Those little .380s
The .380 has now become one of the most popular CCW calibers. I guess so many people are now being awakened to gun rights that gun manufacturers are catering to their desires for smaller concealeable weapons. I’ve seen what the .380 caliber can do and in all honesty, the caliber is really a minimal caliber and you better do some real good thinking on how to effectively engage a target when you are carrying such a weapon. It still amazes me that to this day, 90% of the people I know that carry a firearm have had ZERO formal training. I would say that considering the fact that people are bigger today than they were 100yrs ago and that crack cocaine, PCP and other street drugs can make people bolder and stronger than ever, you better know that firing on a target until it’s down is something you better know about and not expect a one shot stop. I’m sure I may be pissing off a few “experts” in CCW, but if I am going to carry such a weapon, I’ll have the gun unloaded on target A and expect to be moving and reloading for the expected follow up shots.
There was a shooting in the Phildelphia area in the last decade where a female police officer was killed by a bg with a .380, but it was a point blank direct hit to the head. I hate to be so graphic, but that’s about what you’re going to have to expect this caliber to do. I have heard of bullets not penetrating the cranium and a full magazine of .380 holding 6-7rds should be expect to be used on a target. I’m starting to see some laser companies putting lasers on these small gun which IMHO may be a good idea to help in low light shooting. Crimson trace laser grips makes them for Walther PPK pistols which are one of my favorite .380 guns. I realize that many who carry a CCW may not consider themselves at high risk, but for anyone in a high threat or high risk job, should seriously consider a larger caliber. Depending on your body size, Kahr and Kel-Tec make some nice pocket 9mm that are closer to what I would consider to be minimal calibers for defensive use.