So … I almost forgot to tell you about the newest member of my family here … my brand new Ruger LCP .380 handgun!
Well, “new” to me at least. I bought her used from a fellow Virginian and she came with a few extra mags as well (4 total to be exact, 2 of which are useful).
Quick tip: when buying extra mags, in general, avoid “Pro Mag” magazines or other “cheap” mags. Only go with factory magazines to be sure they work–the magazine is a critical part of modern guns that can easily fail. When I was checking it out and asked the seller how the mags all worked, he said: “well, of course the pro mags suck, but the other two feed fine and reliable” and that’s usually what anyone with experience will say.
Anyways, today I’ll cover …
*** Why I felt the need to buy ANOTHER gun (even though I already have a concealedcarry handgun)
*** Why I chose a .380 (GASP!!!)
*** My thoughts so far and …
*** the specific holster I’m using with this little guy
Let’s get started …
Well, let’s start with this one first …
*** Why I felt the need to buy ANOTHER gun (even though I already have a concealed carry handgun)
I’ll start here because this is an explanation that I’ve practiced MANY times in order to tell my wife (I’m half joking).
But the truth is my Concealed Carry handgun has always been a Sig Sauer P225. It’s Sig’s old single stack 9mm that they don’t make anymore. Mine is actually a used police version from Germany designated the P6 (story all in its own).
Anyways, it’s basically 8 rounds of 9mm in a somewhat compact package. At least “compact” for a handgun made in the 1980’s. I bought it because it fits my hand like a glove, I like metal guns, and it’s reliable as all get out.
So here’s the thing …
1. Compared to modern 9mm guns like the S&W Shield, the Sig really is NOT that small for the capacity … but more importantly …
2. I don’t work a “normal” job or routine.
I’m lucky enough to work from home and as such, I don’t have a normal time that I take a shower, get dressed every day and put on the “clothes I’m going to where when I go out of the house”. (I basically start working as soon as possible after I get up in the morning).
We can talk the best ammunition to buy for a .380 carry gun at another time because it’s beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say, there are a good amount of JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) rounds that will reach the FBI standard 12″ of penetration and fragment nicely while doing it.
So in conclusion, I think the 380 will do its job for me … which I can summarize as:
6 rounds of SOMETHING is better than 0 rounds in a gun fight.
*** What Do I Think So Far?
So far … I love it.
I simply can’t believe how small this little guy is.
It simply disappears in my pocket.
Well, that depends on the clothing, but at most it looks like the front pocket wallet I carry in my left pocket if it “prints” at all through clothing.
I took it out shortly after I got it (and before I started carrying of course) to test it out and shoot it.
I fed a box and a half of regular ball point ammo through it with no malfunctions, and then half a box of the hollow point ammo I had on hand (I didn’t have much ammo that day, so I cut the “test” short, but I feel confident it’s reliable).
I could easily dump the whole mag (6 shots) inside a chest size target up to 7 yards or a little more (point shooting range basically) even though the sites are basically almost non existent because they’re so low profile.
*** My Pocket Carry Holster
So here’s the thing, to make sure you don’t have an accidental discharge, it’s a good idea to have a pocket holster.
And to not put anything else in that pocket if you’re carrying a gun there.
Some quick searches online and I found a great holster on my FIRST try (ha! that’s a 1 in a million shot if you ask ANY concealed carry guy!)
Check this pic out:
First off, the gun fits in there really snug.
Second, you just drop it in your front pocket and the little “L” shaped thing at the end near the barrel will snag the corner of your pocket as you draw making sure that you only draw the pistol when you go to grab it from your pocket (and not pull the holster out with you).
Lastly it’s made of a “anti-slip” neoprene thing that really sticks to your clothing that helps keep it in place and keep it in the pocket if you draw the pistol.
It also breaks up the outline of the pistol well enough that people might be able to see a bulge in your pocket but it looks like you’re carrying a cell phone or a big wallet or something (not a pistol).
Best part?
I got it on Amazon for LESS than $20 — can’t beat that!
Click here to check it out on Amazon — 4.6 out of 5 star reviews!
