best small .380

[gjlog]

Talked to a dealer who said that the Magnum Research Micro 380 was really uncomfortable to shoot. Looking at .380's, the Sig feels the best against lcp, taurus, S+W Bodyguard, Kel-Tec. Anyone like the Kahr KP3833?

[grousemaster]

Can't beat the LCP! I've got a silver deluxe edition

[tazdevil]

Love my Sig 232 stainless. Very accurate and easy to shoot, and if you run out of ammo, heavy enough to be lethal empty (just throw the thing at them). It is blowback style, some don't like that style, but I've never had it FTF or FTE and around 500 rounds through it.

[cigartim]

238's are very nice, but not as light as the poly guns. Personally, I'd take a p3at over the lcp.

[Ron Burgundy]

238's are very nice, but not as light as the poly guns. Personally, I'd take a p3at over the lcp.

Really? Why? I get that they are basically the same but the LCP just seems a little more polished

[cigartim]

238's are very nice, but not as light as the poly guns. Personally, I'd take a p3at over the lcp.

Really? Why? I get that they are basically the same but the LCP just seems a little more polished

First, the p3at is cheaper.
Second, the p3at feels better in my hand and seems to have a slightly better trigger. I have also heard complaints about inadvertant mag drops caused by the design of the LCP's mag release. I have not heard of that problem with the p3at (although I have not personally experienced it with either). YMMV.
Third, I just like kel-tec. I have had such good luck with their customer service and love their innovation. Remember, the p3at was the gun that spawned the small 380 craze. I like supporting companies that innovate, as opposed to those who just copy.
The lcp is more polished, but it is easy to fluff and buff a kel-tec. You just need to sand down molding seams.
That being said, my small carry gun is a pf9. I find the extra size is worth the extra fire power of the 9mm and is much easier to shoot.

[old guy]

The p3at with Crimson Trace is my pocket gun and I did have to grind down the mag release button cus I was pushing it with my thumb. I really like my PF9 also but for me it's too big for pocket, it lives on my ankle all day and i never notice untill I take my pants off.

John

[grousemaster]

The Kel-Tec just looks and feels cheap. I want any gun I own to be decently finished. When they're next to each other it's pretty noticeable.

[John S.]

9mm = 40% more ooompf....................................

[srtolly]

+1 for the PF9. I'm a big guy and can put it in my pocket and not know its there.

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[MinnesotaSHooter1980]

I love the lcp

+1

+another

[CypressTrout]

I love the lcp

+1

+another

++another

[Humphrey Bogart]

Doesn't the LCP have th 'Mag Safety' where if the mag is knocked out the gun will not fire the round in the chamber?

[PRS]

no it doesn't.

[RVGguns]

I have owned and sold both the KelTec and the LCP. Although I have shot extensively and competitvely, there was no way I could shoot these two guns to any level of acceptable accuracy. In addition, I could not get through a range session with either of these guns without bleeding all over everything. Both the triggers and magazine bases would pinch and range sessions were always painful. So I moved on to the Kahr P380. The first one was an exercise in frustration. Huge numbers of FTF and FTE in the first 300 rounds. Back to the factory (factory service was awesome - 2 days shipping, 2 days in the shop and 2 days shipping back and I had the gun back 6 days after sending it in). Unfortunately while it was better, it was still having FTE issues. I traded it in on another P380 and the second one was 100% from the first round through the 250th break in round, and the next 50 hollow point carry rounds. I also have three other Kahr's in 9mm and thay have all been dead-on reliable as well, so I probably just got a bad egg with first P380.
As far as actually hitting what I intend to hit, the P380 is in another class compared to the sightless pocket pistols. As accurate as my Glock 19? Not quite, but very close. When you are shooting a small caliber like a 380 and you have a small gun and only a few rounds, you really do need to make each shot count. One of the first things you learn in combat handgun class is movement and putting some distance between you and the threat. Trying to hit anything with a sightless LCP or KelTec in a low light situation is as effective as lighting firecrackers and throwing rocks. Good luck with that. Now a P380 with night sights - now you have something that's actually useful and not a huge danger to everything surrounding and beyond your intended taget.
The LCP was a delight to carry in the pocket, but that's about all it has going for it in my experience.
I did just pick up the LC9 a few months ago and while not a pocket pistol, it would make a decent carry gun.
My current every day carry is a Kahr PM9 with the P380 standing in when pocket carry is the only workable option.