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Editor’s Rating: 9.0/10
Users’ Rating (Click a star to rate this gun.)
Summary: Bruce Eimer’s review of and rating for the Seecamp LWS .380 pistol, including a description, range report, photos, pricing, specs and user ratings. (Click here to see all of Eimer’s handgun reviews.)
Editor’s Review
L.W. Seecamp, a family owned gun maker in business since 1973, produces a line of semiauto pocket pistols chambered in .32 ACP and .380 ACP called the LWS .32 and LWS .380, respectively. I own each, and a .25 ACP model, too (alas, the .25 ACP model is no longer in production). My review of these guns follows.
The Details
Seecamp pistols are double-action-only, flush-hammer fired, fixed barrel, retarded blowback semiautos built on a stainless steel frame with a stainless steel slide. They’re manufactured without sights (which can snag) because they are designed to point-shoot at bad-breath distances for self defense.
Except for the California edition, the Seecamp has no manual safeties. (The California version has been modified to incorporate a trigger-blocking, manually operated safety that fulfills California’s manual safety requirements.) Like a revolver, it requires a long trigger pull for every shot. According to the manual, “The gun is safe before you pull the trigger and safe after you pull the trigger—the length of trigger pull securing the gun against accidental firing.”
The gun also features a passive magazine safety: You can’t fire the gun by pulling the trigger or retract the slide far enough for a feed cycle unless the magazine is in place.
Magazine capacity is six rounds in both the LWS .32 and LWS .380. (The .25 ACP model holds seven rounds.)
Seecamp’s pistols are the same size in all three calibers. Total weight of each of these pistols loaded measures approximately 13.5 oz. The external measurements: 4.25″ long, 3.25″ tall and .725 inches wide (i.e., the slide).
Disassembly for cleaning is easy and clearly described in the owner’s manual. You can download a copy from the Seecamp Web site by clicking here.
Larry Seecamp, the company’s co-founder and president, created this pistol design along with his late father. He says all of its internal components are hand fit, and that although it’s manufactured in a state-of-the-art machine shop, every copy spends more time during the manufacturing process in the hands of a highly trained, dedicated gunsmith than it does on an automated assembly line.
Seecamp says each pistol is tested rigorously at every phase in the manufacturing process and is exhaustively fired and tested for function and reliability. He personally hand tests every copy during its production before it’s deemed ready for shipment.
Every pistol comes with a lifetime warranty.
Range Report
The LWS .25 will feed full metal jacket, lead tipped and hollowpoint ammunition, but both the LWS .32 and the LWS .380 are designed around hollowpoint ammunition. My favorite ammunition for my Seecamp .32 pistols (also recommended by Larry Seecamp) is Speer Gold Dot, Federal Hydra Shok, Winchester Silvertip, and Hornady 60 grain XTP. For my Seecamp .380, (also recommended by Larry Seecamp) it’s Speer Gold Dot, Remington Golden Saber, and Winchester Silvertip.
Every member of my Seecamp family has performed faithfully in each of its many past trips to the range, but for this article I packed my three LWS .32s and my one LWS .380 for another test session at the range using Birchwood Casey 8″ Bull’s-Eye Shoot N C paster targets.
The LWS .380
With my LWS .380, I went through a box of fifty 85-grain Winchester Silvertips. My gun fired every round flawlessly.
Shooting with a two-handed grip and aiming for the bull’s-eye, I ran three magazines through the little .380 at 10 yards. I was able to put all 18 rounds onto the target, six of them landing within the 8 and 9 rings, and three landing on the bullseye. Recoil was noticeable, but very manageable.
Also shooting with a two-handed grip, I ran two magazines at 7 yards and one magazine at 5 yards and produced tighter groups. With 14 rounds left, I did the remainder of my shooting with my LWS .380 at 3 yards and in (6 feet and 4 feet) using one hand. Rapid fire, one-handed point shooting sent all rounds onto the target. My trigger finger was just fine after shooting.
The LWS .32
With 60 rounds of .32 ACP 60-grain Speer Gold Dot hollowpoints, I ran 20 rounds through each of my LWS .32s and experienced flawless performance. Recoil was noticeably less than with the LWS .380. Consequently, I felt bolder and shot faster, and my groupings were about the same as with the .380 on the Shoot N C targets. An additional 20 rounds of Fiocchi 60-grain lead-tipped hollowpoints also performed flawlessly. Accuracy was about the same. All three LWS .32s were easy and pleasant to shoot.
Surprisingly for such small pistols, they’re actually fun to shoot! (Bonus: This makes it more likely you’ll practice with your personal defense tool.) They feature a trigger that’s smooth and even, with a clean break and no over-travel.
Both are highly controllable and accurate, and for the tiny guns that they are, they fit most willing hands quite well.
Concealed Carry
Robert Locke of San Antonio, Texas, owns Meco Pocket Holsters. I have two, and they keep my Seecamp straight up in my pocket and discreetly concealed. These holsters don’t print, and perhaps most important, they remain in your pocket when you draw your gun. The front “wing” onthe Meco Batman holster helps to keep the rig in the pocket, and the wallet flap on the back pocket holster that disguises the little pistol’s outline.
My Seecamps and also enjoy traveling in Jim Surrusco’s Hidden Pocket Holsters. Surrusco’s back pocket holster and rough out holster with thumb push off are light, unobtrusive and work great. They’re also very pretty—too bad they’re hidden!
Final Thoughts
Seecamp are meant to be used up close and personal, which is where the majority of close encounters of the worst kind occur. Nevertheless, Seecamps in all three calibers produce respectable groups at up to 7 yards, which is way beyond the distance at which the majority of deadly attacks occur.
The LWS .380 is one of the smallest .380 ACP semi-autos on the market, and the LWS .32 is one of the smallest .32 ACP semiautos on the market. Despite this, all of my Seecamps are natural pointers and fit my medium-sized hand just fine, making them an excellent choice for pocket carry.
Bottom line: These Seecamps are truly great pistols that come in a small package.
Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D., is a practicing licensed psychologist, a Pennsylvania State Police Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor and an NRA Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor who advocates for responsible gun ownership and thorough gun education. He is the founder and president of Personal Defense Solutions, LLC, a professional firearms training company in the Philadelphia area that offers non-resident multi-state concealed gun permit classes and private firearm instruction sessions as described at PersonalDefenseSolutions.net. Dr. Eimer also qualifies retired police officers to carry concealed firearms under HR 218, which is the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (for more information, go to RetiredPoliceCCW.com). And he writes a blog at ConcealedCarryLaw.com and runs the online forum DefensiveHandguns.com.
The Specs
Caliber | Capacity | BBL | Overall Length | Height | Width | Weight |
.32 ACP | 6+1 | 2.06″ | 4.25″ | 3.25″ | .91″ | 13.25 oz. fully loaded |
Pricing & Shopping
MSRP: $795
The recoil on the .380 is really painful, in my opinion.
I carry mine everywhere
I have a beautiful Hellcat and Shield that I wear usually but I always, always, always have my 380 Seecamp in my pocket- first rule in a gun fight is?——-bring a gun…
I notice that the recoil on my LWS .380 was very painful. Actually prefer firing P10 45 but doesn’t, conceal as well as LWS .380.
I carry in front pocket without holster and keep extra magazine in rear pocket on opposite side, piece in RH front pocket and magazine in LH rear pocket.
Any advice?
I also carry a Para P10,45 cal with the seecamp 380 as backup.
I’ve shot the Taurus TCP, and the recoil in these ultra-light. 380’s is way too snappy, for my taste. I myself would probably buy a Phoenix HP22.
I carry mine everywhere
I have a beautiful Hellcat and Shield that I wear usually but I always, always, always have my 380 Seecamp in my pocket- first rule in a gun fight is?——-bring a gun…
I believe that if you ever had to actually use your .380 in an emergency situation you wouldn’t even notice recoil. With adreneline flowing you won’t feel anything.
You are 100% correct
LWS 380 bites the trigger finger. I grasp it very firmly to minimize the recoil and bite. It is a little tiger , extremely concealable in back pocket holster. I carry it everyday as a backup, it is a great piece, and extremely well made.
It took allot of training to get used to my 357 j but i did . How dose the lws 380 compare
Ditto from Ross,above you. Except that I tried the new Ruger ARX ammo. A light,composite bullet , less kick and a much faster bullet, I imagine gives better trajectory. Cycles quite well.
Where can I see and hold one .380?
Hunter sports in Massapequa.Long Isliand,NY, Had some in stock. Nice guys.
Sure, the .380 is more “painful” to shoot than say “a PPK/S”, but geeze…I’d rather suffer from a sore hand than be carried by six several days later should I ever have to employ it in an encounter.
I know this article was written a few years ago but something that bears correction is regarding their “Lifetime Warranty”. According to the card that came with mine, purchased in May of 2018, it is now warranted for only one year. Not comforting for such a delicate and complex little gun.
I own and practice with both the 380 and the 32
I read where some wrote the recoil is painful. Well these are pistols always on me, I will have it if needed, not knowing when. This is the reason I bought them. Adrenaline in the day I would need to defend myself would keep me from feeling any recoil. If I knew I was going to be in a gun battle I would bring my M1A 308 rifle. But since it will fall upon me unaware, recoil during practice since this pistol will be the one most likely drawn. My 9mm Shield is not always on my hip but the Seecamp is always in my pocket.
David…I also practice with both calibers. I’m curious, though…do you find the .32 more accurate? If patiently done (no adrenaline pumping), I can shoot within a 3″ circle at 7 yards with mine compared to the .380 which will keyhole and suffer a few flyers. Just curious.
The 32 is more accurate in my opinion also
no one mentions the pocket slipper aimer ..i bought it with my 32 special order from seacamp . how and where can i get a new battery installed or buy a new one. the laser is such a no brainer ,makes it my favorite pocket piece and it looks like a wallet . once you try one your hooked cant miss at 40 yards out and at 21 feet or less bullseye .
I need a new battery for mine also but cannot find one or even find the voltage. you have any luck?
Just so you know the pocket slipper takes a 3volt Lithium battery , size is a 1/3N. Unfortunately it is a tabbed configuration and a little engineering is required to wire it in. Hope this helps, I was able to replace mine.
In comparison to other pistols I have or previously owned, regardless of size or caliber, my Seecamp 380 is of superior build quality. I have carried it for a little over two years. It is so comfortable to carry that I have to make an effort to remember I have it when entering places where carry is unauthorized. I highly recommend it, even as a sole carry piece.
Concur with that, especially when using the pocket holster available “from” Seecamp (as I’m not sure who it’s outsourced to).
Hello,
I am at a crossroad between Seecamp’s .380 and .32. I wanted the .380, but after seeing reviews of slides coming off and one person who was on a video at a range and said his went back twice and after he got it back you can see the first shot he took, the slide slid off breaking in two. It split in half long ways, one part going down range and the other part hitting him in his face. He claims he is knowledgeable about firearms and the workings of the Seecamp. Any thoughts?!
Save your money. The Seecamps, while desireable for their compact size and solid “feel”, are not something I would trust my life to, especially the current production. Back when the Seecamp father and son were alive, well, and running the company, I understand these were decent guns. The current production metallurgy and workmanship leaves much to be desired. These guns are literally a delicately balanced Rube Goldberg type contraption and that they ever work at all is nothing short of a miracle. I wanted one badly when the originals came out in the 1980’s, but could not afford one. Back in 2018, I just had to have one and regretted it. First trip to the range, my Seecamp .380 literally field stripped itself after a round was fired. It ejected cases back into my face, something I found unsafe and unacceptable. The factory agreed to take it back and check it out. They said it seemed to be okay as far as not field stripping itself under fire, but they could not control what direction empty cases were ejected in. I found a comment somewhere online that the Jr Seecamp could manipulate the direction cases were ejected in by bending the magazine lips a certain way. Unfortunately, he didn’t share that wisdom and method with the new owners when he sold the company, sometime before he died. When the gun came back, first trip to the range a pin broke or stripped and would not stay in.
I sold mine back to the store I bought it from at a loss but was grateful that they took it off of my hands.
Take your chances with a Kel-Tec or similar. You won’t be out as much bread if it doesn’t work. They aren’t as solidly feeling or tiny, but if you are lucky and get one that works, it is lighter and easier on your hand under recoil, plus it won’t throw hot brass in your face.
WOW- What a devastating review. I have had my Seecamp 380 for a couple of years. I have only been to the range with it a few times to fire two magazines each time. While I agree that it has some kick, that is understandable, given its compact size. I also find disassembly to be a chore and that care must be taken in properly assembling the somewhat delicate parts. Properly assembling being the key words. Having said all of that, I have not had any problems with mine. Using the recommended ammo is also a key factor. I am quite willing to put up with these somewhat annoying features for the convenience of having such a quality built easily concealable carry piece. While I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone, it suits my needs very well.
I have a Seecamp 32 which was made in 1998. Great little pocket gun that I have carried everyday since I bought it as a used gun in 2005. I put a Slipper laser on it which was great for carrying and sighting. Battery is now down in the Slipper but I have no problem hitting paper plates thirty yards without the laser. I actually used it after winning a steel plate match with my glock to shoot against a gun who laughed at my “mouse gun” Beat him from low ready shooting 6 plates and the Slipper was working then. My 2008 32 is a great well made gun.
Sorry, not 30 yards…. 30 feet