[Terry G]

I know that some people swear by them as a back up gun, and some folks carry them as their primary. The Beretta's come to mind as do the BERSA .380. Both quality guns, as far as the majority of people say. In my opinion though, and it's just that, my opinion, the Makarov is a better choice. The size of a Walther PPK, and a better punch. The German, Russian, and Bulgarian ones handle 115 Grain HP's without a problem. I have not had a chance to chronograph the Silver Wolf ammunition, but recoverd bullet's show good expansion and penetration. For about $200.00, it's quite a pistol.

 

[SatCong]

I've heard good stuff re: the MAk's. I have added one to the wish list, is ammo a prob?
SatCong

 

[Terry G]

I've heard good stuff re: the MAk's. I have added one to the wish list, is ammo a prob?
SatCong

Not at all. It's available anywhere. The old Chinese and Russian stuff is corrosive and smells like a outhouse when you shoot it, but the new Wolf stuff and Hornady is top notch. I've never had a bit of problem finding either. Get one and enjoy. They ain't going to be out there for $149.95 (plus Dealer & Shipping) forever. Remember the Colt 1911's for $70.00 in the early 'sixties?

 

[DJetAce]

I have a Kel-Tec .380 P3AT. EXCELLENT pocket pistol. Far smaller than any 9mm, and pretty much smaller than any other .380. It has the hard chrome slide and new extra-large extractor. Works every time. 10 yards one handed it will put all it's shots slow fire into a coke can (12 oz size.)

It allows you to carry it just about anywhere. Way way ahead of a cut up pos Star 9mm costing 5x times the price!

I bought it new for $250. Not bad at all.

 

[brass hammer]

djet-ace, i love the concept of the KEL-TEC

their .32auto/.380auto are quite 'covert' in my view.

i bought the p-11 when they came out[never have been happy with it]

b.t.w how many rds. have you ran threw it? and how is the trigger pull
on your .380?

i personally feel they [on average] are not designed to be fired more than 300 rds.[and the co. knows it]

i KNOW others will say different! and i'm glad they are happy, but when it craps-out when you need it most ....?...well, bro!....what can you do?

if i was guaranteed a little .32 auto would function reliably for 1200rds? i'd go maybe$200/$250 [they are slick/small little oufits] and run 200-400rds threw it in the first 2months of ownership[spread out never in one or two sessions] just to get the feel of the ol' girl![the more i think about it, the more pissed off i'm getting at my p-11]


thanks for the RANT!



:wavey:

 

[Magnum88C]

For the size of the .380, I'd have to agree that the Mak is a better choice if price is the issue. If power is more the issue, I'd prefer the Kahr, either the K9 or K40 (with the METAL frame, the polymer don't cut it).

The tiny .25, .23, .380s aren't any good to me because they tend to surgically remove part of the web of my hand. They're just too small, but dang, that small of a .380 -- if I could use it, it'd REALLY be compelling.

 

[SatCong]

700+ rounds thru my new Bersa 380 as of last sunday, it's less than 1 month since purchase. The ONLY prob has been a tendency for the screw holding the left grip to back out--solved with a dab of loc-tite. (that and the other problem--my girlfriend has "appropriated" the gun) This weapon continues to go up in my esteem. I saw one for $ 189.00, NIB, at the Smyrna gun show yesterday.
SatCong

 

[cbass]

I tried to like it

but no matter how great the Mak is, it shoots a marginal cartridge. I don't want to get anyone stirred up, I like my Mak and the Bersa .380 I've shot. But it kept creeping back into my mind the old saw about 9mm/.38 special being the lowest acceptable standard of pistol caliber effectiveness.

So I got a Kahr PM9. What a difference. Much smaller and lighter, and thus easier to carry. And I'm confident in 9mm. Gun agrees with me, I can shoot it so much better than the SP101 I used to keep in the truck.

Of course I could have had four Mak's for what I paid for the Kahr, but I don't care. Can't really put a price on confidence in one's weapon.

 

[andy]

u made the right move, dude. I suggest however,

that you get a Taurus PT22 for DAO practice, at reasonable ammo costs. I"d keep an eye open, too, for a used, (400 or so) steel framed Kahr Compact, to keep the wear and tear and fouling mostly off of your ccw pc. I wouldn't count on any pocket 9 lasting for many, many thousands of rds, without breakage-wear. Let that wear be on a gun that can better withstand it, and on which it doesn't matter if something breaks, eh? All defensive guns, you should have both a .22 "understudy" and a centerfire "practice-spare", for this reason.

 

[BigJon]

Sure is nice to be large enough to fit a .45 in the front pocket of my britches!

Regards,
Jon

 

[andy]

fit is one thing, comforatble, discrete ccw another,

and room for SPEED of draw is yet another thing. Rostov can STUFF a Makarov into his pants pockets, and take 3-4 seconds to get it OUT again. I can carry a lw Commander in the front pocket of a pair of mechanic's coverals, with difficulty, discomfort, and with a rag wrapped around it, so I'd need 5 seconds to get it "clear" and fire it. In 5 seconds, I could charge 25 yds, and cave in the guy's chest.

 

[cbass]

that you get a Taurus PT22 for DAO practice, at reasonable ammo costs. I"d keep an eye open, too, for a used, (400 or so) steel framed Kahr Compact, to keep the wear and tear and fouling mostly off of your ccw pc. I wouldn't count on any pocket 9 lasting for many, many thousands of rds, without breakage-wear. Let that wear be on a gun that can better withstand it, and on which it doesn't matter if something breaks, eh? All defensive guns, you should have both a .22 "understudy" and a centerfire "practice-spare", for this reason.

Good idea, but the funds aren't there. To keep pistol abuse to a minimum, I'm practicing with WWB 147gr and plan to order some 147 gr Winchester Talons for carry.

Hopefully this won't beat up the gun too badly (standard pressure) and I don't shoot thousands of rounds a year anymore (in any particular gun).

 

[cbass]

Sure is nice to be large enough to fit a .45 in the front pocket of my britches!

Regards,
Jon

Funny what fits in the pants when you lose the excess. You're still ahead of me. As of last week I'm 30 lbs lighter since spring. Another 10 lbs to go to be at my high school/college weight. Oh yeah, I was in very good shape then, worked out and ran daily.