Top 3 Best .380 Pistols For Concealed Carry

To try and get away from the woes of carrying larger pistols that pack a bigger footprint, many folks have decided to go the way of .380 pocket pistols for their everyday carry guns. The reasons why are many, but usually rest somewhere along the lines of: it’s better to have a small gun on your person, than have one in the sock drawer at home.

This is especially true during the summer months when it’s hard to carry in shorts. If you’re like most folks, you sweat more than you’d like and the amount of ways we can carry our guns, comfortably, is diminished.

With this in mind, we thought it prudent to share with you some of the top rated .380 pistols on the market right now to help you in your journey to finding your next gun. After all, we are, as of this writing, right in the heat of summer.

What are the best .380 pistols on the market there now?

Sig Sauer P238:

Sig Sauer as a company has been in the news often, as of late, but that’s not the point here.
The Sig Sauer P238 is a pocket pistol chambered in .380 ACP that conceals nicely just about anywhere it’s holstered, in the pocket or otherwise.

The all-metal gun tips the scale at 15.2 ounces, has a 2.7 inch barrel, with an overall length of 5.5 inches. The P238 is also 1.1 inches wide.

This is one of the best .380 pistols on the market right now that is based on a much scaled down version of a 1911 platform pistol. So, if you are right at home with a 1911 in your hand or holster, you’ll love the P238.

Sig Sauer’s P238 has an MSRP starting in the $700.00 range, depending on the options you choose and can actually be found in your local gun shop for less than that.

Glock 42:

Glock makes some of the best handguns around and have also been in the news a bit lately for different reasons than Sig. Their G42 is a great 380 pistol that is reliable, functional, and conceals well.

The Glock 42 is a polymer framed, striker-fired pistol that weighs in at 13.76 ounces, has a barrel length of 3.25 inches, and an overall length of 5.9 inches. Its width is .94 inches wide.

It’s also a bit more affordable than the Sig is, which is an added benefit. It can be found in the $440.00 price range. Of course, you won’t win any beauty pageants with with a Glock, but reliability Trumps beauty 10 out of 10 times. You can’t go wrong with a Glock 42, and though I do not own one, it is one of the best .380 pocket pistols around.

S&W Bodyguard:

Some of you probably didn’t see this one coming, because there are plenty of other .380 pistols to choose from. But,
the Bodyguard is a decent choice at the best price point on this list. Make no mistake, the Bodyguard is one of the best 380 pistols on the market, right now.

It’s the lightest weight gun we showcase here, at 12.8 ounces with a 2.5 inch barrel. Additionally, the overall length is 5.3 inches. These have an MSRP of $380.00, much more affordable than the others, and can be found cheaper than that in the stores.

Effectiveness of the 380 ACP Cartridge:

Many folks decry the effectiveness of the 380 pistol as a self-defense weapon. As we stated a moment ago, however, it’s always better to have a gun on you, than not have one at all. If a small pistol is all you’ll carry, at least you’ve got something when the you know what hits the fan in a life and death situation.

I also do want to point out that self-defense cartridge technology has come a long way, and the 380 ACP’s ballistics are just slightly less efficient than .38 SPC and 9mm. What’s most important, is that you carry good ammunition in your firearm. But, that’ll be a topic for a different day.

How to Carry a .380 Pistol:

We keep calling these little guns “pocket pistols,” but that’s just a name given because they can fit in a pocket holster. There are many other ways to carry one of these little .380 pistols, like on your strong side waist or appendix.

There are literally tons of holsters available for these, guns. In fact, we carry some in our store … Have you checked out our leather,
magnetic concealed carry holsters that are great for any time of year? We’ve got them available in many different sizes and colors.

All photos taken from manufacturer websites.