Ruger LCP 380 ACP Pocket Pistol Size Comparison
It would appear that Ruger was the first major manufacturer to take a look at the Kel Tec P3AT and realize the benefit and marketability of a small 380 ACP pistol. Thus they released the Ruger LCP to compete in the 380 pocket pistol market. It was and is remarkably similar to the Kel Tec P-3AT.
When the LCP hit the market it was nearly impossible to come by. If you were able to get your hands on one there was a good chance your next obstacle would be finding ammunition for it. The 380 ACP pocket pistols’ explosion in popularity along with the surge in firearm and ammo sales after the election created the perfect storm. That storm stripped almost every caliber from the shelves. However it was the 380 ACP ammo that was hit the hardest. Finally the supply and demand on 380 ACP returned to normal, and just in time as the pocket pistol market grew even more.
We are comparing the Ruger LCP with the following .380 ACP pistols:
Kahr P380
Taurus TCP
Sig Sauer P238
Kel-Tec P-3AT
Diamondback DB380
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380
These graphics are awesome! Pair with http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf and you’ve got lots of size/weight information to help make your decision. Too bad only the Sig Sauer P238 (SAO) and the Bodyguard 380 are the only ones with external safeties.
How does the width of these pistols compare? I have the Kahr P380 and they can be very trying to break in – But they are also pretty thin at .75 and the trigger is nice – They can be like a demanding girlfriend – difficult to live with.
The width on these were all so close that we didn’t create that image because it would be hard to keep it from being overly cluttered. These images are even a bit cluttered and we will probably create new ones in the future with only two guns per image.
Width also gets tricky because of how width is measured. It seems like different companies treat width differently. Kahr for example uses the slide width, Ruger the overall width.