Re: .380 ammo

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Actually Bersa chat isn't one -- I joined that just to read the posts - no real intent on engaging in discussion there. Most of the posts I've read don't seem to do anything but talk about the love affair with them without any meat or substance to them. I am looking for unbiased reviews. While I haven't found any "bad" reviews, everything seeming to be neutral/positive to totally positive.

The knowledge, information, etc., that I mentioned is on everything. I have made no bones about the fact that I am pretty clueless when it comes to various makes and models. Not quite as bad as the cartoon someone posted about the press -- everything is a Glock 17 and everything is an AR-15. But there are plenty of gun makers I never knew existed. I am not very confident that I will be able to tell makes/models/caliber from a distance like some of y'all do. But I could at least hold my own in a conversation.

Among the things that I have learned is what constitutes the media's idea of an "arsenal" and what an "arsenal" really is. There are media myths that are out there that are so damaging to the reputation of gun owners and I admit, I was taken in by some of them. I did not know that buying ammo in bulk is not unusual and that it changed the price per round bottom line, even though it makes sense because that theory applies in so many other areas of every day life, but when you hear about someone having 1000 rounds in their house it sounds like a crazy amount. Until you realize that you can buy ammo in bulk and a lot of people buy 1000 rounds once or twice a year. And with most ranges not allowing you to bring in outside ammo, you buy a 50 or 100 count brick for an afternoon. And you still have that 1000 rds at home. There are others, but you get the idea.

The whole .380 ammo thing is also making me think a little. Most people who have a comment about .380s -- including here -- that it is not a powerful round. It has little stopping power in a defensive situation. Yet, it is an expensive and short in supply. Why is that? Doesn't make sense. If it isn't a powerful caliber - not very effective in stopping power, who is hoarding it and why?

I am still keeping my options open - for obvious reasons - and we'll see what I land on.
First of all, let's call it what it really is...It's not a gun buy-back, because the government never owned them. It's a gun turn in.

Re: .380 ammo

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This is my diary of all purchases for the sporting of projectiles.

http://www.sgammo.com

We have the Bersa Thunder 380. It's still comfortable for a pocket gun. In other words it's not too small. As for the expense of .380 and it's demand well, before they started coming out with smaller 9mm's the 380 was almost the only choice. Due to popularity and demand for the cartridge among concealed carriers and the fact it's not produced like many others, especially importers it ain't cheap. But I'm just guessing. Anyway, after shooting it into firewood rounds and digging the slugs out to discover depth, I have no doubt the the 380 will penetrate two layers of denim, flesh and bone...

I also find it's construction is simple and durable and I'm able to find the black from 10 yards more times than not.
Last edited by Sonofagun on Sun Apr 27, 2014 7:02 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Keep Bow Tight ~Sitting Bull
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/90682-i ... ooks-ahead

Re: .380 ammo

53
christianne wrote: Among the things that I have learned is what constitutes the media's idea of an "arsenal" and what an "arsenal" really is. There are media myths that are out there that are so damaging to the reputation of gun owners and I admit, I was taken in by some of them. I did not know that buying ammo in bulk is not unusual and that it changed the price per round bottom line, even though it makes sense because that theory applies in so many other areas of every day life, but when you hear about someone having 1000 rounds in their house it sounds like a crazy amount. Until you realize that you can buy ammo in bulk and a lot of people buy 1000 rounds once or twice a year. And with most ranges not allowing you to bring in outside ammo, you buy a 50 or 100 count brick for an afternoon. And you still have that 1000 rds at home. There are others, but you get the idea.
The running joke I always heard was about the "ammo fort" - where there wasn't a gun room per se but rather a room built out of ammo crates. Besides having to move it (and having money to pay for it), there's no reason not to snap up a case or two if it shows up at a great price. If that goes on for a while then it tends to build up. Worst-case the ammo can be sold (often at a profit), best-case you're set next time the price gets stupid because of some shortage (real or perceived). It sucks having to move it all at once from one house to another (ask me how I know this) but it's not really a liability otherwise. and, for me at least, it's not some prepper fantasy.
The whole .380 ammo thing is also making me think a little. Most people who have a comment about .380s -- including here -- that it is not a powerful round. It has little stopping power in a defensive situation. Yet, it is an expensive and short in supply. Why is that? Doesn't make sense. If it isn't a powerful caliber - not very effective in stopping power, who is hoarding it and why?

I am still keeping my options open - for obvious reasons - and we'll see what I land on.
.380 has a couple of things working against it - the first being that it's just not used by any major players in LE or .mil that use it any more (unlike 9mm, 40 and 45) and the second being that the pocket carry sized guns are really popular right now. The first issue means that there just isn't as much tooling to manufacture the stuff in large lots and the second means that regardless of ballistic performance that there's plenty of demand to soak up what supply is available.

Is it suitable? There are a lot of opinions, that much is for sure. It's certainly a hell of a lot better than nothing and I'd definitely prefer not to be shot with one. Nobody is going to argue that a .380 is a more effective stopper than a .40 but that doesn't mean that it isn't perfectly suitable for civilian SD purposes.

Re: .380 ammo

56
Interestingly, when I paid for my Beretta 84, they hadn't seen ammo in the shop for weeks. Cabela's had some, though, so I ordered a box of 100 - and then I stopped in at the local Mal-Wart and they had about 1500 rounds. Good prices, too. So I bought some more. :)

Now, all I need is the gun, still sitting in purdah awaiting it's master....
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo.
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