380. 9mm or 40

[Red]

2 days ago I decided I'm gonna go out and buy my second pistol I bought a 44 mag a few months ago I love shooting it but its to expensive to shoot at pop cans ect. So I really was set on the ruger lcp 380. But 380 ammo is hard to come by right now so then I thought hey maybe ill get a 40 but after talking to the guy that I always deal with at the gun store he said why not get a 9mm the ammo is easy to get still and cheap. I really doe like the ruger lc9. Any in put would be appreciated. No matter what gun I get now once ammo starts coming back around more ill buy the lcp

[turkeyfeathers]

I own a Beretta Tomcat in .32 which never leaves my pocket. Went with the sole purpose of buying the LC9 for something a little bigger in punch. Had money, got gun in hand and a little too big for front pocket carry. The extra inch more than the .380 LCP is quite noticable to stuff in the pocket. I walked away without buying anything. Really wanted the LC9. My .32 with silvertips is going to have to be it for now. Remember a .380 is better to have on you than a .45 at home in the drawer/safe. Summer carry is tough. All for having something rather than nothing IMO. 

[phade]

9mm is "cheap" as it gets now. 380 has always been hard to get historically. I agree on the carry comments.

[turkeyfeathers]

If you're looking for something to shoot buy a .22 IMO. An LCP or LC9 isn't going to be a gun you're running a lot of ammo thru. I'm assuming your looking for a carry gun 24/7 vs a shooting gun ?!

[Early]

My brother swears by the LCP.   I don't like the "snappy" way it shoots.  I have gone round and round on this issue...have bought/sold/traded to get the right carry gun.  Right now, I have the Cold Mustang Pocket LIte .380 auto.  I love it, but I still haven't settled on a method for carry.  Those times when I wonder about the .380's power, I dream of a 1911 auti in .40 cal., to be carried in a small-of-the-back rig.  (Note:  One pistol I traded was the Springfield EMP in .40 cal....Way too many jams/failures to feed...too finicky when it came to ammo.  The little Colt digests everything except that worthless, cheap TULA junk.)

[Nomad]

Hogue grips makes a great grip for the LCP Put that on along with the pinky extension and it's much easier to shoot.

https://www.google.com/search?q=hogue+grips+lcp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=G5ysUt_FNOeysQTqt4GADg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=648#facrc=_&imgrc=MQ9mVF4M_BP0RM%3A%3BFDIAig30GpMC3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia.midwayusa.com%252Fproductimages%252F880x660%252FPrimary%252F695%252F695949.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.midwayusa.com%252Fproduct%252F1151194422%252Fhogue-handall-slip-on-grip-sleeve-for-ruger-lcp-rubber%3B880%3B660

For a shooting gun non .22 I d go 9mm.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Larry302

[CuseHunter]

Why don't you get a pink .22lr?

[Daveboone]

A .22 pistol is the most affordable to shoot, and lets you develop your shooting skills much more easily. Less distracting noise, recoil, much cheaper ammo, and you can probably find one in a very similar action to your .44, so they even handle in a familiar way. Of those you mention though, the 9mm is by far the most reasonable priced, and generally most available, although .380 has been getting much more available. The more compact handguns such as you mention though, have a steep learning curve learning to shoot. They are designed basically as very close range weapons, with rudimentary sights, are fussy to hold, and the triggers aren't geared for accuracy. I suggest a .22 in at least a 4" barrel if you want to shoot to improve your skill.

[ny hunter]

I would also go with a 22 if you plan on plinking.I find that I grab my ruger 22 more then any other gun.I do shoot my Beretta a lot but the 22 would be the way to go.

[Early]

For plinking/targets, I have the Ruger 22/45 auti with bull barrel....Shoots great and controls are the same as the 1911.

[ants]

If your main reason for buying a new pistol, is to target shoot then I would say a .22 is your best bet. You can shoot all day for a few bucks.

[jjb4900]

I have a Glock 40 and an LCP .380...............the LCP gets taken out 95% of the time because of the size.

[Red]

Some time this summer I'm gonna grab a 22 revolver for playing around with eventually I would love to get a 1911 but the wife isn't gonna go for that just before Xmas time I think for right now I'm mostly looking for something that I can toss in my pocket evey day of the week and also have some fun with at the range. Thank yous for all of the great advice buying a new gun is such a hard decision every time I buy one there's so many to choose from lol

[Early]

A .22 revolver is a great idea.....When it comes to flawless functioning, they cannot be beat.  Get one to match your .44 as closely as possible.

[Red]

That's exactly what in gonna try and do get one similar to the 44 the 44 is so much fun to shoot but at almost $1 a shot for the cheap ammo that gun will be mostly for hunting and shooting very on e in a while its nice to finally be able to go I to a gun store and actually pick up and hold these pistols instead of just staring at them threw the glass

[ny hunter]

RED the hardest part is which one your gonna buy now! because your gonna buy so many its just a coin toss which one you want next.

[Red]

That is very true I have a list I started of the pistols that I would like to start buying I'm going to have to hide the list from my wife there's no way she gonna be ok with me buying all of them jk ill just have to work a lo of over time next spring and summer they are so much fun to shoot I wish my buddy's would go and get their pistol permits

[PWGUNNY]

I'm at the range once or twice a week.  I have 2 pistols right now, .22 and 9mm.  The past few weeks I have not been bringing the .22 because my supply is dwindling and I have not been able to find any to replace it.  Things will get worse in NY come Jan. 15 when ammo can no longer be purchased through mail order.  .22 cal will be more rare than an honest politician.

 

My suggestion is to buy 9mm guns and reload.  Reloading brings the cost down from .30/rd to .15/rd.  I shoot a couple hundred rounds of 9mm each week.  I can keep this up for another year til I have to buy more components for reloading.

[Red]

I'm trying to make it upto the store this weekend I'm gonna grab the ruger lc9 I agree the 9mm ammo is definitely the easiest to get right now and not to expensive to shoot I'm gonna try and buy a reloading kit this summer I think the reloading would probably be fun plus like yous said ill be. Me to shoot for half the price

[Ford]

All three. Three great calibers to have a handgun in!

 

I know, its hard to buy three at once. LCR seems like a good choice.

[PWGUNNY]

Save your brass!  You'll like reloading, it adds more pleasure to the sport.

[Santamour123]

I do alot of shooting with my uncle.  He has the LC9  With the cheap ammo, it wil not always fire.  Fireing pin will hit the primmer and nothing.  I own the 9mm glock.  I can pick up his failures , put them in the tube and bang.  Other than that the LC9 is a nice gun.  But reliability wise. If you are looking at shooting cheap easy to find 9mm ammo. I woul dlook at the glock.  They are not a lot more than the LC9

[Early]

Every Glock owner I know says the same thing,  "If you want a pistol that goes BANG every time you pull the trigger, regardless of ammo...Get A GLOCK!"

[ny hunter]

I have my sights set on a new Glock 17.  I want to pick up after the Holidays.

[jjb4900]

I'm on my second Glock, just upgraded from a 9mm model 19 to the 40 cal model 23................never had a problem with the model 19, great guns. If you're looking for a gun to shoot a lot, I don't think the Ruger LCP is the gun you want, I have one, great for concealed carry, but not my choice of guns if I plan on going to the range to do a lot of shooting.