My New Mousegun

Re: My New Mousegun


When I finally decided on the Taurus PT738 TCP for my .380 Mousegun, I let my local gunshop know. I wanted the blued version (which at the time was somewhat uncommon), not the version with shiny stainless slide. The overarching consideration was (and is) ‘discrete’.

This past Thursday he left me a message that he had finally received a blued version. So, Friday, I went down and picked it up.




I gave a lot of thought to what 380 Mousegun I wanted. As I wrote earlier ‘discrete’ was at the top of the list.

I had tried to do my research. Looking at the available 380’s, I had listed six for consideration: Kel-Tec P-3AT, Taurus PT 738, Ruger LCP, Khar P380, NAA Guardian, and Sig Sauer P238. As I’d already demolished my gun budget earlier, I dropped out the higher MSRP guns, and settled on the three least expensive: Kel-Tec P-3AT, Taurus PT 738, and Ruger LCP. You may want to take a look at: http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf. I got that URL somewhere in the MGO Forums.

I did try to do some practical comparisons, probably more subjective than scientific. So what follows are my personal evaluations, and they may not be worth a toot.

I was able to shoot the Ruger LCP at length one morning. I did not care for the trigger. One trigger problem I encountered was re-set. My experience was an overly long travel for trigger re-set. In fact, it was a very cold morning and I was wearing some thin riding gloves. I had to pull my finger from inside the trigger guard to get the trigger to re-set.

The Kel-Tec trigger did not pass dry-fire. Never took it to the range.

I believe that of the three from which I was choosing, the Taurus had the best trigger.

There are some sources you can take a peek at regarding the Taurus. d**k Metcalf did a review in the Dec 2009 issue of “Guns and Ammo”. Of course, there’s also the recent article by Wiley Capp, “380 Compact Carry Pistols”, that appeared recently in American Rifleman (I think).

OK, now that we’ve got the gun, let’s get some first impressions. For starters, here’s the spec’s:
Action DAO
Rounds 6+1
Barrel 3.3"
Weight 10.2oz
Length " 5.19"
Height 3.47"
Width 0.88"
Trigger 5lbs 6oz

It comes with two magazines, nice. I like the fact that the slide locks back on the empty magazine. You can argue the relative safety of the fact that the gun will fire without the magazine. Interestingly it is a recoil-operated (ala John Moses B) as opposed to blowback.

As you may have noticed in some of my other posts I’m afflicted with a definite warranty paranoia. Taurus did not include a warranty registration card in the package. Having been bitten by a warranty issue in the past (that’s a story in itself), this lack of a warranty registration raised a red flag for me. I’ve written to Taurus about it. I’ll let you know the outcome.

I guess that more or less sets the stage for the next act.

I plan to be at the range this coming Tuesday morning (weather permitting and no other conflicts – you know how that goes). I’ll report then on the first trial run. Come back and read about it (assuming I don’t utterl

Not to pour cold water on your new toy...

But you gotta know that the reviews on 380 pistols is not glowing.

Please see the following thread that was posted a while back. Bottom line...lots and lots of failure to feed and failure to eject....not something I want in my carry gun

I wish you luck and hope that you got a good one.

I'd shoot a lot of ammo through it to test it before I staked my life on it. For the life of me I don't understand the 380 auto craze....

Best to you.

Here's the thread
http://www.msgunowners.com/handguns-f15/380-auto-review-t3714.htm

'Neck
What you trade your LCP for? Hadn't had any trouble out of mine but hadn't put enough rounds downrange to really give an opinion and stake my like as you said.
Been carrying a 642 or an 85 UL as BUG but would like something to fit in the pocket.

BTW, good luck with your Taurus Ed. Love their revolvers, not wild about their auto's but that is based on one pistol. Let us know how it performces.

msredneck wrote:Not to pour cold water on your new toy...

But you gotta know that the reviews on 380 pistols is not glowing.

Please see the following thread that was posted a while back. Bottom line...lots and lots of failure to feed and failure to eject....not something I want in my carry gun

I wish you luck and hope that you got a good one.

I'd shoot a lot of ammo through it to test it before I staked my life on it. For the life of me I don't understand the 380 auto craze....

Best to you.

Here's the thread
http://www.msgunowners.com/handguns-f15/380-auto-review-t3714.htm

Felt like cold water to me!!

Sometimes I just do not know what to think about some of the reviews that are published by the gun rags. If you look closely you will find the better reviews for the guns that do the most advertising in that particular publication. I have asked myself why a gun rag would write a bad review from a manufacture that pays their bills. The truth of the matter - they want!

I was talking to a guy at the range yesterday about "cheap" guns. He said he had an old "high - something" he paid little to nothing for and it was the best gun he owned ... I have seen a couple threads on here in the past few months where some of our members have had to send NAME brand stuff back because of quality issues - S&W comes to mind! I returned a Ruger one time and have only owned 2 of them making them only a 50% quality gun - and we all know that is not a fair characterization of Ruger. I just happened to get a "bad" one.

I also own a .380 and would not hesitate to use it if necessary. It is an "el-cheap-o" AMT but functions pretty well. Enjoy the new purchase and let us know how she does!! Inquiring minds want to know!!

Unfortunately AMT was not on the review list...AMT probably made one of the best ever 380 pocket pistols.

Sorry to be negative on the 380 in general...I just don't think much of em...and I did not write the review in American Rifleman mgazine...just passing along what I've read...and yeah you can probably find supporting articles that are positive somewhere...but I don't find many...

Truth is...without some serious gunsmithing...these pocket pistols have a reputation of being unreliable....Now I gotta admit Ruger LCP has set the world on fire...but it had recall issues also

Sid, I'd never owned an LCP.....I had a Kel-tec 380 several years ago...it was a finacky gun at best...it was stolen out of my car.

The thief did me a favor IMHO...I shed no tears over its loss...I have its big brother a PF9 9mm and it has been just fine....

A S&W 642 revolver is pretty much becoming my every day carry these days...I hardly know I have it on me and it has been flawless

[quote="msredneck"]Not to pour cold water on your new toy...

No, no, you have not poured cold water on my new toy (as you phrase it).

Rather, I’m of the opinion that we’ve got these MGO Forums for the expression and interchange of thoughts, opinions, and ideas (within the context of the forum).

So, I’d like to invite you back here later this week. As I wrote above, “I plan to be at the range this coming Tuesday morning (weather permitting and no other conflicts – you know how that goes). I’ll report then on the first trial run. Come back and read about it (assuming I don’t utterly embarrass myself!).”

will do...I hope it runs flawlessly for you and I have to eat my hat...

Just a suggestion...I'd run several different brands of hollowpoint ammo through it...and several hundred rounds at that before I'd call it Good to Go....

Hope it does well for you...really do

msredneck wrote:will do...I hope it runs flawlessly for you and I have to eat my hat...

Just a suggestion...I'd run several different brands of hollowpoint ammo through it...and several hundred rounds at that before I'd call it Good to Go....

Hope it does well for you...really do

Well, thank you.

BTW I must confess (and blush accordingly) this is my second 380 which I still have. That one was originally intended for CCW but I decided on something else. And, yes, that 380 had feeding problems at first. Now it functions well.

[quote="captain-03"] "...I was talking to a guy at the range yesterday about "cheap" guns. He said he had an old "high - something" he paid little to nothing for and it was the best gun he owned ..."


I know this is getting off the topic of “My New Mousegun” but your comment about cheap guns (may we say, ‘relatively inexpensive firearms’?) makes me do this.

Interestingly enough my best shooter is an RIA 1911A CS which is a ‘relatively inexpensive firearm’ (apologies here to my new STI 9mm that’s still in the break-in stages). I’m really pleased with that RIA 1911.

If you’d like to take a peek at it, look in the Handguns forum, topic “Different 1911s”,
page 2 (my typing on that post stinks).

I hope everything works out with your new toy. I've been carrying a Sig P230 for about 15 years now. When I am out in shorts and a t-shirt a full sized pistol just doesnt hide as well. I've even been thinking of downsizing to a Kel-tec 32. I've never owned a gun that operated perefctly everytime. All of them required different amounts of break-in to perfect the fit of the moving parts.

When you have fired your new toy enough to be certain it is functioning well enough for daily carry you will have one small enough that you want mind keeping it on you. And as the late Col. Cooper said, "The first rulle of gunfighting is you must have a gun."

Congrats on your new gun.

Xd357 wrote:Congrats on your new gun.

Well, thank you.

Sure has stirred up a bunch of stuff. Oh well, it's fun, I guess.

Wish me luck next week. Maybe I can at least hit the berm at the back of the range!

I'll also be continuing the break-in on the STI.

I carry FMJ in mine to get penetration. 'Neck already put in his opinion on hollow points. What do the rest of you recommend for Ed (and me actually). I know there's more 380 owners out there, probably the best selling pistol to the public out there this last year.

wow, i tell you, the comments here are definitely making me rethink getting a Ruger LCP

Well Micah, I'm going to comment the other way. I have somewhere between several and many various .380's including an LCP. I have never had an issue with any of them and consider them to be fine guns, not to mention the most easily concealable weapon out there. I'm going to second what Capt. said about having an issue with what is published in some of the magazines. They pick up a few samples and test them and that is not necessarily representative of the whole. If they were sampling hundreds, I'd have a better opinion of the review. Or maybe I'm just extremely fortunate with the guns I've purchased. I also know a lot of other folks who have them and have had no issue with the weapons. If it fits your need, you should try one. The worst thing that's going to happen is you'll have something to post in the classifieds and it'll eventually sell.

Re: A discrete holster


In my original post I wrote, “The overarching consideration was (and is) ‘discrete’ (Proverbs 2:11, “Discretion shall preserve thee...” – applies in this context too).

My preference was for an IWB push-up holster (I have one that I use but it will not fit the Taurus). Galco shows a push-up in their catalog unfortunately they do not include the Taurus PT738 in the list of pistols they accomodate.

So, I wrote to Galco asking simply would their Push-Up accommodate the Taurus?

Here’s what Galco replies:
“Thank you for your inquiry regarding fits for Taurus firearms. We would very much like to have more fits available for the popular Taurus line of handguns, including the new PT378. Unfortunately, Taurus has historically been very uncooperative about sending us guns to test in our holsters. Without having the guns on hand as they become available, we are unable to create or verify fits of Taurus guns in our holsters.”

Hmmph! So, isn’t that interesting. I may have to end up using my pocket holster which I do not want to do.

I may even have to write Taurus, but I’ll wait on that until I hear back (we trust) on my warranty inquiry (see prior post).

Just thought you’d like to know. All this is relevant when getting a new gun.

Re: First trial Run


Was out to the range yesterday morning for the first trial run on “My New Mousegun” (MNM) - high 50’s to low 60’s, sunny, calm, great morning.

I had read somewhere about “living room” distances for working with these types of pistols. I guess when you stop to think about MNM’s reason to be, that’s probably most appropriate. “Living room” parameters generally are given as 7 ½ yards. So that’s what I decided to do. And to try to keep some kind of uniformity as I went about this task, I decided to use an IDPA-styled and –dimensioned target (see below). Again, to keep some degree of uniformity I decided to shoot Stage 1, String 1, of the IDPA classifier Course of Fire (take a look at: http://www.idpa.com/, and click on the ‘About IDPA’ hot button, select ‘Rule Book’ from the drop-down menu, and go to page 67), and instead of a 2-1 string, I would shoot a 3-2 string, off-hand. If I stick with this for future trials I’ll maintain some uniformity and perhaps have some reliable comparisons to make.

So how’d it come out? Well I’m baring my soul here. But this is how it was - fair to middling at best. On the positive side, 9 of 10 where in the scoring blocks so I guess that might get me by. I’ll also make this confession. MNM isn’t very pleasant to shoot. That may have something to do with the age of my hands (and the rest of me!). It makes a difference. I’ll get back at it again.



Re: “IDPA-styled and –dimensioned target” – Take a look in this Handgun forum at the topic, “Home, Home on the Range”. I’ll write a little more about this target.

I have a TCP as well, love it. Sold my Ruger LCP promptly after test firing the Taurus.

I was hitting pine cones at 15 feet {for me, that's good} in my bud's pond with it my first time out. It did quite well at his range also. The trigger pull is a dream compared to my Ruger LCP.

Congratulations on your new mousegun