I've got to spend all day today in the studio doing voice-over work for SHOOTING GALLERY, then tomorrow I get my eyeball refurbished...that means less blogging than usual this week...or maybe more...we'll see (nudge nudge wink wink say no more).
Jim Shepherd in this morning's SHOOTING WIRE noted that by his observation the little .380 semiautos were still selling like hotcakes topped with golden syrup, although perhaps not in so many snazzy words. That's consistent with what I'm seeing and hearing from the industry...it is amazing the number of .380 semiautos that have been sold since Ruger rocked the industry with the LCP.
In truth, when I put my pants on in the morning I stick the LCP in a DeSantis Nemesis holster in my pocket, where it stays all day. The only change is when I strap on my regular carry pistol; then I transfer the LCP to my left pocket. I know a lot of hardcore "J-frame people" who have switched over to the semis. Again, my standard carry ammo is Corbon DPX 80-grain.
I hope to have one of the little Taurus TCPs soon for T&E. As I mentioned a while back, I shot the premium priced Kahr a few months back and it was just a super — and accurate — little pistol. I shot a BUG gun stage with a borrowed Kahr .380 at Tom Givens' Tactical Conference last summer, and it was right there! I don;t like to make 12-15 yard shots with a pocket .380...especially a borrowed .380...but it was no problemo with the Kahr.
Briefly, Springfield has a new concealed carry M-series XD. Should be hugely popular. Gotta go to work!
15 comments:
380ACP are nicely sized, but I'm less enthusiastic owing to power and ammo availability. I wish, no I pray, that Glock would make a Kahr PM9 sized sub-subcompact. The Kahr is overpriced, and construction quality is low for the money. The excess plastic flashing flakes off the metal bits during break in is just sickening (not to mention the various serial number runs that hand barrel/slide peaning).
I owned a PM9 that worked, most of the time and sold it thinking I had just found pocket 9 perfection in the Rohrbaugh R9S, but could never get it to function reliably in my hand. I regretted selling a functioning PM9 and am fearful to try and find another that works, plus the sticker shock is killing me.
A J frame or 2" K frame without the stupid lockhole in the side.
A no frills, inexpensive finish for the airweights, brushed/sandblasted for stainless.
Priced well under 4 bills.
If California or Joisey doesn't like it - screw 'em. Don't sell them there. Think Ronnie B -aka- grow a pair.
How many do you think S&W could dump in the first year? I bet enough to put a little dent in the first time/newer shooter market that is buying mousegun semiautos lately.
You could take the buyer that is looking at a 25 or 380 of questionable quality and get them into a RELIABLE, safe handgun.
I haven't felt the trigger of a small 380 that made me want to pull it over and over. A S&W revolver trigger OTOH just begs to be stroked.
I WILL NOT as a certain Mr. Smith advises, "just deal with" the stupid lock and it's corresponding sphincter. It is a Deal Breaker for more handgun buyers than just me.
Good luck with the peepers Michael. I'm jealous about the work you are getting done.
Speaking of J-frame. My EDC is my S/W 940 9mm snub in a pocket. Small, but heavy at 25 ounces, loaded. I have literally BEGGED S/W (and also Lew Horton, a large S/W distributor) to make an AirWeight version of the all stainless steel 940. LH said I would have to commit to taking 1000 pieces before they would even commit to asking S/W for such a model. They would easily sell out 1000 copies of a NO HOLE, 9mm AirWeight version of the 940!
Speaking of Springfield, they're having a 30% off sale in their web store.
"...since Ruger rocked the industry with the LCP." I love Ruger firearms, but I think they copied Kel Tec on this one. I can never understand when gun writers credit them with this revolutionary new firearm.
I credit Ruger with rocking the industry, which they did...I like Kel-Tec, but their .380 entered the market without a ripple. Ruger redefined the entire market. And Kel-Tec hardly invented the DA-only pocket pistol...this is all evolutionary stuff...
mb
The LCP is ok for a bug, but the Sig P238 is great as a bug and a shooter with very mild recoil compared to the other .380's out there.
My P238 has been great with zero issues but I noticed that the extractor didn't have the proper profile radius per Kuhn's 1911 manual....a little filing and she works even better and Mustang mags work in it too, both 6 and 7 rounders.
If you don't mind cocked and locked, the P238 is a very accurate shooter with a very mild recoil.
For a 9mm, the Walther PPS is accurate and slim and both of mine have been great. I bought one new and then later found a used one for a great price I couldn't pass up.
I do like the LCP but I seem to carry the P238 more and enjoy shooting it more too.
For my main carry it's either the PPS or PT145 with the P238 for a bug.
Dandapani:LH said I would have to commit to taking 1000 pieces before they would even commit to asking S/W for such a model.
I think for the good of the shooting community you should max out your cards, second (or third) the mortgage and sell a kidney if needed to get those 1000 revolvers in production.
It's the least you could do for your friends.
I have to second the sentiments toward the Sig P238. Having shot it on a couple occasions at the range where I work, it is a beautifully-executed .380. The Kel-Tec is a decent pocket pistol with few frills and little fanfare, the Ruger (kinda like the XD did in the 9mm world) drives a lot of folks into the gun stores and is a fine shooter in its own rite, but that litle Sig is pure goodness.
I have the Kahr PM45 for my BUG and I have to tell you for the size and accuracy it really is a great gun. Not much larger than the .380's but with the punch of the .45. I know what Dandapani said about the plastic flaking during breakin, but I've shot hundreds of rounds through mine and now it's smoothed all the wear points and I haven't had any problems. One thing that is nice about the Kahr PM Series is they use dove tail sights so the option to change them is available with the Kahrs but isn't with the LCP and Kel-Tecs. I have the tritium night sights. I understand the primary purpose of the LCP is close range and most will argue that at 5 to 7 foot ranges it's going to be more point shooting and the sights are irrelevent, but I like having the option available.
KelTec's PF9 isn't much bigger than the new .380s. I'm happy with mine, and a helluva lot more comfortable with the larger caliber. It's filled with CorBon DPX, which I keep for all of my carry guns.
Good luck on the "eye thing" and have a speedy recovery.
Hey Ruger...want to REALLY impress us? Make an LCP in 9mm with +p capability.
From what I've read elsewhere, the short barreled XDM is an answer to a question no one asked. Springfield shortened the grip for the XD Custom (.45 ACP), I guess the people that did that no longer work for SA and the new folks thought a shorter barrel was needed, not a shorter grip.
MB,
Kel Tec's P3 AT didn't make a ripple in the market? According to ATF, in 2007 Kel Tec produced 49,000+ 380's. That's not a ripple? Ruger's offering is a direct knockoff of a very popular gun that was flying under the radar of the firearms media. Without the P3 AT Ruger's Little Copy of a keltec Pistol would never have happened. Give credit where it is due.
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