380

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  • GlockDoc

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    Jun 23, 2016
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    I have a dear aunt who wants to purchase a 380. She is having a difficult time pulling the slide, on most, if not all. Any recommendations or tips I could pass along to help her?
     

    VERT

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    She wants a .380 because she can't pull the slide back on a larger gun? Or she wants a .380 and can't find one she can pull the slide back on?

    I have a lot of opinions about .380 handguns, too many to share here. I have seen and shot a bunch of them. If we are talking about new guns that are currently imported there are only two that I would even consider. The Glock 42 and the Sig P238. Both have a little more weight, fire from a locked breech and have usable sights and triggers. IMO the Glock wins in that contest. A distant third option is the Walther PK380. The Walthers slide mounted safety and lack of a decocker is my biggest beef.
     

    VERT

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    If she can't cycle the Slide she needs a revolver, even if she thinks she doesn't want one.

    If she can't cycle the slide then she probably can't manage the double action trigger on a new revolver. Running the slide is about technique and not strength. Mindset figures in as well. If she tells herself she can't do something well then guess what.........

    Little .380s suck for racking slides. Some of them have stiff springs and nothing to grab onto for a slide.
     

    Cameramonkey

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    Another vote for "Why do you want something you cannot operate?". You need to argue. If she wont listen to you, she should talk to an instructor, possibly even an female instructor. Silly women sometimes refuse to listen to those closest to them.

    That and make sure if she gets her way, She is provided the BEST defensive ammo available for that caliber. The round is rather anemic and doesnt play nice with silly manufacturers who said "We'll just scale down our larger JHP design. What could go wrong?" Best stuff out there uses a Hornady XTP projectile. Those appear to be the most reliably expanding round out there. This gentleman ran LOTS of brands through the tests. Here are the final resuls.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts

    Also, make sure she has the finger strength to operate the heavy revolver trigger.
     

    VERT

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    Another vote for "Why do you want something you cannot operate?". You need to argue. If she wont listen to you, she should talk to an instructor, possibly even an female instructor. Silly women sometimes refuse to listen to those closest to them.

    That and make sure if she gets her way, She is provided the BEST defensive ammo available for that caliber. The round is rather anemic and doesnt play nice with silly manufacturers who said "We'll just scale down our larger JHP design. What could go wrong?" Best stuff out there uses a Hornady XTP projectile. Those appear to be the most reliably expanding round out there. This gentleman ran LOTS of brands through the tests. Here are the final resuls.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts

    Also, make sure she has the finger strength to operate the heavy revolver trigger.

    Hornady XTP or Critical Defense would be my choices as well. They seem to be reliable. Expansion is somewhat secondary since .380 doesn't penetrate very well. Honestly in the little pocket rockets with less then a 3" barrel I'm not sure FMJ wouldn't be just as effective. First priority is finding a load the gun will run reliably. .380s in general can be fickle little beasts.
     

    Nam1911

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    Easiest cycling slide on an autoloading 380 I know is the Bersa 380 and the Sig 238.

    If she can't cycle the slide she needs something else.
     

    NHT3

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    IMHO a revolver is the worst possible choice for a new shooter. Hitting your intended target being your primary goal if you discharge a firearm the long heavy trigger pull and lack of visible sights on most revolvers make that difficult to do. After, in the neighborhood of a thousand people in class at Parabellum in the last couple of years I can say I've had 3 that couldn't run the slide on a semi auto. It's technique not strength that gets the job done. Loading the mag can be another problem for people short of hand strength but an uplula loader will solve that problem. Revolvers are exactly as advertised, easy to load, unload and carry BUT difficult to hit something with because of a long heavy trigger pull. Make certain she can pull the trigger on what ever she thinks she wants before considering purchase. Getting her with a good trainer and keeping her safe should be your first mission. Please PM me if you have questions.

    Certified Glock & M&P armorer
    NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] /[/FONT][FONT=&amp] RSO[/FONT]
     
    Last edited:

    GlockDoc

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    I have a 42 and several glocks in the 9mm variety. We are setting up a day to hit the range so I can get her to try different calibers. As of now, I've asked her to just stop in a local gun shops and get her hands on different pistols. I have not tried breaching the caliber arguement yet. I've also dropped the suggestion of a used firearm, which she seemed open to the idea.
     

    VERT

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    Glock-42,

    If you go .380 this is the best choice right now.


    IMHO a revolver is the worst possible choice for a new shooter. Hitting your intended target being your primary goal if you discharge a firearm the long heavy trigger pull and lack of visible sights on most revolvers make that difficult to do. After, in the neighborhood of a thousand people in class at Parabellum in the last couple of years I can say I've had 3 that couldn't run the slide on a semi auto. It's technique not strength that gets the job done. Loading the mag can be another problem for people short of hand strength but an uplula loader will solve that problem. Revolvers are exactly as advertised, easy to load, unload and carry BUT difficult to hit something with because of a long heavy trigger pull. Make certain she can pull the trigger on what ever she thinks she wants before considering purchase. Getting her with a good trainer and keeping her safe should be your first mission. Please PM me if you have questions.

    Certified Glock & M&P armorer
    NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] /[/FONT][FONT=&amp] RSO[/FONT]

    :yesway:


    The only thing I might add is nowadays when people say revolver they usually refer to little 5 shot J frames, same as .380 has become synonymous with little pocket guns. Both are horrible for beginners. A larger, older .38 revolver like a model 10 or model 15 police trade in might be a good choice. But understand those guns are large.

    If you insist on .380 look for one with at least a 3.25" barrel, fires from a locked breech unless it weighs over 20 oz, has highly visible sights, has a good trigger, and avoid slide mounted safeties.

    For what it is worth I find very few people who can not handle a S&W shield or similar sized 9mm. The softest shooting easiest to handle guns we have are 1911s in 9mm
     

    Tomc1947

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    FWIW, the Kimber Micro carry, and the Colt Mustang are both very easy to operate, also if you want something larger try a Beretta 84 or a CZ 83.
     

    sgreen3

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    The G42 would probably get my vote, it honestly is the only one of the sub compact pocket pistols that don't give trigger bite. An its actually fairly accurate with the factory sights as in it actually has real sights not just a crappy notch cut out in the back and a hump in the front. I only have experience with this and a few others but IMO the 42 wins for me in a lot of categories. Best piece of advice would be to go to the gun store let her pick one out that feels good to her in the hand and have her take a quality training class, then just a lot of practice.
     

    flatlander

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    My wife had the same problem. Ended up with a G42. The issue was being able to grasp it firmly enough due to her arthritis. All it took was replacing the back plate with a Vickers and problem solved.

    Bob
     
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    A .380 is a snappy little shot that stings the hand compared to the comparable ballistics of .38 special that just thumps even from a derringer. I own both guns. AMT Backup weighs 18 oz. Rohm model 17 weighs about 15 oz.

    AMT snaps like getting snapped by a towel in the locker room. It pings and stings, twisting very quickly in the hand, a weak hand could drop it. It's an extremely irritating recoil. The .38 special Rohm by contrast just thumps and rocks back a bit, easily manageable and a very satisfying recoil.

    And no, I am not suggesting getting a derringer. I am recommending against a very tiny .380 for weak hands. They are horrible. If you can't even rack the slide, how will you fire more than one shot after almost dropping it. A tiny .38 special is delightful to shoot.
     
    Last edited:

    flatlander

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    A .380 is a snappy little shot that stings the hand compared to the comparable ballistics of .38 special that just thumps even from a derringer. I own both guns. AMT Backup weighs 18 oz. Rohm model 17 weighs about 15 oz.

    AMT snaps like getting snapped by a towel in the locker room. It pings and stings, twisting very quickly in the hand, a weak hand could drop it. It's an extremely irritating recoil. The .38 special Rohm by contrast just thumps and rocks back a bit, easily manageable and a very satisfying recoil.

    And no, I am not suggesting getting a derringer. I am recommending against a very tiny .380 for weak hands. They are horrible. If you can't even rack the slide, how will you fire more than one shot. A tiny .38 special is delightful to shoot.

    My wife and daughter love their G42's and hated my 38. They didn't like the trigger pull, recoil impulse etc. Tried different grips etc to no avail. They were both initially trained with G17s but find the 42's to be just right for them. They have NO trouble firing it or any other manipulations that need to be done.
    YMMV

    Bob
     

    VERT

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    A .380 is a snappy little shot that stings the hand compared to the comparable ballistics of .38 special that just thumps even from a derringer. I own both guns. AMT Backup weighs 18 oz. Rohm model 17 weighs about 15 oz.

    AMT snaps like getting snapped by a towel in the locker room. It pings and stings, twisting very quickly in the hand, a weak hand could drop it. It's an extremely irritating recoil. The .38 special Rohm by contrast just thumps and rocks back a bit, easily manageable and a very satisfying recoil.

    And no, I am not suggesting getting a derringer. I am recommending against a very tiny .380 for weak hands. They are horrible. If you can't even rack the slide, how will you fire more than one shot after almost dropping it. A tiny .38 special is delightful to shoot.

    Your AMT is a blow back operated .380. At 18 oz that gun would be very abusive so far as recoil is concerned. Hence my comment above about the necessity for the gun to operate from a locked breech unless it weights well over 20 oz. Otherwise the recoil will be significant. My opinion weight is one reasons why the old all metal blowback .380 pistols have pretty much fallen to the wayside. The Sig 230/232 and Beretta 84s are no longer imported. Politics mostly but I have to think marketing plays in as well. For a 24 oz metal gun I can buy almost any polymer framed subcompact for less money, with more capacity, cheaper ammunition, more power and less recoil.

    Snub nosed .38 specials are not particularly fun to shoot.
     
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