New .380 (Diamondback)

[RPB]

$375 and $379 in Cedar Park and Killeen gun shops ....

I sold almost all of my guns, including about 50 pocket guns last year when I had no income, but ... I got a DB380 now, and an Archangel MCP requested from my local dealers when they get them.

I'm retiring my Keltec P-11 (after some Hollowpoints failed to ride up the feed ramp, which needs polishing) and AMT .380 backup, (because the DB380 just feels good in my hand and is so thin and light and just as invisible in my waistband, but more comfortable) and Seecamp .32 (due to weight and rimlock potential) and my German-made Stainless PPK/S was stolen.

So, my "normal" carry will become: I'll have the DB380 IWB, and in a few months, a Microtech Archangel MCP 9mm (weighs 7.1 ounces empty) replacing the Seecamp .32 in my pocket, and on many occaisions, my Glock 19 in my fanny pack or my Glock 27 (carried in various ways)

I haven't really seen a comparison to the old aluminum alloy .380 AMT backup, 1st (With grip safety) or second generation (DAO), but the DB380 is almost the same size, but much much lighter, and thinner than the AMTs

The DB380 allows more fingers on the grip than my Seecamp or my AMT .380 Backup

10 months a year, I wear a white T-shirt, or USUALLY a Guayabera shirt, and cargo shorts.

[adam71176]

If I could find some Win White Box I'd dance a Jig right in the middle of Wally World!
Let me clarify cheap vs. inexpensive. I have worked in Marketing and Sales for nearly 10 years and I do not think of these terms as synonymous.
To me Cheap is something junky and not worth the cost at any price (coughs, covers mouth, SIGMA, clears throat).
Inexpensive however would be 100 pack of Win White Box for $34 or whatever it goes for these days. Great ammo/not expensive.
I believe WWB would run very well through the DB380 and as I've stated most importantly it runs self defense ammo, at least what I have 100%

I find the accuracy to be on par with my LCP, possibly a little tighter because of the smoother lighter trigger, but with a pocket .380 I'm no sharpshooter. 3" group at 5 yards approximately. I don't even bother going out further with these tiny guns, they aren't made to be target guns and are not particularly fun to shoot.

Thank you all for reading my reviews of this new product, I enjoyed sharing with the board, and please just take them for what their worth; simply the review of an everyday guy with his CHL that decided to try out a new on the market product. The testing results speak for themselves and imho it's a good product, but I would never down anyone for sticking with or buying a KT or LCP instead, they have been on the market much longer and there are lots and lots of reviews both consumer and professional regarding them. Not to mention they come from large well resourced companies.

Last note: My 1st boss when discussing a business team would say "If we were at war who would you want in the foxhole with you"
For now as my daily deep conceal I'm going with the Diamondback, I just like it.

[mr.72]

To me Cheap is something junky and not worth the cost at any price (coughs, covers mouth, SIGMA, clears throat).

Wow. I defy you to make my Sigma fail to fire, eject, load, or do exactly what you want it to do. Over 1K rounds through mine and it has never had one single, solitary failure of any kind. I have yet to hear of anyone with a 3rd gen ("VE") S&W Sigma that has any measurable defect in performance. The sole complaint is a hard trigger, and maybe an undeserved bad reputation. On the other hand, my other two pistols, an LCP and a Kahr, have both had to go back to the factory, the Kahr has had to go back THREE TIMES in order to finally make it functional.

I only wish all of my guns were as "junky" as my Sigma, especially at anywhere near the price.

[adam71176]

mea culpa good Sir.

[Embalmo]

Mr. 72,

I completely agree with you about the Sigma and the reality of reliability. The Sigma is an amazingly reliable gun with a huge round capacity for an extraordinary price. I came very close to getting one in 9mm, but I learned to shoot, and qualified for my CHL on a Bersa .380 and got spoiled on a SA trigger.

And I just don't get it when people state, "Sometimes my gun goes bang and sometimes it doesn't, and that's OK;" bang or click=life or death. I'm no expert, but you can always look at 15 different reputable reviews of any gun and determine a consensus of reliability; you will never see an auto handgun in my arsenal that ever had the words "finicky eater", or "break-in period" written next to it.

Embalmo

[stash]

mr.72 - Are holsters pretty easy to find for the Sigma?

Stan

[mr.72]

considering the fact that they fit most Glock G19 holsters, I would say so. But YMMV, check first. My SW9VE fits in a Crossbreed G19 holster. And if your pants are 2+" too big in the waist then this is a very comfortable combo.

[adam71176]

Back on topic and 1st let me apologize to anyone I may have offended, it was certainly not my intention and I should know better than to insult anyone's choice in self protection. I blame my knowledge of the Sigma on what I have heard from my dealer who clearly does not like them.

Regarding the little Diamondback I have bad news and good news and I guess we'll see news in my Beta testing program here.

Wednesday I was able to take lunch at the range and test out the DB380 a little more. Unfortunately at about 90 rounds the trigger simply stopped moving (hard to explain and I'm not that technical). Opened it up to find the trigger bar literally snapped. Upon return from lunch I immediately called Diamondback and they seemed genuinely concerned that this had happened. The quickly sent me a next day air return label by email. Thursday morning I got an e-mail that they had recieved it, fixed it, tested it and were overnight shipping it back to me.

Needless to say I am very weary now of this gun but I have to say that that was the best customer service I have ever seen anywhere.

I have the afternoon off and have come across a variety of somewhat reasonably priced .380 including win white box, so I'll post an update as to how this little gun is working later.

[Keith B]

Needless to say I am very weary now of this gun but I have to say that that was the best customer service I have ever seen anywhere.

I really think this is indicative of any new designed product. Many mechanical or electronic devices have 'bugs' and 'kinks' in their early stages that need to be worked out over time in the labs and even field. However, even tried and true designs can have issues, just that they seem to be more prevalent in new released designs. I really won't carry anything anyway until I have ran it through the mill with about 700 - 1000 rounds and it has been reliable.

Along those lines, a similar story: I bought a brand new Buick Regal back in 1988. In '88 they completely changed the design of the car. It was a car shipped from the factory to the dealer as a demo even before they could be ordered. It had literally been covered up in the back of the dealership for 2 days prior and on the showroom floor for 15 minutes when I started dealing with the sales manager on it. I had it in hand the next day.

While it didn't have any really major issues, there were a lot of little things that were wrong or broke and needed to be fixed in the first year. And, to make matters worse, for the first six months their parts inventory had not been built up because of the new design and using all of the parts at the factory, so they had to figure out what they needed, then I would have to take the car back a second time to have it fixed. Luckily I worked 2 blocks from the dealership.

Overall it was a good car, but still a little bit of a hassle to be driving the latest and greatest vehicle.

Back to the original topic; I am impressed that they are fixing the gun that fast and they are taking care of overnight shipping. That says a lot for their customer service.

Let us know how it works out and how the future testing goes!!!

[adam71176]

Wow, thanks for the story. I tend to be a little hasty sometimes and in my rush to WANT this gun to be great I got a little overzealous. I typically never carry a gun until I have had a minimum of 250 flawless rounds through it. I was only at 150 when I decided this one was ok, and I'd run another 100 or so in a couple days. Good thing I didn't need it 90 rounds later...

I'll be holding onto elsie pea for a bit longer, while she was NOT reliable when I got her, a good gentle sanding and polishing of the feed ramp took care of all worries, she will shoot anything and I do trust her with my life.

[vinnier6]

why would anyone use a .380 as a self defense round....too small, get a bigger bullet....

[adam71176]

While certainly not ideal, a .380 in your pocket is far more effective than no gun at all. Also, with today's advancements in self defense ammo, it may be more effective than many might think, especially when combined with proper shot placement. Of course when I'm able I carry larger sure, but my and many other peoples daily live and activities are not conducive to strapping on a holster to carry something bigger. Don't forget also that most self defense encounters with a gun are put to an end simply by brandishing a weapon with no shots fired.

[USA1]

why would anyone use a .380 as a self defense round....too small, get a bigger bullet....

A bigger bullet won't fit into my LCP

[adam71176]

[mr.72]

why would anyone use a .380 as a self defense round....too small, get a bigger bullet....

Way to kick off your forum membership, try to start a caliber war!

I think this topic may have been covered before.