Recommend me an affordable. 380 Revolver

[Egret-II]

Just like the title says.
Can you guys recommend me an affordable .380 revolver. I prefer stainless.
I've never shot a .380 before, so I want to add one to my roster. I heard they have almost no recoil. They are very reliable, and easy to conceal. Those are some of the reasons I want to get one.
Also, how common is the .380 acp ammo?

 

[spat]

Just like the title says.
Can you guys recommend me an affordable .380 revolver. I prefer stainless.
I've never shot a .380 before, so I want to add one to my roster. I heard they have almost no recoil. They are very reliable, and easy to conceal. Those are some of the reasons I want to get one.
Also, how common is the .380 acp ammo?

.380acp is very common semi auto ammo. I'm not sure I've ever seen a revolver chambered in it, but I'm sure someone makes one.

Typically. 38spl would be the revolver equivalent.

In general rimmed cartridges are for revolvers and rimless for semiautomatic.

They do make revolvers for rimless cartridges, I've just never seen one for .380 (9mm is not uncommon though).



It was specifically designed for semi auto (acp). Not sure I've ever seen a revolver chambered for it. It would surely be something designed for a .38spl and then the design adjusted to shoot 380.


Any particular reason you want it in a revolver and not one of the many excellent semi autos designed around that caliber ? Or want a revolver in 380acp instead of .38spl ?

 

[Edwardteach72]

Weird.. turns out Taurus and Charter arms both make a revolver in 380

I was actually about to come say the same thing @spat posted but Google to just see if maybe who knows a 9mm revolver could shoot 380, then found out those two lower quality companies randomly make 380acp revolvers


Learn something new everyday

 

[Egret-II]

.380acp is very common semi auto ammo. I'm not sure I've ever seen a revolver chambered in it, but I'm sure someone makes one.

Typically. 38spl would be the revolver equivalent.

In general rimmed cartridges are for revolvers and rimless for semiautomatic.

They do make revolvers for rimless cartridges, I've just never seen one for .380 (9mm is not uncommon though).



It was specifically designed for semi auto (acp). Not sure I've ever seen a revolver chambered for it. It would surely be something designed for a .38spl and then the design adjusted to shoot 380.


Any particular reason you want it in a revolver and not one of the many excellent semi autos designed around that caliber ? Or want a revolver in 380acp instead of .38spl ?

I was looking at the .38spl but a coworker told me the 380 has almost the same recoil as a .22 and enough stopping power. If true. Thatd be the perfect combination for me. And why a revolver instead of a semi outo? I own a glock 19. I just wanted something different. That's all.

 

[Egret-II]

Weird.. turns out Taurus and Charter arms both make a revolver in 380

I was actually about to come say the same thing @spat posted but Google to just see if maybe who knows a 9mm revolver could shoot 380, then found out those two lower quality companies randomly make 380acp revolvers


Learn something new everyday

I was looking at these two. And I was wondering if there wre more out there.

 

[Saltwater60]

I too had not clue a .380 revolver was made. I’m not sure there is much point to a .380 revolver IMO, but hey that’s just me. I bumped up to a 9mm because I don’t feel comfortable carrying my ruger LPCII anymore with the rise in mass shooters, long gun use, and body armor use. Hence the reason I bought the 365 and 365xl.

 

[Parzival]

Your money, your choice…

But for carry, a pocket .380 would make more sense…Glock 42, P365, LCP Max, etc…P365 .380 is a soft shooter as it’s basically the same gun as the 9mm version.

For a range toy a .380 revolver would be a talking piece but I’d rather just have a .22 revolver due to ammo cost.

That’s the great thing about guns…variety.

 

[Egret-II]

Your money, your choice…

But for carry, a pocket .380 would make more sense…Glock 42, P365, LCP Max, etc…P365 .380 is a soft shooter as it’s basically the same gun as the 9mm version.

For a range toy a .380 revolver would be a talking piece but I’d rather just have a .22 revolver due to ammo cost.

That’s the great thing about guns…variety.

I do own a glock 44 for the range. That thing is cheap and fun to shoot!!

 

[BerettaGuy]

Got me thinking.
A revolver shooting ACP ammo requires a moon "clip".
Since the "gun stupid" pretending to be virtuous, love to interchange the word clip for "magazine", would you find it cringy if I called it a "moon magazine"?
Wouldn't that be fun? I mean to convince some sanctimonious anti-gun liberal that moon magazines should be outlawed.

 

[BerettaGuy]

I do own a glock 44 for the range. That thing is cheap and fun to shoot!!

I always called them 9mm shorts.

 

[71velle]

I think Smith should make a 9mm j-frame, that could shoot 380 too. The shorter 9mm cylinder would take a bit of weight of the heaviest part.

 

[Hochulsucks1234]

Taurus makes the model 380 which runs 380 acp, nice and affordable. Of course they also make the model 605, which is 357 magnum, but you can run 38 special. I think 38 special is superior to 380. Only advantage of 380 semi is capacity.

 

[Bustedknees]

I carry my Taurus 856UL a lot but it in lacks quality compared to the Charter arms I bought for my wife, both are .38s.
personally Id go with a 22 and run Stingers or just buy the 38, both are stupid easy on recoil and more impressive than a .380 and your friends wont laugh at you. Id also choose a hammer gun, better for plinking beer cans when not carrying for defense.

 

[togmaster]

I always called them 9mm shorts.

I always call them a pain in the ass when they get mixed in with my 9mm reloading brass.

 

[Vapor]

I'd get a j frame in .38 if I planned to have my life count on it.

 

[Steal2B]

I'd get a j frame in .38 if I planned to have my life count on it

FIFY
I'd get an X frame in 500 S&W Mag if I planned to have my life count on it

 

[Vapor]

FIFY
I'd get an X frame in 500 S&W Mag if I planned to have my life count on it

I was working within the ballistic frame work the op desired lol.


I like .357 myself

 

[22Cool]

I was looking at the .38spl but a coworker told me the 380 has almost the same recoil as a .22 and enough stopping power. If true. Thatd be the perfect combination for me. And why a revolver instead of a semi outo? I own a glock 19. I just wanted something different. That's all.

How much does that coworker shoot? I ask because I've shot tons of 22s and have recently been shooting a S&W 380 Bodyguard as well as a Taurus Model 85 Ultralite revolver .38 and they're all very different. I was practicing with my small defense guns when I thought we'd all be allowed to carry.
The small and light carry 380s/38s have a lot of kick since there's not a lot of gun mass so your hands take up the recoil and that is NOT anything like a 22.
I also have the NAA Mini in 22lr as well as a NAA Black Widow in 22WMR (both are revolvers) and everything I've noted imo fits as small cc to varying degrees of arguable success.
I love my Taurus 85, but it's not for everyone and it can be punishing after a while (Before the sissy calls, I've fired off a full magazine of .50AE from a Desert Eagle). I was lucky enough to find one that was extremely accurate.

 

[Jmac00]

Rugar makes a 380 wheel gun. small, easy to handle, The LC380 is basically the LC9 chambered in . 380 caliber,

 

[beebee]

The LC380 and LC9 are both semi autos... The Ruger LCR .380 is no longer made, but I think the LCR9 is, not sure.. .380 wheel guns are not a big enough seller for ruger I wouldn't think.

I dunno, a .380 wheel gun??.. I would just go to 9mm if I wanted a smaller caliber revolver, ammo is a lot cheaper..

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

IMO im just a guy on internet but I wouldn't carry anything less than a 9mm.

I could see perhaps maybe a .380acp for my wife because she has very small hands. but the .380 recoil is going to be more similar to the 9mm than it is .22. For example a Glock 42 type of pistol is fine but it doesn't really do anything differently enough for me to consider one. .380 really isn't even cheaper than 9mm it's pretty comparable.

 

[Jmac00]

IMO im just a guy on internet but I wouldn't carry anything less than a 9mm.

I could see perhaps maybe a .380acp for my wife because she has very small hands. but the .380 recoil is going to be more similar to the 9mm than it is .22. For example a Glock 42 type of pistol is fine but it doesn't really do anything differently enough for me to consider one. .380 really isn't even cheaper than 9mm it's pretty comparable.

the 380 is just a 9mm short. for years, most european PD carried the 380? probably because they're pussies.

besides, wasn't James Bond's ( Sean Connery ) gun a 380. and he killed people at 200 yards with that gun, from the hip

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

the 380 is just a 9mm short. for years, most european PD carried the 380? probably because they're pussies.

besides, wasn't James Bond's ( Sean Connery ) gun a 380. and he killed people at 200 yards with that gun, from the hip

Most carry sized .380 tend to be smaller and lighter so there is less mass to absorb the recoil and it "feels" pretty comparable to a 9mm so you're downgrading calibers for no real benefit.

I think a g42 feels pretty comparable to shooting a g43. But you lose performance and it's not even cheaper for ammo.

 

[Criticalt]

How much does that coworker shoot? I ask because I've shot tons of 22s and have recently been shooting a S&W 380 Bodyguard as well as a Taurus Model 85 Ultralite revolver .38 and they're all very different. I was practicing with my small defense guns when I thought we'd all be allowed to carry.
The small and light carry 380s/38s have a lot of kick since there's not a lot of gun mass so your hands take up the recoil and that is NOT anything like a 22.
I also have the NAA Mini in 22lr as well as a NAA Black Widow in 22WMR (both are revolvers) and everything I've noted imo fits as small cc to varying degrees of arguable success.
I love my Taurus 85, but it's not for everyone and it can be punishing after a while (Before the sissy calls, I've fired off a full magazine of .50AE from a Desert Eagle). I was lucky enough to find one that was extremely accurate.
View attachment 173764

Im gonna revive this old thread.
I would ask the co-worker too.
My wifes Shield in 380 is downright snappy compared to a 22LR.
And even in my GP100 3 inch, 38 SP isnt exactly a "light" recoil.
And neither are anywhere close to 22LR or even 22 WMR.

 

[JaguarJaguarGolf]

Don't buy oddball stuff. you'll be chasing holsters and parts for as long as you own it.
Get a 442 and just shoot regular .38 special. This setup won't hurt your wallet or your hands.

 

[Saltwater60]

IMO im just a guy on internet but I wouldn't carry anything less than a 9mm.

I could see perhaps maybe a .380acp for my wife because she has very small hands. but the .380 recoil is going to be more similar to the 9mm than it is .22. For example a Glock 42 type of pistol is fine but it doesn't really do anything differently enough for me to consider one. .380 really isn't even cheaper than 9mm it's pretty comparable.

Im In this camp as well. I was carrying a .380 and bumped it up to a 9mm and I’ll never look back. I had a ruger LCPII and gripping the gun from the holster was so hard because how small it is. I shot it well, but with the use of body armor and rifles these days you need more knockdown than a .380 gives. No a 9mm won’t go through body armor but it should knock them down and a .380 may not.

 

[2WheelGnnr]

With 22 cool...I too have a tuarus ultra lite in 38 special and again it shoots nothing like a 22 but not bad..it just definately kicks a little..NOT like a 22 but a good gun and good round I think

 

[ManualF150]

I've been itching for a 9x19 revolver myself.