Some questions about .380 ACP, especially Ruger's LCP II

A 38 special in a j frame is unpleasant to shoot.....


My....how times have changed.

 

@Black5 They have, just a bit.

The all steel Chief’s Special with a low pressure .38 was ~20 ounces against 750fps.

Today’s Scandium (like my 360) or aluminum alloy (like my 442) or polymer (like my LCR) is somewhere in the neighborhood of 11 ounces, and is pushing ~900 FPS in a +P round on the low end.

That’s a significant drop in weight coupled with a significant increase in velocity. The firearms have changed—physics have not—hence the unpleasant nature of today’s lightweight defensive revolver.

 

I live in the past. All steel j frame. All steel 45. Sacrifice weight of gun, pay in recoil.
Hard to use a polymer frame to club someone...


But, to each his own. Not trying to start an argument. I just find it...odd..that men who will carry multiple blades, slog through creeks, snow, and briars, sleep on the ground in all kinds of weather, and pride themselves on survival skills that would leave the majority of the population awestruck, discuss harsh recoil from a round of, at best, intermediate power.
Like I said, I come from the past. A derringer in 38spcl was common. Ever fired one of those? Snappy.

No offense meant. Just odd to me. My apologies.

 

@Black5 No apologies needed! I took your post to illustrate the trend that what used to be a very sensible package of heavy steel frame and low pressure round has become a lightweight frame with a high pressure, high velocity recoil wholly unsuitable for a new shooter like the OP mentioned, much as @Andy the Aussie describes. There was a /reason/ those guns were made with heavy frames; sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

 

For most any new shooter looking just for home defense, a 4 inch barrel medium frame revolver has served the purpose for a looooong time.

My wife is most accurate with my 4 inch model 66. She hates the gun because she wants an automatic. She shoots her Sig well. She shoots the 357 better.

 

Hornaday's critical defense 22mag ain't nothing to sneeze at, several small high capacity (up to 10rds) revolvers available.

 

indeed, my wife cant even rack the lcp

 

It’s all up to the shooter. Newbies need to fire many bullets from many weapons and decide what fits their needs the best.
I own many of the pistols mentioned in this thread and enjoy shooting them all.

 

How about Browning's Black label 1911-.380acp? Just like the original only smaller (sounds like the Junglas II)

 

Springfield just released one called the 911.

 

I really like SIG-Sauer's 9.. 2.. Oh, wait.. My mistake, it's just Springfield being late to the market /again/.

(In any event, I don't know that a manual safety firearm on a small frame will be useful in the OP's situation which is a complication above and beyond some of the problems we've identified. Still think a compact frame like a 19/320/M&P would be preferable based on the OP's needs. 1911-pattern pistols or anything that has a safety require a little more training and use of fine motor skills than something without a manual safety, especially when somebody is trying to kill you.)