Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best 380acp compact under $500 - Fall 2019 .

I tend to agree with you on pocket carry. Back in the 1980s and '90s I did it a lot, but since about 2,000, I've only carried service sized guns IWB.

That said, a pocket gun is way better than no gun.

One time, back in the 1990s, I was walking my protection-trained Doberman in a nature park (wooded trails, wide open spaces, etc., and very lonely - I usually never saw another person). This park, unfortunately, attracted vagrants, since there were permanent lean-toes with hand pumps for well water in scattered clearings along the wooded trails. Anyway, I had just exited a wooded trail, and was entering a large wide open space, and several hundred yards away I spotted a vagrant type (they have a distinct look). He spotted me, and changed his direction to intersect me. Ten minutes or so later, as he approached within about 25 yards, clearly interested in engaging me for something (likely to pressure me to make a donation to his favorite cause), I put my right hand in my right pocket, getting a grip on my NAA, .22 lr, Mini Revolver, but not taking it out. His eyes, however, went right to my pocketed hand, and instead of continuing his approach, he stopped in his tracks, then changed direction and walked away.

So pocket guns are far from completely useless in all cases, but I agree that in many cases they are nearly so, and a belt carried, service-sized, handgun is a far better choice in general.

Kel-Tec pretty much invented the formula for small, relatively powerful auto loading handguns. Since then many manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon to produce similar items.

I didn't pay any attention to the Diamondback models when they first came out. But they've been making constant improvements on their small auto loading pistols while keeping the price down.

I've been checking out reviews and videos of they're 4th generation DB9 and it seems like a very decent piece of work for the money.

They've beefed it up so it is suitable for +P, they greatly improved the trigger, and they've put a slide stop on the pistol.

If you look into how the gen 4 DB9 is constructed, there's not much to differentiate it from CCW pistols which cost a couple hundred dollars more

If it works, it works,....and there's not much mystery left about how to construct a small, polymer framed pistol that works.

I'm impressed that Diamondback has been constantly improving its little 9mm until they have a product that is competitive with some of the big name producers at a price that's keeping the big name producers honest about how they're pricing their products.

I need a grocery store run gun, like the in side the front pocket type...are any of these worth carrying?

Time to move.

Why would you say that? I was in South Dakota and soon to be Alaska...both rural areas and low on crime...however that doesn't mean I like to go unprepared. Having a gun and never needing it is far better than the inverse.

LCP. Not a 50 yd gun, but if a scoundrel pulls a knife in the parking lot it's your huckleberry.

And you'll have it with you where ever you are in anything you are wearing.

^^^This^^^

Pretty much what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure.

In a 380, for a pocket gun, the Ruger LCP II is hard to top; for something a little bit bigger, the Bersa Thunder series in whatever flavor you prefer is an excellent gun.

If you want to step up to a small 9mm, then the Sig 365 or G-43.

But the Bersa, Sig & the Glock are really not pocket guns, per se', IMO, lessen' you got some big pockets & don't mind the weight floppin' around.

MM

I carry a G26, typically, in an IWB. I just want an grab and go solution for milk and bread runs. I think the LCP is that solution.

I find the Bersa to be clunky for caliber. You can easily get a 9mm in the same form factor, so why settle for a .380?

Better the Ruger LCP for this application.

+1

I have a S&W Bodyguard that I carry everywhere; 1911 when I’m cool weather causal.

Glock 26 coming soon.

No luv for the Walther ??????????

I'd say so, but an S&W 442 would be a good option, too. Perhaps better, since you can safely just stick it in your pocket (it won't go off without an intentional pull of the trigger), and it's a bit more powerful than a .380 ACP, being +P approved.

For the winter time, usually coats have bigger pockets, and you can easily carry a snubby revolver pretty easily. For the most part I carry a full size 16 shot 9mm on my belt. Coats hide those too!!! In the summer time, I just wear my shirt out and it hides my gun pretty well. I don't pocket carry, and I certainly don't run around in a swim suit. I could get harpooned.

Exactly. One never knows.

Pocket carry is the only method I have used that allows me to have my hand in a firing grip on the gun as a pedestrian living, working and/or recreating in high crime "murder capital" urban areas (New Orleans, for one) full of sketchy characters. When the sun goes down and the streets get turned over to the night shift, and I have to get from point A to point B on foot, I’d rather be pocket carrying a .380/J frame than have a 9mm/40 S&W/.45 ACP in a Sparks holster IWB. You can’t draw down upon, or run away from, every person who starts meandering toward your personal space. I believe that General Mattis is credited with the expression: “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”

Even in "safe" America, there are times when the brain sends signals that something is not right. When we leave a convenience store in suburban Denver, and my wife mentions afterwards that something was not right with the creeper who started crowding us in one place, I tell her that she must have missed me casually slipping my hand into my pocket.

I bought a little Taurus .380 mostly as an "extra". I've actually come to like this little gun. Easy to conceal, doesn't weigh much, and it goes bang every time I pull the trigger. The sights are very low, and you have to aim high to hit center mass with it, but it does what I want it to. It's stainless, so spends a lot of time in my boat too. Outside of the fact it shoots low when using the sights, I have no complaints whatsoever. It's a "belly" gun. I'd hate to have to hit something further than about 5 yards, but in my opinion, it's just for up close work.