.380 My Lazy Gun

[b4uqzme]

I bought this Micro Desert Eagle a little while back and wanted to post an update. This has become my lazy gun = I keep it in the safe, loaded, with loaded spare mags, in a pocket holster, and grab this when I am too lazy to strap on a holster.

IMHO that's what .380's are best for. Small, easy pocket carry, and convenient to grab when you are in a hurry (or lazy like me).

I don't really feel they make good range guns as they tend to be snappy in such a small package. And there are many other calibers I'd rather shoot in any larger gun. And there are more potent self defense calibers. But they really excel for this one purpose.

Everyone should have a .380 :amflag:

[kwh]

Agree. Also read once that the micro .380 is the best household defense gun. Reasoning is similar. Shotgun under the bed. Pistol in safe. Revolver on nightstand. AR? in the kitchen? etc. No warning, the front door slams open, the the BG's are in your face in seconds. No reason not to have a tiny .380 in your pocket.

[Bill K]

I much prefer having my PM9 in my pocket but there are some pants pockets (like Dickies work pants pockets) and a few of my dress slacks, because of material allowing printing, that make owning a pocket .380 important to me.

[feedramp]

Not really a micro, but I have two .380's, one being the Colt Pocketlite, which is probably as small as I will go. It is small in size, and lightweight enough for most pants or shorts that I wear.

On the heavier .380 side I have a PPK.

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[AJBert]

Just put a Sig P238 on law away today!

[jocko]

I just have a hard time putting a single action semi in my pocket, certainly ur ot gona cocked and lock it kand then it now requires u manually cocking the hammer after u draw it. No offence, but its a purdy looking gun but a refined copy of he colt pony.

[JohnR]

For speed of concealing, I've found nothing faster than a simple IWB holster with a single belt clip. I love Remoras but they're pretty fussy to put on.

[Alfonse]

I'll tell my wife you said I had to buy one.

[GROTMAN]

I love my pm9 for iwb carry but living in NC I wear some type of gym shorts at least 7-8 months of the year. The pm9 is still a little too big/heavy to carry comfortably in my shorts. I bought an lcp last fall and find it very easy/comfortable to carry in shorts and it fits my lifestyle well. :)

[muggsy]

I refer to my P380 as my constant companion. The only place that I don't carry it is in the shower and I don't shower all that often. :)

[itsthelaw]

I agree with JohnR on the single clip holster and have mine in AIWB often in the house. I do love my P380, but it doesn't get used as much until it gets warmer. Damn, I wish it would get warmer.


How do you like the MDE, b4uqzme? Any comparison to the P380? I remember one review saying that the barrel was so short that people might shoot off their fingers. I almost pissed myself laughing.

[berettabone]

Got rid of my .380...just not enough confidence, I like my MK9 in my pocket, and if your going to have a house gun, why a pea shooter? I like my Sig .45 for that job. If you have to grab something quick, it might as well be large.

[b4uqzme]

Got rid of my .380...just not enough confidence, I like my MK9 in my pocket, and if your going to have a house gun, why a pea shooter? I like my Sig .45 for that job. If you have to grab something quick, it might as well be large.

No, no....it's my running out for a quick errand...and I'm too lazy to gear up right...gun. But you bring up a good point. More and more I've been carrying around the house which makes the whole...I need a quick grab gun...idea moot. And yes I carry a larger gun too. If I am already carrying, all I need do is make sure I'm covered properly when I need to dash out.

So I'm curious. Do you carry around the house? If not, do you keep guns staged around the house? Or what's your home defense method?

[berettabone]

Most of the time, I don't carry in the house...............outside on my property, yes. I keep a firearm close by, wherever I am in the house. At night, there is one on the night stand, and one under the livingroom couch, and some in a safe, which for defensive purposes is mute. The one under the couch, is mainly for the wife, when I am not home. My home is small, so wherever I am, I am always very close to a firearm.

[b4uqzme]

thanks...that's what I was wondering. Our house is kinda rambling so I would need to have guns stashed all over the place in order to have one close by. So I've been carrying in the house more and more. With that in mind, I already find that I don't need to grab that MDE380 quite as often. But I do feel that it is adequate protection when I do need it. Sure there are better but it's still better than nothing.

[b4uqzme]

I agree with JohnR on the single clip holster and have mine in AIWB often in the house. I do love my P380, but it doesn't get used as much until it gets warmer. Damn, I wish it would get warmer.


How do you like the MDE, b4uqzme? Any comparison to the P380? I remember one review saying that the barrel was so short that people might shoot off their fingers. I almost pissed myself laughing.

Thanks for asking.

Yeah, stick your finger in front of the hole and you can blow it off with any gun :D

I cannot compare to the P380 but I really like this MDE380. The machining is as good or better than any other gun I've handled. The slide fit is amazing IMHO. The design is pretty cool too. The extra heft is good for taming recoil in such a small gun. It's still snappy but could be much worse. And it's still light enough to be comfy in MY pocket. I'm not shy about my preference for metal guns and this is my choice of .380.

[yqtszhj]

I looked at that MDE for a while and kinda liked it. Recently got a S&W J-frame and it's always in my pocket when not at work now. Had the LCP before the j-frame and still have the CM9. The J-frame is exactly half way in between the weight of the LCP and CM9. works out OK for now.

[smo79]

I actually have a kel tec p3at for the same reason. It is not my go too ccw, that job falls on my cm9 but if I need something light to fit in a pocket it comes out of the safe.

[b4uqzme]

Yep, you guys get it. Everyone needs something quick and easy to grab when you are tempted to go out "naked". Thanks!

[yqtszhj]

... easy to grab when you are tempted to go out "naked"

:eek::eek:

[muggsy]

I much prefer having my PM9 in my pocket but there are some pants pockets (like Dickies work pants pockets) and a few of my dress slacks, because of material allowing printing, that make owning a pocket .380 important to me.

I'm not concerned with printing. It like Mae West once said, "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me."

[h2ohhh]

My Sig P238 is my 'stick it in the pocket' gun. CW-45 otherwise. Smith .40 in the truck console. The Kahr is my bedside gun along with a mini-14 behind the door.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[garyb]

I bought this Micro Desert Eagle a little while back and wanted to post an update. This has become my lazy gun = I keep it in the safe, loaded, with loaded spare mags, in a pocket holster, and grab this when I am too lazy to strap on a holster.

IMHO that's what .380's are best for. Small, easy pocket carry, and convenient to grab when you are in a hurry (or lazy like me).

I don't really feel they make good range guns as they tend to be snappy in such a small package. And there are many other calibers I'd rather shoot in any larger gun. And there are more potent self defense calibers. But they really excel for this one purpose.

Everyone should have a .380 :amflag:


Good way to put it....Lazy gun. Good point. I carry my wife's 380 for the same reasons, but also when I am in very hot temperatures where concealment is simply easier with the small, light weight 380 package. I would add and it is just my opinion that any carry gun needs to be a range gun. I want myself and my wife to be very comfortable and know our abilities with that gun. That requires time on the range. IDPA makes for a good range environment. From time to time I hear folks say, "that's not what I consider a range gun". We all understand what is being said. However, if it is your carry gun, regular range time is essential and it needs to be a range gun too. JMO.

[TheTman]

Which is the more dependable gun, the MDE380, or the P/CW380?
Which one is more accurate?
Just looking at them, I like the MDE380 as it appears to be all metal, so it probably might weigh a little more, but I can live with a little extra weight.
Plus you hardly ever hear a complaint about the MDE380, maybe that is because they don't sell many?

[wyntrout]

Being dependent only on "stashed" guns is like a woman having a pistol in her purse. My P380 is always on me... IWB, and if something goes down quickly, I at least have my +P loaded P380 to help me fight my way to my larger stashed at-hand pistols... as my G23, PM45, PM9, and G21, and others.

It's also a great carry when I need MAX concealment or have to put it in my pocket for disrobing at the doctor's office.

Wynn:)

[Bawanna]

I usually put my Cbob on the counter next to the little sink along with my belt knife and mag pouch. Usually don't have to worry about the ankle PM45, not much goes wrong down that far.

[b4uqzme]

Yep. It doesn't have to be a "range" gun depending on how you define it but definitely TRAIN with your carry gun and platform.

I cannot say enough good things about the MDE380. It is quality. Is it better than a P380? Dunno. But it's every bit as good or better than my steel Kahrs. As for accuracy: that's probably dependent upon the shooter.

I'm not one to stash guns around the house. I'd rather have an easy one to slide in my pocket, or better yet, already have one strapped on.

Thanks.

[garyb]

I agree b4ugzme. I no longer care to stash guns around the house either. Everything I own is locked up in a vault, unless it is on me or being used. I used to keep a 12ga handy near the bed, but rethought this move. I did not like locking it up every time I left the house. I don't want to come home to find a gun stolen or worse yet, in the hands of a BG pointed at me. Guns get stolen. Besides, thanks to Cuomo's new gun laws in NY, if someone breaks into your locked home and steals a gun, the gun owner is responsible if it was not locked up properly. Remember...locked home and someone broke in. Now that is an antigun law if I ever heard one. Just another way to place blame on the gun owner. Cuomo is so anti gun that we must be conscious to preserve our gun rights here. If he can take away your right to own or carry, he will. I generally always have a loaded gun on me or at the ready...generally....that is unless the grandkids are visiting. That said, if I were home all the time, I'd probably have a couple more options available. I do understand the logic that some folks do stash guns. Just not for me.

[AIRret]

We always carry, even in the house, and if the gun isn't in the holster it's sitting on the coffee table right in front of me/us.

At night I have my Xdm 45 (5.25 barrel) 13 + 1 and a spare mag. I also have 911 punched into my cell phone and it's ready to go.
Since my hubby doesn't have cell phone duty he has a shot gun and one of a number of
high capacity handguns.

[garyb]

I'll be sure to call ahead of my arrival AND ring the doorbell. LOL.

[b4uqzme]

I guess I haven't been lazy in a long while. This little beauty has been in my safe for months. It's still my favorite .380 but it weighs about 14oz and my PM9 weighs......about 14oz. :o

I'll keep it handy tho in case I regress. It's better in the pocket. I just rarely pocket carry...

[berettabone]

I've only owned 2 .380's myself. I had a BG .380.............trigger was just ok, sights were useless. If there ever was a firearm for 10 ft. and under, that was it. Over 10 ft. you could throw it at them. Sure fit in a pocket nicely. Sayonara.......................Had a Beretta 84FS. Nice firearm.........used it to qualify for my CCL. It was one of those tweeners........not a range gun, and too large to carry. Might as well carry something full size or compact, with more firepower. Sayonara. After owning and shooting both, it gave me a bit more appreciation for the .380 caliber. I still like carrying my MK. More firepower, and weight, for less recoil. Still, I wouldn't want to be shot by one!!!!!

[ct9kahrtoter]

I own only one pocket pistol, and that is a LCP. I carry it a lot, but shoot it only about 100 rounds a year. It has about 250 rounds through it now, but still runs fine.

[dsk]

This has become a cliché, but it is nonetheless still true. A .380 in your pocket beats a .45 still sitting in your safe. It's not laziness, it's the reality that some of us can't easily go about our daily business with a full-size 1911 or even a small 9mm on our hip. I am required to adhere to a dress code daily, with a tucked-in polo shirt and casual slacks. People brush against me all the time. My defense gun has to go inside my front pocket, and a pocket nine creates too much of a bulge especially when I sit down. Naturally I'm still wearing the same clothes in the evening before I get home, so when I stop by the grocery store or gas station on the way home I'm still armed the same way as I was during the day. On weekends of course I can dress however I want and be able to conceal a larger weapon. But five days a week a little .380 is on me instead. No it's not my preferred weapon for engaging in mortal combat, but it's either that or no gun at all. Given the choice I'll take the .380!

[Monadnock]

I had an MDE, bought it NOS from a store online. I liked it fine, cycled most bullets but hated junk BrassMaxx. I got the extended mag for it with the finger grip, to improve purchase on the handle. Had my eyes on a sweet set of grips from Tillander for it that mimicked these super sweet mahogany grips made in Czech...that take 14 weeks to deliver at just under $90..

I found that putting tension on the pinky extension when shooting, disengaged the magazine from the gun. I'm no expert but I've heard this can be detrimental to staying alive in a conflict..

I couldn't duplicate my experience with the standard mag but it spooked me enough to reconsider owning the gun. A week later, it was on GB and sold. I picked up a NAA Guardian .380 to take it's place.. which reignited my all-steel fascination..

I now know why Kahr stopped 'production' of these guns when they took over the company. They're nice little guns for the most part but nowhere near the build quality of the other family members. Look up the ZVI "KEVIN" gun and you will find more info about them and a precautionary tale of woe for small arms manufacturers.

Where's my MK380?

[Barth]

My only .380 is a Stainless Ruger LCP.
It has pretty much replaced my trusty J-Frame airweight as a BUG.
My dump in the pocket and do the laundry?
Or grab something from the grocery store?
Continues to be a Ruger LC9s Pro 9mm :D

[robistro]

This has become a cliché, but it is nonetheless still true. A .380 in your pocket beats a .45 still sitting in your safe. It's not laziness, it's the reality that some of us can't easily go about our daily business with a full-size 1911 or even a small 9mm on our hip. I am required to adhere to a dress code daily, with a tucked-in polo shirt and casual slacks. People brush against me all the time. My defense gun has to go inside my front pocket, and a pocket nine creates too much of a bulge especially when I sit down. Naturally I'm still wearing the same clothes in the evening before I get home, so when I stop by the grocery store or gas station on the way home I'm still armed the same way as I was during the day. On weekends of course I can dress however I want and be able to conceal a larger weapon. But five days a week a little .380 is on me instead. No it's not my preferred weapon for engaging in mortal combat, but it's either that or no gun at all. Given the choice I'll take the .380!

Agree, my work dress 'business casual' wont enable me to carry IWB. An ankle holster works, but is only comfortable with my LCP


My only .380 is a Stainless Ruger LCP.
It has pretty much replaced my trusty J-Frame airweight as a BUG.
My dump in the pocket and do the laundry?
Or grab something from the grocery store?
Continues to be a Ruger LC9s Pro 9mm :D

Barth - how did the Airweight compare to the LCP? as far as shootablility. Curious, as I was tempted to buying a wheel gun, but I just didnt feel comfortable with one. I really like the LCP and for the cost, IMO cant be beat. Ive had zero issues since taking it out of the box.

[Barth]

Agree, my work dress 'business casual' wont enable me to carry IWB. An ankle holster works, but is only comfortable with my LCP



Barth - how did the Airweight compare to the LCP? as far as shootablility. Curious, as I was tempted to buying a wheel gun, but I just didnt feel comfortable with one. I really like the LCP and for the cost, IMO cant be beat. Ive had zero issues since taking it out of the box.

My first gun was a revolver.
Own four and can shoot DA pretty well.
I am comfortable with them.
Can shoot both the Airweight and LCP well.
But the LCP is more pleasurable to shoot for me.
Prefer 38 +P to .380 for carry.
But the LCP fits in pockets the J-Frame will not.
Also, in all fairness, my J-Frame is a titanium pre-lock with a trigger job.
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[yqtszhj]

I have a LCP, 2 j-frames, and a cm9. I carry the j-frame or cm9 mostly but nothing carries like the lcp. And what Barth said matches my experience also.

[b4uqzme]

^^^ Yep. I like carrying my J-frame and shoot it pretty well at up close and personal distance. But it doesn't pocket carry well for me either. Just a little too large. To me pocket carry is where a flat semi auto shines. But I like the Airweight just fine on the belt.

[JohnR]

I've taken to using a Bersa Thunder 380 or SP101 in my back pocket "Sticky" holster. They fit most of my pants pretty well. An untucked shirt hides them.

[mattallamerican]

wonder why they quit making them

[gale155]

wonder why they quit making them

When Kahr bought Magnum Research, I assume they discontinued the MDE cause they didn't want the competition for their own micro .380's.

I owned a MDE for a couple of years, but ended up selling it cause I thought it was too heavy for pocket carry. I've always kinda regretted parting with it, but that's usually how it goes.