Glock 42 or .380 for carry

[Dart106A]

My GF carries a G42 with Fiocchi 90 grain XTPs in a Red Dog Tactical IWB. Quite a highly rated round, and she practices regularly however, she's considering going to a DA/SA single-stack 9mm. Said she will NOT get rid of the G42 though. Nice to have that size pistol as an option, no matter what, as the pistol is just crazy reliable.

I frequently carry a PPK/S-1 with PDX1s, or the Fiocchi in a Kirkpatrick Leather IWB. Really prefer the heft of the Walther in .380, plus I've had it so long, it just feels normal to me. (P.S. - she hates my PPK/S!)

[HadEmAll]

Ruger LCP with Speer 90 grain Gold Dot or Beretta Pico with Corbon 90 grain JHP. One or the other is always in my left (weak side) front pocket in a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster.

I practice drawing and shooting with the left hand just about every time I go to the range or the country.

I always have a larger caliber as my primary carry, but I figure I have about an equal chance of having to resort to my pocket .380 for self-preservation. So the .380 is very important to me.

[carlson1]

I won't carry less than a 9mm. The G43 is not that much bigger.

I finally convinced my wife to go to a 9mm rather than the .380. I told her the same as you posted above the pistol itself is not much larger. She has consistently carried a Ruger LCP so I thought Ruger LC9 would be an easy transition, but I was wrong.

Because she has always like the Glock 19 I sold the Ruger LC9 and bought a Glock 43. So training and practice has begun.

[JRG]

I won't carry less than a 9mm. The G43 is not that much bigger.

I finally convinced my wife to go to a 9mm rather than the .380. I told her the same as you posted above the pistol itself is not much larger. She has consistently carried a Ruger LCP so I thought Ruger LC9 would be an easy transition, but I was wrong.

Because she has always like the Glock 19 I sold the Ruger LC9 and bought a Glock 43. So training and practice has begun.

It is great that your wife carries. Mine has her CHL but no longer carries or wants anything to do with guns. I do not know what changed, but it has caused me to be even more vigilant when we are out and about.

That being said, I carry an XD Mod 2 subcompact 9mm. It is a double stack weapon. I really like it, but am also on the hunt for a single stack gun. I just haven't decided which model. Probably either an XDS or Shield or 43.

Joe

[Hoodasnacks]

I won't get into the "is .380ACP a self-defense caliber[?]" discussion, but I'd like to comment on the pistols. Until relatively recently, all .380ACP pistols were blow-back pistols meaning they are not a locking-breech design. (For those new to handguns, a locking-breech design is one that locks the barrel to the slide for a very short distance of the slide travel. A blow-back design has a barrel that is fixed to the frame and does not move.) Since the recoil spring is the only thing holding the slide closed ("in battery") in a blow-back design, the spring must be stronger than in a locking-breech design. This makes it much harder to rack the slide and charge the pistol. Couple this with the very small physical size of .380ACP pistols and you have a gun that is very difficult for most women to use, as well as elderly people or those with weak or arthritic hands.

I've seen hundreds of women come to classes with Walther PPKs and their Bersa knock-offs who either couldn't operate the guns, or who had great difficulty doing so. I have a PPK and I hate that gun! My wife loves the size and feel, but she can't reliably operate the slide to charge the pistol to to clear a malfunction. For this reason, I always cautioned women and the men in their lives against choosing a .380ACP unless they wanted to get the larger framed Beretta Cheetah. (The techniques for racking a slide that many of us instructors teach do not work well with block-back design .380APCs.)

All this has changed with the availability of locking-breech .380ACP pistols like the SIG P238. I'm seeing more P238s in my basic handgun classes and LTC classes than any other .380ACP. This is surprising since SIGs have always been on the high side of the price scale, but ladies love those little guns. In addition to having a slide that is easy to operate, they have real sights! There are other locking-breech .380ACPs now, but I'm not familiar with them, nor do I see many in classes.

I haven't seen a Glock Mod. 42 in the flesh, so I'm not sure if it is a locking-breech design, but I'd be very surprised if it is not.
Chas.

I have a G26 that my wife could not handle--it hurt her thumb every time she shot the gun. I think it was the double stack in small hands that made it so she had to rotate her wrist down range to make her trigger finger reach, so her thumb (rather than her hand) took the brunt of the recoil. Anyway--it made her scared of 9MM (even though it was a fit problem, not a power issue), and I wanted to get her off of her Walther P22.

We bought the Sig 238 and she loves the gun. It shoots great. She can operate it as well as the .22, and she was accurate with it out of the box. You can get a 7-round mag. The sights are great too. If you wanted my 2 cents...I'm a fan. I actually want one for myself--but I think I will test the P938 first.

[kv450]

I am new to the forum, mostly reading all the interesting information from all. This subject I thought I would reply to from personnel experience in trying to locate a side arm that would fit the needs I required.

I bicycle every evening (approx. 20 mile loop ride), and have had some run in with people in cars while in the Bike/Walk Lane on a 3 mile stretch of road that I have to proceed down to get to the next Bike trail. With utilizing bicycle clothing and the only side arm that would fit may large hands was a .380 Bersa Thunder single stack in a shoulder holster. As in the before mentioned the .380 caliber was a concern of effectiveness of 15 to 20ft. Bike riding on trails in a large sub division of 7 digit $ homes and a lot of walkers on the trails, keeping all concealed was a must. My primary CC is a PX4 .45 for cold weather and a Cougar (both Beretta) for warm weather applications.

I had went to many Gun shows an investigated small side arms such a the LCP, Cheetah, Glock Pocket style gun but may hands were to big to hold. Then ran across the Bersa Thunder UC9 in articles and found the reviews to be very good. I could never find one in gun stores or shows. I didn't want to order one and not like the fit then be stuck with it. I finally found one at the local Pasadena Gun show and the fit was perfect. Price was good so purchased the unit. The UC9 fit my holder holster very will so no modification had to be made. I like the double stack 12 +1 magazine and frame sized between the Thunder 380 and my Cougar. The DA/SA action and triple firing pin safety like the berretta was a plus. Once I place the bike Jersey over the setup there was still no printing to be seen.

I have fired three different configurations of hollow points 50 round each and FMJ and have had no failures in the action at all. The UC9 utilizes sig three dot sites. Its been an impressive side arm, and became my primary bicycle weapon. For such a good little side arm.....why was it so hard to find.

[Jusme]

For such a good little side arm.....why was it so hard to find.

Welcome to the forum, I think you probably answered your own question in a that it does fit larger hands better, it's small and easy to conceal, it has a good reputation for quality, plus, from what I have seen they have a great price point. All of that adds up to a greater demand, add in the fact that it's imported, so distribution may not be as consistent as guns made here, and finding one on a regular basis my be difficult.

Great post, I don't cycle anymore, so I haven't given much thought to carry or concealment on a bicycle.