.380-Una vez mas

[jkingrph]

They are making 9mm smaller every year, but unless you’re the size of John Wayne with really baggy pockets, they just haven’t yet designed one quite small enough to comfortably carry and pull from a front pocket for an average sized guy.

The .380 fills this niche. there are hammer fired, all steel .380’s out there that have good ergonomics and will fit in a pocket. Some of the Russian 9mm Kurtz fit that bill.

But the .380’s of this description are all way too heavy to carry in the pocket. They print something fierce and the weight of them feel like they will pull your pants down!

This is where the thin and light .380 mouse guns like the Ruger LCP II. Earn their respect. As Tim said earlier, it’s squared, L- Shaped feeling it can give you while pointing it can feel a little off ergonomically.

But it more than makes up for it with ease of carry and use. It’s a point and shoot pistol. I don’t need competition match or combat alley ergonomics. Most likely, it will be pulled from the pocket, kept close to the body with a bent elbow while being used quickly and discreetly.

People used to knock the power or effectiveness of the .380, but it was effective enough to take Tupac and Biggie Smalls away from us. I have seen a few shootings where a .380 was used. And while it could be just a coincidence, the shooters of those .380’s, didn’t just shoot a couple of rounds, opting to empty the gun instead. Or at least a string or volley of 4 to 5 shots.

I have seen people survive this, but I have also seen people survive a 12 gauge blast believe it or not. But while they are anomaly’s, most won’t survive a shotgun blast and most won’t survive having the magazine of a .380 emptied into their body if the person shooting does their part.

Like Tim, I rarely find myself needing to carry a pocket pistol. But when I do, I need it to be thin, light and very concealable. My wife’s Ruger LCP II fits this bill. With the 7 rounds in the pistol, I can easily carry it in the pocket of my pajamas and an extra 6 round magazine in the other pocket and the draw string waistband is enough to keep my pajama bottoms from sagging.

The mouse gun plays a vital role in certain and specific situations.

I picked up a little Sig P238 SAS (sig anti snag) a factory dehorned model, all edges rounded a couple of years ago, until I could locate a companion P938 model in 9mm, vs the 238 in .380. They are so close in size I see no difference in pocket carry. I use a Red Dog leather wallet holster of extremely thin leather. It has a flap that folds around the gun butt so if it shows, it looks like a large wallet in the pocket. I recently got a Sig P365 and it's just a little longer, taller and thicker making it not so great for pocket carry, The wallet holster is not the fastest thing going, but with that flap around it does not snag coming out of a pocket and the quickest way for me to get the gun in action is a two handed approach, one to quickly remove the holster, the other handling the gun.

 

[OkieStubble]

I picked up a little Sig P238 SAS (sig anti snag) a factory dehorned model, all edges rounded a couple of years ago, until I could locate a companion P938 model in 9mm, vs the 238 in .380. They are so close in size I see no difference in pocket carry. I use a Red Dog leather wallet holster of extremely thin leather. It has a flap that folds around the gun butt so if it shows, it looks like a large wallet in the pocket. I recently got a Sig P365 and it's just a little longer, taller and thicker making it not so great for pocket carry, The wallet holster is not the fastest thing going, but with that flap around it does not snag coming out of a pocket and the quickest way for me to get the gun in action is a two handed approach, one to quickly remove the holster, the other handling the gun.

Good post Jeff. I am curious, when you pocket your 938, is it a tight fit or a loose fit?

Also, are you considered a big dude, or an average sized guy?

Does the 938 in your pocket force you to wear a belt to keep your pants from sagging?

Can you easily and quickly put your shooting hand into the pocket WITH your 938 at the same time?

In a close engagement scenario, which a pocket pistol is actually designed for. Can you freely and unobstructively, Draw your 938 out to point ready with one hand for a fast and smooth engagement?