Second and last DB380 range report....

I shot a total of 100rds through my ZC model and first trip it failed to reset on the last shot. Today was the second time shooting it and the trigger failed to reset 3 times, 1 time it failed and took 3 trigger pulls for it to go bang and another time I had to eject the round and chamber a new one to reset it. This is 7 failed resets in 18 rounds. I had more ammo but I stopped shooting right there to save it for my P238 which has never had a single issue. The trigger pull is long and does not release the striker until its almost on top of the frame and reset (when it actually does) is all the way forward again. Diamondback makes you pay for shipping back to their facility and even a lifetime warranty is not going to improve the trigger pull/reset or make it stop slicing my hand. They did fix the feeding issues but everything they claim is better, certainly is not.

You could take a chance on it like I did but be prepared to lose money when you sell it back.

The concept is good, the fact it looks like a little Glock is neat but its far from anything worth owning. My P238 is still the best 380 pocket auto I've owned or shot. What DB needs to do is just risk being sued and copy the Glock trigger and mechanics inside or completely redesign the gun to make it worth while. When I goto pick up my next purchase the DB380 will be traded in.

If you want a good feeling pocket 380 that does not have a garbage trigger, get a P238 with big gun sights/night sights, short trigger reset and pull,low felt recoil and mags that actually eject when you push the mag release. Sig has sent me 2 3-recoil spring sets, 3 firing pin springs and a mag all free of charge. I've never had an issue even with the older recoil springs.

Sorry to hear that about your bad luck, but thanks for sharing. The wife has been wanting one of these for some time now, and despite the good things I've read in gun magazines, I've been somewhat skeptical of them after handling a few myself. I hated the trigger from the first instant I tried one, but she didn't mind it. Regardless, after hearing this, I think I will be spending my money elsewhere, probably on a Ruger.

Yes a P238, LCP or P3AT above the DB380 any day of the week. I had a P3AT and it was flawless, my dad has an LCP and it to is flawless. Their triggers are of the longer double action but nothing like the DB380. The SIG is my number one choice and nothing out there compares to it. If there was a target or plinking gun called the DB380 than it might be worth taking a shot on but a gun that was built for the purpose of defending one's life...... the DB380 needs to be taken back to the drawing board.

Magazines always hype up a gun and very few writers ever say anything negative with the exception of a one or two I've read over the years from various titles. There are a few people that I've read positive reviews about the DB380 and a couple of them will say that they shot 25rds through their DB380. As cheaply as my P3AT felt it functioned like it should, the LCP being a copy should be no different and the P238 of course is outstanding. I really took a chance on it against my better judgment but I too was drawn in to the "little Glock" look which are main carry guns when using them with my PA permit. If you go over to the DB forum you'll see people having issues galore but they still hold on to it because of the looks, or will send it in a bunch of times and still get a gun back with issues. Save your money, buy once cry once. I already had a perfect pocket gun and was hoping to have another one which mimic my 2 favorite platforms, the 1911 and Glock.

DB is suppose to be coming out with a 9mm gun but someone on the DB forum wrote them asking about it coming out and they got a reply that their not going to make one anymore. Its either because they are either so overwhelmed with DB380s coming in for "repair", they realize their current model already has a horrible reputation, made their 9mm in the same fashion and need to rethink their design or will soon be out of business. If a gun has FTF,FTE and so fourth thats one thing, when it has internal mechanical problems they seem to not want to address then its a flaw.

Im fairly new here, do alot of looking and reading but dont really post much. Here is my story of the DB380.
Originally bought their 1st series model when they first came out. (silver trigger/silver mag release)
Thougt they looked pretty cool, a minature "Glock"

Well threw it into the safe, and left it there for quite along time. Finally, I took it out for some range time.
Loaded up with PMC FMJ's and began to fire. First mag went well, so did the second. Tight groups at about 7yrds.
Trigger pull was excellent and the DB380 fit well in my hand. Recoil, not an issue.

Then the problems began, failure to extract!
Stripped it down, cleaned and lube it up! Same issues!

At one point I couldnt even get the slide back to remove te shell. Had to liteally pry the barrel back with a screwdriver!
I had enough...

Talked to the owner of the gunshop I had purchased this DB from, he called for a call tag and the DB380 was shipped out the next day!
IT took DB 5 business days to return my gun, and to my suprise they had replaced the entire firearm! It was there newest version, black trigger/black mag release.

Took it straight from the case to the range, again loaded up with PMC FMJ's and began to fire! Went through 200rnds as fast as I could pull the trigger-
No cleaning, lubing, nothing-and let me tell you the DB kept on firing!
Didnt have one malfnction, not one jam-Nothing! Overall, I am satisfied with DB's Customer Service-

The DB I bought a while back had ZAXXXX serial number and it had trigger reset problems out the ass! But after it was replaced with a DB with ZDXXXX serial number it has been 100% flawless with remington 88gr jhp. 300rds no problem, cleaned the gun after every 100rds. I emailed DB and asked when both guns were made and they told me the ZA pistols were made in november 2009 and the ZD pistols were made in october 2010.

E-mail diamondback and see when your pistol was made then try to get them to replace it with a newer model.

I really love mine, excellent sights, good accuracy, 100% reliable now, recoils very soft for such a small gun (shot 100rds non stop first session and 200rds non stop the second session and I could have kept on shooting if i didn't run out of ammo), pockets well, looks like a mini glock... what else could you ask for?

My ZAXXXX is back at the factory for the second and last time. I have requested that they replace it with a new model, my fingers are crossed.

Mine was a ZC series. I don't remember the date now but it was way after they "fixed" the reset issues yet I still had them left and right. No matter what they would of done, the slide bite my hand and the trigger pull did not release the striker until it basically hit the frame. Shot another 100rds through my P238 on Friday with zero failures with the older type recoil spring which I'm changing out every range session until I can put the newer free type in I got from Sig. The P238 is still like shooting a heavy weight 22lr which even the DB380 can't touch. I still think they just need to copy the trigger and rear frame tang of the Glock to even stay afloat.

Since most (notice MOST not all) of the people that buy pocket guns are either , A. Not gun people and/or B. Barely fire them, a good amount of them may not have problems nor will they care because "its like a little Glock". They could of hit a home run with the DB380 but the frame and everything contained inside of it needs major improvement before I could even look at one again. They copied the Glock slide enough to be ok, now they need to risk copying the internals at least to have a winner. They would then have a tiny pocket Glock that Glock will never produce but everyone wants.

I 100% agree with you there, a Glock trigger on this bad boy would make it even better! I also agree with the rear frame tang, you have to slightly modify your grip a bit but its not a problem really.



I'll say it again, e-mail or call Diamondback and request to have your gun replaced with the newest version they offer. What is there to lose? They pay shipping which is quick, all you have to do is refrain yourself from shooting up all your .380acp ammo through your sig (which from what you say and others seems to be a good pistol too).

I almost gave up on the company, I was going to sell the replacement they sent me to get some of my money back but I was convinced by a friend to shoot a magazine worth through it so I would really know if Diamondbacks were really pieces of Sh!t. I am glad I did shoot that mag, and then another 293 rounds 100% free of anything.



I understand... I know many people like that and it disgusts me! One bought a Ruger LCP, heard all about the hype, shot maybe 4 rounds of FMJ then loaded it up with HPs and called it good. He carries it often too. I told him I don't trust a gun until it has atleast 200 + rounds through it, not even a GLOCK.

Please give us a range report once you get it back!

Will do.

Thanks for the response. Its one of the better ones I've received on any gun forum.

Hate to say it but I sold the DB380 awhile ago now. The thing is the gun was 100% reliable with feeding and ejecting. The reset issue was a let down. The real problem is even if they fixed the reset issue 100% the trigger pull would still be ridiculously long with an equal type of reset. The P238 trigger, quick to fire and quick to reset. I put some VZ grips on it not to long ago and I swear the thing had no recoil like if I was shooting a 4lb 22lr pistol. No grip slipping, big tritium sighs stayed right on target, mag ejected with force, had a smooth and short trigger pull with an equally short reset. I can't say any of that about any other pocket pistol I've owned or shot. P3AT, LCP, DB380, Kahr not to mention a few lightweight snubs. If they ever decide to redesign what I mentioned I'll give it another look but as of right now there is no better pocket 380 than the P238 IMO.

Yea the trigger is probably my only complaint about the pistol. I think the trigger should have been where the front of the trigger guard is, but I do have large hands. I would really like to shoot a Sig P238, who knows I might want to trade for one I've gotten to the point where I can rapid fire with one hand and two hands and stay on target with the DB but I feel I can do MUCH better if I had a BETTER trigger on it. I've read where the Sigs trigger is 7.5-8.5 lbs pull, you think its heavy? I wonder if a gunsmith could lighten it up a bit maybe to 5 lbs or so.

I actually considered getting the P238 but went with the DB because of its thinness and lightweight. But now you got me intrigued by the Sigs trigger

What it boils down to is Reliability and then Shot Placement and It seems both pistols have worked out their kinks and are reliable so now it's a matter of personal preference on which one you can shoot the best.

The trigger on the P238 is not heavy at all whatever the pound rating is. There is also a guy on a 1911 forum that makes steel triggers for them. Its completely cosmetic but since I got a 2-tone I might get one just for looks. The other thing is the Sig holds the slide open on the last shot which is another feature most pocket autos lack. If you get one, make sure the magazine has the dimple/slope follower which is the newest type and the best by far.

Have you guys all properly broken your DBs in? Took 200 rounds for mine to start working.

I did and stopped when the issues didn't go away. Lots of rounds would not have fixed the trigger pull or reset issues though. The DB is made to hold high up on the frame like a Glock and when I did that it sliced my hand yet Glocks don't because the end of the tang is inline with the slide unlike the DB. The feeding,extracting and firing was 100% reliable.

I tried, but the gun just wouldn't cooperate.

UPS will be here tomorrow with my gun, I really hope they just replaced it.

Well UPS just dropped off my new Diamondback serial# ZD24XX.

Will get to the range this coming weekend and give it a try.

Yours is newer than mine! My serial # ZD20XX. You should have no problems, hope you like it as much as I do. I might be prairie dog hunting this weekend and I might try to pop one with my DB

The rounds I fed mine are from wal-mart. They are Remington 100rd value pack 88gr JHP. I bought 4 boxes at 39.00 a box after taxes. Also test them in 1 gallon water jugs, penetrated roughly 3 jugs and either ended up right inbetween the 3rd and 4th jug or lodged in the 4th jug plastic wall. 1 partially expanded and 4 did not expand at all. Which if you ask me is a good SD round in 380acp, majority will penetrate to the vitals while some might open up dispersing all the energy into the target.

Does anyone feed their DB's Winchester Ranger? I cant get mine to feed them reliably at all. I also had just about every problem that anyone talked about in this thread during the 200rd. breakin. Everything's gone away except not being able to feed my rangers. BTW mine's a ZA90xx serial #

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