Wow. A big thanks for that info Georged. I hadn't heard about that. I think I've got nearly a case of the old style silvertips left. Definitely need to go check.

Looks like I'll have to do some checking and experimentation on what to use when I run out.

 

Another nice feature of Kel-Tec and Seecamp pieces is not having to buy a holster. The watch pocket on a pair of Levis or Wranglers is a perfect holster.

 

Some years ago, I picked up a little Beretta 84B at a gun show for $200. Double action, 13 shot magazine, relatively small, beautifully made as are all Berettas. Fits nicely in the pocket, amazingly small for such a large magazine. Can't hit much with it, but it wasn't designed for accuracy.

Ammo? I stick with FMJ. The .380 is so low powered that a hollowpoint is probably unnecessary, I really don't think it would go through a body. Maybe a wrist or arm. And some auto pistols can have feed problems with hollow points, though the little Beretta has shot hollow points without trouble.

Personally, I wouldn't carry the little Beretta for self defence unless concealment was very high on my list of priorities. I've always felt self defence is as much a psych game as anything, so I carry the biggest, loudest, ugliest weapon that circumstances permit if I feel the need for protection. My old Desert Eagle Mk1 in .357 Mag fits the bill nicely. Low recoil, high accuracy, heavy impact, and very nasty looking.

 

I think hollow point is the way to go. It's less likely to pass all the way through, and that includes walls if you miss. I know I put down a 250lb bear with one shot to the chest using hollow points in a .357. Meanwhile, the 130lb bear I shot with a 7mm ran 40 yards after I hit him in the left side and came out the right side of his neck.