Looking to buy a .380

[Bama.45]

My wife likes the Colt Mustang, Sig P238, and the Glock 42

Well my hopes are the more she shoots with the .380..The more comfortable she'll be and she'll gradually move into a small 9mm.

[FormerNavy]

Just got a Sig P290 in .380 but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.

[Bama.45]

The sig we looked at was nice..She liked it and could rack the slide fairly easy..I don't remember the model number though lol

[XDm45]

I like .380's but never could get used to the LCP. I found it painful to shoot, and don't think I ever shot more that two mags at a time out of mine. I now have a Sig P238 - great gun, also have a Walther PK380 - softest shooting gun I have owned. Good luck in your quest.

I agree with techmike. I purchased the LCP a couple of years ago to use for my carry weapon and wasn't happy with it at all. It was surprisingly painful for me to shoot and I had a hard time shooting a good group. I ended up selling that and going with a larger frame pistol to use as my concealed carry.

Thanks for the information and reviews...I'm going to see how she likes the Bersa Thunder .380..Like I said she liked my 9mm..But feels she could handle a smaller cartridge even better..So we're going to try a .380..She's shot my 1911 .45 and my Glock 19..She did surprisingly well with the .45 considering it was her first time shooting a handgun..Did even better with consistency and aim with the 19..So I think she'll be good with the .380, if for no other reason than it makes her more comfortable.

Thirded. LCP was the first gun I bought my wife, she shot it once. It's a snappy little bugger.

[Bama.45]

Well... I'll stay away from that one for her lol

[techmike]

Relative size. P-238, TCP, Walther PK380 - Forgot about the TCP - it's my tackle box gun. Not a bad shooter at all, much, much better than the LCP.

[TSiWRX]

Bama.45 -

Has your wife shot a 9mm 1911/2011? Something that's heavy.

Has she shot a Glock 19 with a grip reduction?

[Bama.45]

She's only shot my .45 1911. My Glock has the standard grips. She did good with my Glock, I just think she wants something smaller in size and caliber.

[TSiWRX]

^ Gotcha.

Just be sure that she's mentally prepared that smaller in size and caliber may or may not translate to better subjective recoil feel, so that she's not soured from just trying one or two firearms and them not meeting her expectations.

[Face]

I just picked up 2 SW Bodyguards at Woodbury $259, no laser 2 mags. Have sold my LCP. The wife can work it's slide easier than a LCP. Seemed reasonable to have / carry 2 that are the same. I've been carrying a 380 for about 90% of the time. I just can not physically bear the weight of a full size.

If she want's a .380 and can carry a larger firearm - LC380 or Glock42. If size is really no issue - just get a full size 9mm.

Have not had a chance to shoot it. Friend has one as one of the several that he carries and no issues.

ALL the small 380's are similar. They are all snappy. A good grip position is imperative. I've found Hogue grips or sleeves to help a lot when shooting, both for recoil feel as well as on target.

I added the 1.25" GARRISON Grip mag extension to the Bodyguard and actually can get most of my hand on it, a big improvement but I have not seen them for anything else.

[Newcomer]

I have the S&W Bodyguard 380 and the Glock 42. The G42 is not snappy. The S&W is. Each serve a different need in the collection but I've come to love the Glock 42.

[Face]

I have the S&W Bodyguard 380 and the Glock 42. The G42 is not snappy. The S&W is. Each serve a different need in the collection but I've come to love the Glock 42.

I just don't get the G42 - why not just make it a single stack 9? I know the 380 is a very popular round in some parts of the world, but if it was a 9 I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

Shield, LC9, lc380 are not snappy either - imho. And a better carry gun - but I just can't handle that weight easily. (hip and back issue) yet 20 lbs in a lumbar pacl is OK.

[JustaShooter]

I have the S&W Bodyguard 380 and the Glock 42. The G42 is not snappy. The S&W is. Each serve a different need in the collection but I've come to love the Glock 42.

I just don't get the G42 - why not just make it a single stack 9? I know the 380 is a very popular round in some parts of the world, but if it was a 9 I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I hear you about the G42 - it's huge by comparison to other 380s on the market - being properly sized to be a single-stack 9mm in my opinion - and would have been the gun that Block lovers were waiting for had it been released in 9mm.

[TSiWRX]

See how "recoil feel" is subjective?

Be sure to let your wife try out her perspective gun, before you/her commit to the buy.

[Bama.45]

Well I would like to do that..But I'm sure if she don't like it I can keep it as a BUG or trade it in on something else. lol