Thinking of P380 for pocket carry!

[MichSteve]

I have a PM9 now and like it but find it to big for pocket carry. I am looking at a 380 for pocket carry and the P380 sure seems nice.

I have a S&W 642 and it is also a little large for most pockets, so the 380 for summer is on the list.

If you have a P380 please give your opinion on pocket carrying and is it reliable enough for primary EDC. In summer this would be my primary carry.

[BuckeyeBlast]

I don't think there's a better pocket carry gun made. Reliable gun, usable sights, accurate as heck, light, thin, small, 7 rounds... I really can't think of any that is better for this purpose.

[Pender1]

I pocket carry my PM9 and my P380, the PM9 works but the P380 virtually disappears in your pocket. It's got better sights than most similarly sized 380's and shoots every bit as good as my PM9 (after I got it broken in anyways). I say go for it, I've been extremely happy with mine.

[Jinx]

I've only had mine for a few days, and I dont have a pocket holster, but I just drop it into my pocket for now. I agree with the first reply, I dont think there is a better pocket pistol of this size, whether that means comfort, concealability, power (.380 is better than the 32 i used to carry) or reliability (which i have not been able to fully test on my new pistol).

I used to carry a Keltec P32 untill it broke. It was probably just a tiny bit lighter than the kahr (as expected with smaller bullets). Maybe 2 or 3 oz's which really is not all that much. It's not summer here yet, so i cant say if it will tug my shorts down (i dont always wear a belt) but it doesnt seem to drag my pants much and I forget its there almost as much as the keltec (being the keltec is a little thinner). I highly recommend it!

[MikeyKahr]

Hey MichSteve, there's a user on here who has a brand new P380 that's having buyer's remorse and wish he got a PM9 instead. You really want a P380? If so, I think a deal can be made. I feel like a matchmaker.

http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5941&highlight=remorse

[The Habernatho]

I'd say find shorts with deeper pockets. I have both guns, the P380 sits in the safe while the PM9 is carried daily.

[onegun]

My perspective.

-The P380 is vastly superior for pocket carry.
-The 9mm caliber is superior for an EDC.
-The P9/K9 is superior to the PM9 for carry anywhere but the pocket.

If my choice was onegun I would carry a P9/K9 size, With the right holster they can be hidden as easily as in the pocket and are as accessible. I have had a K9 on with shorts and t-shirt and my wife couldn't tell. I've owned a couple of PM9s over the years but continued to look for the perfect combo. I do not own one now.

- YMMV

[jocko]

naw one gun, I think ur wrong, I can and do carry my PM9 in my jeans front pocket 24/7. Have for over 4 years. Not a fast draw area for sure but it will ride there with ease. I don't dress to carry either. Just normal harley jeans, or 527 jeans. The PM9 was designed for pocket carry, . sure it is bigger than the P380 so is the bullet. My bet is that most carry the PM9 in their pocket. If I was gonna waist b and carry it would be a P9 or probably my G19 even...

[Bill K]

My guess is that the P380 will fit very nicely and allow a smooth draw out of most if not all your pants pockets.

Bought my PM9 for primarily pocket carry. My P3AT, even with a thickish DeSantis Nemesis holster, can swim in most of my pants pockets and is only a little tight in one particular pair of jeans and my two pair of Dickies work pants. Tried my PM9 (haven't shot it yet) in a bunch of the pants I most frequently wear and find that the PM9 fits and draws just fine. I'm not a big guy; 5'10", 160 lbs.

Bill K.

[bonjorno2]

my p380 fit great in my pocket, but so does my p3at and p32 kel tec. If you chose to carry only one gun when you go out i'd say go with the pm9. Either way you go put plenty of rounds down range.

[onegun]

My perspective.

-The P380 is vastly superior for pocket carry.
-The 9mm caliber is superior for an EDC.
-The P9/K9 is superior to the PM9 for carry anywhere but the pocket.

If my choice was onegun I would carry a P9/K9 size, With the right holster they can be hidden as easily as in the pocket and are as accessible. I have had a K9 on with shorts and t-shirt and my wife couldn't tell. I've owned a couple of PM9s over the years but continued to look for the perfect combo. I do not own one now.

- YMMV


naw one gun, I think ur wrong, I can and do carry my PM9 in my jeans front pocket 24/7. Have for over 4 years. Not a fast draw area for sure but it will ride there with ease. I don't dress to carry either. Just normal harley jeans, or 527 jeans. The PM9 was designed for pocket carry, . sure it is bigger than the P380 so is the bullet. My bet is that most carry the PM9 in their pocket. If I was gonna waist b and carry it would be a P9 or probably my G19 even...

Actually I think we agreed on most of the points.
*the P380 is smaller
*9mm is superior to .380
*for anything other than pocket carry something else is better.

I also carried a PM9 in the pocket for quite a while. It printed just as bad and was as slow to get out as the J frame I now carry. I don't wear baggy clothes so maybe that's the difference. I'm 6'3" and 225 lbs so my size isn't the factor.

My PM9s were great handguns, no issues, light recoil, very accurate. I just liked others better and I only use the small guns as backup. You notice, above, I still carry a J frame for that. The reason is:

the P380 is not reliable yet for me. Having experience with Kahrs before, I went straight to the Prep&Lube when I got it. So far, I have fired 402 rounds on 4 different range trips, all preceded by cleaning, spraying, lubing. I have had more malfunctions than the 402 rounds that fired. 90% of the malfunctions were light primer strikes. The others were fail to feed and fail to eject. All with five brands of good American ammunition. I wanted to get at least double the required break-in rounds before contacting Kahr. I did get contact them a little while ago to get the return authorization. I had to pull teeth to get them to pay for shipping - "shipping is not covered by warranty" - but they say they will email it to me in the next hour or so. (got it as promised)

I really want to like the P380 due to it's size. Kahr will get one chance to fix it and then I'll have to put another 400 or so rounds thru it successfully before I will carry it. If I can't carry it - it's just a paperweight (and sorta light for one) I do not want to appear to be down on Kahr for this one gun. My several other Kahrs have all been very good. I really like my K-9 and it's a keeper. I like the concept of the P380 and hope it will also be a keeper but, if not, I'll just move on. My S&W 340M&P goes bang each time I pull the trigger and is only a couple of ounces heavier (and there is no doubt that .357 is more powerful than .380)

[HadEmAll]

If you have a P380 please give your opinion on pocket carrying and is it reliable enough for primary EDC. In summer this would be my primary carry.

My opinion on mine:

1. It carries great in the pocket. I use a Blackhawk #1 pocket pistol I found at Academy. It doesn't glide out of the pocket quite as smoothly as the Ruger LCP I had before it because of that big honking slide release lever. That could stand to be smaller and/or contoured to be more snag resistant. But it does come out of the front pocket very easily in my Docker style (for the most part) pants.

2. Mine is not reliable enough yet to carry. After 382 rounds and three range sessions, I continue to have the occasional stovepipe and/or slide lockback mid-magazine. There have been long spells of good function between malfunctions, but I don't believe a .380 that isn't 100% is worth having. I think there is a real good chance you might need most or all of a magazine full in a self-defense situation.

Mine is on the way back to Kahr as we speak. They were good about providing a return authorization.

I have a good feeling that they will nail the problem. After describing the situation to Kahr technical support (very easy to get hold of) and voicing my opinion that I thought it was a too strong recoil spring due to the limited ejection distance, Kahr customer service says sounds like an extractor and/or extractor spring problem.

Can't wait to get it back. I have been used to perfect function based on the other three Kahrs I have and have had. The P380 will hopefully get there.

[Jeremiah/Az]

My P380 has never malfunctioned in any way. Ammo is hard to find here. My EDC is the PM9.

[Jeff00042]

Gave up on my P380 and sold it. Could not get it to be reliable even after two trips to Kahr and 1400 rounds. My new PM9 has been wonderful. Wish the P380 had worked out.

[Jinx]

For those of you who had problems with your p380, is it an earlier serial number? Granted i haven't put as much as you guys have thorugh mine yet, i only have a few stovepipes towards the end of my initial 125 rounds i put through it. I wont judge mine untill at least after 200+ rounds, but my serial is in the B range i believe..

[Jeff00042]

Yes. My P380 was an A2xx serial number. One of the first 300 made. If I thought the problems were specific to the earlier ones I might be tempted to try another one.

[onegun]

For those of you who had problems with your p380, is it an earlier serial number? Granted i haven't put as much as you guys have thorugh mine yet, i only have a few stovepipes towards the end of my initial 125 rounds i put through it. I wont judge mine untill at least after 200+ rounds, but my serial is in the B range i believe..

Mine is brand new - had it less than two weeks. SN:RB79XX. Ammo here is plentiful (although I feel like I have wasted about 400 rounds). On it's way to Kahr tomorrow.

[HadEmAll]

Mine is RB16--

[linksrds]

I have a P380 that was one of the first run of the pistol...I have put quite a few rounds thorough i and find it to be the best .380 on the market.

True, it does cost more than some other pistols, but if you ever have to defend yourself or your loved ones, I bet you won't say, " I am glad I saved $150 or so."

just my .o2

[wyntrout]

I fiddled with mine for months(early N/S model#RA61xx), ruining one magazine and almost ruining the feed ramp. I finally sent it to Kahr and they fixed the random slide lock backs with rounds left in the magazine.
It has been shooting fine since I got it back and it's pretty much my favorite EDC because of its size & weight... very important if you wear shorts all of the time and usually without a belt. I carry IWB... usually and Uncle Mike's cheapie... easy on and off... or for longer carry my Crossbreed MiniTuck.
I carry with Winchester 95-gr Ranger T ammo, but have Bufalo Bore JHP and FMJ Flat Nosed +P ammo as well if I want the extra oomph or penetrate heavier winter clothing

Wynn:)

[Jinx]

good info here guys.. Mine was purchased 'new' from gunbroker, the guy selling it was a pawnshop, mine is RB19xx so not quite as new as others here.

I thought i had read with the EARLY p380's there was some problems people were facing that seem to be magazine related. I forget what it was now as i read that stuff over a year ago. And you guys probably know more than I do, but i remember a few people having to send their kahr's in.

I just got done cleaning mine, I took my mags apart and used 400 grit sand paper to smooth out the wing/arms on the mags. They were a little rough like they had 'burs' that hadn't been smoothed off.. Then i hit the that upper area with some flitz metal polish, its nice and smooth now, so next trip out i'll see if i get any feed problems at all..

[TominCA]

I've had two - both are disappointing due to malfunctions (constant 20 to 25%) - I don't carry, but if I did I would not choose a P380. There are many better choices IMO.

[onegun]

ref - post 11

I was hauling my RV down the interstate when I got a call from Kahr. The rep said "your pistol is broken." I didn't get a chance to discuss in detail but it is another broken frame. So it's on it's way back to my FFL. We'll see but since I'm on the road it may be a while before I get to shoot it. Hoping for the best.

[Cokeman]

What's causing that?

[TominCA]

I don't carry - but its the perfect size and weight and Kahr sells a neat little pocket holster for them. That's the good part - the bad part is I have had two and so far neither worked and if you read the survey others have had similar problems. If you are going to carry then be sure you get a reliable one! I actually think there are better small choices due to reliability issues.

[Ljutic]

I've never found a situation when I couldn't pocket carry my P380. Jeans, cargos, and even shorts all work. P380 is an excellent pocket carry choice.

I have some pants that won't handle the PM9. The PM9 will go in just about any pocket, but is incredibly awkward and slow to draw with some pockets.