.380 wanted in size x-large

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Dead-Nuts-Zero

New member
I came into the forum today to start this .380 thread. I first noticed all the recent .380 threads but decided rather than jump in on someones thread I would still ask my question as it is slightly different.

It's a long story and won't go into it. But I recently aquired many, many assorted factory rounds of .380 along with all the reloading bullets and brass I could ever want for a .380, and a Dillon 550 ready to load.

My question is, who makes a larger than most .380? I would like to find something that will take the beating of say 6K - 8K + rds.
Something that is more of a quality target .380 rather than the usual small blowbacks ccw. I have a Bersa Thunder and it's a nice gun, I CC most often with it. However I want something w/larger frame, longer sight plane and target or custom sights if there is such a gun.

I saw the Colt Goverment photo on another post. This may be about as good as it gets, can't really tell the size from the photo.

I don't want to sell or trade my ammo or hear that 9mm is better etc. etc.
I have tons of the ammo, I enjoy all kinds of shooting and reloading and this would be something different to play with.
So I would like to hear of your .380 ideas. My Bersa is ok, just want bigger and better toys I guess.
Does anyone make a .380 rifle? There are 9mm, .40's and 45's etc, that have the kool factor. A .380 would be a great way to blow off a few thousand rds. :cool:

Any ideas???
 
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imp

New member
The CZ-83 or Beretta Cheetah might be worth looking at. I saw the CZ's on sale recently, but I can't remember where...I'll look around real quick.
 
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Mosin44az

New member
I vote with the above poster. The Beretta (Models 83, 84, 85 or thereabouts) is the biggest and best I can think of right now, might still be in production. One of them may have a 10-round capacity, or at least 8. A friend of mine has one, the recoil seems sharp for such a low-power round, but still tolerable.

Used CZ83s may be available from jgsales.com, around $240 if I recall. The CZ I think is a blow-back design.

Taurus used to make a good-sized one, the PT 58, not sure if they still do. It actually sounded like a good gun, steel with a dual mode decocker/cock-and-lock safety, and 10-plus rounds capacity.

The SIG P230/232 is good, of course, it's just that the above are probably bigger and heavier for range use.

I think the Colt Government .380 is out of production, and is smaller anyway despite the photos. It's also a Star design, not a real Colt design, I believe, because I think it is the same basic design as the even smaller Mustang which I was told by my gunsmith ( a specialist in 1911s) was based on a Star design.

The onset of small 9s and pocket .380s by Glock, Kahr and Kel-tec, over the last 10 years or so, has probably dried up demand for larger .380s, so it may take you awhile to find one suitable. Good luck.
 
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PSP

New member
Taurus made a clone of the Beretta that was slightly larger than the Beretta, the Taurus PT58. That's the largest I can think of. Taurus currently makes another .380 but it is smaller.

Otherwise the Beretta 86 maybe the largest, but is hard to find. The Beretta 84 or 85 is perhaps your best bet for as large a .380 as you can find. The aforementioned CZ83 is very similar in size to the Berettas, but IMHO is inferior to the Beratta. The CZ is priced lower by a bit. I paid $400 or less for my three Berettas, (two used and one a long while ago) and about $350 for a new CZ a few years ago.

As far as taking a beating, again the Beretta is the best choice. It is a very well built pistol and the only one with a chrome lined barrel for extended life. My oldest Beretta 84 has gone through heavy use and has never failed in any way. Performance has been spectacular.
 
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shurshot

New member
My Beretta 84FS is an accurate, rugged weapon. The 13 shot clips (Mec-Gar), give me a 14 shot, hand filling pistol. Still much smaller than a K-frame SW revolver, or the 9mm 92FS Beretta. I think this gun will take everything you can put through it, and then some.
 
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Sevens

New member
.380 caliber is in an interesting group of a few that also includes the .25 auto and .32 auto. It's a defensive round, a compromise round. It doesn't have any specific reputation for accuracy (such as a .38 Special or .45 auto) and there isn't many options for factory ammo or bullet selection for handloaders.

And even though you made it clear that you don't want to hear it, the reality is the same-- most all manufacturer's don't make a large sized .380 handgun because a .380 seems to be a round that's just small enough to get by with when reducing the size necessary to build a 9mm.

It may not be very large, but you might have great luck with one of the Browning pistols in .380 caliber. Far from the cheapest, but likely one of the best.

Just like nobody makes a large frame, high-cap .25 with a 5-inch barrel and long slide with target sights and a crisp trigger, you won't have a helluva lot of luck finding a fun shooting, accurate, long lasting .380.

You might try something horribly cheap like a Hi-Point or a Cobra. With one of these, you'll have a fairly large size, a fairly heavy pistol, and you could go nuts with a dremel and try to make it a little better with no care for destroying it... another $150 will replace it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a big ugly Hi-Point turned out to be a fun shooter.
 
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Stumper

New member
The old Stars weren't particularly big but were a locked breech design and should handle a lot of rounds. I suspect that a guy could get a LOT of milage out of a .380 chambered Makarov.
Of course there are a couple of other things to think about.
If you already have a Bersa and have all this ammo why not get another Bersa and see how many rounds one can take? You will get super familiar with your carry gun and if you have enough ammo to wear out a gun it would be worth wearing one out.
You also have the option of trading from such a (supposedly) huge stock. Trade for another gun or trade for different ammo.
 
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apr1775

New member
Some of those older Beretta 380s are close to service pistol size with a locked breach. After Taurus bought the Beretta factory in Brazil, they made them for a while too. Some Spanish makers, Star and Llama I think, made near service size pistols kind of similar to the 1911. You may be able to find a good price as most buyers now will say, "why get the 380 when I can get a 9mm the same size." Hi-Point may make a new one that fits what you are looking for; ugly but affordable and functional. Target sights could be fitted to any of these to make a range gun.
 
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PT111

New member
I'm ready for the flames. :D Tarus makes a .380 Millineum Pro that isn't an X-Large but is a decent gun at a reasonable price. Could be a fun gun to shoot in a .380.

You can by a couple of Hi-Point .380's for less than one of most guns and practice two handed shooting. The are classified as a sub-compact but are anything but that. They are heavy, ugly and all that kind of negative stuff but mine is quite reliable and most owners agree with that. The ones who them down very seldom have ever shot one much less owned one.

I don't think anyone makes a 1911 in .380 or conversion kits. Good luck.
 
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lechiffre

New member
taurus made a .380 version of the pt92 i think it was the pt58 . it was about the size of the beretta 92 compact. much larger than the beretta .380s
 
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guypowell

New member
One of the very best pistols that I've ever owned, of any caliber, was a Browning BDA 380. It was a bit heavy and rather large, which is what led to its demise I think. I seem to remember it had a double stacked magazine capable of holding 14 rounds. I'd buy one again without hesitation if possible.
 
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HisSoldier

New member
Mavarov made a .380 that is a blowback but is pretty large and heavy for the cartridge. Anything with a steel frame should last a very long time with such a light cartridge. This is the first time I've heard anyone question the longevity of a .380 handgun, discussions about .45 ACP handgun longevity are numerous. I've been thinking about this though because I have a locked breech Iver Johnson copy of the Star DK with steel frame. The lockup is tilting barrel with two lugs, and the gun shows quite a bit of peening in the lug area. Someone must have shot the heck out of it to do that.
 
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WhittTX

New member
bump for beretta

I have both the ppk/s and the beretta 86. of the two the beretta has more substance to it. quality is great, better than most in my opinion, better sights, da/sa, nice trigger, and it also has the safety type similiar to a 1911 with down to fire which is easier for me. from what i have learned thru forums it will handle 1000's of rounds with no problems unlike other guns out there. if you end up deadlocked and frustrated about a pistol i will gladly pay the shipping to clear out all of that useless ammo just sitting around taking up space :D
 
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RPSmith

New member
A buddy of mine who has hands like a bunch of bananas swears by his Sig 232. He's a shooter and a critical analyzer of such things. It works for him.

I recently started a post that included the 232 in the discussion and it won high praise. Sounds like a fine piece and one worth having.
 
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