Holsters and Gear Recommendations
380 Holster Guide: How to Carry a Small .380 Pistol
Quick answer: A .380 holster has to fit your exact pistol: .380s are small and come in many shapes, some with a built-in laser. Most owners carry inside the waistband or in a pocket holster; ankle, belt and bag holsters also exist. Whatever you pick, it must cover the trigger, hold the gun firmly and keep the grip where you expect it.
Why the Holster Matters More on a Small .380
Alien Gear sums it up on its Bodyguard 380 page: “A gun this small lives or dies by its holster, though. Too loose and it shifts, rolls, and hides its own grip the moment you reach for it; too bulky and you have thrown away the only reason you bought it.” It adds that a light pistol “wanders: a thin clip lets it tip, rotate, or ride up until the grip is somewhere you did not leave it.”
Fit the Exact Model (and Its Laser)
Same caliber does not mean same holster. Alien Gear’s example is the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard: the original and the Bodyguard 2.0 “share a name and a caliber, but not their dimensions, and their holsters do not swap.” Lasers change the shape too: an integrated laser “thickens the profile just ahead of the trigger guard,” so its holsters come “molded to clear the laser housing and leave its activation button untouched, or trimmed close to the no-laser frame.”
Holster makers sell by model for this reason. DeSantis, for example, lists holsters for the Kahr PK380 in pocket, inside-the-waistband and ankle styles.
Ways to Carry a .380
| Style | What makers say | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the waistband | Alien Gear: it “gives you the retention, trigger coverage, and repeatable draw a bare pocket never will.” | IWB vs OWB |
| Pocket holster | Alien Gear: “Plenty of owners started out just dropping the Bodyguard in a pocket.” If you pocket carry, use a pocket holster, not a bare pocket. | Pocket holsters |
| Ankle | DeSantis lists its Apache Ankle Rig among its PK380 holsters. | Ankle holsters |
| Belt, paddle or chest | Alien Gear: the .380 “makes a natural backup and trail gun,” and a chest holster keeps it reachable “when a waistband is buried under a pack, a harness, or a heavy winter coat.” | Chest holsters |
| Bag or purse | Alien Gear: a hook-and-loop holster “anchors it inside a pack panel or a purse so it is covered and secured rather than floating loose against your keys.” | Purse holsters |
For choosing the pistol itself, see our guide to the best pocket pistol.
Re-Holstering a Small Gun
Alien Gear notes that on a pistol “so light and short, reholstering deserves the same care you would give any carry gun: a holster mouth that holds its shape and stays open lets you seat the gun without sweeping a hand or fishing for the opening.”
A Spare .380 Magazine
Our Cloudster 9mm magnetic mag carriers fit most 9mm and .380 magazines, so they work for a spare .380 too. The 9mm Pocket Mag Carrier comes with two clips; the 9mm IWB/OWB Mag Carrier has one belt clip that works inside or outside the waistband; the 9mm Sling Bag Mag Carrier sticks inside a bag. See all our mag carriers.
If your .380 rides inside the waistband, the Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to any flat-back IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop and comes in four sizes.
380 Holster: Questions People Ask
Will a holster for one .380 fit another?
Usually not. Holsters are molded per model; Alien Gear notes even the two Bodyguard models’ holsters “do not swap.”
Is pocket carry OK for a .380?
Only in a pocket holster that covers the trigger and keeps the gun upright. Our pocket holster guide covers the rules.
Does my laser need a special holster?
Yes. Order the version molded for the laser so the housing fits and the button isn’t pressed.
Can a 9mm mag carrier hold a .380 magazine?
Our 9mm Cloudster carriers fit most 9mm and .380 magazines.
Written by the Cloudster Pillow team. We make the Cloudster Pillow and the Cloudster magnetic mag carriers, and carry Kore belts. We don’t sell holsters or firearms, and no maker paid to be mentioned here. This is general information, not a substitute for professional training; check the carry laws where you live.
