Longer/ported barrels for P380?

[Dmitri]

This may very well be an extremely stupid question (and possibly asked before), but... really, why don't they make 'em? A 3.0-, 3.5- or even 4-inch one -- why not offer it as an option, like the larger calibers? Sure it'll stick out a bit, but I don't think it would affect concealability to any serious degree, and will add very little weight... not too bad, for the would-be trade-offs (accuracy, etc.), no? Is it ONLY not done because of concealability/size/looks/etc. issues (and therefore presumably low demand), or am I missing something here?

TIA

[muggsy]

I'd say it follows the rules of supply and demand. No one is demanding longer barrels for the P380, so Kahr isn't supplying them. Perhaps you could become an entrepreneur and start filling that niche.

[Dmitri]

Thanks for your reply. I'm really no expert at this, so as I learn more and more I realize how silly some of these questions are... :) Did some more research, and ran into this excellent data sheet (http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/docs/2010MEdata.xls), from http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/rawdata.html, and now I think I'm beginning to understand why there's not a lot of demand for this. And perhaps why there should be.

I extracted the 2"-5" data for various 380 ACP ammo into a separate Excel table and made this chart:

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r251/xyzero123/Kahr%20grip%20widening/380_ACP_barrel_length_muzzle_energy.png

The energy increase gained from lengthening the barrel is not as significant as I thought it would be, but the gain between 2 and 3", and also 3 and 4, is quite substantial. 4-5 and all of the data above 5 (they got WAY up in length in their tests) is getting closer and closer to a horizontal line. But going from 2.5 to 3.5 in the P380 might actually gain a LOT of power. (The Winchester line looks like an oddball there; probably a data error...)

Also saw this post: http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/powder-keg/58175-barrel-length-muzzle-velocity.html and made a chart out of that also:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r251/xyzero123/Kahr%20grip%20widening/barrellengthtomuzzlevelocity.png

Similar results, as expected, i.e. dramatic increase of power at the shorter length and "flattening" out as the length increases.

Will keep thinking about this...

P.S. Would love to know, of course, if anyone here made (or more likely, custom-ordered/had someone make) a longer one for their P380...