory is going to be subject to some issues. You have new vendors for heat treating and stamping and black oxide finishing--any one of which could cause issues. 

From what I understand their current production is excellent.


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## SMann

cclaxton said:


> Any other 380's still in production I should consider?


Yes, the one's chambered in at least 9mm.:smt033


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## Packard

SMann said:


> Yes, the one's chambered in at least 9mm.:smt033


Current generation .380 ammo is vastly superior to the stuff we had in the late 1970s and 1980s. While I don't carry one, if I needed a very small weapon I would consider it.

There are other advantages to using a medium weight weapon such as the PPKS and the not much lighter Sig 238 is that the gun will recoil less. This can be a huge advantage to those people who are recoil sensitive and can make the .380 a more potent weapon in their hands than a small 9mm.


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## SMann

Packard said:


> Current generation .380 ammo is vastly superior to the stuff we had in the late 1970s and 1980s. While I don't carry one, if I needed a very small weapon I would consider it.
> 
> There are other advantages to using a medium weight weapon such as the PPKS and the not much lighter Sig 238 is that the gun will recoil less. This can be a huge advantage to those people who are recoil sensitive and can make the .380 a more potent weapon in their hands than a small 9mm.


Blah, blah, blah. Hey Mr. Smarty-pants, did you not see the smt033)? It was an attempt at friendly, humorous ribbing. Geesh!


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## cclaxton

380's are great for lightweight carry and easier to shoot, and I do really like to shoot my Bersa 380. And, with todays 380 HP ammo, I carry with complete confidence. 

But I still prefer to shoot 9mm's....:smt068
I also find I am more accurate with the 9mm's, so I prefer them.


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## group17

My Bersa 380 has been totally reliable and my favorite until I found an Astra A-60. 
Beretta 84BB and Llama 380c are on my wish list.


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## Hotled

I personally love the Bersa Thunder UC.
It has never failed me and that is saying allot because I shoot every weekend.
It's slim,light and leaves no footprint.
I also carry the 9mm Bersa which has become my gun of choice over my XD 45.
It's just easier to manage and it has less to go wrong with it and it goes bang, every time I pull the trigger.


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## sunburst

I am a woman and I have a CZ83. The magazine holds 12 rounds and it is very accurate, BUT it is not a small gun. It is heavy and the grip is almost as big as my CZ P-01. I don't really think it could be called a pocket pistol.


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## usmcj

... and then there's the trade-off between smaller guns and larger ones, in similar calibers....

small, short barrel, light weight = easier to carry/conceal, and greater perceived recoil....
large, longer barrel, heavier = faster/more accurate follow-up shots, and less perceived recoil....


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## TedDeBearFrmHell

sunburst said:


> I am a woman and I have a CZ83. The magazine holds 12 rounds and it is very accurate, BUT it is not a small gun. It is heavy and the grip is almost as big as my CZ P-01. I don't really think it could be called a pocket pistol.


the cz83 is the civilian version of the vz82.... it was in service with the czech military and its barely a compact, to call it a pocket pistol one would have to redefine pockets.


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## berettatoter

The best .380 pistol is the one that YOU can carry all the time, shoot accurately, and has a very high rate of reliability. Thats my "best" answer to this very subjective question.:watching:


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## berettatoter

sunburst said:


> I am a woman and I have a CZ83. The magazine holds 12 rounds and it is very accurate, BUT it is not a small gun. It is heavy and the grip is almost as big as my CZ P-01. I don't really think it could be called a pocket pistol.


I had one of those a few years ago, and I agree that it was a very good shooter, but a little on the large side I agree. That is unless one has super-duper commando pockets or something. I wish I still had that gun, but I sold it to a nephew of mine who still has it and has got some great service out of it. CZ seems to make about everything they touch "golden".


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## Shipwreck

Beretta Cheetah series would be my #1 choice of a 380 that WASN'T bought to be a pocket gun ...


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## cclaxton

Don't forget the SigSauer 232, which I liked a little better than the Beretta when holding and dry-fire comparing at the gun store. 
However, what's up with the wierd mag release on the bottom of the Beretta and Sig guns?....that is one thing the Cz has over the others in this class.

But, THE BEST 380 is the Bersa Thunder or Thurnder CC for concealment and could be considered pocket carry for larger pockets. The Walther PPK 380 is the elegant version of this design, but much heavier....the Bersa wins this one, IMHO with the alloy frame.

But the best 380 pocket guns are the Ruger LCP and Bodyguard 380Auto... 

Put some MagTech 85Gr or Hornady XTP in them and reasonable shot placement and you have a deadly weapon.


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## usmcj

cclaxton said:


> The Walther PPK 380 is the elegant version of this design, but much heavier....the Bersa wins this one, IMHO with the alloy frame.


If Walther had put an external slide lock on the PPK, and PPK/S it would have been much more popular, and the weight of the Walther makes it nicer regarding recoil..... But, that's subjective


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## johna91374

I've mentioned this on these forums a before but I'm a pretty big fan of the Ruger LCP. I carry a Sig 226 9mm when I'm at home or out of state and it fits me fine but the GF is smaller with smaller hands. After shooting a dozen different models we came down to the LC9, LCP or the Sig P238. Having owned a Sig I was all set to buy her the 238 and be done but in all honesty she was more accurate with the LCP and it was a couple of hundred $$$ cheaper. From talking to everyone reliability is also extremely high so I felt comfortable buying it. We desperately tried to step up to 9mm but just couldn't find a model that was small enough to fit her hand that wasn't too snappy. The LC9 is a great piece but too much snap for her at this time (Only been shooting 18 months or so). We might step up to one in a year or so after a few thousand more rounds... I've put about 500 rounds through the LCP and she has about 1000 without any kind of failure. 

As for stopping power...... I'm confident that .380 will save her life. I've seen the tests and it's almost as effective as 9mm but we ultimately made the decision because .380 was the largest caliber she was accurate with so I felt that 7 rounds on target was better than 15 rounds of something larger and I don't want her to think she can spray and pray.... The last couple of sessions I've had her shooting 8 inch dollar store paper party plates at 25 ft. The last session she shot a 100 rounds. 50 two hands with various stances (Hit 47 of 50). 25 left hand (hit 16 of 25), 25 right hand (hit 21 of 25). We also practice low ready, raise and fire which simulates what you would do in an actual event. Basically she holds the gun two hands in the low ready. I tap her shoulder at random times and she raises, acquires and fires. The last time we practiced this drill she had 18 of 21 on target again at 25 ft. Eventually I'm going to buy either a LC9 or a Sig P239. When she can duplicate these results with 9mm we'll move up. Until then I'm confident with her abilities and the LCP's stopping power. 

As for me... I rarely carry the LCP unless I'm really dressed in something that won't hide the 226 or the odd time where someone catches me at the door etc. I do like it and i'm glad we have it. Actually shooting the gun takes practice because it is so short and the sights are minimal. The trigger pull is also long and doesn't break until the very end of the pull so it takes some getting use to but also makes it a very safe carry gun. Odds are I will never sell it even after moving her to something larger.


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