380 and Snubbie Users Poll

[punkndisorderly]

So 380's and small J-frame 38's are supposed to be bestsellers lately. I see a lot of people looking at them in shops and purchasing them, but I don't see them often at the range. I hit the range about once or twice a week and primarily see people with mid to full size pistols. When someone is shooting one of the compacts, they usually run a magazine/cylinder or two and then switch over to their mid/full size pistol for the rest of the range trip.

I'm thinking kel-tec, LCP, 380 bodyguard, j-frame's, LCR's, etc. Not really the larger 380's like Bersa's or Beretta's or larger/heavier revolvers SP101 or larger.

It makes me wonder how many people are carrying them often, but rarely practice with them. I've heard that the average CHL'er fires about 10 rounds a year (50 when they go through the course and not again until they have to fire the qualification again. I assume the average for members here is significantly higher, but wonder how many rounds people who chose the pocket pistols as a primary carry actually shoot them.

[Teamless]

I voted "Other"
I just bought the gun about a month ago, have about 50 rounds through it and would plan to shoot 1 - 2 mags (6 rounds each) at least per month to keep familiar with it. I use this as my pocket carry, when it is not feasible to holster up with my Crossbreed and XD9sc.

My guess is I would probably put 50 rounds every 6 months through it, could be up to 100, but no more than that.
I would shoot my .22 probably 2000 rounds every 6 months and my XD9sc about 300 rounds in the same 6 months.

[olafpfj]

I have a charter arms "undercover". It is my truck gun and it is purely a tool. I've shot it enough to know that it is a last resort. Its an older one from the early 80's with a 3" barrel. I love the way it looks but its about a 3' gun at best.

[45er]

I picked the second option because it's not my primary carry. I will probably still shoot a few hundred rounds through mine in a six month period even though it is not a primary. I just got my p3AT and it is great for when my primaries either A. aren't a viable option or B. as a BUG. I think that will probably be what most people will respond with. The pocket carry is not their all the time/primary carry but just an option in their collection to fill the right slot.

[sugar land dave]

I've had my LCP less than 6 months but have already put over 100 rounds of carry ammo through it. It serves as my BUG or as primary carry less often. Every time I go to the range I shoot at least a box with each firearm. I consider each firearm important enough to want to know how it performs.

[Blindref757]

I have a .25 Auto and I usually just shoot one magazine before going to my 9mm. The .25 is a BUG...it's in my glove box but I never carry it. The ammo isn't too bad...$18/box, but it's not $10/box and since it's not my primary gun, I figure I'm only gonna need it in a really bad situation...and likely at really close range.

[NcongruNt]

I voted other, because none of the choices applied to my particular situation. Had you asked 6 months ago, it would have been a cross between the first and second choices. I've been unable to spend nearly as much time at the range in the last 6 months as I would like to, and most of it has been rifle work and developing my .223 handloads.

I certainly give my .380 (a Ruger LCP) plenty of attention when I practice. Unlike most people, I actually enjoy shooting the LCP. It's a great little shooter for me.
I've developed handloads for it that are run very well in the little gun, and it gets its fair share of range time between the handguns. It is not my primary carry gun, though it is my "always" gun. I'd guess at around 600 .380 rounds or so over a 6-month period when I'm shooting pistols on a regular basis. In that same period, I'd guess at over 1000 rounds of 9mm through my primary.

I've put plenty of carry ammo through the LCP, and I'll periodically shoot my existing carry mags and rotate new ammo in.

[Divided Attention]

There was not an option that fit, so I chose "Other". I have 3 "carry" guns depening upon where I am going and what I am wearing. Seems us girl types have to have options. I have put over 300 rounds through my P238 in the past 6 months and occasionally do take it to my defensive pistol class I do my best to attend monthly. I have not taken my 38 Colt Cobra Detective Special snubby to class as I am not that fast with speed strips and don't want to slow the class down, but I do practice with it at the range and have put nearly 300 rounds through it since I got it in February. I do put a lot more ammo through my 9C and JG because I have started trying out IDPA and practice with them more.

As far as defensive ammo goes I have put less than 100 rounds through any of my carry guns simply because the cost is so high. I know they all function well with my choice of ammo, and occasionally mix a SD round in with the mag/speed loader.

I enjoy shooting all of my weapons, and wouldn't own or carry one I didn't enjoy shooting simply because I feel like practicing with them is important and if you aren't going to practice you shouldn't carry it. That in my opinion is part of the responsibility of carrying, and I don't feel like I practice near enough - especially after and IDPA type event.

As alway JMPHO.

[chasfm11]

I've had my LCP less than 6 months but have already put over 100 rounds of carry ammo through it. It serves as my BUG or as primary carry less often. Every time I go to the range I shoot at least a box with each firearm. I consider each firearm important enough to want to know how it performs.

+1

I've only had my LCP about 6 months as well and have put more than 400 rounds, 100 rounds of carry ammo through it. I wanted to make sure that mind didn't have any FTEs and have never had any problem at all. Since the .380 has less stopping power than most of us would prefer, I wanted to make sure that I had reasonably good shot placement. That means that I never go to the range without it and go through 50+ rounds with it each of those times.

Like Sugar Land Dave, my LCP is NOT my EDC. I only use it as my only carry when I just cannot get past wardrobe problems.

[Middle Age Russ]

I practice with it occasionally (less than 300 rounds in last 6 months), but not nearly as much as I shoot my other pistols (more than 300 rounds in the 6 months). But have run more than 100 rounds of my carry ammo to check for reliability.

I voted "Other", but the choice mentioned is fairly accurate for overall round count. I only put 25 or so rounds of carry ammo through the BG380 to check feeding reliability (no issues), and the remaining 250 to 300 rounds have been WWB, Monarch HP, and 100 gn ball handloads. It eats all of these without issue.

[flechero]

I also had to vote other... while I practice with both the P3AT and snubbie regularly, my range time has been thin this year. Round count under 300 each, in last 6 months but practice draws and presentation frequently. (3-4 times per week.) Firing isn't something I need heavy constant practice for... getting the gun presented quickly and cleanly is the more immediate life or death action.

[punkndisorderly]

Interesting. A lot more people actually practicing with their 380's than I thought. I expectedmore to fall under the carry but shoot rarely options. I'd love to know how much of this is the sample (people who frequent the forums are likely to take practicing with a primary carry gun seriously). I've thought for a while that the majority of people that carry pocket guns into one of two Campus

-those that shoot freqently with full size guns, but carry a pocket gun they don't shoot enough to be close to proficient with
-those that don't care enough to practice much at all with anything and that attitude carries over to their choice of gun. Whatever is easiest.

May have to rethink that opinion.

[Carry-a-Kimber]

I shoot my .380 every time I shoot my EDC. I carry my LCP more than anything else though. I carry it as a BUG or alone in my front pocket.

[couzin]

Yep - other cuz my carry weapon is an airlite S&W .357 - practice little carry always. For range time I usually shoot a k frame 686 3" plus a few rounds outta the airlite just to remind me what it feels like...

[J.R.@A&M]

I chose "Other". I have a pair of 2.25" barrel SP101s. I carry the one in .357 but don't shoot that many rounds through it. Between 50 and 100 rounds over the last six months. However, over the same time period I have fired about 300 rounds through the one in .22 LR .