# Bought a new handgun



## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Just bought a .380 Taurus Spectrum.
Did a little research and it seems to draw favorable marks.
Does anyone have experience with these?
My youngest daughter is going for her concealed carry permit.
I'll sign this gun over to her when It goes through.
I like how small it is as women seem to have trouble because of the cut of their clothes to carry concealed. At least in my opinion.
I offered her a 9mm like my ec9s but she said it was too big.
Her job takes her into some very sketchy parts of the city at night. I wish she'd quit that job.
I did buy her a taxes and she does carry a knife but for a petite girl that ain't much.
Once she gets her permit I'm going to train the living hell out of her.
Two in the chest, one in the head.
Opinions please.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Ok
That's TAZER, not taxes.
I hate spell check.


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## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

.380 is more potent than some folks think. I carry one when I don't want it to be seen.

Folks talk bad about Taurus, too. But I have not had any bad experience with them.

Make sure you both wear hearing protection when practicing.

ETA: You can edit a post. Click the 3 dots in the top right corner of a post and edit is an option.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

JJ Grandits said:


> Opinions please.


My only opinion would be to talk her into a bigger caliber. I have seen the .380 fail too many times. If she insists on the .380 I would train her for all head shots. Remember, you did ask.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I would prefer she carries something heavier too.
My eldest daughter carries a .380 but only as a backup to her .357 Ruger.
Hopefully with enough training for accuracy will make the difference.
Its not the size of the gun as much as the skill of the hand using it.
Two in the chest, one in the knee, one in the head, run


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

.380 is fine as long as you don’t skimp on the ammo. I’ve put a bunch of .380 into ballistic gel, and there is a wide gap in performance between the cheap .380 and even a basic 9mm JHP. Some of the modern .380s, with powder specifically chosen for complete burn in the pocket-pistol barrel-lengths that we generally shoot it in can do quite well. I’ve seen .380 Hornady AG, for one, perform to within an inch or so of the 9mm equivalent in gel.


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## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

I don’t have experience with the Taurus, but I did buy my wife a S&W EZ Shield .380 a while back. She loves it.
She isn’t petite, but has arthritis and fibromyalgia so figured it would be a good fit. I also debated the 9mm question, but we agree now that the .380 was the right choice.


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## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

Big guns are great . . . if you have one with you. But frequently (especially in the summer time) it's not easy to carry a 1911. Women have an advantage of having a purse.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Get the right ammo and train the hell out of her. Not just paper targets, get her to a Hogan's Alley type of range if you can, get a little adrenalin pumpin'.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I've heard that FMJ is best in the .380 as the hollow points do not penetrate as far.
Any truth to that?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

JJ Grandits said:


> I've heard that FMJ is best in the .380 as the hollow points do not penetrate as far.
> Any truth to that?


have her shoot it a bunch before you sign it over to her. smaller they get the harder they get to shoot.

typically it is that 380 often does not get enough velocity from the short barrel to expand and they act like fmj

this guy did a bunch of testing of 380 ammo with some different guns 





the other thing to remember is 380 and pocket guns in general are distance makers , you use them to break contact and make your escape to get to safety then call police.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

NRA_guy said:


> Big guns are great . . . if you have one with you. But frequently (especially in the summer time) it's not easy to carry a 1911. Women have an advantage of having a purse.


IMO, as a woman who often carries a purse, a concealed carry piece should not be kept in a purse. A few women have been killed when their children got hold of the gun in their purse. Way too many women leave their purses unattended which is an open invitation for snatchers. It's bad enough when a purse snatcher gets your money, id and credit cards. You don't want them getting your gun too.


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## Drizler (Jun 16, 2002)

JJ Grandits said:


> I've heard that FMJ is best in the .380 as the hollow points do not penetrate as far.
> Any truth to that?


Watch the YouTube tests. Something like Critical Defense will do more damage than your typical 9MM FMJ of olden times. 
Your typical 2” barrel in your typical mouse gun like my Rugar LCP has a lot to do with the poorer ballistics just as it does with any gun. Accuracy suffers as well. Those are the trade offs for conceal ability. My LCP is so small it sits in my pocket looking like a wallet or cell phone.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

NRA_guy said:


> Big guns are great . . . if you have one with you. But frequently (especially in the summer time) it's not easy to carry a 1911. Women have an advantage of having a purse.


I'm having this issue now. Weather is nice and I'm carrying a 1911. Taurus actually, which I love.

Being 6'1"", most lightweight over shirts are too short to completely cover the end of the barrel.

I don't want an inside waistband holster for many reasons.

I would go short barreled .357 or .38 but can't find anything worthwhile around here.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Duluth long tail T's and alwasy buying Tall shirts helps 
some shirts are just cut very short , one brand I need a 4XLT and they still seem short 

fishing shirts are a little better cover longer and are light weight. Men’s PFG Tamiami™ II Short Sleeve Shirt - Tall

I often go to a pocket gun when weather gets warm in a Kydex holster it is as thing and light and as cool as it gets .060 kydex
some of the pocket holsters are like putting insulation in your pocket you leg just sweats a lot more there


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

I do own one of these Taurus Spectrum 380's. It really slides in the pants pocket well. I use a uncle Mike's pocket holster and have no issues with Summer carry. Be sure to load the mags and give the springs the exercise they need to function properly.....it is advised in the guns handbook. I shoot federal hydro shock jhp and have no function issues at all with that ammo....I did have a few stovepipes with fmj ammo, but that was only a few issues when new out of the box. Yep, I prefer my 40cal M&P during Winter, but don't feel bare with this little spectrum...it's all about shot placement... the caliber is more than enough to do the job.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I heard it take a bit to break it in.
Haven't even had a chance to fire it yet.
.380 ammo is rarer than hens teeth around here. Bought 50 reloads for $39.
Highway robbery.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

was at a store Friday 55.99 for 50 9mm fmj stuff that would have been 18 dollars box before

I didn't buy any but he had about 8 boxes at that price if you had to have them


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Ok 
Finally shot it this afternoon.
If a bad guy was more than five feet away he would have nothing to worry about.
I've got a bad shoulder but could probably chuck a bowling ball more accurately.
Guess I have some work to do.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

JJ Grandits said:


> Ok
> Finally shot it this afternoon.
> If a bad guy was more than five feet away he would have nothing to worry about.
> I've got a bad shoulder but could probably chuck a bowling ball more accurately.
> Guess I have some work to do.


I have the predecessor, the Taurus 738 TCP .380.

It is a belly gun. You are right 5 feet tops, maybe 10, but no more for sure


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

even a belly gun should be capable of a soft ball at 14 feet


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Whatever gun you or she carries, practice, practice, practice.
Make sure she and the gun are good to go.
Some people will even go so far as to run 50 yards away and back to get a little winded and get their heart rate up to simulate stress.
It's way harder to be accurate under stress.
Practice drawing the gun. Speed isn't as important as making sure you have the right grip on it and getting it out without having to untangle it from your shirt.
Some people are calmer than others in a stressful situation.
Remind her she's responsible for that bullet after it leaves the gun.
The Taurus Spectrum is probably an ok gun, I've never used one, but I have used the Ruger LCP and Kel-Tec P3AT among some other slightly larger .380.
I have several Taurus guns and they all work fine.
With a little practice you should be able to put the shots in a beer can at 25 ft.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

My 9mm LCP is my carry gun and am pretty good at10 yds.
My little Ruger mark 1 will smack a 4" gong at 50' forever.
Its all practice and trigger control.
.22 has shot more rounds
.22 shoots best.
Working on the .45.
8" gong at 50'. But it hits with authority.
Will get much better with time and practice.
Guy in my club shoots a S&W .357
I won't even tell you what he does because nobody would believe me.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

JJ Grandits said:


> Will get much better with time and practice.
> Guy in my club shoots a S&W .357
> I won't even tell you what he does because nobody would believe me.


I shoot steel at 100 yards with a Glock factory sights standing one handed , I might believe you


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## Redlands Okie (Nov 28, 2017)

Well I can shoot AT steel 100 yards away also. No problem. Probably not hit them though......


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Redlands Okie said:


> Well I can shoot AT steel 100 yards away also. No problem. Probably not hit them though......


I don't hit the plate every time but more than half best I have down was 9 out of 10 standing 1 handed but I have done that repeatedly 

there is just something about it that 10 of 10 at 100 yards is a hard number to reach

Saturday I had the little Ruger Wrangler out we were shooting bottom of the bag ammo , literally the collection of partial boxes and loose rounds collected from the bottom of our range bags.
at 50 yards I was 6 for 6 , at 100 yards I was getting some hits but there was such a mix of ammo at that point it was getting frustrating , just when you think you had it figured where to hold you hit another brand of ammo on the next shot


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

The biggest problem is getting consistent ammo.
Every box is something different.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

JJ Grandits said:


> The biggest problem is getting consistent ammo.
> Every box is something different.


yup, at some point you only worry about group size 

even that maybe sub par manufactures are turning it out so fast I think some of the QA has gone down 

last Friday in the same case of 12ga we had 1 that the primer came unseated partially and anther made more of a pop than a bag , we ran a rod to be sure the wad hadn't gotten stuck it was so light 

when the primer un seats it's self it puts odd pressure on the extractor makes it not want to eject 

a 3/8 fiberglass push in fence post is kept at the line to clear jams like this insert down the barrel and push and the pressure directly on spent case pushes the bolt back to unlock


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

Yep, it's too bad that ammo is in short supply. The Spectrum .380 is a nice little carry gun with the correct ammo. It will please you when the ammo hoarders stop buying and you can have fun with it. Amazing how comforting it is to have enough stash....and my wife kept asking why I keep buying ammo......that was a long time ago.... still good to go.


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