Which .380 ?

JohnnyJohnson said:
Have a S&W snubby M60 like it. For self-defense I opt for a 125 Gr HP. The wadcutters just aren't going to expand!
Click to expand...
But will 125's expand either? There's a speed limit here, go too slow and they won't open up. Snubnose is notorious for scrubbing off speed (short barrel, short time to accelerate).

If you've run rounds through water bottles and can see expansion, great! or if you found a youtube channel or webpage that shows your ammunition does expand in a snubnows, great! otherwise I'm not sure if this is not just an assumption here that all hollow points are going to do their job, regardless of barrel length.

I like snubnose but will be the first to admit that I have my problems hitting the inside of the barn with one. Long trigger pull and plenty of recoil.
 
Rand said:
bersa thunder?
380 shield EZ?

Could also consider a 9mm revolver with lower recoil ammo.
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with 9MM revolvers so I don't know if they would be a good choice or not but I just wanted to say that she should be able to shoot .380s from a 9mm revolver too.

The only revolver that I have to shoots "auto" style cartidges is a Blackhawk in .30 carbine and it's a Mutha to shoot!
 
supton said:
But will 125's expand either? There's a speed limit here, go too slow and they won't open up. Snubnose is notorious for scrubbing off speed (short barrel, short time to accelerate).

If you've run rounds through water bottles and can see expansion, great! or if you found a youtube channel or webpage that shows your ammunition does expand in a snubnows, great! otherwise I'm not sure if this is not just an assumption here that all hollow points are going to do their job, regardless of barrel length.

I like snubnose but will be the first to admit that I have my problems hitting the inside of the barn with one. Long trigger pull and plenty of recoil.
Click to expand...
Practice. Trust me God Dots will expand. In a self defense mode Seattle Police Stats say the average distance of engagement in a handgun confrontation is 13 feet!

 
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Fla said:
I'm really sorry to hear that since I have one that is still NIB! Was it a problem with the design or construction or material or was it worn out or did it have another problem?
Click to expand...
Material.
Slide and frame was worn.
 
OP
The Walther PPK is a nice gun. I have it. However, I would never recommend it for your wife. Just racking the slide was difficult for my wife’s arthritic hands.

She has a Ruger LC 380 and loves it. I would also recommend the Sig Sauer p365-380. The Sig is probably a better gun to shoot with a lighter recoil than the Ruger but both will be easy to handle.
 
The problem with many .380 pistols is that they’re small and lightweight, increasing perceived recoil. A problem for a person with reduced hand/arm strength.

Even a Glock 42 isn’t a particularly fun gun to shoot. The G19, with its larger frame and mass, is easier to control, even though it is a 9mm.

Personally, I found the PPK to be unpleasant to shoot. Love the gun, just not my first choice for a new shooter or for one who is recoil sensitive.

Ergonomics, and mass, are going to matter a lot in this choice. Try many. She needs to be comfortable with the gun and the recoil.

Shield would be one to try. As would the Walther CCP in .380.
 
I thought we just did basically this...

How is she planning to carry it? is size important? can she grip a normal sized pistol?
 
DuckRyder said:
I thought we just did basically this...

How is she planning to carry it? is size important? can she grip a normal sized pistol?
Click to expand...
So we did…

Need a Gun Recommendation

I bought a Sig P365 for my wife and it was too heavy and the recoil was punishing. My wife is less than five feet tall and we want a caliber to carry and have a little stopping power. How is the Ruger LC in .380? Thank you
bobistheoilguy.com
 
my own experience with some of the handguns mentioned here:

sig p238. ok recoil, racking, fieldstripping. couldn’t get used to m1911 “cocked and locked” carry mode. sold.

taurus spectrum: ok recoil. pleasant to hold but a tad difficult to rack. fieldstripping was darn near impossible with oem guide rod & uncaptured recoil spring, needed leather gloves to reassemble. aftermarket captured guide rod & spring made fieldstripping easy but caused ammo feeding issues. sold.

bersa thunder. stout recoil. bloody slide bite on web of shooting hand. safety lever sheared off while at shooting range (known problem per bersa forum). sold.

s&w shield ez. truly easy mag loading, recoil, fieldstrip. upside down grip safety requires absolutely firm and proper shooting hand grip…can one always do so in a fast-paced emergency?
9mm trigger reset way too mushy, continually thought i had a failure. sold. 380acp seems better, only keep it because it’s my only 380acp pistol and i have a stash of ammo.

charter arms pitbull 9mm revolver. very, very stout recoil. roughly made, beat up my shooting hand by 50 rounds. sold.

nobody strengthens with age. while i might suggest a non-airweight s&w or taurus j-frame revolver loaded with 38sp wadcutters for now, i urge adding a decent 22lr semiauto pistol for the near future. mine is a ruger sr22 loaded with cci ammo, standard, blazers or minimags for practice, stingers for carry. it is reliable, small enough to ccw, and cheap & pleasantly unintimidating to practice alot. consistent accuracy with a happily familiar 22lr pistol always beats misses with something bigger.
 
Fla said:
I'm not familiar with 9MM revolvers so I don't know if they would be a good choice or not but I just wanted to say that she should be able to shoot .380s from a 9mm revolver too.
Click to expand...
respectfully, shooting one caliber from a firearm specifically chambered in another different caliber is an unsound practice.
 
JohnnyJohnson said:
Have a S&W snubby M60 like it. For self-defense I opt for a 125 Gr HP. The wadcutters just aren't going to expand!
Click to expand...
wadcutters are not designed to expand. they are an excellent way to remain using 38sp revolvers if recoil becomes a problem. their only problem is limited availability.
 
Astro14 said:
Even a Glock 42 isn’t a particularly fun gun to shoot. The G19, with its larger frame and mass, is easier to control, even though it is a 9mm.
Click to expand...
I did own a 42 for years. The 4 has a mild recoil IMHO. Not saying it is the one to get
 
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