[stormbringerr]

i have always said im not a big fan of pocket pistols,so now ive changed my mind. i would like one for a back up and also one to stick in my sweats when going to the store late at night.i thought i found what i wanted in the Tuarus 738 tcp,but looking at the specs it shows .380 as the ammo to use and says nothing about 380 +p. if im going to carry a pocket 380 then i want it to use 380 +p ammo....any suggestions, thanks :tumbleweed:

 

[Blue Jacket]

My pocket carry is the Ruger LCP 380 and I don't believe +P is recommended.

 

[cmb]

KT P3AT will accept +P, is supposed to be limited in quantities though... I don't know about any others...

 

[fknipfer1]

After you shoot some +P in the .380 you probably won't want anymore +P's in it. Really stings. Best standard rounds are Federal Hydrashock.

fknipfer1

 

[Bunny]

The best bet is to call the manufacturer if you're really gung-ho on the +p just to make sure. I've seen what happens to guns NOT rated for +p when the higher pressure loads are used, and I've also seen the REMAINS of said guns, and sometime, the shooter's mangled hands. (We've got some graphic slides we show our students to illustrate ammo compatibility.)

If your gun can take it, just don't feed it a steady diet. But honestly with all the technological advances with hps and stuff, you may not really need the extra pressure.

fknipfer's right, that hydrashock stuff is some bad mama jama ammo. Great SD rounds.

 

[redrick]

I would go 9mm, they make them just as small as a 380, Kahr PM9 or Walther PPS.

 

[cvhoss]

We've been through this before. Although Kel-Tec does mention +P in the manual for their P3AT, virtually no other manufacturer mentions it because there is no SAAMI +P rating for 380 ACP! Anyone who uses +P rated 380 ammo is doing so entirely at their own risk. Since there is no SAAMI standard, you have absolutely no idea what the pressure rating is for the ammo you choose to use. If regular 380 ammo isn't enough, then buy a 9mm or risk your 380 flying apart when you need it most. SAAMI pressure specs

Hoss

 

[Gideon]

.380 in an LCP, or Keltec P3AT is a handful to begin with. Not sure the % of extra penetration you "might" get is worth the extra snap you "will" get.

I have a P3AT and a LCP; ultimatley my pocket .380 will be a Kahr .380. I would recomend anyone of these three over the Taurus but I'm a bit biased against Taurus in general. Never owned one but the ones I've shot I didn't care for so it's a very unfounded opinion.

On the other hand, I like the true night sights of the Kahr (although you'll never really need them the way a gun this size is used) plus the trigger is just like my other Kahr's and I LOVE how the slide locks back on the last round like all of my other autos. Does the Taurus?

Some things to consider. If I was a bigger guy it would be a Kahr PM9 or bust but for a guy my size, these pocket .380's fill a niche.

God Bless
Gideon

 

[obxned]

There is hotter than standard 380ACP ammo available that does not exceed standard pressures. I like DoubleTap, but Corbon and others give you the option of hot ammo without excessive preasure. Recoil will be greater than with standard ammo - there's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[Realleycat]

I didn't even know that they made a +P in 380???

 

[oneshot]

I didn't even know that they made a +P in 380???

^^^^^^^what he said!!!!^^^^^^^



"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." Ted Nugent

 

[EdC]

I have a Kel Tec P3AT, and I've tried Buffalo Bore 380 +P, 90 gr. JHP. I hate it, hate it, hate it (the ammo). Nasty felt recoil, so I'm going to something else for SD ammo.

 

[cvhoss]

I didn't even know that they made a +P in 380???

As far as I've been able to find, only one company actually calls some of their 380 ammo +P and that's Buffalo Bore. Again, since there is no SAAMI standard for 380 +P, what that's supposed to mean on the side of the box is anyone's guess. Remington Golden Saber ammo (what I carry in my 380s) lists a 102 gr. bullet at 940 fps for 200 ft. lbs. of energy. Buffalo Bore lists a +P, 100 gr. bullet at 1125 fps for 280 ft. lbs. of energy. Sorry, but I wouldn't shoot that stuff on a bet. This just reminds me of a lot of the stories you hear about guys trying to hot-rod the 45 Colt into a 44 mag. If you want a 44 mag, buy one. Don't try to turn a lesser cartridge into one.

Hoss

 

[Der Alte]

A Keltec PF-9 is just as small and light but is 9mm. Why would you want a .380 when the PF-9 is available.

 

[DWill]

If you want a .380 that can handle the +p rounds, I suggest the Kahr P380. Shooting BUffalo Bore through mine has less recoil than shooting standard rounds through my LCP. The P380 cost much more but in my opinion, it's worth it.

 

[stormbringerr]

The best bet is to call the manufacturer if you're really gung-ho on the +p just to make sure. I've seen what happens to guns NOT rated for +p when the higher pressure loads are used, and I've also seen the REMAINS of said guns, and sometime, the shooter's mangled hands. (We've got some graphic slides we show our students to illustrate ammo compatibility.)

If your gun can take it, just don't feed it a steady diet. But honestly with all the technological advances with hps and stuff, you may not really need the extra pressure.

fknipfer's right, that hydrashock stuff is some bad mama jama ammo. Great SD rounds.

right,but since it will be a 380 i just wanted the best possible ammo to use in it.i have never carried anything smaller than 9mm, which im fine w/regular pressure in it.i dont put +p in any of my other guns and the 380 for sure would not get a steady diet of +p . just enough to know what to expect. then after that i would use +p for carry only.

 

[Tom G]

The more pressure the more wear and tear to the gun. I think placing the shot and being able to recover for the next shot is more important then using hoped up ammo.

 

[stormbringerr]

.380 in an LCP, or Keltec P3AT is a handful to begin with. Not sure the % of extra penetration you "might" get is worth the extra snap you "will" get.

I have a P3AT and a LCP; ultimatley my pocket .380 will be a Kahr .380. I would recomend anyone of these three over the Taurus but I'm a bit biased against Taurus in general. Never owned one but the ones I've shot I didn't care for so it's a very unfounded opinion.

On the other hand, I like the true night sights of the Kahr (although you'll never really need them the way a gun this size is used) plus the trigger is just like my other Kahr's and I LOVE how the slide locks back on the last round like all of my other autos. Does the Taurus?

Some things to consider. If I was a bigger guy it would be a Kahr PM9 or bust but for a guy my size, these pocket .380's fill a niche.

God Bless
Gideon

the Taurus does lock open on an empty mag.i have never owned a Taurus either, but i like this one,its made in the U.S.A. and i think their quality is getting better all the time. on my side i am biased against Kahr,ive never owned one of those either but i seem to read about a lot of mishaps involving khar.i also don't care much for MR. Moonie either.below is link for the taurus 380
Taurus PT 738 TCP .380 ACP Stainless/Polymer Pocket Pistol

 

[Bunny]

right,but since it will be a 380 i just wanted the best possible ammo to use in it.i have never carried anything smaller than 9mm, which im fine w/regular pressure in it.i dont put +p in any of my other guns and the 380 for sure would not get a steady diet of +p . just enough to know what to expect. then after that i would use +p for carry only.

Like the others have said, it just may not be worth it. I didn't know that about not having the SAAMI rating, that would worry me a little, too.

Personally, I love the Golden Saber, they're in my EDC 9mm. The Federal Hydrashock, I just haven't been able to get any, but I would rotate them in as part of my EDC if I could. I would be concerned about whether or not your gun is rated for +p. And then IF it is, what, exactly you're getting with no SAAMI rating. Could it still destroy the gun and possibly your hand along with it? If not though, would the resulting force from a shot be so painful that it would affect your follow-through and any follow-up shots you might have to take? Would that, then, compromise your safety?

Just things to think about. We got into a long discussion about this in one of our classes, and then someone emailed us a photo of what happened to a guy who shot +p loads with a revolver NOT rated for it. So this is an area we really try to drill into the classes now.

Sorry if I'm being nitpicky or overly concerned. I wish I had the pictures to show you from our classes, but they're only on the powerpoint, and the other instructor currently has "custody" at the moment

 

[stormbringerr]

A Keltec PF-9 is just as small and light but is 9mm. Why would you want a .380 when the PF-9 is available.

my carry gun is a sig 239, 9mm but it wont fit in my pocket and there are certain things i like about this gun.i dont really like keltec,i picked one up and it just felt kind of cheap to me, although i know a lot of people like them and they dont seem to have many problems.just didnt feel right in my hand.

http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=683&category=Pistol&toggle=tp&breadcrumbseries=738