Gabby Franco doesn’t take her own defense lightly. When Remington Arms asked her to try the new RM380 as her own Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW), the former Olympian and now nationally renowned shooting competitor and instructor said, “I’ll try it, but give me at least 400 rounds. I want to make sure it works.”
The RM380 met Franco’s high standards in 3 areas: reliability, concealment and comfort. “Before I said anything good about the gun, I wanted to make sure it worked for me,” said Franco.
After firing off 500 rounds, and having carried it in a Crossbreed IWB MiniTuck holster since early November, Franco gave the little pistol her stamp of approval. “It’s because I truly believe it, and that’s the most sincere thing I can do – to tell the truth,” said Franco.
I especially like the comfort factor it affords me. Women wear more stretchy fabric than men, and lower rise of jeans. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well I could conceal this firearm when wearing my normal attire.
Gabby carries her RM380 in a Crossbreed MiniTuck® holster.
Franco said she has not yet encountered a malfunction – failure to feed. She’s been shooting Remington Ultimate Defense Personal Defense (PD) Handgun Ammo. She said if she wants to step back and work on fundamentals, she’ll use her training gun and Barnes TAC-PD ammo. She recommends that people train with their firearms by using the appropriate ammo, intended for the use of that firearm.
Here’s Gabby Franco with her trusty RM380.
Also, because PD ammo is expensive, she reminds qualified concealed carriers to practice dry-firing without any ammo around at all. Dry fire is especially helpful when learning proper draw techniques from a holster. She said, “Dry fire can be your best friend or your worst enemy!” Franco encourages people who carry concealed to seek qualified training, and to get critiqued on how they shoot. She has practiced with the RM380 from 7 to 25 yards.
Remington shipped the RM380 in early November, and it should be in stores near you now. It comes with the following accouterments:
The RM380 also comes with a Micro Crimson Trace red laser, for $609.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
