If there was one trend on display last year, it was the ascendancy of the .380. The .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) was a product of the fertile mind of John Moses Browning and first saw the light of day in 1912 when it chambered in Fabrique Nationale's Mle. 1910 pistol. On this side of the Big Pond, Colt quickly offered its Model 1908 pistol in the same caliber.

As originally loaded, the .380 consisted of a straight walled, rimless case 17mm in length topped with full-metal-jacket bullets weighing 85 to 95 grains traveling at approximately 900 to 1,000 fps.

Over the years, the round--also known variously as 9mm Browning Short, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Corto and 9x17--became very popular and was even adopted as a service cartridge by several European armies and police agencies up until the 1960s.

In the U.S., however, it has generally been regarded as a low-end self-defense cartridge. While a far better performer than the .32 ACP--and usually chambered in pistols of the same size--it never achieved the same level of popularity until recently.

In the past few years, three trends have caused a dramatic increase of interest in .380 pistols: materials, ballistics and the expansion of concealed carry.

In the past, quality .380 pistols such as the Colt M1908 and the Walther PP/PPK were made of 100 percent steel and were quite heavy. The use of polymer frames in this class of pistols has lightened them significantly, making them much easier to carry all day.

The SIG Sauer was a favorite in many cases because of its similarities to the 1911, which all the testers shoot extensively in competition.

The use of improved propellants and high-tech jacketed hollowpoint bullets have dramatically improved the effectiveness of the .380 cartridge, making it a much more practical choice for defensive purposes without any real increase in recoil.

Last, as more and more states have adopted "shall issue" concealed carry laws, the demand for small, lightweight handguns has skyrocketed.

With all the new .380s on the market, the time seemed right to get a few of them and shoot them in a head-to-head test. We selected five: Ruger LCP, Kahr P380, Taurus TCP 738 SS, Walther PK380 and SIG Sauer P238 Nitron.

All five have steel slides and are locked-breech designs. The Ruger, Kahr, Walther and Taurus use polymer frames while the SIG Sauer's is made of aluminum alloy. The Kahr, Ruger and Taurus have double-action-only triggers while the Walther is a DA/SA and the SIG Sauer is a single action. All except the Walther have a 6+1 capacity; the Walther is 8+1.

The Walther is a midsize handgun, but all the rest are subcompacts (see chart for dimensions). The Kahr, Ruger and Taurus sport no manual safeties; the Walther has safety levers on both sides of the slide; and the SIG Sauer features a 1911-type thumb safety.