Annihilator
Emissary
Good read on which is better for concealed carry, .380acp vs .38Special
380-acp-vs-38-special-which-is-better-for-concealed-carry
380-acp-vs-38-special-which-is-better-for-concealed-carry
.380ACP vs .38 Special: Which is Better for Concealed Carry
- Thread starter Annihilator
- Start date
Was randomly looking at the Federal site on 12/29/20, and saw the .380 Punch available. Was able to order 3 bxs. Hoping it doesn't get cancelled (anything is possible these days). Will put my late wife's M&P 380EZ into the carry rotation. It fits my EZ9 holsters, so no need to buy a holster at least. 
wmg1299
Professional
This is a good introductory article, but the topic is a little broad to address in such a short format. Three of the major factors that played into my decision were concealability, sights, and price. The .380's are usually much slimmer than any revolver, which makes them easier to discretely pocket carry.
I also prefer night sights on my carry guns, whenever possible. I know that some of the premium revolvers offer upgraded sights, but the majority of affordable J-Frames only offer the plain blade and rear sight groove. This also leads to the differences in price. In the pre-pandemic era, I could get a Springfield 911 with tritium sights for $350-$400. I paid $369 for mine, but that was a little over a year ago when prices were more reasonable. Taurus now offers some cheaper revolvers with a front night sight, but I've sent too many guns back to the factory for service to trust a Taurus as my carry piece.
I love to run .38 Special +P in larger revolvers, but I'm just not very accurate with J-frames chambered for that round. YMMV, but .380 acp would be my choice if the those were the only options. I currently carry a compact 9mm with a .380 as my backup, but I will pocket-carry the .380 as my only gun when that is all that my wardrobe will allow.
I also prefer night sights on my carry guns, whenever possible. I know that some of the premium revolvers offer upgraded sights, but the majority of affordable J-Frames only offer the plain blade and rear sight groove. This also leads to the differences in price. In the pre-pandemic era, I could get a Springfield 911 with tritium sights for $350-$400. I paid $369 for mine, but that was a little over a year ago when prices were more reasonable. Taurus now offers some cheaper revolvers with a front night sight, but I've sent too many guns back to the factory for service to trust a Taurus as my carry piece.
I love to run .38 Special +P in larger revolvers, but I'm just not very accurate with J-frames chambered for that round. YMMV, but .380 acp would be my choice if the those were the only options. I currently carry a compact 9mm with a .380 as my backup, but I will pocket-carry the .380 as my only gun when that is all that my wardrobe will allow.
HansGruber
Ronin
While I do carry a pocket .380 (Sig 238), it's loaded with FNFMJ; I don’t trust any .380 JHP to both expand and penetrate deeply enough (sure, some will get to just over 12” regularly, but that's the minimum...14-16” is my preferred depth).
My J-frames are loaded with either the classic 158gr +P SWCHP (“FBI Load” for my steel 36’s) or 125-130gr+P JHP's (Gold Dots, Golden Sabers, or PDX1 in my airweight 360 M&P, 442, or 642).
Of course, there’s also the magnum 640 & 60...those get 125gr magnum JHP’s. The steel frame handles the recoil just fine, I don’t find them to be too heavy for pocket carry, and there’s really no argument about how effective the 125gr magnum load is.
I give the edge to the .38, by the way (leaving the magnum out of the equation). I think it's a better round, for the main reason of being able to run bullets over 50% heavier than the .380; and, given how both can be expansion challenged, can run a sharp shouldered SWC or WC for a full-profile wound channel and get proper penetration.
My J-frames are loaded with either the classic 158gr +P SWCHP (“FBI Load” for my steel 36’s) or 125-130gr+P JHP's (Gold Dots, Golden Sabers, or PDX1 in my airweight 360 M&P, 442, or 642).
Of course, there’s also the magnum 640 & 60...those get 125gr magnum JHP’s. The steel frame handles the recoil just fine, I don’t find them to be too heavy for pocket carry, and there’s really no argument about how effective the 125gr magnum load is.
I give the edge to the .38, by the way (leaving the magnum out of the equation). I think it's a better round, for the main reason of being able to run bullets over 50% heavier than the .380; and, given how both can be expansion challenged, can run a sharp shouldered SWC or WC for a full-profile wound channel and get proper penetration.
I prefer a slim 380 pistol over the width of a revolver. The sights on my carry pistol are much better than the small revolvers I own. With a .38 Special I worry about over-penetration. This is my Colt Mustang Pocketlite that I've owned since the ninties, it's dependable and very accurate. That's a 9mm round next to the .380 round.
