Move over LCP - The Diamondback 380 has arrived!

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could take the best features of a Glock and squeeze them into a 380 ACP pistol the size of a Ruger LCP or KelTec P3AT? Well, wonder no longer! Diamondback Firearms has done this and more with the DB380.

Somehow, most of the gun rags missed this little miracle of engineering. In fact, I didn't even notice it amongst the other pocket pistols at RDS - South Texas Tactical, in McAllen, Texas. It was only after I was about to leave the store that Luis, the owner, pulled me aside and asked me if I had seen his newest 380. There in front of me was what looked to be a shrunken homage to a Glock. I had never heard of this manufacturer before, so I did a quick check online to see what they were all about. It looks like this is their first foray into the gun business, but I think they got it right their first go-round.

When I first handled the gun, I was impressed with the fit and finish -- no rough edges, no obvious machine marks. The slide has fore and aft cocking serrations and even a drift-adjustable rear sight (note: these sights are actually usable!). Diamondback didn't miss any details and even have their logo etched on the steel magazine. This gun is really more classy than my other polymer wunder-guns. What really intrigued me though was the familiar glockish take-down. There are no pins to remove or lose with this pistol when you field stripping this gun.

Yes, I did end up buying the pistol (you can't have too many pocket guns!) and I took it to the Hole in the Wall range in McAllen for a quick function and accuracy test. Being that 380 is less than abundant, and priced more than double or triple of 9mm, I only shot a box of ammo in my first session. Even with a brand-new gun, there were no malfunctions and the accuracy was impressive. At 21 feet I was able to put 3 shot groups into the paper at under 1 inch with boring cosistency using Hornady Critical Defense rounds. It also functioned well with a mag full of S&B FMJ rounds. I never had this kind of success with an out-of-the-box LCP.

Overall, I like this pistol. Because it oozes Glock-ish reliability and functionality, it may cause a Sig owner to cringe. It may not be for everyone, but I have a feeling that this will be my new carry companion in the coming months.

I plan to put more rounds through this pistol in the coming weeks. I will also take it to the outdoor range to see what it can do at 25 yards once the rain clears out to see if the accuracy holds up. Be sure to check back for updates. You can read more about this gun at http://www.diamondbackfirearms.com/.