{"id":222,"date":"2019-10-01T07:15:25","date_gmt":"2019-10-01T07:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/?p=222"},"modified":"2019-10-07T15:07:40","modified_gmt":"2019-10-07T15:07:40","slug":"best-compact-380-acp-pistol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ammoman.com\/blog\/best-compact-380-acp-pistol\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Best Compact 380 Pistol?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Project 380: The Best Compact 380 Pistol<\/span><\/h1>\n

Over the past ten years or so, there have been two interesting trends develop in defensive pistols. <\/span><\/p>\n

The first is the rise of the pocket-sized .380 pistol, epitomized by guns like the Kel-Tec P3AT and the Ruger LCP. <\/span><\/p>\n

The second is the rise of the single stack or subcompact 9mm pistol, like the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield and the Glock 48.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Its easy to see why these two types of guns are so popular. They\u2019re small, lightweight, and easy to carry, yet they have enough firepower to keep you safe when things get dicey. But neither type is perfect.<\/span> If you carry a pocket .380, you can have a gun with you pretty much anywhere you go.\u00a0 This is due to the pocket .380’s small size compared to that of the generally bigger and heavier 9mm subcompact.\u00a0<\/span>But, <\/span>you’re giving up a significant advantage in magazine capacity and penetration. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 9mm subcompact has a significant edge in firepower over the pocket .380, but the added size and weight can make it impractical to carry in some situations.\u00a0 Some 9mm subcompacts can also be difficult to shoot.<\/span> Recognizing the limitations of both the pocket .380 and the subcompact 9mm, gun manufacturers sought to develop a gun that had the best of both worlds.\u00a0 This led them to develop the compact .380 pistol. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll take a look at the compact .380 to see if it is a legitimate option for concealed carry. We’ll also test several compact .380 models to see if one stands out from the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Choose A Compact 380 Pistol?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Popular compact .380 models include the Walther PK380 and Ruger LC380.\u00a0 They are about the same size as a subcompact 9mm, but they fire the lower-powered .380 ACP<\/a> round common to pocket pistols.\u00a0 <\/span>At first glance, these pistols don\u2019t seem to make a lot of sense. If you can carry around a 9mm<\/a> Ruger LC9, why would you want to carry a similarly-sized Ruger LC380 that shoots a lower-powered .380 ACP cartridge?<\/span>
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