Best self defense ammo for an LCP .380?

Shot placement and sufficient penetration are paramount, all else is secondary.
Expanding rds for the .380 don't have sufficient penetration so it's FMJ/solids only for the wife's Kahr P380 (Buffalo Bore 100gr hard cast).
If I had to use an expanding rd for the .380 I'd look at the CorBon DPX all-copper or the similar Buffalo Bore loading.
Tomac

In Florida, you don't have to worry about heavy clothes being in the way.
I also don't strictly subscribe to the "12 inches or more" FBI penetration guidelines. So while expanding .380 is a little lacking compared to... anything more substantial, really, you'll be just fine with Critical Defense, Gold Dot, or any of the other big names you can find right now.
But I do agree that CorBon DPX is considered sort of the holy grail of .380 loads. Nothing's perfect, but that's as good as it gets.

Nobody can tell you what is the "only stuff that works in your gun." What you find to function well in your gun is what works.

When I carried a "pocket .380", which was admittedly rare, it was stoked with what I could find that ran in the gun, a Grendel P10. That was (and still is, though the gun is no longer regularly carried) simple Remington-UMC 95-grain FNEB stuff. It's a semi-jacketed flat-nosed lead solid round. Didn't worry me one bit.

My P32 is loaded with two rounds (first two up) of flat-tipped WWB FMJ stuff, followed by Fiocchi RN-FMJ, the latter being strictly for the prevention of rimlock (which is not a concern for you, as .380 ammo is not subject to rimlock as .32 is.)

You say you've already started carrying it. With what is it currently loaded, and have you proofed that load?

Rock what you got, and worry about the "super-trendy-whizz-bang" stuff when you can find, afford, and proof it.

ball ammo, Remington Express

I think Critical Defense is gimmick ammo. I think that it is a solution looking for a problem. And I seriously doubt that any other premium defensive ammo is any more or less likely to fail to expand with clothing than Critical Defense.

It's a free country, and you can do what you want, but I think that very small guns are not good beginner guns. They are harder to aim and shoot accurately.

If I carried a .380, (or more likely, someone I know insisted on carrying one against my advice,) I would steer them towards hot loads like thos available from Double-Tap, to try to bridge the gap between .380 and 9mm.

You do what you want.

Buffalo Bore Hard cast flat nose.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=127

My LCP eats any FMJ ammo I've fed it, and has never seen a JHP. Currently, it's loaded with Silver Bear FMJ, because it is reliable, steel jacketed and penetrates well.

I use FMJ in 380 for better feeding and penetration. If you feel you need a +P or +P+ get a 9mm parabellum.

I load the Mrs. with Golden Saber because it's 102 grains and I'm a fan of bigger=better. It feeds flawlessly in her gun and if it expands, great. If it doesn't expand, it's the same as FMJ.
Mostly though, it has to feed 100% that's how you'll choose the right ammo for you.

If you try buffalo Bore or Cor-bon hot stuff make sure it works in your pistol. That's the only stuff my LCP doesn't run flawlessly.

I run Speer Gold Dots primarily... or whatever federal premium JHP is available.

Or Fiocchi FMJ...

Tomac said:

.Expanding rds for the .380 don't have sufficient penetration so it's FMJ/solids only for the wife's Kahr P380 (Buffalo Bore 100gr hard cast)..

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Those BB loads have over thirty inches of penetration. Nothing wrong with that, perhaps.
Oh, and a FMJ is not a "hard cast".. they are FMJ.

Federal works fine in mine also.

Barnes Tac-XP bullet from ASYM Precision.

http://store.chencustom.com/category_s/117.htm

When I had an LCP, it was stoked with CorBon DPX.

Winchester Q4206 FMJ flat nose. The flat nose crushes more tissue than a round nose FMJ.

Winchester Q4206 FMJ flat nose.

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+1 on that. This is what I carry in my LCP.

Wilson Combat XTP. Low flash and low recoil. Penetrates 12" and expands some, certainly more than a flat nose.

.380

No one thinks a second about carrying hollow points in a .38 special. Why then would they not carry HP's in a .380? There seems to be little difference between the two as far as "numbers" go. I prefer penetration over expansion IF YOU MUST CHOOSE ONLY ONE. Is that the case with the .380? Seems the greater likely hood is that a HP may not expand at .380 velocities.

If that occurs, you still have the penetration of ball ammo. If the round does expand, I suspect you would still get several inches of penetration. My position on this is "if your mouse gun will reliably run HP's there is no reason not to carry them". In the .380's I've fired (Sig, Ruger, Keltec, North American) I've had almost no problems feeding HP's. Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd carry Remington Golden Saber in the first mag. If the pistol would run it.

If the round does expand, I suspect you would still get several inches of penetration.

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and what if that's not enough? maybe several inches on a thin human is enough but according to .gov we're becoming an obese nation, 3" of fat first could make your several inches of penetration worthless

mes228 said:

No one thinks a second about carrying hollow points in a .38 special. Why then would they not carry HP's in a .380?

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Actually, it took the ammo industry decades to come up with 38 special load that would penetrate and expand reliably per FBI testing protocols out of a snubnose.

JHPs out of 380 mousegun barrels usually don't penetrate anywhere close to the 12" minimum if they expand. I've noted the exceptions to the rule elsewhere (XTP, HydraShok). And the reason they are exceptions is because they expand less than average.

Shawn Dodson said:

Winchester Q4206 FMJ flat nose. The flat nose crushes more tissue than a round nose FMJ.

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I've used that ammo for plinking but for carry ammo I have doubts about their QC, it's still just ammo made to a price point.

I've settled on Remington Express not because it's a magic bullet but because it was the accepted standard target ammo and carried the brand quality that shooters used to demand.

.380

There are videos I've seen with the Rem. Gld. Saber in .380 penetrating ballistic gelatin as far as ball ammo does. The point was clogged with the denim they covered the gelatin with. There was no expansion, but plenty of penetration. However, I must admit to not really knowing anything "for sure". I'm just a shooter and a reader. The main point I was making is the perception difference between .38 special and .380 auto. Essentially the same in performance numbers yet I think most would use HP's in a .38 special.

If you handload and cast, the Lee 105 grain SWC works pretty good. It makes a hole much bigger than itself in/through meat and bone.. from the get go.

Why then would they not carry HP's in a .380? There seems to be little difference between the two as far as "numbers" go.

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The most important "number" is sectional density. A 90gr .380 JHP bullet has a sectional density of 0.102. Whereas 110gr .38 Special has a sectional density of 0.123; 125gr has a sectional density of 0.140; and 135gr has a sectional density of 0.153.

.380 ACP cannot propel a JHP bullet that possesses sufficient sectional density to reliably achieve adequate penetration after the bullet expands.

If a bullet has to first pass through an arm to penetrate the chest then the bullet can lose as much as 30% of its TOTAL penetration potential. Thus a bullet that normally penetrates 10" may, in this situation, penetrate only 7" TOTAL. If you subtract 3-4 inches just for passing through an arm then you have 3-4 inches penetration potential remaining to reach and damage vitals in the torso.