Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 38 special or 380 acp for defense?

Buy what you can get ammo for....

38 Spl with 148 gr Hollow Base wadcutters seated backwards at about 800-850 fps. Plenty devastating at close range.

I've got a Ruger LCP.

It's a great little gun for deep concealment.

I have a belt clip on mine, and it conceals well under a tank top with shorts.

That being said, my primary CCW's are a Kimber 5" .45, a Kahr P9, or a S&W airweight in 32 mag.
I switch off as conditions dictate.

I carry one of these IWB, usually with the LCP as a back up in a shirt pocket.


And yes, I am a GUN LOONIE!


YOU have to decide which will work best for your circumstances.

Virgil B.

Basically the reason for not worrying so much about the platform was cartridge selection. Obviously from the above posts it seems the 38 SPSL wins the power contest.

And still another vote for platform first and chambering second. First and foremost, it has to be something I can shoot well.
I've owned a couple of 2 inch .38's. I can't shoot them well enough to make me happy.
I've shot several .380's. One of the older Walther PPK's shot beautifully for me.
So, if I couldn't have my 3 inch, M60 Smith, it would be an older PPK in .380. Or something else that I could shoot as well. E

I vote for the PPK. Its slimmer.

I DO own a Dick Spec, and it�s a beautiful gun ( the Original 2nd Version, blade main spring, but shrouded ejector rod ), but I�ll take the PPK!

The 007 look alone ...

;-)

Hermann

+1

No comparison, in terms of round-effectiveness. It goes to the .38 Special. If you're more concerned with pocket carry, then the nod goes to the .380, but not by much. All in all, I am many times more likely to carry a six shot .38 than any .380.

Got them both - the P3AT and the Ultralite Taurus 83 - Love them both. The revolver is the better trail gun, the P3 hides under a t-shirt.

Not much better than a J framed Centennial for what the OP's after.

6 zillion off-duty cops or on duty as back-up guns, can't be wrong.......

I own several of the pre-lock 642's and always will. I've owned the PPKS.....not anymore. Nice gun, but feel much more comfortable with these J frames.

YMMV........

I like the .38 Spl. I have a 3" K Frame S&W that is lots easier to shoot then my 2" J Frame. A 158 grain +P lead hollow point is usually in them. Some are loaded hotter then others. I would trust it over any .380.

I would take the 38 special in the snub nose format over the 380 acp. I actually use a snub nose in 357 magnum loaded with medium velocity 125 grain Remington Golden Sabers. I generally carry on the belt in a holster and not in a pocket.

Which 357 Snub nose is the same size as my J frame round butt S&W 38 Special Airweight..Also weight is an issue if you carry it stuck in your waist band as I do, so what is the weight of the specific pistols mentioned...

Recoil with the 158 gr. WW HP lead bullet is pretty grim in my airweight, but I can control it well enough, and I doubt in a shootout that it would be bothersome. Most of the recoil is straight back so it returns to level very fast making it a good defense weapon. It's my all time choice.

Ray,
The 357 snub nose revoler I carry is the Colt Carry Magnum, it weighs 21oz. It is larger than your J frame S&W 38 Special Airweight, but I can carry comfortably in a holster on my belt. If I were to carry inside my waist band I would use a holster, so the weight would not be as critical. The only 357 snub the same size as your Airweight is the S&W model 340PD. The only 357 load that I would dare use in that revolver would be the Speer 135 grain Gold Dot short barrel load. I personaly feel that 357 snubs should be steel framed. The 158 gr. WW HP is a very good load, but I think that other 110 gr. 125 gr. and 135 gr. 38 Special +P loads also work well.

My carry snubbie is a .44, so I have no qualms about round effectiveness. My original Charter Bulldog weighs exactly one pound, 13 ounces loaded and in a leather pancake holster. Hard to beat that combo.

I'd feel well-armed with a good 38 snubbie if I owned one; I do own and have carried a PP-clone in 9 Mak and feel almost as well defended with that.

AR15,
I can imagine what the S&W340 PD would do to the web of your hand with full power 357 loads, not to mention the blast..I think I'll stick with the Chief Special with the 158 gr. WW HP,and it's pretty grim for that matter...

The best thing about a Airweight Chiefs special is your more likely to carry it, and not leave it in the closet or glove compartment..:) That is a subject that is sorely overlooked, I have know so many, self included, that because of bulk, weight, and size they choose to leave the gun at home or under the drivers seat etc..I sold a guy a very small double action 25 ACP and he carried it faithfully just like I pack a pocket knife..He will never get caught with his pants down like most of us.

Ray,
I would never fire full power 357 loads in the S&W34PD. I don't even fire full power 357 loads in my steel frame Carry Magnum. The Remington 125gr. 357 Golden Sabers that I carry are a medium velocity load. From a 4" barrel they run a 1220 fps. Out of my 2" Colt barrel the run 1100 fps and I have no trouble controlling them. The Speer 135gr 357 Gold Dot Short Barrel load is also a medium power, 990 fps out of a 2" barrel. The only other 357 loads that I would consider are the 110gr. loads from Federal, Remington or Winchester that run at 1295 fps from a 4" barrel. I have not chrono'd them from a 2" barrel, but they are controllable from my snub. If I ever get my hands on an aluminum framed Colt Agent I will load it with Remington 125gr. 38 Special+P Golden Sabers or Speer 135gr. 38 Special+P Gold Dot Short Barrel loads.

Atkinson & ar15a292f,

My always carry gun is a Smith 340PD Scandium J frame. Without ammo the gun weighs 16 ounces. I carry in a pants pocket holster. Very discrete carry. As far as I know I've never been noticed with it.

The gun says .357 magnum on the barrel. Any .38 special factory load hurts my hand. I believe shooting .357's would cause metalcarpal bone fractures. I'm not exagerating.

I vote for the 38spl.

I believe it is more effective and a small revolver is more reliable.

Just MHO

I don't think I could choose between one or the other. It all depends where I'm going and what I'm wearing.


My list of pros/cons.
Smythe 642 gets the nod for reliability, energy, penetration, and in-the-pocket shootability.
Kahr 380 wins for concealability, ergonomics and firepower (one extra round).

All up 'n ready to go the Kahr is 13 1/4 oz vs 16 2/3 for the 642.

YMMV
Pete