Help me decide on a pocket 380

[mrozowjj]

I every so often entertain the idea of getting a pocket 380 for those times I normally would not carry anything. I ususally talk myself out of it because I have trouble finding a pocket 380 that has a decent enough trigger and is reliable. Several years ago I bought a Ruger LCP but it would not fire worth a damn. I tried multiple types of ammo and it just wouldn't cycle. Made a return trip to Ruger to fix it and still didn't work.

Right now I am considering the following:

• Kahr P380
• Beretta Pico
• S&W Bodyguard
• Ruger LCP or LCP2
• Colt Mustang
• Sig P238
• Glock 42

Part of me knows the Glock 42 will have a good enough trigger and be reliable but it's also so large that it negates the point if getting a gun in 380 in my opinion so I'm inclinded not to get that one.

I like the idea of the Colt and the Sig because people seem to think they are reliable and their triggers are good but I don't like the fact that they have a very small manual safety; my other carry gun is striker fired so I'm leaning towards not getting either of those.

The other Ruger LCP I had as previously stated was not reliable so it kind of soured me on the LCP, though I suppose the LCP 2 is different enough that it might be worth a try if you all seem to think it would do the trick.

I have shot a Bodyguard and it shot well enough but the trigger was very long and it has an even harder to manage safety than the Sig/Colt.

So I guess that leaves the Kahr. I like the one Kahr CW9 I had. It was a little temperamental about the magazines at first but it worked once that got sorted out. I ended up selling it because the trigger was hard to master and I shot the Shield and Walther PPS better on a timer.

I have heard nothing about the Beretta Pico other than that the trigger isn't great and the mag release is very hard to hit but I've never even seen one in person before.

So what say the hive here, are there other guns out there I'm neglecting to mention that are worth considering? Anything new coming on down the line I should wait for? Anyone have some experience with any of the models above that they could care to recommend one?

[Sigfan26]

The Pico is a good idea for self defense like pulling out is a good idea for birth control. The two do have something in common... Each only gives one shot.


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[JHC]

Have you actually pocketed a 42? It's not THAT bad.

[Joe in PNG]

Have you actually pocketed a 42? It's not THAT bad.

442's aren't that bad either.

[Bigghoss]

My LCP has been excellent but the sights suck. A friend of mine has an LCP II, I need to get out shooting with me again so I can try it out. The 42 is big for what it is but that translates into being very shootable for a mouse gun. I held a Beretta Pico once, all I really remember about it is thinking that it was a total POS.

If you can find and LCP custom I hear those are pretty nice, but you'll have to find a used one.

[Totem Polar]

IMO:
the 42 is the shooter of the choices. It is bigger, but still much easier to tote than Bond's PPK of yore.
The LCP custom is the zenith of the Rugers; probably better than the LCP2
Kahrs are OK.
Small SAOs (e.g. Sig P238) lunch their recoil springs in as little as 300-400 rounds. They're like a second part time job.

Honestly, for micro gun pocket auto duty, the Seecamp .32 is still a decent option, if you must go mini.

I've owned examples of ALL of the above, except the LCP Custom (which I've shot).

They're all gone. I do have a 642, however. OMMV, FWIW, etc.

[theJanitor]

Seecamp .32 is a great pocket gun choice. I believe the Winchester silvertips were the ammo of choice

I use a Colt Pocketlite DAO. It's been dead reliable and very accurate. It was worked over by the late Jim Stroh.


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[Ed L]

IMO:

Honestly, for micro gun pocket auto duty, the Seecamp .32 is still a decent option, if you must go mini.

Seecamp .32s are not great gun choices. They often break within a few hundred rounds and then the company takes forever to fix them and is impossible to communicate with. I have had this happen with 3 different Seecamps over the years.

[BillSWPA]

My tiny .380 is a Kel-Tec P3AT, which I would recommend, with one qualification. Both of the Kel-Tec pistols I own function significantly better with Wolff recoil springs that are 2 lb. heavier than factory standard. In the case of the P3AT, I am using a 13 lb. set of springs. I also use +10% extra power magazine springs, but this change is far less critical to functioning than changing the recoil springs.

I also use a Crimson Trace LaserGuard on my gun. Under conditions in which the laser can be seen, accuracy is significantly enhanced.

I also use +0 magazine extensions to get a better grip on the gun. The extra length really helps, particularly with the LaserGuard. I find the +0 extensions to be quieter than the +1 extensions. If you are carrying the gun in a non-permissive environment, being given away by noise would not be helpful.

The Internet loves to hate Kel-Tec, but three friends who also own, shoot, and carry these pistols have been quite happy with them.


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[Irelander]

I would steer clear of the Kahr P380. My buddy, my FIL, and I each had one and all three had many issues. I liked the size for pocket or ankle carry but I had to smooth up a lot of parts and do some dremeling on the internal tab of the slide stop lever so that it would allow rounds to chamber. I finally got it working well but I had lost so much confidence in it that I sold it. My buddy's and my FIL's examples had the same issues but my buddy's also had the slide rust like crazy.

I would also remove the S&W Bodyguard from your list.

I personally think the Glock 42 is pretty small. That is the only one I would get if I was looking for a pocket .380.

I now have a 642 that will serve pocket duty.