Taurus .380 "Mini-Revolver"

[Uncle_Lee]

Anybody have comments about the feasibility of sleeving the barrel of a Taurus M380 to shoot .32NAA? Would you have to do anything to the cylinder? Or just the barrel?

If you could do it for just the barrel, I might consider having one done. I'd buy an M380 just for that purpose. I'll have to find a local gunsmith and ask about it. If you have to sleeve all five chambers, i think it might be prohibitively expensive. Can the .32 bullet "free ball" it far enough to get the barrel? I dunno. Interesting thought.

(I suppose you might need to do something to prevent some idiot from coming along and firing .380 cartridges in the new M32NAA, simply because they'll fit.)

Oh Yes!
The cylinder would have to have an exit hole the same (about) size as the bullet.

[stantheman86]

I have a Taurus M380.....it will need work before I can like it...

Every cylinder full I have tried has had 1 to 2 FTF's. I used Magtech, PRVI and Winhester White Box. With or without moon clips, still at least one FTF. I need to take the sideplate off and maybe cleaning it out will work....could be some junk in the firing pin channel.

The primer dents were deep on the ones that fired, but for the misfire rounds the dents were shallow. I tried taking the misfires rounds and moving them to different chambers and still the primers wouldn't pop.

Maybe I got an ammo sensitive one.....which goes against the reason I love revolvers because they aren't ammo sensitive!

If Federal .380 works 100% I will be happy. This is a carry gun for me, not a plinker. I planned to use Federal Hydra Shoks anyway so I'll test some of those.

I won't even get into the 20 lb. DA pull. And to think I thought about putting Wolff springs in, it's not even reliable with the stock springs!

It is light and small, got some larger grips for it and plan to IWB carry it if it ever works. Paid $400 NIB for a gun that needs work out of the box....ugh

[MR_22]

Are you using moon clips? Does the M380 come with moon clips? I wonder if the rounds are seating in too deeply?

[OV-1D]

Taurus has always been a price niche gun by that I mean they made the gun to fill a price gap between cheap and expensive so in other words I'd buy Ruger, Smith , Colt for American quality with Beretta as a much better quality gun . Just an opinion of course . 

[coopercdrkey]

I have been following stantheman's evaluation posts on the TA forum with interest.


I'll be able to add my .02 shortly since the M380 I bought for my wife's birthday present is shipping as we speak.
I'll clean the inevitable Brazilian Shipping Gunk off it and run a bunch of Fiocchi and Federal through it, then let her
take it to her CCW class.  (Assumiing it does not need to visit Miami first....)

[coopercdrkey]

Are you using moon clips? Does the M380 come with moon clips? I wonder if the rounds are seating in too deeply?

Taurus calls them "star clips" and, yes, five of them are packaged with each weapon.


The claim is made that the .380ACP rounds may be loaded with or without the star clip,
and that the real purpose of the star clip is to assist in the extraction of spent casings.


I have heard that some M380's needed out-of-the-box tweaking to keep the star clips from
binding and/or interfering with closing the cylinder.  I'm hoping for a good specimen, but
I guess we all know the facts of life, Taurus QC-wise....

[MR_22]

Hmm. Stellar clips is what I think they call them. They're still full moon clips, though. I think the Taurus ones are crap. TK Custom makes some awesome stainless ones for the Taurus revolvers.

I have some (both Taurus and TK Custom) for my Taurus 905 9mm and they are indeed used for extracting rounds, but they also could help to make sure the primer is high enough for the firing pin to hit it. I'm also getting the 405 .40S&W revolver. I haven't decided that I need the M380 yet. I'll probably only get one if I can somehow convert the revolver to .32NAA.

[coopercdrkey]

The Taurus M380 is in the house!


Actually, it's in the birthday wrapping paper, but I got to clean it and pull off some
snap caps before wrapping it.  The trigger pull is stout- (no doubt)- and it is yet to
be determined whether it is a good fit for my wife.  Worst case I end up with a
carry revolver.


If it shoots as nice as it fondles, this is a fine little revolver.  We'll see....

[RogueTS1]

Photos ASAP please..................................