Diamondback Arms DB380

The DB380 is the only gun that Diamondback Arms makes. It is a .380 ACP chambered small pistol designed to compete with the Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P3AT, Taurus PT738, S&W Bodyguard 380, Kahr P380, SIG P238 and Magnum Research Micro Eagle.

It is a striker fired, locked breech, .380 chambered, polymer framed pistol with an MSRP of $430. Likely street price will be something less. I've heard that it will actually retail for about $350 which is competitive with the LCP.

I haven't shot one but I have gotten to handle one a bit and dry fire it. It has several features going for it. The first is that the size is about perfect as it is small but I can easily get a grip on it. Also, the sights are actually usable. Neither would be great shakes for the gun if the trigger wasn't also lovely. It is no great trick to keep sights on target all the way through the trigger pull. This is the first pocketable .380 that I have actually considered buying.

An interesting aside. It was suggested that the Kel-Tec P3AT magazines would work in the DB380. While the baseplate is much smaller on the P3AT magazine, it does work in the DB380. By the way, the first magazines were made by Mecgar. Quality mags are needed in a semi-auto pistol and Mecgar makes a quality magazine. The pistols are now shipping with magazines of a different make but no problems with these magazines have been found.

Links:
- Diamondback Firearms DB380 Semi-Auto .380 ACP Pocket Pistol by Jeff Quinn

Addendum - I got to test fire one of these with a mix of ammo. The owner was complaining that it wouldn't feed anything. With me shooting it fed everything, mixed or not, hollowpoints and FMJ. I think he's limp-wristing it. I like it.