I'm looking to purchase a handgun

[Ride Da Fire]

for my wife. We have been looking for a sd handgun that would fit nicely in her purse, my glock 26+holster are bulky and took almost all the space in the purse. So my last options are Kel-Tec, Bersa in .380. I don't have any experience and never shot a .380 before. I need some advices on these 2 guns and your opinion, thanks for your help.

.380 is a good sd round?

 

[Old Fart]

There's a nice article in the Febuary American Rifleman on .380's.
List 6 or 7 pocket size pistols.

 

[Ride Da Fire]

There's a nice article in the Febuary American Rifleman on .380's.
List 6 or 7 pocket size pistols.

I'll stop by HH this weekend, hope they have one on display.

 

[jej]

.......

.380 is a good sd round?

No, its not. Lots of PDs limit off duty weapons to .38 special revolver/9mm semi for stopping power reasons.

jej

 

[RedTape]

I'm not a huge fan of the .380, it has it's place for a pocket pistol, but it wouldn't be my first choice. I'd much rather have a Smith J-frame. .38 Special and certainly .38 +P is a much better round.

I have shot both the Kel-Tec and the Bersa. They both work, but the Bersa was pretty large and the Kel-Tec was hard to shoot accurately. I didn't like the recoil either. A J-frame is light, compact, offers much better ballistics and IMO accuracy. You can also load light .38s for practice and stock it up with some Gold Dots for SD.

 

[Martialartsblackbelt]

starfire rounds or some other kinda SD round and youll be fine IMHmfO

 

[gillman7]

Have you considered a Kahr? I went through several of them for my wife, before she found one she liked. We tried a PM9, P9 Covert, CW9, and finally ended up with a K9 she liked.

She had been using a G19, but it was a little big for her. The P series were a little too small, and light, the CW was OK, just still a little light. The K is the right balance of weight and size.

I know they have had a lot of improvements on the 380 round, I just haven't got to the point I would feel comfortable with it as my primary carry. I would like to have one, just cause they look cool to shoot, but I couldn't do it as primary carry. Small round and usually only 6 or 7 shots doesn't make me happy.

 

[99TROUBLE]

Smith & Wesson J frame like the 642 hammerless, small & lite @ 15 oz or the new Ruger LCR . It is about the same size as the J frame and it is only 13oz.

 

[Ride Da Fire]

Have you considered a Kahr? I went through several of them for my wife, before she found one she liked. We tried a PM9, P9 Covert, CW9, and finally ended up with a K9 she liked.

She had been using a G19, but it was a little big for her. The P series were a little too small, and light, the CW was OK, just still a little light. The K is the right balance of weight and size.

I know they have had a lot of improvements on the 380 round, I just haven't got to the point I would feel comfortable with it as my primary carry. I would like to have one, just cause they look cool to shoot, but I couldn't do it as primary carry. Small round and usually only 6 or 7 shots doesn't make me happy.

Haven't look into K9 yet, totally forgot about kahr. Thanks, I'll look into it.

 

[lockoutmonkey]

Charte makes a line of light weight revolvers in .38. They will handle +p+ loads also. I have the off duty and i will feel 100% comfortable carrying it as a primary ccw.