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My report was not a gun failure, but defective out of spec ammo.
I like mine, fires good higher pressure ammo that the others say don't use because theirs isn't built well enough to withstand it.

My ammo update:

Update on Ammo

Since I sleep on a hard floor wearing the DB380, I can't attest to this for everyone's magazine, but it's true for mine.


OLD white box CorBon 90 grain +P JHP feeds well

but
Avoid NEW DPX 80 grain +P JHP seems to be a hair longer than it's supposed to be and my magazine likes it less, hangs in the mag... I won't carry it normally now
Just tried the NEW DPX 80 grain +P JHP in my NAA Gaurdian .380 too .... seems to be a hair longer and my NAA Gaurdian .380 magazines like it less, hangs in the magazine of the NAA Gaurdian .380 too
I'll try it in a doublestack gun like Taurus PT-58, but I won't be buying any more DPX .380

BUT
I prefer a heavier bullet than 80 grain anyway for better penetration, and the

MagTech Guardian Gold 85 grain +P JHP works in the mag just right.

Also

Buffalo Bore 90 grain +P JHP feeds real well too (the 100 grain Flat Nose +P does too so far)

(Sounds like the 3 bears story?, but 4 beds were fine out of 5, and all 4 were heavier +P, so that's excellent.)

So, right now I'm loaded with a chambered Magtech Guardian Gold 85 grain +P and a magazine full of 90 grain Buffalo Bore +P ... only because the first round out is pretty ... Ok, I gave you all my money, you want my Gold too?

(I have Hydroshoks 90 grain and Gold Dots 90 grain too, didn't even try them yet, but staying with these heavier +P rounds for carry. The others can go in another brand .380 I keep in the house, and not carrying DPX in this gun at all.... they are too long or something.)

So, so far Buffalo Bore and MagTech Guardian Gold look the most reliable out of that bunch for mine, as well as being the heaviest +P, so should be the better pentrating and deliver more foot-ponds of energy too.

My local range is still closed until after hunting season, but here's some info I collected:



Per Diamondback:
They have been getting good reports back from customers that the Buffalo Bore, DPX and other higher than standard pressure .380's work very well. Winchester white box and other lower pressure plinking rounds don't always perform as well.

Tips/Info from other new owners on other sites/reviews:

Shoots Low compared to a Glock, about right compared to Taurus.
The grip was awesome and the gun was much more controllable than the LCP.

The good Ammo:
The pistol worked great with three of the four brands of ammo that were brought. Buffalo Bore Self Defense ammo worked FANTASTIC! PMC and some 10 year old Winchester all fired no problems. Two stovepipes in the first 50 rounds using the PMC ammo, the problem seemed to go away after about 30 rounds.


The Bad Ammo:
MFS Browning Short's from Hungary. This ammo was totally unreliable! EVERY round took 2-3 primer strikes to ignite. Could just be military grade primers, which are harder to prevent slam-fires on semi-automatic rifles. Maybe hard primers, maybe deep seated primers

adam71176 wrote:

RPB wrote:

CompVest wrote:Great ending to a long story! It is good to hear of a company taking care of its customer so well.

TRUE. Hobie learned that in the Kayak business, by taking better care of customers than they even "had to"
Hopefully, Diamondback will keep that customer care model and continue to grow and prosper too. .... I just wish some other businesses learned to take care of customers.

Supposedly Kel-Tec used to have such good service when they were new, but now a days I think they have so many defective products they have become to overwhelmed to provide good customer care. (This is my personal opinion and that of others I've spoken to).

WordPerfect "used to" have FREE, UNLIMITED technical support, so WordStar (and several others) disappeared. When WordPerfect was sold and began charging for Tech support (regardless of the fact tht you can now go to their site and use the knowledge base, the damage was already done before) ... enough said ;)

Kudos to Diamondback.

CompVest wrote:Great ending to a long story! It is good to hear of a company taking care of its customer so well.

TRUE. Hobie learned that in the Kayak business, by taking better care of customers than they even "had to"
Hopefully, Diamondback will keep that customer care model and continue to grow and prosper too. .... I just wish some other businesses learned to take care of customers.

Mentioning "out of Spec" ... it happens to even the "old-timer" companies, even with pistols "twice the price"
http://www.sigsauer.com/CustomerService ... lerts.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
SIG SAUER, Inc. has initiated a Mandatory Safety Upgrade pertaining to our new Model P238™ pistols. We have determined that a small number of P238 pistols may have safety levers that are not manufactured to factory specifications

Embalmo wrote:Guys,

I will agree, it's a very attractive gun, but Installing a backup trigger bar, and clearing a jam in a SD situation just seems a little time consuming when they do make guns that require neither. I just can't accept that good handguns jam and break consistently; I'm even considering making a poll to see how reliable member's daily carry are. I suspect that most members are like me and seldomly experience such maladies. Opinions can be can be volleyed back and forth, but in the end it's about "bang bang", or "click click".

Embalmo

Before buying the DB380, I almost got an LCP, because of the slide stop benefit (for disassembly etc) over the P3AT (Kahr also has a slide stop), except the LCPs were going "bang" when people didn't want them to, and reading reports of broken parts on P3ATs, along with prior experience with Grendels 380. And especially because the P3AT and LCP and Kahr, like my AMT backup, require a separate "tool" to disassemble them, which is a real chore if you have use of only one hand. I really miss my PPk/s .380 (Original German made stainless) which was stolen, I'd have replaced it, except the new Smith & Wesson ones, made under Walther's name, were all recalled.

I'll just give it time, I mean there are reports everywhere concerning every gun like:

"kel tec 380, nothing but problems. ...

and

"Picked a (Kahr) P380 last week. Cleaned and oiled as always. Attempted to run 220 rounds through it. Probably 40 failures. Wont feed, wont extract. Name it"

and

"problems with newer Bersa Thunder380 kicking the disconnector spring off and rendering the gun totally useless "

and

"Well gun (LCP) came back from Ruger for the second time and hit the range.
After roughly 50 rounds the firing pin broke. This will be it's third trip to Ruger.
I have decided this gun is not fit for carry, defense, or anything for that matter. It is far too unreliable to trust to your life. "

I think ANY manufacturer may have a manufacturing problem or two in the beginning, but I'll stick with what I consider a superior design of my DB380.

Glad that Kahr 380 is working for you so far .... I considered it, but I owned a CW40, and hot-potatoed it out in trade for a Glock 27 .... didn't like the Kahr CW40 at all personally, but I do understand that the CW40 was their "low-end" model. Just reminded me when I bought a Chevy Vega, yellow, like a lemon, then wouldn't buy another Chevy for 20 years or so, and the next one I got was a fantastic car. I may give Kahr a second chance some day.

I trust my AMT 1st Gen (SA) 380 backup, it's been flawless since 1989 or so, forgot how long I've had it lol, but I didn't care for their later model (the DAO)

I think it's a bit early to say "design" flaw, design looks great, but perhaps a materials defect.
A "design" flaw would be more like the first Generation extractors on Kel-tec P3AT maybe, or LCPs accidently discharging, or Toyota designing gas pedals too close to the floormats. A materials defect would be like using a poor grade of steel or steel that wasn't tempered properly so the trigger bar gets brittle maybe. Meanwhile, I may order a couple spare trigger bars, and carry my 1st Gen AMT backup .380 too, about the same size, but heavier, I sold my AMT .380 DAO, didn't care for it's trigger as much as the 1st Generation with grip safety etc..
I'll still keep my DB380, even if it is determined that that 1 part, trigger bar, needs replacing every so many rounds, like the $1,000 Rohrbach Spring replacement after every few boxes of ammo/every 250 rounds etc.

Lumberjack98 wrote:

havoc wrote:Adam, I for one appreciate you posting your experiences, both good and bad, with this new gun. I do not care how much money you have or have not spent on it or any other firearm or anythinge else.... Your review has helped those of us who have seen this gun, and may or may not be interested it obtaining one, make a better informed decision for ourselves. So, thank you again for your review and I still look forward to any additional reviews, thoughts, and feelings you have about the Diamondback be they pro or con. Please keep us informed.

Adam, I really appreciate your reviews Thanks

I polished the feed ramp and oiled the guide rod and spring on mine now too.

My local shooting range closes during deer hunting season, (small town) so I haven't put 1 round through mine yet, I may if I visit another city some day soon...... hopefully I can break it and get a free magazine too (kidding)

It was an easy decision for me between the DB380, LCP and P3AT, I only have 1 hand and have way too many guns that require some "extra thing" bullet casing or pin punch or such to disassemble them, and I got tired of it. So, after I held one, it was an easy decision.

I use a Bianchi IWB suede holster. Must be aware of fallout if dropping pants in restrooms, but I've never worn anything more comfortable than the DB380. I just finished eating Thanksgiving dinner at the local Catholic Church, and almost forgot I had it on, until I was about to loosen my belt (big meal)

I have Winchester Silvertips 85gr, in it now, but may switch to Fereral Hydroshok 90 gr or maybe to CarBon +P+ 90gr 1050fps but most likely to Buffalo Bore +P. 90gr 1175fps 267FT LBS (small town, I can get/or have ammo, and have those and some others)

I carry another gun usually too (I usually carrry at 2 or 3 guns anyway)

$375 and $379 in Cedar Park and Killeen gun shops ....

I sold almost all of my guns, including about 50 pocket guns last year when I had no income, but ... I got a DB380 now, and an Archangel MCP requested from my local dealers when they get them.

I'm retiring my Keltec P-11 (after some Hollowpoints failed to ride up the feed ramp, which needs polishing) and AMT .380 backup, (because the DB380 just feels good in my hand and is so thin and light and just as invisible in my waistband, but more comfortable) and Seecamp .32 (due to weight and rimlock potential) and my German-made Stainless PPK/S was stolen.

So, my "normal" carry will become: I'll have the DB380 IWB, and in a few months, a Microtech Archangel MCP 9mm (weighs 7.1 ounces empty) replacing the Seecamp .32 in my pocket, and on many occaisions, my Glock 19 in my fanny pack or my Glock 27 (carried in various ways)

I haven't really seen a comparison to the old aluminum alloy .380 AMT backup, 1st (With grip safety) or second generation (DAO), but the DB380 is almost the same size, but much much lighter, and thinner than the AMTs

The DB380 allows more fingers on the grip than my Seecamp or my AMT .380 Backup

10 months a year, I wear a white T-shirt, or USUALLY a Guayabera shirt, and cargo shorts.