Good 380 B.U.G. ?

[Web Architect]

Rohrbaugh R9s, hands down. It's a 9mm, sized close to the LCP (which I sold). LCP trigger didn't break until the very back of the trigger pull. Not natural to me.

The R9 is in a whole different class, and it ought to be for what you pay for it. But, in 9mm it's easier to shoot than the .380 LCP. And Rohrbaugh can be had in .380 if that's what's called for.

And as far as I know, R9 has no equal in reliability. Again, for the price, it should.

[John_Wayne777]

My BUG and sometimes primary gun in very warm weather is a Ruger LCP with a Crimson Trace Laser carried in a pocket.

Robb hooked me up with a Ruger LCP back when they were rarer than hen's teeth. Sample of one and all that, but mine has been a spectacular little handgun for what it is. I've fired about 800 rounds through my LCP with no malfunctions. It does seem to bog down a bit if it is bone dry, so I try to keep it reasonably well lubricated.

I also added the CT laser module to my LCP. I think the CT laser is a must-have addition to a weapon like the LCP because the usability of the sights is poor in anything approaching low light conditions. They can still be used well enough to shoot reasonably small groups at 10 yards, but on anything that doesn't match ideal outdoor range conditions it will be a struggle to use them with any precision.

The laser cures that:





That's a rapid-fire group done by pulling the trigger as fast as I could get a decent laser reference. I fired six shots, reloaded, then fired six more. You can't really ask much more than that from a mousegun.

[rat31465]

I just picked up a Diamondback DB380. Unfortunately, I have not had the time to shoot more than a mag through it yet so I cant speak for reliability, but I like the grip, trigger, and sights. Just another one worth looking into. It is the same size as a Keltec or Ruger. Although, most people I know use the LCP with CT laser and none of them have had any problems that I know of.

I'm looking to update my .380 BUG and I like the looks of this DB380...Might I ask what you paid for yours and if you have had a chance to shoot it more how you are liking it now?

[REDinFL]

NAA .380 Guardian. Rohrbaugh if you want to spend the money (remember, it's use is basically as a "belly gun")

I'm surprised no one has mentioned PPK, unless I missed it. Nicely made but for the price and size, one can do better.

[Shane1]

Paul,

Another vote for the LCP here. I have had mine almost a year now. Close to 1500 rounds thru it in that time frame. Its small, light and will work as intended for my purposes. A pocket carry BUG. I carry a G27 as a primary sometimes and the Ruger as the backup. I let a bunch of fellow officers shoot it and in my agency alone, 4 have went and bought their own a short time after. I wasn.t a fan of no sights at first but IIRC there is a company making add on sights for it.

[dakotalawdog]

When I don't want to carry a real gun, I carry a Ruger LCP. 200 or so rounds with no malfunctions. At 15 yards I can keep 8" groups center mass. I think beyond that, the sights are a little crude. It completely disappears in a pocket holster / pants pocket.

Of course, any .380 is more of a "stick in ear, pull trigger" type gun.

[Taguin]

Take a look at the Sig 232. Its a little big , but is a very reliable 380.

+1 Great handgun.

[kjdoski]

Paul - there are certainly lots of options out there in mouseguns. My personal preference is for the Kahr PM9, because it's only marginally larger than most of the .380 options, and I really think it's worth the extra size to get the better performance of the 9mm round. My PM9 disappears on the ankle, IWB, or in a roomy pocket.

Having said all that, it's a LITTLE too big/heavy for pocket carry in dress slacks or jeans. If that's the application, then one of the ultra thin, ultra light .380s seems to be the answer. After the initial teething pains, I've heard nothing but good about the Ruger LCP; and, if I was in the market for a .380, that's the way I'd go.

I've owned two Keltc P3ATs - the first would not reliably feed ball despite several trips back to the factory, and to say the accuracy was shotgun-like is an insult to the worst short barreled shotgun in history. I literally could not keep rounds within a 18" circle at 7 yards with that pistol. Several months after ditching that pistol, I bought another from a guy I trusted who said his was fine. This version was reliable with anything except Corbon ammunition, and, after installing "P-Sights" on it, I could easily hit coke cans out to 10 yards or so.

The new S&W Bodyguard is an interesting design, but it's a LITTLE heavier than the LCP, which might make it "print" more in lighter cloth pockets...

The Kahr P380 is a GREAT .380, but pretty spendy - the Rorbaughs, IMHO, are simply too expensive to carry.

Regards,

Kevin

[Loner]

I'm loving the lcp for when times I'm too lazy to carry but feel guilty not to. I find the pearce grip extension to be a big plus.

[lethal dose]

I know the question was about a .380 but kahr's pm9 is about the same size, has real sights and is in a much more serviceable round.