I remember I used to read a lot in the firearms magazines about belly guns. If I understood right, this term was coined a long time ago to refer to firearms with short barrels and smaller grips which could be concealed easily in the waistband of pants or tucked into the pocket of a pair of pants or a jacket. I guess that pretty much since the invention of the handgun, there has been a perceived need for a handgun that is small enough to conceal. Now, it is obvious that the easiest way to make a smaller weapon is to fire a smaller projectile. I mean obviously a .22 caliber handgun is going to be easier to put into a small package than a .50 caliber. Of course you loose a lot of power that way too. The earliest weapons that came made to hide were probably derringers. Most of these were in smaller calibers with .32's being rather popular. Early short-barrelled revolvers were generally in the 30 caliber range also. Of course, the smaller the caliber, the less effective the round, so there was always a demand for bigger calibers. The .41 rimfire cartridge developped to fulful the role of a large caliber derringer. I believe that several manufactures developed short barrelled revolvers with slimmer stocks that were sold as banker's specials. These were usually in the 30 caliber ranges.
As the smokeless powder cartidges became more prevalent, the various caliber weapons became more effective. Mostly the bullets were still round nose lead though and so a weapon that made a .43 or .45 inch hole and weighed 230 -- 255 grains was more desireable than one that made a .36 caliber hole and weight 148 grains.
Cartridges like the .38 S&W and .38 Colt Police Positive were widely used and carried in various barrel lengths. However, many people who depended on being armed for there lively hood, took weapons like the .45 Colt, .44 Russian, and shortened the barrel, slimmed, trimmed and rounded the grips, bobbed the hammer, cut away the trigger guard and stuck the darn things in their pocket. Many of these pockets were reinforced with leather or canvas of course.
As cartridges and firearms improved, the development of cartridges like the .38 special and .357 magnum offered better performance not only in service size revolvers, but also in the short-barrelled variety. Obviously these two cartridges have become the most popular for use in snubnosed revolvers, and make up the bulk of the sales of such. They are also very popular in derringers. Another option available to people looking for this type weapon was the smaller .32 autos that were manufactured by Colt, Mauser, Savage, and many other company's. They offered more power than the little .25's, albeit in a larger package, but still more concealable than a revolver. As technology improved, the .32 shrank, and the .380 (9mm short) became more popular. Colt produced a pocket size 1911 in .380 that was very popular and I think may still be in production. Wather PPK sized firearms offered an alternative to the snubbie. Now the .38 special, even out of a 2" barrel packs more punch than a .32 or .380 in my opinion, but I can conceal my Bersa on my person easier than my Taurus 85. The Bersa has a 7 round clip, the Taurus holds 5. This gives me 2 more shots of a less effective round. Go trade? I don't know. The Taurus was my car gun in cold weather too. I could carry a bigger weapon when I wore more clothes, so the Taurus went in the Mustang. In warmer weather, it was my favorite carry, and a Davis .380 became the car gun.
Of course, some .38 special snubbies hold 6 rounds, and if you don't mind a larger frame, some .357 hold 7 or 8, but this is a fatter gun obviously and harder to hide. Another option would be to go for a snubbie in .32 magnum. On paper, the little centerfire magnum looks on par with a .38 special, but I haven't seen a side-by-side comparison in a long time. And out of a Ruger it would be 6 rounds. Yet another choice would be a 9mm revolver. I know Ruger makes a 9mm snubbie, and I know Smith and Wesson did, and may still do. Taurus might also. Of course you either use 9mm rimmed ammo or a special clip, but a 9mm round designed for use out of a subcompact auto should perform very similar out of a snubnosed revolver.
Now the old Charter Arms company stayed in business for years for 2 reasons. One is that it sold a lot of .32 and .38 snubnosed revolvers at a cheaper price than anyone else. Ruger and Taurus were not pursuing those markets than, so they basically undersold Smith and Wesson and Colt. If you couldn't afford and S&W or Colt, you either bought Charter Arms, or you bought an import, like the Astra or the Rohm. I believe Rohm was German and looked a little odd, but the Astra was Spanish and looked a lot like a Smith. Charter Arms looked like a Smith, but the cylinder turned the same direction as the Colt. The second reason Charter was around was the Bulldog. Charter Arms was the only manufacturer at the time (of course at this time every sporting goods and hardware store sold guns, even "evil" handguns) that sold a large caliber, short-barrelled revolver as a standard offering. The Bulldog was a 5 shot, .44 special with a 2 inch barrel. The only way to get anything similar was through Colt or Smith and Wesson's custom shops, which would cost way more. Now I don't know how Charter Arms held up against the big 2 quality wise, although I am sure the finish wasn't anywhere near what the other companies offered, but I don't remember hearing much bad about the company's product. When Taurus first hit the US, they filled a similar niche, and now are quiet popular. Charter Arms is back too I believe. Probably a different incarnation.
I fired a Bulldog once, and it is an experience. The .44 special doesn't seem that impressive out of a 4 or 6 inch barrel, and I fired them a lot out of my Ruger Redhawk. The Redhawk was a very heavy framed weapon with an 8 inch barrel. The .44 special rounds were much milder than the magnums it was designed for and seemed very pleasant in comparison. The Bulldog frame was a little heavier than the J-frame Smith built most .38 snubbies on. I don't know if it was as heavy as the K-frame they originally used on the combat magnums though. It had a smaller grip area, and wasn't much heavier than a .38 of similar size. Firing a cylinder of anything heavier than a target load was an experience that tended to stay with you. I owned a Smith and Wesson Model 29 with a 2 and 3/4" barrel for a while. The 29 had almost an inch more barrel and was on the much heavier N frame. Shooting the Bulldog was about as unpleasant as shooting the 29 with full power magnum loads. On the other hand, I think if a person practiced with the Bulldog, he would be well-armed.
Now both Ruger and Taurus are offering several snub-nosed revolvers in calibers like .41 magnum, .44 special, .44 magnum, .45 Colt and .45 ACP. I think Smith and Wesson has always offered most of their revolvers with an barrel length of 3 inches, and may offer less as standard now on some of the bigger boys. I think there may even be some revolvers out their available in 10mm/40 and they may be offered in short barrel lengths. There is still a demand for large caliber, concealable, reliable format.
If you don't want a revolver, what are your options. Well, there are a great many companies that offer compact and subcompact .40's, .45's. There are also plenty of 9mm's and .357 Sigs if you want to go that route. Let's look at some stuff.
First if you are willing to look at 9mm. Paraordinance offers the Warthog. This single-action autoloader packs 12+1 rounds of 9mm or 6+1 rounds of .45 ACP into a really compact (6.5" long, 4.5" tall, 3 "barrel, 24 oz) package. Several other companies, like Springfield Armory, offer similar, although larger packages in both calibers. Glock offers the model 26 this gun offers 10 rounds of 9mm in a package 6.3 inches long, 4.2 inches tall, a little over an inch thick, and which weighs less than 20 oz empty. It also uses the 15 round clip of the model 19 or the 18 round clip of the model 17. The model 27 is of a similar size and fires 9 .40's. The model 28 goes bang 10 times, is 5 ounces heavier empty, a little larger, but is a 10 mm. The model 39 offers 6 rounds of .45 GAP in the same size package. Extended 8 and 10 round mags are available, but will add to the height. For reloads, this isn't an issue. The model 30 is a larger weapon (6.8" x 4.8" x 1.3" 24 oz.) But for that you get 10 .45 ACP shots. And you can carry the 13 round mags from its big brother for backup. They also offer the G-36 which is a 6 shot firearm that cuts the width down to almost 1 inch. The G-33 takes us back to the original 9mm/.40 size, but offers 9 rounds of .357 Sig. 11,13,15, and 17 round clips are available.
Springfield armory also offers subcompact versions of its XD polymer frame line if you like a more traditional feel to your weaponry. The 9mm compact is 6.3" x 4.8" and weighs 26 oz empty. The compact magazine hold 10 rounds, the extended holds 16. Going up to a 40 maintains your size but you loose 1 round in the compact mag and 3 in the extended. The smallest .45 they have is the compact which is 7.3" x 5" and weights 29 oz. The regular magazine is 10 rounds, the extended is 13. The smallest .357 Sig is the service model and is 7.3" x 5.5" and weights 29 oz and holds 12 rounds. The .45 GAP model is identical in capacity and size.
One of the neatest things I've seen though is the Kel-tec P-ll. This pistol is made with a steel slide, polymer frame and aluminum parts. It weights 14 oz empty, is 5.6" x 4.3" x 1". The factory magazines hold 10 rounds of 9mm. The fit and finish are not on par with the XD or Glock and the trigger is no where near as nice, but these weapons can be found for under $300 new and 12 round Smith and Wesson magazines will fit flush. 15 round magazines can be used with extensions. They also offer a single stack model that is almost 2 ounces lighter and less than an inch wide. It has a 7 round clip.
Now if you can find one, and afford it, AMT has a gun called the Backup. It is made for deep concealment and is available in .22, .380, 9mm, .45 ACP, .40, .38 Super. It is 5.7" x 4" x 1" and seems to be a 6 shot regarless of caliber. It is a heavy all still weapon and I am not sure if it is still being made. Opinions seem deeply divided as to whether these are excellent guns or pieces of crap. I do think they are heavily sprung and take hot ammo to function well. A good smith can probably tune these up some. NAA guardians are small, firearms but tend to run to smaller calibers. I believe that .380 is the largest caliber available. There are any number of .380's in sizes from the AMT up to the PPK/Bersa readily available in all price ranges. Kahr makes some very compact little 9mm and 40's. A company called Semmerling made a 5 shot .45 ACP that was dinky. It was bought out by American Derringer and is now called the LM-4. The slide has to be operated after every shot, but it weights 24 ounces, is 5" long and 1" wide. I don't know if they are currently in production, but they are a neat little gun. Taurus is making the millinium models in 9mm, 40, and .45 pretty compact.
If you are looking for an easy to hide gun, you just have to look. You can find something that fits into the niche you need if you try hard enough.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
For War!!!
I live in the USA and when we hear the words 9mm, there is no doubt what caliber the speaker means. This is wrong, as there are an unbelivable number of cartridges out there that could be called 9mm. A short, quick list includes: the 9mm browning short, the 9mm largo, the 9mm parabellum, the 9mm ultra, the 9mm magnum, the 9X21mm, the 9x23mm, the 9mm makrov, the list can go on. Many if not all of the other 9mm cartridges stem from the 9mm Luger, also called the 9mm Parabellum, 9X19mm, 9mm NATO. Here are 2 links that go into detail on how various 9mm cartridges came into being. http://www.burnscustom.com/showarticle.php3?article=9x23/9x23WhereAreWe.php3
http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aasthandguncara.htm
However the round we are talking about today is the 9mm Luger. The basic history of the cartridge is simple interesting. In 1893 Hugo Borchardt introduced the C-93 self-loading pistol. It utilized a firing mechanism based on the Maxim machine gun and the Winchester lever action carbines toggle mechanism. It fired a 7.63 x 25 mm cartidge that had the same dimensions but a lighter powder load than the cartidge 7.63 MM Mauser round that would become famous with the introduction of the Mauser C-96 "Broomhandle" pistol in 1896. Borchardt was born in Germany but moved to the US. In 1894 an employee of the DWM Company, which evolved from the Company which originally produced the Borchart, Georg Luger went to the US to try to sell the Borchardt to the US military. The pistol was rejected by the military in part because of it being cumbersome and delicate. Mr. Luger took the critic back with him and redesigned the pistol. He strunk the locking mechanism and toggle, changed the grip angle, shortened the 7.63 X 25 mm to a 7.65 X 23mm cartridge which became known as the .30 Luger and was the basis for the Russian 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge, although the Russian cartridge operates at a higher pressure than the Luger. The Luger was adopted by some military units by 1900; however, there was some worry about poor stopping power in the light cartridge and by 1902 a new cartridge with the same base, but shorter at 19mm and not necked down, but tapered to a 9mm caliber was introduced. Thus was born the 9mm Luger or 9mm parabellum, which has become the single best selling handgun cartridge in the world.
The Luger was the German Army's sidearm during both world wars. During the second world war, it started being phased out in preference of the Walther P-38, which holds the distinction of being the first commercially viable double-action autoloading handgun. The Hi-power was introduced by FN and became a very popular military sidearm, although not a double-action, it utilized a double-stack magazine alowing 13 rounds in the magazine versus the 7 or 8 available in a single stack magazine. Thus the Hi-Power introduced in 1935 became the first hi-capacity 9mm. It was actually designed by John Browning of the 1911, BAR, and machine gun fame in 1925 and patented in the US in 1927. The design was modified somewhat by Dieudonne Saive of FN before it was released. The flood of "wondernines" that hit the US in the late 1970's and 1980's mostly combined the Walther's double action with the hi-capacity of the Hi-power. With the end of World War 2 and the forming of NATO, it was decided that the 9mm would become the standard caliber of sidearm. It took about 40 years for the US to pick a 9mm sidearm. The production of weapons for these test resulted in most of the development of the 9mm firearms. The switching of most police departments to autoloading weapons and 9mm also added to the flood of 9mm models from every US and most foreign weapons manufacturer.
I have fired a great many 9mm and I have owned 2. My favorite 9mm and the one I still have is a Hi-power. I would love to own a Luger and a P-38 and there are some surplus Walther's hitting the market now so that might happen. Luger's are just too pricey and I want a shooter not a collector's item. I have fired Rugers, Smith and Wessons, Glocks, Stars, Firestorm, Taurus, and one each of Colt and Berreta. Now if you want to pick out a personal weapon for what ever purpose, the manual of arms of each gun will be important. If you can't work it safely, than you don't need to own it. Also the individual feel of the weapon is important, as well as any other factor you like. Otherwise the characteristics of the cartridge are the same.
I like the 9mm Luger. As a cartidge it is accurate, doesn't have a lot of recoil, is controllable and pleasant to shoot, unless maybe out of a derringer. It has enough stopping power for most situations, regardless of what you have heard. With the possible exception of the .45, the 9mm cartidge has had more development on it for various situations. I don't feel underarmed with a 9mm. Personally, like my Hi-power and with a good holster, even the heavy, all-steel gun carries good. However, if you want something a little more portable, or double action, I find the little Firestorm a good compromise, it is light, has a decent trigger, but the only models I have found so far only offer 10 round pre-ban mags. For the price this is a rocking little gun. I believe it is made by Llama. Bersa makes a mini 9 10-shot that I haven't seen an actual version of yet. I want one of the Firestorms, but I may change to a Bersa when I get to actually handle one.
Rugers are nice and I wouldn't mind having one of their full sized autos but they are a little wide in the grip for my hand. The Smiths feel better, but I don't like their safety, decockers that much, and I still feel a little miffed at them over rolling over to the gun grabbers a few years back. I don't like Glocks, I think the baby Glock is the bomb, and Glocks are high-quality firearms that make tons of sense in everyway, but when I shoot one ... I just don't like it. I haven't shot an XD yet in 9mm, but the .40 I shot felt better than a glock, so if I go polymer, I might go XD. Around here they are a little cheaper than a Glock too. I also haven't tried the Taurus PT111 polymer either. It stacks up right between the XD subcompact and the baby Glock(23). I also want a Kel-Tec P-11 although I might take the PT111, I don't know, need to find someone to let me shoot each.
http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aasthandguncara.htm
However the round we are talking about today is the 9mm Luger. The basic history of the cartridge is simple interesting. In 1893 Hugo Borchardt introduced the C-93 self-loading pistol. It utilized a firing mechanism based on the Maxim machine gun and the Winchester lever action carbines toggle mechanism. It fired a 7.63 x 25 mm cartidge that had the same dimensions but a lighter powder load than the cartidge 7.63 MM Mauser round that would become famous with the introduction of the Mauser C-96 "Broomhandle" pistol in 1896. Borchardt was born in Germany but moved to the US. In 1894 an employee of the DWM Company, which evolved from the Company which originally produced the Borchart, Georg Luger went to the US to try to sell the Borchardt to the US military. The pistol was rejected by the military in part because of it being cumbersome and delicate. Mr. Luger took the critic back with him and redesigned the pistol. He strunk the locking mechanism and toggle, changed the grip angle, shortened the 7.63 X 25 mm to a 7.65 X 23mm cartridge which became known as the .30 Luger and was the basis for the Russian 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge, although the Russian cartridge operates at a higher pressure than the Luger. The Luger was adopted by some military units by 1900; however, there was some worry about poor stopping power in the light cartridge and by 1902 a new cartridge with the same base, but shorter at 19mm and not necked down, but tapered to a 9mm caliber was introduced. Thus was born the 9mm Luger or 9mm parabellum, which has become the single best selling handgun cartridge in the world.
The Luger was the German Army's sidearm during both world wars. During the second world war, it started being phased out in preference of the Walther P-38, which holds the distinction of being the first commercially viable double-action autoloading handgun. The Hi-power was introduced by FN and became a very popular military sidearm, although not a double-action, it utilized a double-stack magazine alowing 13 rounds in the magazine versus the 7 or 8 available in a single stack magazine. Thus the Hi-Power introduced in 1935 became the first hi-capacity 9mm. It was actually designed by John Browning of the 1911, BAR, and machine gun fame in 1925 and patented in the US in 1927. The design was modified somewhat by Dieudonne Saive of FN before it was released. The flood of "wondernines" that hit the US in the late 1970's and 1980's mostly combined the Walther's double action with the hi-capacity of the Hi-power. With the end of World War 2 and the forming of NATO, it was decided that the 9mm would become the standard caliber of sidearm. It took about 40 years for the US to pick a 9mm sidearm. The production of weapons for these test resulted in most of the development of the 9mm firearms. The switching of most police departments to autoloading weapons and 9mm also added to the flood of 9mm models from every US and most foreign weapons manufacturer.
I have fired a great many 9mm and I have owned 2. My favorite 9mm and the one I still have is a Hi-power. I would love to own a Luger and a P-38 and there are some surplus Walther's hitting the market now so that might happen. Luger's are just too pricey and I want a shooter not a collector's item. I have fired Rugers, Smith and Wessons, Glocks, Stars, Firestorm, Taurus, and one each of Colt and Berreta. Now if you want to pick out a personal weapon for what ever purpose, the manual of arms of each gun will be important. If you can't work it safely, than you don't need to own it. Also the individual feel of the weapon is important, as well as any other factor you like. Otherwise the characteristics of the cartridge are the same.
I like the 9mm Luger. As a cartidge it is accurate, doesn't have a lot of recoil, is controllable and pleasant to shoot, unless maybe out of a derringer. It has enough stopping power for most situations, regardless of what you have heard. With the possible exception of the .45, the 9mm cartidge has had more development on it for various situations. I don't feel underarmed with a 9mm. Personally, like my Hi-power and with a good holster, even the heavy, all-steel gun carries good. However, if you want something a little more portable, or double action, I find the little Firestorm a good compromise, it is light, has a decent trigger, but the only models I have found so far only offer 10 round pre-ban mags. For the price this is a rocking little gun. I believe it is made by Llama. Bersa makes a mini 9 10-shot that I haven't seen an actual version of yet. I want one of the Firestorms, but I may change to a Bersa when I get to actually handle one.
Rugers are nice and I wouldn't mind having one of their full sized autos but they are a little wide in the grip for my hand. The Smiths feel better, but I don't like their safety, decockers that much, and I still feel a little miffed at them over rolling over to the gun grabbers a few years back. I don't like Glocks, I think the baby Glock is the bomb, and Glocks are high-quality firearms that make tons of sense in everyway, but when I shoot one ... I just don't like it. I haven't shot an XD yet in 9mm, but the .40 I shot felt better than a glock, so if I go polymer, I might go XD. Around here they are a little cheaper than a Glock too. I also haven't tried the Taurus PT111 polymer either. It stacks up right between the XD subcompact and the baby Glock(23). I also want a Kel-Tec P-11 although I might take the PT111, I don't know, need to find someone to let me shoot each.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Call Me Old Fashioned
Well, I am old fashioned, some of the time. Other times I have the have the newest and flashiest. Well I don't know. The only way I am consistent is that I am not consistent. A few years ago it was bigger is better. I loved my magnums. I owned 2 .357's, 2 .44's, and a .22 mag. I was drooling over a .32 mag and a .454, and the .45 mag. You would think that with Smith's introduction of the .460 and .500 magnums, I would be in heaven wouldn't you. Would you believe I don't presently own anything that ends in ums?
I also used to be a .45 fan. My main carry gun was a Ruger KP90D. I loved that Ruger and could still kick myself for not keeping it. I shot well with it and never felt under armed with the Ruger stocked full of 230 grain hydroshocks. My main carry gun at the moment is a FEG version of the Hi-Power. It it stocked with 147 grain hydroshocks. I don't shoot quiet as well with it yet weak hand, but strong hand I am just as good, if not better. I had 3 clips with the Ruger and have 3 with the FEG. I carried 8 in the Ruger, with a 7 round back up factory mag and a 10 round aftermarket mag. This gave me 25 rounds. With the FEG I have 3 15 round Melgar mags. 1 functions fine with 15, one jams consistently if you load it that full, and one works sometimes and sometimes doesn't with 15. They all work fine with 14 rounds though, so I load em all three with 15, chamber a round and then drop the clip and replace it. This gives me 43 rounds. The holes might not be quite as big, but I can put 18 more of them into something, or someone.
I carried the Ruger mainly in cooler weather when I wore a jacket. I tried it in the summer with an untucked t shirt, but even with an IWB holster, if I was very active, it didn't stay concealed. In warmer weather I tended to carry either a Taurus Model 85, 5-shot .38 special, or a 6 shot Davis .380. The .380 I carried with 95 grain Winchester XTP's, the .38 I kept stocked with 125 grain Federal Nyclads, until I couldn't find them, then I went to 148 Winchester Silver Tips I think.
My first handgun was a Model F Starr .22. It was a single action autoloader. It carried either 8 or 10 in the clip. It's been a long time and I traded the thing for the .38 mentioned above. It was a compact little weapon, but made of steel. The sights were tiny and the rear sight kept breaking loose on me, until I had a gunsmith lock it down with some type of glue. I carried that thing crammed down in the top of a cowboy boot several times in condition one carry. I also bought my first shoulder holster for it. It was an Uncle Mike horizontal draw holster. It also worked for the .38, but it wasn't very comfortable, and the .38 usually ended up either in an IWB holster.
My second handgun was a Taurus .357 Magnum Model 66. This is a very close copy of a Smith and Wesson Model 19, although with an internal firing pin and transfer bar safety more like a Ruger. My 66 had a 6 inch barrel and I carried it in either a shoulder holster or a hard leather belt holster. The belt holster was hard to conceal and the shoulder holster was my last try at being James Bond. Those things are really uncomfortable, and with a revolver this size, it takes a winter coat, even on a big guy like me, unless you have your stuff tailored. My first try at ammo for this gun was Winchester Silvertips, 148 grain. I later moved to whichever 125 grain hollowpoint I could find. The same holsters served me for the Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum with the 8 1/2" barrel I later acquired. I never carried it for defense, so I think a few 180 grain Winchester hollow points were the only factory rounds that went through it. Mostly it ate handloads. I also had for a couple of years a Smith and Wesson Model 29 with a 2 3/4 inch barrel. I bought it off a friend, then later sold it back to him. There was also a few months where I had a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 special with a 2 inch barrel. My other .357 was a Ruger Blackhawk single action. That thing would fire anything you could cook up. I also owned a Ruger Super Single Six with the .22 and the .22 magnum cylinder. I also had a Ruger .22 Auto with a bull barrel. I miss both those .22 a lot. I had a Taurus Model PT-25 with the little tip up barrel too. I had a little double-barrel .38 special derringer I picked up at an estate sale. The only ammo that was even remotely comfortable to shoot in that little bastard was snake shot. Anyway, with the exception of a couple of .25's a Davis, a Raven, and a little Galessi. I think that is a pretty accurate accounting of all my old handguns.
I also used to be a .45 fan. My main carry gun was a Ruger KP90D. I loved that Ruger and could still kick myself for not keeping it. I shot well with it and never felt under armed with the Ruger stocked full of 230 grain hydroshocks. My main carry gun at the moment is a FEG version of the Hi-Power. It it stocked with 147 grain hydroshocks. I don't shoot quiet as well with it yet weak hand, but strong hand I am just as good, if not better. I had 3 clips with the Ruger and have 3 with the FEG. I carried 8 in the Ruger, with a 7 round back up factory mag and a 10 round aftermarket mag. This gave me 25 rounds. With the FEG I have 3 15 round Melgar mags. 1 functions fine with 15, one jams consistently if you load it that full, and one works sometimes and sometimes doesn't with 15. They all work fine with 14 rounds though, so I load em all three with 15, chamber a round and then drop the clip and replace it. This gives me 43 rounds. The holes might not be quite as big, but I can put 18 more of them into something, or someone.
I carried the Ruger mainly in cooler weather when I wore a jacket. I tried it in the summer with an untucked t shirt, but even with an IWB holster, if I was very active, it didn't stay concealed. In warmer weather I tended to carry either a Taurus Model 85, 5-shot .38 special, or a 6 shot Davis .380. The .380 I carried with 95 grain Winchester XTP's, the .38 I kept stocked with 125 grain Federal Nyclads, until I couldn't find them, then I went to 148 Winchester Silver Tips I think.
My first handgun was a Model F Starr .22. It was a single action autoloader. It carried either 8 or 10 in the clip. It's been a long time and I traded the thing for the .38 mentioned above. It was a compact little weapon, but made of steel. The sights were tiny and the rear sight kept breaking loose on me, until I had a gunsmith lock it down with some type of glue. I carried that thing crammed down in the top of a cowboy boot several times in condition one carry. I also bought my first shoulder holster for it. It was an Uncle Mike horizontal draw holster. It also worked for the .38, but it wasn't very comfortable, and the .38 usually ended up either in an IWB holster.
My second handgun was a Taurus .357 Magnum Model 66. This is a very close copy of a Smith and Wesson Model 19, although with an internal firing pin and transfer bar safety more like a Ruger. My 66 had a 6 inch barrel and I carried it in either a shoulder holster or a hard leather belt holster. The belt holster was hard to conceal and the shoulder holster was my last try at being James Bond. Those things are really uncomfortable, and with a revolver this size, it takes a winter coat, even on a big guy like me, unless you have your stuff tailored. My first try at ammo for this gun was Winchester Silvertips, 148 grain. I later moved to whichever 125 grain hollowpoint I could find. The same holsters served me for the Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum with the 8 1/2" barrel I later acquired. I never carried it for defense, so I think a few 180 grain Winchester hollow points were the only factory rounds that went through it. Mostly it ate handloads. I also had for a couple of years a Smith and Wesson Model 29 with a 2 3/4 inch barrel. I bought it off a friend, then later sold it back to him. There was also a few months where I had a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 special with a 2 inch barrel. My other .357 was a Ruger Blackhawk single action. That thing would fire anything you could cook up. I also owned a Ruger Super Single Six with the .22 and the .22 magnum cylinder. I also had a Ruger .22 Auto with a bull barrel. I miss both those .22 a lot. I had a Taurus Model PT-25 with the little tip up barrel too. I had a little double-barrel .38 special derringer I picked up at an estate sale. The only ammo that was even remotely comfortable to shoot in that little bastard was snake shot. Anyway, with the exception of a couple of .25's a Davis, a Raven, and a little Galessi. I think that is a pretty accurate accounting of all my old handguns.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The Littlest Big Thing
Okay, let's talk .380 ACP. You either love it, hate it, or are completely indifferent to it. I've had a couple of .380's and currently own one. I've always been fascinated as much by the small end of the handgun cartridge scale as the big end, and the .380 ACP is generally considerred the top of the little end.
The .380 seems to me to have filled 3 different roles in its history. The first role was that of a cutdown service pistol, like the Colt Mustang, a smaller version of the 1911. The second role, that of a easily concealed weapon, was perhaps more prevalent to the European market than the U.S. although this type of weapon has a following over here. A classic example would be the Walther PPK/S. The final role would be as a last ditch hideout gun. A good example of this would be the AMT Backup, The Guardian, or the Kel-Tec 3AT.
The .380 has always seemed to me to follow behind and gradually replace the 7.65 mm (.32 ACP). If anyone is making a .32 auto in anything larger than Walther PPK size, I haven't seen it lately. As a matter of fact, the most common size .32's I've seen lately have been in the hideout .25 ACP size range, and those are fairly scarce. The only larger .32's I've seen have been used. I ran across a CZ, not sure if I remember the model number. It was a .32 and in decent shape, but the price was a bit high for me at the time, so I couldn't get it. Most of the new .32's I see are Kel-Tec P32's. This is a very nice compact little package with a good reputation as a hide-out gun.
But this blog is about the .380 so let's get back to it. The history of the .380 is reasonable clear.
Or maybe it isn't. The cartridge was designed by John Browning and was either a shortened version of the 9mm parabellum or a scaled down version of Browning's .45 ACP round. It was either introduced in 1912 by FN or 1908 by Colt or both. We do know that the .380 is also known as the 9mm short, 9X17 mm, 9 mm kurtz, 9 mm corto, 9mm Browning, and 9 mm Browning short. We know that it was designed to work in early blowback designed guns and has a relatively low chamber pressure which allows it to work in guns that are less expensive to manufacture, and are lighter and smaller. This also means that it limits the range and stopping power of the cartridge also. The .380 has been adapted as both a police and military cartridge in some countries.
The .380 ACP generally launches a 80 -- 115 grain bullet. A 95 grain bullet will generally travel out of a 4 inch barrel at roughly 950 fps. Remember though every firearm and ever cartidge is different. Most of the popular .380's probably have a barrel shorter than 4 inches also.
You get what you pay for, sometimes.
At one time you would probably be told that the Walther PPK/S was the ultimate .380. If you want to spend the money, you might be happy with a James Bond gun, but personally I hate the trigger and the price tag. Sig Sauer's are also high-end weapons, but are cheaper, and, in my opinion, have a much nicer trigger, are more reliable, and are an all-around better value. If you are budget minded though, the Bersa Thunder 380 has a great trigger, very reliable, excellent fit and finish and can be found for $300 or less in my area. The NAA Guardian is a very popular hide-out gun, it is pricey, but very well made and reliable. I have no idea is the AMT backup is still around in other than .45 ACP. The Seecamp is even more expensive, although it is lighter and has an excellent reputation. The cheapest out is for something like a Cobra, Jimenez, or Davis. Most of these can be had for less than $200. Hi-Point makes a .380 and it is a reliable weapon from all accounts, but it is weighty, ugly, and much larger than any of these weapons previously mentioned. For about a $100 less than the NAA, you can get a Kel-Tec 3AT. It is lighter than anything else on this blog, very reliable, but the trigger isn't as nice as the Guardian or the Seecamp. One nice feature is that you can get a pocket clip that lets you stick the Kel-Tec in your pocket or waistband without a holster and hook it like a tactical folding knife.
My .380's.
My first .380 was a Davis auto. It was chrome plated with plastic grigs. It was small, shiny, kind of heavy and I think I paid about $80 for it seveal years ago. I carried it in IWB holster, pocket holster, and just shoved in the pocket. It had several issues. One, the safety was tiny and hard to release. It was small enough to get turned in the pocket without the holster and very hard to draw. Although it was a cheap weapon, it never failed to fire and I used 95 grain hollow points. I could hit with it within a reasonable range for this type weapon. My other .380 is a Bersa Thunder .380. It is an awesome little gun. I paid $250 for it and so far I'm impressed. It is lighter than the smaller Davis. Incidently, I also had a .25 ACP Davis that also worked like a charm, but my significant other (girlfriend at the time) had what should have been an exact duplicate of the .25 and it wouldn't even feed FMJ without jamming at least every third round. She had it for 6 months, shot it regularly and it never improved. I finally got her to trade it for a Taurus Model 85, .38 special.
Competition.
Well the main purpose of the .380 is probably self-defense. What is the competition. Well, if we restrict it to firearms of similar size, then it has a lot. On one end we have the .22 short, .22 lr, .22 magnum, .25 ACP, .32 ACP, .32 magnum, .38 special, .357 magnum, 9 mm Makarov, 9 mm parabellum.
Okay, the best self-defense gun is the one you carry. There are times I just don't feel like lugging my Hi-Power around, so the Bersa, being smaller and lighter, is better than nothing. The .380 offers less in the way of stopping power than the 9 mm Parabellum, but its still better than my .25 ACP.
They still make little auto's in .22 short and .22 long rifle. They also make tiny little revolvers in .22 short, .22 lr, and .22 magnum. I feel the .380 if a better choice than any of the above in tiny auto format especially. The really tiny .22 revolvers might be a good hide-out alternative or bug to something like the Kel-Tec. In automatics, though, I don't see why you would want less power in a similar package. The same goes for the .25. If you can have a .38 for similar money and similar size, why not. I like the .32 acp and it is available in similar hideout and compact packages, but the balistic advantages of the .380 just make more since. In the Kel-Tec, the only disadvantage might be muzzle blast. If you want a short barrelled revolver, you can have one in .32 magnum or .38 special. Both will give you more power with about the same number of rounds as the little guns. The larger PPK size weapons have a little ammo advantage in .380 though. So do you want firepower, or destructive power. The .357 magnum offers a lot more power in a similar size package, although revolvers are usually harder to hide than autos, and snub-nosed .357 can be hard to control. The biggest competition for the .380 I think comes from 2 packages that are similar in size to the larger .380's but offer more power. These are the 9 mm Makarov and the 9 mm Parabellum. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the sudden influx of Markarov's and their clones and copies, we have a PPK size package chamered for what is really a 9.2 mm x 18. It offers a little more stopping power in a similar sized, very reliable package that is affordable. The recent improvements in metal and polymer frames have made really compact 9x19 mm handguns very possible. The Kel-Tec P-11 gives us a 10-shot (factor 12 shot with S&W mags) 9mm Luger in a very compact package. I think the trigger is not as nice as my Bersa, but I think this might be the new "snub nose" ankle and belly gun. It compares very favorably with the baby Glock and is half the price.
The .380 seems to me to have filled 3 different roles in its history. The first role was that of a cutdown service pistol, like the Colt Mustang, a smaller version of the 1911. The second role, that of a easily concealed weapon, was perhaps more prevalent to the European market than the U.S. although this type of weapon has a following over here. A classic example would be the Walther PPK/S. The final role would be as a last ditch hideout gun. A good example of this would be the AMT Backup, The Guardian, or the Kel-Tec 3AT.
The .380 has always seemed to me to follow behind and gradually replace the 7.65 mm (.32 ACP). If anyone is making a .32 auto in anything larger than Walther PPK size, I haven't seen it lately. As a matter of fact, the most common size .32's I've seen lately have been in the hideout .25 ACP size range, and those are fairly scarce. The only larger .32's I've seen have been used. I ran across a CZ, not sure if I remember the model number. It was a .32 and in decent shape, but the price was a bit high for me at the time, so I couldn't get it. Most of the new .32's I see are Kel-Tec P32's. This is a very nice compact little package with a good reputation as a hide-out gun.
But this blog is about the .380 so let's get back to it. The history of the .380 is reasonable clear.
Or maybe it isn't. The cartridge was designed by John Browning and was either a shortened version of the 9mm parabellum or a scaled down version of Browning's .45 ACP round. It was either introduced in 1912 by FN or 1908 by Colt or both. We do know that the .380 is also known as the 9mm short, 9X17 mm, 9 mm kurtz, 9 mm corto, 9mm Browning, and 9 mm Browning short. We know that it was designed to work in early blowback designed guns and has a relatively low chamber pressure which allows it to work in guns that are less expensive to manufacture, and are lighter and smaller. This also means that it limits the range and stopping power of the cartridge also. The .380 has been adapted as both a police and military cartridge in some countries.
The .380 ACP generally launches a 80 -- 115 grain bullet. A 95 grain bullet will generally travel out of a 4 inch barrel at roughly 950 fps. Remember though every firearm and ever cartidge is different. Most of the popular .380's probably have a barrel shorter than 4 inches also.
You get what you pay for, sometimes.
At one time you would probably be told that the Walther PPK/S was the ultimate .380. If you want to spend the money, you might be happy with a James Bond gun, but personally I hate the trigger and the price tag. Sig Sauer's are also high-end weapons, but are cheaper, and, in my opinion, have a much nicer trigger, are more reliable, and are an all-around better value. If you are budget minded though, the Bersa Thunder 380 has a great trigger, very reliable, excellent fit and finish and can be found for $300 or less in my area. The NAA Guardian is a very popular hide-out gun, it is pricey, but very well made and reliable. I have no idea is the AMT backup is still around in other than .45 ACP. The Seecamp is even more expensive, although it is lighter and has an excellent reputation. The cheapest out is for something like a Cobra, Jimenez, or Davis. Most of these can be had for less than $200. Hi-Point makes a .380 and it is a reliable weapon from all accounts, but it is weighty, ugly, and much larger than any of these weapons previously mentioned. For about a $100 less than the NAA, you can get a Kel-Tec 3AT. It is lighter than anything else on this blog, very reliable, but the trigger isn't as nice as the Guardian or the Seecamp. One nice feature is that you can get a pocket clip that lets you stick the Kel-Tec in your pocket or waistband without a holster and hook it like a tactical folding knife.
My .380's.
My first .380 was a Davis auto. It was chrome plated with plastic grigs. It was small, shiny, kind of heavy and I think I paid about $80 for it seveal years ago. I carried it in IWB holster, pocket holster, and just shoved in the pocket. It had several issues. One, the safety was tiny and hard to release. It was small enough to get turned in the pocket without the holster and very hard to draw. Although it was a cheap weapon, it never failed to fire and I used 95 grain hollow points. I could hit with it within a reasonable range for this type weapon. My other .380 is a Bersa Thunder .380. It is an awesome little gun. I paid $250 for it and so far I'm impressed. It is lighter than the smaller Davis. Incidently, I also had a .25 ACP Davis that also worked like a charm, but my significant other (girlfriend at the time) had what should have been an exact duplicate of the .25 and it wouldn't even feed FMJ without jamming at least every third round. She had it for 6 months, shot it regularly and it never improved. I finally got her to trade it for a Taurus Model 85, .38 special.
Competition.
Well the main purpose of the .380 is probably self-defense. What is the competition. Well, if we restrict it to firearms of similar size, then it has a lot. On one end we have the .22 short, .22 lr, .22 magnum, .25 ACP, .32 ACP, .32 magnum, .38 special, .357 magnum, 9 mm Makarov, 9 mm parabellum.
Okay, the best self-defense gun is the one you carry. There are times I just don't feel like lugging my Hi-Power around, so the Bersa, being smaller and lighter, is better than nothing. The .380 offers less in the way of stopping power than the 9 mm Parabellum, but its still better than my .25 ACP.
They still make little auto's in .22 short and .22 long rifle. They also make tiny little revolvers in .22 short, .22 lr, and .22 magnum. I feel the .380 if a better choice than any of the above in tiny auto format especially. The really tiny .22 revolvers might be a good hide-out alternative or bug to something like the Kel-Tec. In automatics, though, I don't see why you would want less power in a similar package. The same goes for the .25. If you can have a .38 for similar money and similar size, why not. I like the .32 acp and it is available in similar hideout and compact packages, but the balistic advantages of the .380 just make more since. In the Kel-Tec, the only disadvantage might be muzzle blast. If you want a short barrelled revolver, you can have one in .32 magnum or .38 special. Both will give you more power with about the same number of rounds as the little guns. The larger PPK size weapons have a little ammo advantage in .380 though. So do you want firepower, or destructive power. The .357 magnum offers a lot more power in a similar size package, although revolvers are usually harder to hide than autos, and snub-nosed .357 can be hard to control. The biggest competition for the .380 I think comes from 2 packages that are similar in size to the larger .380's but offer more power. These are the 9 mm Makarov and the 9 mm Parabellum. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the sudden influx of Markarov's and their clones and copies, we have a PPK size package chamered for what is really a 9.2 mm x 18. It offers a little more stopping power in a similar sized, very reliable package that is affordable. The recent improvements in metal and polymer frames have made really compact 9x19 mm handguns very possible. The Kel-Tec P-11 gives us a 10-shot (factor 12 shot with S&W mags) 9mm Luger in a very compact package. I think the trigger is not as nice as my Bersa, but I think this might be the new "snub nose" ankle and belly gun. It compares very favorably with the baby Glock and is half the price.
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