.380 acp ammo for self defense
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bigfatdave
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For starters, this subject has been beaten to death.
You have to choose between penetration and expansion with most .380 loads, so you have the option of looking for a hot-loaded FMJ/TMJ round, or looking for a round that expands reliably at the velocities .380acp will reach.
here's a link to some ballistics testing on a few commercial loads.
You have to choose between penetration and expansion with most .380 loads, so you have the option of looking for a hot-loaded FMJ/TMJ round, or looking for a round that expands reliably at the velocities .380acp will reach.
here's a link to some ballistics testing on a few commercial loads.
sixgunner455
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Well, lately, it's been the kind that you can find to buy. 
Personally, I don't get to fussed in that caliber. I'd be fine with ball rounds. Penetration is key.
Personally, I don't get to fussed in that caliber. I'd be fine with ball rounds. Penetration is key.Whatever feeds reliably in your pistol.
Premium ammo will be easier to find than FMJ, so may as well pick up hollow points. Worst they can do is fail to expand and act like full metal jacketed rounds. Actually, the worst they could do would be to expand and fail to penetrate to more than a wounding depth. Too much depends on the target, really, since the round doesn't have any power to spare.
FMJs ought to give you the penetration you want, but won't have the velocity to deform, fragment, or otherwise create a hole larger than you'd expect.
I use Winchester Ranger Ts because they load reliably and are supposed to have a flash that won't blind me at night, but wouldn't feel any worse with blazer brass.
Premium ammo will be easier to find than FMJ, so may as well pick up hollow points. Worst they can do is fail to expand and act like full metal jacketed rounds. Actually, the worst they could do would be to expand and fail to penetrate to more than a wounding depth. Too much depends on the target, really, since the round doesn't have any power to spare.
FMJs ought to give you the penetration you want, but won't have the velocity to deform, fragment, or otherwise create a hole larger than you'd expect.
I use Winchester Ranger Ts because they load reliably and are supposed to have a flash that won't blind me at night, but wouldn't feel any worse with blazer brass.
bigfatdave
Member
Good point, and the HP rounds are probably loaded hotter than FMJ range ammo, too ... so you either get a funny-shaped wadcutter, or expansion in the target.
Like anything with a handgun, it is a compromise, SHAGGY101, but in the end what counts is shot placement, depth, and width ... in that order.
So after you make a choice, make damn sure your carry ammo feeds and shoots to the same POA as the cheap stuff, and then get some serious practice in.
Sadly, there isn't a .22 clone of the LCP/P3AT platform that I know of, because practice with .380 can get expensive these days.
Erich
Member
Here's a recent discussion of the topic with chrono data and thoughts on bullet types:
http://elsiepeaforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4638.0
http://elsiepeaforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4638.0
Just One Shot
Member
I watched a show last week on .380 handguns and they did a review of Hornady's .380 Critical Defense. I believe the show was The American Gaurdian.
They fired it into bare geletin and got 12" of penetration with perfect expansion.
Next, they used the FBI test where they fired it through a leather jacket and multiple layers of fabric. They achieved the same results, 12" of penetration with perfect expansion.
If you were to lay the 2 rounds side by side you couldn't tell the difference between the bare geletin and the covered.
I believe it was fired from the Ruger LCP since that was the gun they were using on the rest of the show.
I was impressed and happy because this is the carry ammo I have loaded in both my CC mags.
They fired it into bare geletin and got 12" of penetration with perfect expansion.
Next, they used the FBI test where they fired it through a leather jacket and multiple layers of fabric. They achieved the same results, 12" of penetration with perfect expansion.
If you were to lay the 2 rounds side by side you couldn't tell the difference between the bare geletin and the covered.
I believe it was fired from the Ruger LCP since that was the gun they were using on the rest of the show.
I was impressed and happy because this is the carry ammo I have loaded in both my CC mags.
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i like winchester silver tips, eldorado starfire, and federal hydroshocks in my .380. i dont know if corbon has their flying gold dot round in .380 as i havent found any, but then i wasnt looking that hard at the time either. but if they do that is also a good round.
defense round 380acp
I personally like the extreme shock ammo.i've seen test of what it can do and it's very impressive. I carry the fangface rounds in my 380.i've test fired a friend lcp and it will shoot about anything and was very acurate.currently looking one for myself to carry as a backup for my beretta 380.
I personally like the extreme shock ammo.i've seen test of what it can do and it's very impressive. I carry the fangface rounds in my 380.i've test fired a friend lcp and it will shoot about anything and was very acurate.currently looking one for myself to carry as a backup for my beretta 380.
03Shadowbob
Member
Extreme shock
First of all, welcome to THR. While Extreme Shock ammo has lots of pretty colors with a price tag as inflated as the tough-guy attitude of the "agent" on the packaging, the general consensus is that it's not worth the money. I know YMMV and all that, so could you please share your experiences that led you to observe what extreme shock can do? What did you shoot at? What did it do that EFMJ, JHP, or a ball round wouldn't? What impressed you about the round?
MadMercS55
Member
I run Hornady Critical Defense in my LCP and P232's right now. Otherwise just 95grn FMJ, usually Magtech since it's easy to find most places around here.
Glock Holiday
Member
I also carry Hornady Critical Defense ammo in my LCP.
MICHAEL T
Member
Corbon DPX
If your interested in the actual performance of some of these rounds from a short barreled pocket pistol I refer you to Jeff Quinn's LCP report at
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-LCP.htm
Based on Jeff's data I now carry the Buffalo Bore Gold Dot in my Desert Eagle Micro and or my P-3ATs.
This stuff is expensive but I have tested enough of it to know it is reliable in all my pocket 380s.
http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-LCP.htm
Based on Jeff's data I now carry the Buffalo Bore Gold Dot in my Desert Eagle Micro and or my P-3ATs.
This stuff is expensive but I have tested enough of it to know it is reliable in all my pocket 380s.
V1ROT8
Member
Hornady Critical Defense in my LCP, SR9 and my SP-101. I feel comfortable here.
dal205
Member
When I got my LCP last year, I could only find Corbon and Hydra-shoks. I liked the Hydra-shoks better than Corbon (recoil, accuracy) and have carried them this year. I plan to swap out my carry ammo at the first of the year and want to evaluate both the 102gr Golden Sabers and the Hornady Critical Defense. Based on everything I've read, I'll be carrying the Critical Defense if they're reliable in my LCP.
Gunsafe
Member
Right now I'm using ball ammo in my LCP. I bought a box of Corbon PowerBall ammo but haven't tried it yet. I'm hoping to get some range time Friday to try it out. Anyone had experience with the PowerBall?
I read this often. The one comment I have is to test what ball ammo you are using. In some informal wet newspaper pentration testing I did the ball rounds penetrated less than the Hornady Critical defense rounds did, even with the critical defense's expansion. I didn't have my chrono that day but it was very apparent from the difference in recoil that the critical defense was a hotter load. Thus, if you want ball ammo for penetration make sure you are using a load that will actually provide that. A lot of ball ammo is range/target/plinking ammo and not surprisingly is not loaded as hot as it could be.
bigfatdave
Member
Repeated for importance.
Just because you are willing to trade expansion for penetration (a legitimate choice in mousegun calibers) does NOT mean that your cheapo range ammo is suitable for carry ammo, unless you're plinking with the hotter stuff.
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