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Seecamp .380

American Handgunner, May, 2000 by Charles E. Petty

The world's most sought-after pocket pistol just got better without getting bigger.

The late Louis Seecamp manufactured precisely two products in 1984: a double-action conversion for the 1911 Government Model and a tiny little stainless steel .25 ACP pistol known as the LWS .25. While there has been smaller .25 ACP pistols, the Seecamp broke new ground with the combination of a DAO trigger and small size.

Then in June 1985 the LWS .32 came into being, exactly the same size as the .25 but chambered in .32 ACP. The little pistol has achieved cult status among serious gun carriers. Mine has been an almost constant companion for over 10 years.

More Articles of Interest: Seecamp .380 auto: this tiny tough-guy upgrades the punch of a classic design; An Embarrassment Of Riches - Brief Article; Custom NAA Guardian .32 ACP: A factory custom version of this compact pistol...; These ain't your Grandpa's pocket pistols: nope, these mouse guns can handle...; North American Arms' Guardian in .380 caliber.(FIREARMS REVIEW)

The LWS .32 was so successful that it actually changed the industry. If history is any judge, Seecamp's newest handgun, a .380 ACP version the same size as the .32, will cause repercussions throughout the concealable handgun world.

The only thing that limited the success of the LWS .32 was the company's inability to produce enough guns to satisfy demand. This situation will continue and probably grow with the .380. Production of the two guns will continue, but those who are already on the waiting list for a .32 will be given the option of changing their order. Larry Seecamp, son of the late founder, reports that the addition of a new heat-treatment furnace will remove one major production bottleneck and he hopes to be able to increase production by 50 percent. Even so, Seecamp is, and wants to remain, a small company. Production will be a few hundred guns per month rather than per day.

The .32 was specifically designed to work with one type of ammunition: the Winchester Silvertip. There is a spacer in the magazine which prevents longer cartridges from being loaded. If you want to shoot a Seecamp, you shoot Silvertips, period.

Now there's nothing wrong with this. Gelatin testing that I've done over the years showed the Silvertip to be a good round. Eventually the rest of the ammo companies decided that the .32 ACP might be worth investigating and the next thing you know we had Federal HydraShok, Speer Gold Dot and Hornady XTP all loaded between 0.900" and 0.910" to fit Seecamp's magazine.

On a parallel track, several gun makers were gearing up to offer the .32 ACP in a small, pocket pistol thanks to the increased number of states with "liberal" CCW laws. Within a very short period of time we had compact .32s from Beretta, Kel-Tec, North American Arms and Autauga Arms. All are similar in size and operation to the Seecamp and helped fill the demand created by the scarcity of Seecamps.

Oh yes, Seecamps have always been scarce. Asking prices from those who horde them for resale are often double the suggested retail of $425. And they sell. If there is a surprise in this story, it is that the industry waited so long before it stepped up to the .32 plate.

A Bigger Hole

The LWS .380 is the same size as the .32 version. Yes, there are some tiny dimensional differences, but the first practical test took no measuring at all. My .32 has lived in a Kramer pocket holster for years. The two are fitted together as only constant wear can do. The .380 slipped right into my .32 holster. The gun is the same size!

If there is a smaller .380 pistol than the Seecamp on the market, it will be news to me.

Seecamp's biggest challenge in upsizing the .32 is to manage the considerable recoil of the .380 ACP without being forced to increase the weight of the slide. Seecamp's approach is low-tech and almost as old as the autoloader, but it works quite well. A groove, in this case a pretty substantial trench, is cut in the chamber wall. When the gun is fired, the brass expands into the groove and holds the case in the chamber until the pressure drops as the bullet leaves the barrel. The case then shrinks a little and is pulled from the chamber by the extractor.

In the case of the .380, the groove covers the bottom third of the chamber. Measurement of some fired cases show that the body expands by about 0.010". The case has a pretty rough trip from chamber to ground and shows distinct marks from the extractor and ejector. You can see some pretty serious scratches on the case caused by being pulled out of the chamber.

In addition, many cases show significant dents at the mouth. The case expansion is not a cause for concern in terms of function or safety, but it will be a concern for reloaders. My advice is to not attempt to reload for this gun. It isn't a plinker anyhow.

As with the .32 version, Seecamp recommends the use of Winchester Silvertip ammo exclusively. For a manufacturer to limit his gun to one brand and style of ammo is so rare that it required investigation, but let me say from the outset Seecamp is right.

Cutting straight to the bottom line, this is an issue of reliability. My testing included all of the popular .380 defense loads. The Silvertip is different in one very important respect-- it has the lightest bullet. Most .380s use 90 or 95 gr. weights, but the Silvertip weighs 85 grs. You wouldn't think 5 grs. would make a difference, but it does.

Seecamp .380

American Handgunner, May, 2000 by Charles E. Petty

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