Taurus 380 Mini

About the Taurus 380 Mini

The Taurus 380 Mini is an ultracompact, five-shot, double-action-only revolver chambered in .380 ACP -- one of the most unusual caliber-and-platform combinations on the market, as .380 ACP is a semi-rimmed pistol cartridge typically found in semi-automatic handguns. Introduced around 2010, the 380 Mini was designed as a pocket-sized deep-concealment revolver for personal defense. The lightweight aluminum alloy frame and stainless steel cylinder keep the weight to approximately 15.5 ounces (439g), making it one of the lightest revolvers available. The 1.75-inch (44mm) barrel produces a very compact overall length of just 5.95 inches (151mm) with a height of 4.80 inches (122mm) and a width of 1.35 inches (34mm). Because .380 ACP is a rimless cartridge, the revolver uses Taurus Star Clips (moon clips) to hold the cartridges in the cylinder and facilitate extraction of spent cases. The spurless, fully enclosed hammer provides a completely snag-free profile ideal for pocket or ankle holster carry. The double-action-only trigger has a long, smooth pull of approximately 12 pounds (53N). The front sight is a serrated ramp integral to the barrel, while the rear sight is a windage-adjustable blade. The color case-hardened trigger and soft rubber grips with pebble-grained side panels and finger grooves add both aesthetic appeal and functional grip security.

The Taurus 380 Mini stands as one of the most unconventional modern revolvers. Chambering a semi-rimmed pistol cartridge in a revolver cylinder -- requiring moon clips for headspacing and extraction -- was an unorthodox design choice that carved out a genuine niche. The concept proved that .380 ACP's mild recoil and wide commercial availability could make it viable in a pocket revolver, offering a softer-shooting alternative to the snappy .38 Special snubnose revolvers that dominate the concealed-carry revolver market.

Taurus 380 Mini specifications

The Taurus 380 Mini occupies a unique niche in the firearms market. While .380 ACP revolvers are extremely rare, the concept offers several advantages for a pocket revolver: lower recoil than .38 Special snubnose revolvers, wider ammunition availability than the .32 H&R Magnum, and the simplicity of a revolver action in an ultracompact package. The mandatory use of moon clips is both an advantage and a limitation -- they speed reloading since all five rounds are loaded and extracted simultaneously, but loose rounds cannot be loaded into the cylinder without the clips. The short 1.75-inch barrel reduces the .380 ACP's velocity to approximately 800 fps (244 m/s) with standard 90-grain FMJ loads, down from the 955 fps typically achieved from a 3.75-inch barrel. The ejector rod is notably short at approximately 0.45 inches, which can make reliable ejection of spent cases more challenging. MSRP is approximately $430 for the blued model and $461 for the stainless variant. The Taurus Security System key lock is integrated into the frame above the cylinder release. Available in both blued and matte stainless finishes.