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Debating...380 v 9mm

8K views 80 replies 26 participants last post by  ArmyScout 
#1 ·
I recently found out that the pawn shop next to one of my jobs caries hi point pistols new and used (when available). So my question is between the 380 and 9mm what's the dis/advantage between the 2?

I know the 380 is a marginally smaller round and ammo cost is higher than the 9mm. Does the 380 seem to have the same issues as the c9?

Lastly what would your opinions be on offering a price? From what I've seen their marked rather high but the guy when talking to him said the price wasn't set on the used ones.
 
#8 · (Edited)
You may get the used .380 for less then the 9mm as they're "less power, completely unsuitable for self defense, wouldn't kill a possum if you shoot it in the head yadayadayada".
I have two ( non HP) .380's that I switch carrying. Great thing about the .380 now is that HP also makes a .380 carbine in case you decide your gun is lonely.
So .380 or 9mm whichever you can get cheaper.
Come back and tell us.
Max $100 out the door so tax included. Be prepared to walk away.
And come back the next day.
In my experience pawnshops rather go for the quick sale and move the produce then holding on in the hopes they'll get $20 more a month later.
Glocks and the likes sell like hot cakes with crack sprinkles so you're wouldn't be able to talk them down on a Glock.
They know very well HP buyers are frugal.

Here's a pawnshop tip:
The regular Joe Shmoe sales guy is not allowed to offer more then 25%-30% for the stuff they buy or take in. So if the gun is marked $129.99 they probably paid $45 for it.
Don't go in offering $50, leave them some meat on the bone.
Start with like half the asking price..maybe $70 then take it from there. Almost every Joe Shmoe sales guy is authorized to give you 10% off without additional manager approval.
So you've already got that in your pocket. But that's a 'free' 10% so don't go for his counter offer of 10% off.
This is a sport to me :cowboy:

Some good info here by the way

 
#11 ·
I have two .380 HP's, and three 9 mm. The used guns (all but 1 of the 9 mm) were all 100% reliable from the first use. The NIB model needed some break in, or a bit of mag tweaking.

But...I THINK the .380 may be less problem prone, ONLY because of the typical ammo shape. 9 mm is pointier, and can be quite varied in OAL, while .380 tends to be round nosed and closer to the same OAL between brands and loads, also, the JHP in .380 isn't as differently shaped from FMJ, as the typical 9mm is.

That said...get the 9 mm, unless you just really want a .380, or want the absolute least recoil in a centerfire handgun ever....shooting the .380 is a pleasure, very easy on the hands.
 
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#12 ·
9mm in this area is way cheaper and more plentiful than 380 ammo. Walmart routinely has UMC Megapacks in 9mm. I like to shoot lots and stockpile so would go with the C9. Just my 2cnts.
 
#13 ·
I have two .380 HP's, and three 9 mm. The used guns (all but 1 of the 9 mm) were all 100% reliable from the first use. The NIB model needed some break in, or a bit of mag tweaking.

But...I THINK the .380 may be less problem prone, ONLY because of the typical ammo shape. 9 mm is pointier, and can be quite varied in OAL, while .380 tends to be round nosed and closer to the same OAL between brands and loads, also, the JHP in .380 isn't as differently shaped from FMJ, as the typical 9mm is.

That said...get the 9 mm, unless you just really want a .380, or want the absolute least recoil in a centerfire handgun ever....shooting the .380 is a pleasure, very easy on the hands.
I agree with this. I have had issues with the C9, mainly failure to return to battery. My CF380 on the other hand, which has had I don't know how many rounds through it, never had a malfunction until last range trip when the slide locked open and would not release.

..........I still have not taken it apart to see what happened.
 
#16 ·
Well, I took it out of the safe tonight to break it down. The slide went home sometime after I locked it up. It works just fine now???????
 
#19 ·
I don't know. Something was binding up the works.
 
#23 ·
Well, ended up having a c9 follow me home today. So now the jhp has a little brother.
New, used, $?
If new... use hot ammo.
And let us know after 1st time out.
 
#24 ·
Got it new. They dropped the price to from $199.99 to 169.99 then when the manager asked if a deal was made the guy said $160 without me saying anything, other than can I see it, then I'll take it.

Just need to find time now to take it out, working 2 jobs so time isn't easily available right now.
 
#25 ·
Got the chance to go out shooting.

Took a 50 box of 45 to finish breaking in the jhp, ran into a few issues, 2 cases not ejecting, 2 misfeeds (one due to the previous case not ejecting), and a number of nosedive ftfs (rerack cleared it up) (MoM sent a new one after a problem with mine). Probably need to polish the feed ramp and see what happens.

Took 250 rounds of federal champion in 9mm to break in the c9. Only hiccup it had was 1 ftb towards the end. Haven't done anything to it yet (knock on wood) in re to polishing the feed ramp or mag tweeks. Found the last round to be a pain to get in
 
#28 ·
Because a gazillion pocket and mid size .380’s are being sold all day every day and people like PCC’s without having to add a caliber.
Carry a .380 pocket during the day and have a .380 Carbine by your bedside by night. Makes perfect sense to me.
More then the 10mm actually as HP doesn’t sell a handgun in that caliber (yet).
 
#31 ·
Because a gazillion pocket and mid size .380's are being sold all day every day and people like PCC's without having to add a caliber.
Carry a .380 pocket during the day and have a .380 Carbine by your bedside by night. Makes perfect sense to me.
More then the 10mm actually as HP doesn't sell a handgun in that caliber (yet).
Are you living in an alternate reality? Everyone wants a 10mm carbine.
 
#32 ·
Not everyone. No more use for the 10mm than for the 40 :stir:
 
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