Carry gun bleg
I have, as my carry gun, a nice Colt Government 380. I like it a great deal, it fits my hands perfectly and the caliber is light and has little recoil.
I want to shoot plate matches with it, and that sort of thing, but I won’t do it unless I can find a spare (2=1, 1=0). Unfortunately spares are scarce as hens teeth.
I can also barely shoot the damned thing. I mean, I do ok in twenty feet, but over thirty I can’t hit a barn from the inside.
So since I won’t easily be able to find a spare gun, I’m looking for something that’s small, preferably steel and not aluminum or plastic, single stack, no bigger than 9mm, that’s common enough that I can easily find two. A bit longer barrel would be OK. I’ve looked at the newer stuff and have seen nothing that seems to have the soul of the Colt. Some of the older stuff is ok but I don’t want to run into the same issues. And it has to be something I can carry year round. I’m open to all suggestions.
27 comments Og | Uncategorized
I’ve got a Sig P230 in .380 that I love and recommend without reservation. It shoots well, is very light and readily available. May be a bit pricey but I’d buy another one in a fast second.
Claymore.
Sure, you might waste the scant second or two setting it up and running the wire, but the end result would be well worth it.
Sig 238 or one of the 9mm 3: 1911’s. (like my LDA you saw only in 9mm). Both are good firearms, but not the sort of thing you can customize.
Other than that you are gonna have a hard time finding a small caliber compact pistol that isn’t made of Tupperware.
Whatcha got against aluminum frames?
Another vote for Claymore. Screw a bunch of reloading. Do them all the first time, and use the quick split time against any penalties incurred on no-shoots.
http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=67&productid=288
I think you’d be impressed with the p238. Oddly, I’ve heard that the Mustang mags will fit and function in it. SiG mags for it are, sadly, 6 rounds.
FWIW, I’ve been eyeing the Bersa Thunder in .45 ACP.
M
Bersa 380 concealed carry model. I know Brigid said she was going to quit carrying hers in favor of something with more take down power, but mine is my everyday companion. Around $325 NIB. I frequently have something bigger close by, but my little Bersa lives in my pocket all day every day. I had a little feeding problem when it was new when I shot hollowpoints, but I polished the feed ramp and keep the slide clean and lubed and no more problems. Just my 2 cents.
It’s pricey and plastic, but my Kahr P380 is easily the most accurate 380 I’ve ever shot. Standing, two-handed I can dump mag after mag of my hot handloads into a paper plate at 25 yards.
Why do you guys have such hatred for paper plates?
People deride the higher numbers on the price tag, but those ponies on the grips are worth it. I love Colts. My .45 feels like part of my body. Almost as good as my .44 feels….
The 1911 isjust a bit too big. The 238 is too small, I can only get two fingers on it. Don’t like aluminum because I don’t like light guns.
S&W made Walther PPKS. All stainless, sights are crap other than that a damn fine pistol. Mine feeds any ammo, and shoots as well as i can @20yds.
I do kind of cotton to the claymore idea. Wonder if bianchi makes holsters for ’em?
Wheelguns is like forks.
Pick em up and they work.
Lotsa sweet Rugers w/4″ barrels in .357 which will handle .38 too.
S&W and Colt both have fine lines of revolver.
Taurus makes a budget .38 ( model 85) and .357 (model 605).
Taurus made my carry gun a.357 w/ 2″ barrel. That’s too short for your stated goal of knocking down metal bits.
I gots lotsa semi-autos, but revolvers is my carry pieces.
Wheelguns are fun but I wouldn’t have one as a carry gun.
How about a Mak? There are Bulgarians out there for cheap, they’re sturdy, carry well, and the 9×18 is a pretty decent cartridge. I’ve had several, and they’re at least as accurate as I am.
I’ve been looking at the maks and radoms. Nice but don’t like the “heel” mag release.
Perhapsa Bersa?
Nice firearms. I own an older model.
not the same as a Colt, but might fit your needs.
I have an older one that is double stack, steel framed, and I might sell it…..
The double stack mag makes most of them too thick. Ill have to check it out.
Og, I would go for a bersa…kind of crude but point like a mak and has a side mag release. I’ve got both the mak and a LCP and I carry the LCP. Lighter and my hand is some what smaller than yours. mak is dead on accurate.
The little one gets me to a bigger one. Who knows, the bad guy might fall down laughing and I can kick him to death.
You might see if you can find a couple of Star BM’s in 9mm. They are about the same size a Combat Commander, but you can probably score two of them for less then the price of the Colt. And they are all steel, with a really nice balance. Mags are still available at least at the gun show I go to.
Ooh, the Stars do look nice. I may have to check that out.
See also: http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-83/
Llama .380. It’s a mini 1911.
Might need some fine tuning/TLC from a qualified smithy to make it slick, but it’s all good steel and proper design.
Homework required as to manufacturing era. Some of the older ones rival domestic quality. Finish on the newer ones is ugly, but the damn things shoot.
Same manual of arms as your Colt, only smaller. What’s not to love?
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Browning Hi-Power, if it didn’t run a bit large for what you want.
Jim just reminded me that Star also made a .380 that the Llama was a clone of. Really nice gun with a ten round magand very slim. Problem if\s finding one these days…
The Star BM is a nice pistol. If you take out the magazine disconnect the mags drop free with no pulling, and they’re stolid, accurate arms.
Problem is finding magazines for them. And last couple of years the pistols themselves have gone from ~ 200 to over 300 when you can find them