Well, from yesterday’s bullets, anything shooting them should be compact, right? Mmmm, no. From left to right, .380 ACP, 9 mm Luger, and .357 Sig. They do all share the same actual diameter – .355 inches. Yep, don’t rely on bullet names to accurately represent dimensions; there’s usually a bunch of marketing in the name. .357 Sig was meant to match the stopping power and name recognition of the .357 Magnum, but shoot out of an autoloader instead of a revolver. And the European name of the .380 is the 9mm Kurz, Kurz being Short in German.
So what size compacts will shoot these rounds?
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Top is the Glock 32 (but it’s really the G19, which is the compact version of the original plastic fantastic Glock 17). The 19, 23 and 32 are the exact same frame, but calibered in 9 MM, 40 S&W, and Sig .357 respectively. Swap out the barrels and they are virtually interchangeable. Minor quibble, the 40 and 357 use identical magazines, while the 9 uses its own.
So, the G32 above, marketed as a compact, can shoot the barn-burning .357 Sig, as well as the 40 “Short & Weak” and the 9 mm “EuroPellet”.
Next pistol down is a Ruger Max 9. It is chambered in, you guessed it, 9 mm. But it is significantly smaller than the Glock. Maybe we can call it a Sub Compact.
And finally, the Ruger LCP. Little Compact Pistol? Perhaps we are talking Micro Compact. And it is significantly smaller than the Max 9. I’m betting it will fit in a pants pocket easily.
Tomorrow, let’s compare dimensions, performance, accuracy and some other factors. But all shooting the same diameter bullet should make it easy. Right?
KatNap Fever! 