Great reviews, here 's my 2 cents. over again. Like you said the safety is difficult to disengage but with the double action trigger and long trigger pull I feel comfortable carrying with the safety off. as those 380s. Was this a consideration? Truth be told I would have paid him $100 to take it and another $50 to never mention that I had shown up with one on my possession. Shot the S&W .380 EZ and you'll dump your Ruger LCP or S&W Bodyguard! I'm a 65 yr old novice and it only required 30 seconds to select LCP 2. Super reliable, very concealable. It's certainly uglier and much more expensive. I think the Pico would, on the other hand, please me the way my older S&W revolvers do, when I just handle them -they seem to ask for, and certainly get, appreciation as something more than a tool. People have a right to not be a VICTIM and carry a gun for protection and to neutralize a criminal gun. Have fired hundreds of rounds with both. I watched my son in law shoot his 40 cal Glock at the range it blew a piece of the slide right out with normal ammo I think Remington, after calling them he sent all the pieces to them and they had the gun repaired all free but kept it 6 mos. I have the sig p238,Springfield armory 911,glock 42 and ruger lcp, I like my short trigger pulls but my lcp does have a decent enough trigger and recoils not bad! (might even have been me Limp wristing it) but still it should cycle And the trigger is probably the LONGEST trigger EVER. Then finally, it jammed all the time. That is why I also picked up the Baby Rock (a baby 45); solid steel frame made the same exact way Rock Island makes their 45's. I carry a P365 in a pocket holster everyday in my right front pocket. Small, light, and I only paid $232.99 for it? (I suggest PPT check it out as well.). This is great because it gives you some extra recoil-fighting weight. Its never mentioned in articles about .380 pocket pistols. I have a KAHR CW 380. Great little pistol that I think is worth a mention, thanks. To clarify and in all fairness to Kahr many have no problem out of the box and many have experienced what I have (according to the forums). I have a 1st edition LCP. I'm surprised that you didn't even mention the Browning Black Label 1911-380! I recently bought my wife a 380 Thunder and its the only gun Ive found the equals my 383DA. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. My two sons, their wives, my wife and I, and my wife's sister all have the P238. The Bodyguard seems to work best with Fiocchi fmj, Hydrasocks, and WWB. I've owned a Bodyguard (without the laser) for years now and I've gotta say, I love that little guy. There are two primary uses for the LCP II: concealed carry and/or as a back-up pistol. Hi Chuck-I was thinking the exact same thing in regards to the trigger. Buy your blasters, blaster parts . Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. - It's shorter, lighter, cheaper and has much more capacity than the M&P Shield EZ. I have both Cheetah and an LCP (with an upgraded trigger) and carry the LCP often for those reasons. The safety feature is no problem if you practice. The theoretical gain it offers is not worth the proven disadvantages it displays. IF you think of BUG, think of a true BUG out situation? The Glock 42 is a pocket pistol-sized firearm intended for concealed carry. This is the round to go to in the 380. Both run flawlessly. The Bodyguard triggers have gotten better, but I absolutely agree. Worth a shot! The size and design of the gun must also be taken into account. What is very important to me is having a laser and being able to shoot juiced up .380 rounds. Ive heard a lot of storys about failure to fires and light strikes but I have never had one. It is like the Ruger but fit my hand better. Compared to my Taurus PT 709 Slim it is harder to be accurate but worth it from a carry standpoint. If this gun discharges it's because your purposefully, and with several pounds of force, pulled the trigger!!! I think a good one for the list would be the Remington rm380. Take the advice. If you plan to use it, train with it often. I am 6'2" and was shot in the gut in a drive by shooting and I doubled over in pain. Quick Summary: Our Top Picks For 5 Best .380 Pistols in 2022 1. But, all it took was a disassembly and careful stoning job. For the last 15 years as a plain clothes Detective, I chose to carry the nickel finish Beretta 84FS Cheetah. It includes rifles, shotguns and a wide variety of handguns. No comparison in my book. You need to know that your ammo of choice works in your gun of choice. Standing out as one of the smallest on this list, Kahr isnt a brand you hear a lot but this is definitely an option you should consider. Check Price. Weather day or night my Sig's sights glow nice and bright. That said, I will continue to practice my tap-rack-bang exerciseseven with a Glock. My everyday carry is my Sig P238 as I can carry it all day on ankle or IWB without discomfort. Click below for a FREE LESSON! Given its diminished recoil, the .380 ACP is easier to handle shot to shot. Great review on the 380's. Nope! It's probably as small as any on this list, at only 4.7" X 3.6", Ive owned and fired every caliber from my little Colt target 22 to my 50 cal Desert Eagle. The Bersa .380 takes the classic, proven design of the PPK and pluses it up a bit with some modern features like a slide hold open and a decocker/safety. A very fine pistol. Sports 12, it comes with two 6-round mags and one 7-round mag with extension so you can get all your fingers on the grip (I can, anyway). Not fun! Hell, it jams FMJ BALL AMMO after a few mags. 7+1 rounds, all-metal, a decocker, and the look and feel of a Walther PPK, but with a better trigger, and it's priced right. Carry what makes you comfortable, I guess. CC) tend to expand inconsistently on "real" targets, that is solid targets covered in cloth, etc.. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE .380 POCKET PISTOL? To give you an idea, Im 55 and 108lbs. Why get a self defense weapon if it's essentially useless in limited visibility conditions? Very small, very conceable. The 4th was picked out by my wife for her ccw. We did a full review of the grip safety model, but you can also find it with a thumb safety, too! I have a slim 9mm Taurus has never failed in any way my main carry. Its the best combo of size, carry and shoot ability. While I do find it accurate it is NOT fun to shoot. towards your level. Even if it came out after your article it was available for writers to test well before 2019 and, the M&P EZ shield (which you did include) came out I believe in late 2019 (after you wrote the article) yet you included it here and didn't include the CPX-3. I would like to comment on a takeaway I have. While I dont personally own one, Ive fired my fair share and can say that they are reliable and accurate. Great performance and a 15+1 magazine. No love for Springfield 911? Small, sleek, thin, no snag points on it, mostly all metal. What a great gun although much bigger than the Sig. THAT should NOT be! I fired over 500 rounds through my Sig using dozens of different ammo and it NEVER gave me an issue. I bought the Kimber .380 Raptor after a day of shooting a buddy's. I have read conflicting reports about it. I moved her to my S&W M&P Shield 2.0 9mm and she can fire and control it much better. I own both lcp pistols. My go to "practice " round AND go to "defensive" round is the 95 grain Hornady Critical Defense. My groups are much, much smaller now. The CT380 is 7+1 and still as small as the others & the price is right. Three years later and about 1100 rounds, I have mixed feelings. Thanks! I agree with you that the sights on the 911 are great for a pocket size pistol and I have no issue with them but I do like the sights on my P238 more. Wouldn't trust a striker gun in my pocket, even with a pocket holster. Minimal recoil. If you take aim at an attacker with your .380 pistol but miss four out of five shots, you may just end up angering the person coming at you. I bought a LCP II but the extended clips don't work in it, so I am still carrying my old LCP in my front pocket. Changing brands of ammunition might help. I figured why not have 9mm since it's only slightly bigger yet still as easy to conceal comfortably. To start, it seemed heavy so carrying it in my pocket felt pretty funky. . It weighs just over 10 ounces with a barrel length of 2.5 inches. Why? Because, over the years, Ive watched a very great number of pistol shooters OUTGUN THEMSELVES by trying to shoot a 40 caliber pistol consistently and well. Try the Remington RM380, it was a pleasant surprise. Though it is probably one of the most expensive 380's on the market, I don't think that should matter when it comes to defending yourself and loved ones. The best of class (IMHO) is the old P238 HD. The Remora works great! I think it came out right around the time of your article so why didn't you list it? In actuality the Seecamp 380 is smaller. They are not only built like tanks, but will shoot Plus P ammo milder than most guns shoot standard ammo. I like the 13+1 capacity. you a link to reset your password. Here are some basic facts for the Ruger LCP II: In conclusion, the Ruger LCP II simply represents the beginning of the evolution of the .380 pocket pistol. i bought a Bersa thunder plus with a 15 round mag for 350.00 bucks and it has never had a failure to feed or any other issues. 45 ACP as a duty weapon as an administrator. In not new to guns, shot IPSC for a while. Well go over whats fact and whats fiction. This has always been my approach. I personally don't want to take the chance in case it's a huge guy with several layers of clothing, and hopped up on adrenaline or drugs. Got rid of it and got a Sig P238 and a Glock 42. Read all about it in our Complete Review of the Bersa Firestorm .380! This adds to the visual/narrative of the text. In turn, out of guns of equal weight the .380 produces nearly half the recoil energy. (PS-I had a local 'smith do some smoothing of the edges and it's amazingly easy to get in and out!) It's easy to appreciate how this applies to the way handguns are designed. I, and my brother both have a Kahr CW380. I wanted to LOVE the LCP because its SO easy to conceal. I think it is the best pocket ccw out there load it with the all copper Underwood self defense ammo and the lethality of the round will compare with a traditional lead 9 mm, which is the best of all possible worlds for cc. This article by Alex Joseph originally appeared at Gun News Daily in 2019. You hit all the points I had questions about. I had a Ruger LCP and after the third round, the pistol began bouncing around in my hand, not good. As I remind you, that the PP Series Pistols, all have the sliding cover open, then fire the last ammunition, as it was and is the custom in all modern military weapons. It really likes to digest Remington 88 gr HTP and Remington 102 gr Golden Saber. I just purchased a S&W Bodyguard ($50 manufacturer's rebate through June). The only .380 cartridge I'd ever use, is Precision One. Also a quick not for those that carry a .380 I would look at the new XP Extreme Penetrator and XD Extreme Defender ammo by Lehigh Defense. Aesthetics always take a backseat to functionality, but you cant argue with a good looking gun. It's there as last resort if I happen to be down there and unarmed when an intruder comes in. Love the sig p238 tried the lcp gave to my brother. While the LCP II will accept the same 6 round magazines as the original LCP, it also will not slide lock on the last round with those magazines because they were not designed to do so. It, and my .38 special, are my everyday carries, over a 9mm and a .357, sometimes, depending where I'm going, I'll carry both. In the rotation is the LCP 2 and the G42. Carry sig in ankle holster . Mine has gone through hundreds of rounds from every brand I find, and there's no more than an occasional jam. Try lugging 500 rds of .223/556, 30/30, 7.62X39, .45, .40, 9mm, .38..think about it carefully..when weight is a premium??? Also have a Taurus 738. I felt bad about taking his $100. BEST: Sig P238. What I didn't like about it is the double-action trigger; by the time you get it pulled, you've probably pulled way off target in a crisis situation. I bought the Sig P238. I have the Springfield 911 and that gun is amazing compact good grouping lightweight are amazing. Now here;'s the good about the LCP.It Feeds CRITICAL DEFENSE like a champ. cant make it jam off of Critical defense. I've been using Hornady Critical Defense in it. Here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nycYxb-zNwc&index=48&t=0s&list=WL I gotta say I agree with your sentiments about the slug. I even carry it sometime in my pocket as back up to my Glock 17 which I should say it way sweeet (the 17). That being said, I will say that I'm a fan of the concept that if you can't hit your target then no firearm will be for you. And they are ultra reliable. Other things being equal, a 9mm or .380 is easier to shoot than a .40 or .45. The trigger on the Bodyguard is so poor that I find it unreasonably difficult to stay on target. A P238 with rosewood grips may be prettier, but this one is a no-nonsense carry piece and looks it. They're chambered for 25 ACP, 22 LR, 22 WMR, and 380 ACP, which are all small cartridges with relatively lightweight bullets and propellant charges. Should be on the list! I have a plain gray/black one, but whatever melts your butter. For about $230-250 new, you could do worse. Agree 100%. I agree. I have tried the pocket holster that came with it. That's about 150% more kinetic energy than the .380 can bring to bear! G6 Research Radically Invasive Projectile (RIP) Ammo 380ACP. The biggest improvement, by far, is the trigger pull. The higher you can get your hand on a grip, the better the recoil management. - It's cheaper and has much more capacity than the Sig P238, the Kahr CW or the Ruger LCPII Adequate penetration is not an issue, either, and bullet expansion can be expected. I went to the range last weekend and intentionally gathered up all 380 reloads from my house that I could find. A .380 bullet in the size of a Glock 19, lol. I have hundreds of rounds through both and I haven't had any malfunctions with either of them. Have I had problems with Taurus guns? I found a Desantis pocket carry for it to ride in. Unhappy surprise I haven't found an extended safety, and I can't put the stock lever to "safe" without shifting my grip or using my off hand. Nobody ever looks twice. And with such a tiny increment in size & weight, the Max capacity gives it the nod over the II. My wifes CC gun is a Bersa 380 and mine is a Bersa 380CC. Mine were made by Smith&Wesson, you would think for the price they could have deburred those edges. And, be confident enough to accurately use it.. You are crazy. I've heard the same thing about it being a bit picky on ammunition, but never experienced it. I've had one for 6 years; love it. Another way of looking at it isthe gun youve got on your hip is better than the one youve got in your sock drawer. While I appreciate the clever workmanship expressed in my Ruger LcpII, it doesn't wow! I had trouble finding carry holsters that I considered safe to carry in condition one. I have a Bersa 383 DA I have carried for over 30 years. If you cannot shoot center mass, you need a different gun/caliber combo or to practice a heck of a lot more. Of the 7 Sig 238s we own, we have had zero FTF or FTE with factory loads, having fired over 3,000 rounds combined. It was inexpensive, and Ive never had a misfire or a jam. Bottom line is I would put my life in the hands of either one of the three guns mentioned. So much for credibility of the write up. From Reader Robert C: While a CZ PCR is my main carry, the PPK/s get the nod when the summer arrives. I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, but now I have two. The 238 is very easy to conceal. When you insert a fresh magazine, it will be easier to rack the slide this way as well. old woman and I love my WaltherPK380. In line with your sock drawer comment, if there is even the remotest possibility that I will have a malfunction, I don't have any use for that pistol. I carry it inside waistband or front pocket. I currently own 4 .380 pistols. In 1995 S&W introduced their small concealed-carry style Sigma variant. You have to get it from Palmetto State Armory. hands down. M&P Shield EZ .380 6. Reliability is also excellent. l looked at those models on your list (and several others), but found what I was looking for in the Springfield 911, which, in my opinion, was far superior in design, construction, features, and feel. All being said; the little guys are all hard to shoot without a lot of practice with solid grip. I routinely carried my duty weapon (early years .357 S & W mod 19) and back up .38 S & W Chief Special with +p ammo. 2) .410 for defensive, I strongly disagree with the assumptions made. Availability : In Stock Before the Colt Mustang there was the F.I. (I preferred to use it on woodchucks, however, out to 100 yards, with a good Leupold scope and a .22 Hornet barrel.) Even ships with a stainless steel recoil guide. It's oh so slightly bigger (barely) than a Glock 42. I also have a Micro 9 which is a bit larger than the Micro 380. I'll be reviewing one soon, so keep an eye out! LCP 2 has a long heavy trigger? Won't lie though, "long and heavy" sure is accurate on the trigger pull. I like the accuracy, the sights and the fact the slide locks back when empty. It is extremely well built, easily concealed and extremely accurate. But my buddy I shoot with he is very accurate with the Sig. Bought my wife a Walther PK380 because with her arthritis , she can still rack the slide. While larger .380 pistols such as the Walther PPK/S, Walther PK380, Bersa Thunder 380, and Glock 42 dont have this problem, the truly small pocket pistols such as the LCP and TCP most certainly do. As for range ammo I have had no issues with Federal, Fiocchi or Winchester.