just throwing in my $.02, i love .38 special, and by "love", i mean i shoot it most often and am ballsaccurate with it. I have two older snub-Colts that i carry often, in pocket, on the belt, on the ankle, wherever. I never feel underpowered with them. I like Colts because unlike a J frame you get 6 bingers (plus i dont own a snubbo-Smith but you can mail me your 340PDs and I'll pay the shipping). I like the Cobra's size and weight, its very concealable, and although the Dick Special is a bit heavier that's fine too, if you run out of ammo you can start using it to inflict blunt force trauma. By the way, i love the revolvers are better than semi-suto statement about "leaving brass at the scene" good to know if i ever wack someone in an alley.
.38 or .380 FOR CARRY GUN
- Thread starter FLA2760
- Start date
38spc. my pic
I sold my makorav for a air light J-frame 38spc.It's so comfortable for carry and the 158GR. SWCHP+P is ALOT more bullet than a 380 ACP.Who care about extra shots, the first is what matters.In general the the 38 will take a bad guy down faster than a 380 bottom line.
I sold my makorav for a air light J-frame 38spc.It's so comfortable for carry and the 158GR. SWCHP+P is ALOT more bullet than a 380 ACP.Who care about extra shots, the first is what matters.In general the the 38 will take a bad guy down faster than a 380 bottom line.
skydelta34
New member
I have never found a .380 auto that I consider to be as reliable as a s&w j frame.
My p3at has its occasion for pocket carry but the revolver is my main carry.
My p3at has its occasion for pocket carry but the revolver is my main carry.
This is an issue without much real dispute.
Shooting platforms aside, the .38 Special is available with much heavier bullets (up to 180gr) than the .380ACP, which generally means better penetration. This is a good thing for self defense.
Even with the most "specialized" examples of these two calibers' rounds, the .38 Special loads will be faster, for equivalent bullet weights, than the .380s.
Higher velocity & heavier bullet....hmmm....lower velocity & lighter bullet....which is likelier to stop hostilities better?
Some folks believe that velocity makes up for lighter bullets, and they count on frangible bullet expansion to maximal values, but I believe expansion will more likely be suboptimal, so I'll go with the .38 Special.
As for carry platforms, anyone who's actually tried carrying the best compact examples of .380ACP semiautomatic pistols and .38 Special revolvers knows that the latter can be lighter, more comfortable and more concealable.
The revolver obviously has higher overall reliability in short-term use (sudden fast firing of several rounds in emergency conditions) than the semiauto pistol. Reloads are obviously much slower with the revolver, but as a non-LEO, I'm betting on the lack of my own need for such, even though I do always carry at least one reload.
In the end, the only real issue is one of innate capacity; 5-6 rounds for the .38 Special "snubby" vs. 6-9 for the .380ACP pistol.
While it is true that if you ever really need your CCW gun, you'll want as much ammo as possible in the biggest, most powerful caliber that you can control, we all end up making what we consider to be the best-overall compromises we can, else we'd be carrying .50AE Desert Eagles!
As one who has previously carried a .45ACP for decades on a daily basis, I've recently "downgraded" to a "snubby" Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum, and don't consider myself too shabbily armed. CCW involves compromise, but carrying a "mousegun" in .22LR, .25ACP, .32ACP, and even .380ACP is just more compromise than I'm personally willing for. You may feel differently.
Shooting platforms aside, the .38 Special is available with much heavier bullets (up to 180gr) than the .380ACP, which generally means better penetration. This is a good thing for self defense.
Even with the most "specialized" examples of these two calibers' rounds, the .38 Special loads will be faster, for equivalent bullet weights, than the .380s.
Higher velocity & heavier bullet....hmmm....lower velocity & lighter bullet....which is likelier to stop hostilities better?
Some folks believe that velocity makes up for lighter bullets, and they count on frangible bullet expansion to maximal values, but I believe expansion will more likely be suboptimal, so I'll go with the .38 Special.
As for carry platforms, anyone who's actually tried carrying the best compact examples of .380ACP semiautomatic pistols and .38 Special revolvers knows that the latter can be lighter, more comfortable and more concealable.
The revolver obviously has higher overall reliability in short-term use (sudden fast firing of several rounds in emergency conditions) than the semiauto pistol. Reloads are obviously much slower with the revolver, but as a non-LEO, I'm betting on the lack of my own need for such, even though I do always carry at least one reload.
In the end, the only real issue is one of innate capacity; 5-6 rounds for the .38 Special "snubby" vs. 6-9 for the .380ACP pistol.
While it is true that if you ever really need your CCW gun, you'll want as much ammo as possible in the biggest, most powerful caliber that you can control, we all end up making what we consider to be the best-overall compromises we can, else we'd be carrying .50AE Desert Eagles!
As one who has previously carried a .45ACP for decades on a daily basis, I've recently "downgraded" to a "snubby" Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum, and don't consider myself too shabbily armed. CCW involves compromise, but carrying a "mousegun" in .22LR, .25ACP, .32ACP, and even .380ACP is just more compromise than I'm personally willing for. You may feel differently.
Which is better depends on who you are and where you live. I love my Colt Det special--like the man said, the J frame is 6 shots in the same package as a 5 shot S&W. Clearly the .38 is a better round than the 380. Still, I usually carry my Mustang 380 IWB in the spring and summer cause its tiny, very light, accurate and 100% reliable. Its much thinner and easier to conceal than the revovler--to the degree I would prefer no gun to the bulkier 38.
I have owned and carried many snub .38's, Colt Det's, SW Chief's, Bodyguards, Charter's, Rossi's, etc. I found that a 4" K frame SW .38 or .357could/would conceal and feel better than any 2" or 3" snubbie. Over time and experience, as well as tons of cash..., I discovered my Interarms Walther PPK/S .380 ACP is the best hideout/concealed carry gun for me. Holds more shots, comparable power to a .38 (close enough for me, I don't want to argue!) with Cor-Bons, holds more shots and packs/"feels" MUCH nicer! My PPK/S is easier to hit with too, at least for me. Super accurate and fast. And we all know that shot placement is the key, right? Yes, I'll stick with the 1920's era German pistol technology design and modern Cor-Bon ammo thank you! 
The only 380 I ever owned was also the most unreliable pistol I've ever owned---a Colt Mustang +2. I've read of a lot of reliability issues with the small 380's.
I've yet to have a malfunction with any revolver, j-frame or otherwise. Also, if you haven't tried them already, J-Frames are magical with a set of CT laser grips.
2Seventy
I've yet to have a malfunction with any revolver, j-frame or otherwise. Also, if you haven't tried them already, J-Frames are magical with a set of CT laser grips.
2Seventy