Ammo for PPK, PPK/S and Mauser HSc

[Bedfordtec]

I am trying to determine the most reliable ammo for the .380 pocket pistols. The PPK is a new Walther and the PPK/S is a S&W. The HSc is Interarms. All have been broker in but the PPK/S is finicky in that it likes FMJ that is blunt tip but will function with round nose. The HSc required break in and the PPK funstioned flawlessly. I would prefer 95 grain. Winchester seems to work well. How about PMC Bronze Hollow Points? Suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

 

[Tallball]

My 32's and 380's always seem to like the European FMJ. S&B and Fiocchi are always good for me.

I've had good results with Aguila, too.

 

[5-SHOTS]

European cartridges are usually charged a little spicer and FMJ-RN are the standard because in some Countries (for example Italy) hollow point bullets are firbidden for self defense.
So, .380ACP FMJ-RN, 90 and 95 grains from manufacturers like Fiocchi, Sellier & Bellot, Geco, RWS should be perfect.
However, the best .380 FMJ-RN that I ever fired in my ex Colt Goverment 380 stainless were old UMC with the yellow box but I imagine that are next to impossible to find nowadays.

 

[CajunBass]

My Walther (not a S&W) PPK/S seems to run with everything I've tried. Blazer Brass, Rem-UMC in FMJ, and Remington HTP? 88 grain HP. Those have pretty much the same profile as FMJ, so it didn't surprise me when those fed without a hitch and shot to point of aim. It also worked fine with some limited shooting with NovX 80 grain copper HP's. Those are a light, high velocity (claimed 1100 FMS, iirc.) SD round. That stuff was pretty expensive ($40.00 for 20) so I didn't shoot it a lot, but it worked and shot fine. Seemed to have a bit more "pop" shooting it, but nothing I could say scientific. I do plan to get some more. Interesting round but not something I'll plink cans with.

 

[doubleh]

My wife's not S&W made PPK/s handles round nose and hollow point just fine. Neither of us found it to be a fun gun to shoot. It is a bear in all considerations compared to the S&W EZ.

 

[5-SHOTS]

My wife's not S&W made PPK/s handles round nose and hollow point just fine. Neither of us found it to be a fun gun to shoot. It is a bear in all considerations compared to the S&W EZ.

Yes, straight blowback 380s are on the snappy side while locked breech 380s are pussycats.

 

[Ethan Verity]

My new production PPK is flawless with anything I feed it... for concealed carry, I just load it up with the same rounds I use for my other defensive 380s... the 90gr Hornady XTP American Gunner rounds.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Had all 3 of those at one time or another. My old Walthers liked Geco and Fiochi FMJ and nothing else. The HsC wouldn't run well at all no matter what you fed it.

 

[Charlie98]

Yes, straight blowback 380s are on the snappy side while locked breech 380s are pussycats.

I have a locked breech Colt Government .380, and my brother a PPK/s... there is a definite difference in pistol recoil. I hate that PPK/s.

FWIW, we carried Federal HydraShoks in both .380's for years, they fed well, and shot well enough. I don't really recall that his PPK/s, which I believe is a S&W one, had problems with anything we fed it. I think he has Speer GoldDots in it, now.

 

[5-SHOTS]

I have a locked breech Colt Government .380, and my brother a PPK/s... there is a definite difference in pistol recoil. I hate that PPK/s.

I had a Beretta 84F: sold after two range trips and 200 rounds total. The safety/decocker lever hitted the base of my right thumb badly every shot.

I too had a Colt Goverment 380 stainless. It was a pussycat, a real pleasure to shoot. I shot well over 2000 rounds with it. Sold it just because I was afraid that with the increasing round count something could break and the possibility of finding spare parts is practically none. But I loved to shoot it.
I'm sure that pistols like the Walther PK380, the S&W EZ380, the SIG-Sauer P365 .380, the Ruger LC380 are a hoot to shoot, just like my ex little Colt. Sometimes I miss it.

 

[Bedfordtec]

How is Federal 95 grain FMJ?

 

[Griffen]

I’ve had three PPK/s and currently have one stainless S&W model. They need to have a slightly wider grip to be comfortable shooting. The backstrap needs some wider support. The S&W’s need a little slicking up and some round count to be fully reliable. All three of mine were that way. A super accurate pistol, though.

 

[CajunBass]

Funny how different people see different guns. I've never thought my PPK/S or my Beretta 84F (or the Browning BDA I had at one time) were particularly hard kickers. They're not 22's, but they're not bad.

The worst kicker I ever owned I think though, was a Bulgarian Makarov 9X18, a lot like a PPK/S really. Man that thing had some snap.

 

[Griffen]

I think it’s the fixed barrel blow back action on the PPK/s that makes it snappy. My Colt Mustang .380 with the toggle link feels completely different and is a much softer shooter. The PPK/s is the more accurate pistol at distance, though. My older Colt Government 380 is a good soft shooter as well, but not quite as accurate as the PPK/s.

On the .380 discussion, the hands down softest shooting and most accurate is the Browning 1911-380. It’s the most accurate .380 I’ve ever had the opportunity to shoot. Those are another one that need a little “fiddling” to get reliable, but once it’s done, they are great. The magazines are the culprit on those.

 

[halfmoonclip]

The older, Euro spec .380 pistols were never designed for hollow points, and it was more good luck than good management if hollow points run reliably in a given gun.
The recoil issue with the blowback guns isn't the mighty .380 cartridge; it's the abrupt stop the slide makes at the end of its travel. It literally smacks the frame.
The Ft. Smith PPKs have a good rep for running HPs.
For the OP, nice selection of guns, but I'd think about another .380 for carry...have a look at the G42 or the 365-.380.
Moon

 

[Tallball]

"On the .380 discussion, the hands down softest shooting and most accurate is the Browning 1911-380."

I'm not sure that I agree. This is my softest-shooting and most accurate 380.

Browning FN 1971

• Tallball
• Aug 25, 2018

 

[tark]

I have a locked breech Colt Government .380, and my brother a PPK/s... there is a definite difference in pistol recoil. I hate that PPK/s.

If anybody doesn't believe that a locked breech pistol has less recoil than a blowback pistol in the same caliber...let them shoot a Hi-power or a P-38...and then shoot an Astra 600. With the first two one can shoot hundreds of rounds in a day with no discomfort. After twenty rounds with a 600 my hand is numb from the pounding.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Oddly, that Browning in tallball's picture is a mild kicker for a blowback .380. Mine surprised me in that regard.
But as a general thing, blowbacks bigger than .32 aren't much fun to shoot. A PP series in .32 is another matter; that's its originally designed caliber, and it is pleasant to shoot.
Had an HSc in .380, and it wasn't much fun either.
Moon

 

[Tallball]

"Oddly, that Browning in tallball's picture is a mild kicker for a blowback .380. Mine surprised me in that regard."

Probably because it's so heavy.

 

[P5 Guy]

High-Standard 380ACP I had no idea

 

[bannockburn]

tark

If anybody doesn't believe that a locked breech pistol has less recoil than a blowback pistol in the same caliber...let them shoot a Hi-power or a P-38...and then shoot an Astra 600. With the first two one can shoot hundreds of rounds in a day with no discomfort. After twenty rounds with a 600 my hand is numb from the pounding.

I always waited until I was just about finished shooting at the range before I would get the Astra out. And then it was only for about 50 rounds or less, because of the beating the web of my hand would take from that gun!

 

[bannockburn]

For the felt recoil produced by straight blowback guns like the Walther PPK or Mauser HSc, there's definitely more of it in contrast to the delayed blowback designs of the Colt Government .380, Colt Mustang, SIG P238, or Kimber Micro 380.

As to ammo selection I have found Winchester White Box to be pretty decent for overall range use. Runs well in all of my .380s. For EDC I like Hornady's Critical Defense 90 gr. FTX.

 

[rperyam]

I much prefer shooting my 380 Kahr over my Interarms PPK/s. No problems with any ammo, just don't like the feel of the gun. Usually use reloads in both. The Kahr is actually fun to shoot.

 

[Jeff olson]

Do yourself a favor and dump the hsc. Brutal and quite possibly the biggest pos I ever had the misfortune of owning. I've found my colt mustang and Browning 1955 to be the best shooting .380s.

 

[bannockburn]

Jeff olson

I had one of those Browning 1910/1955 .380s and while it was incredibly well designed and made, it was, without having any real semblance of sights on the gun, more or less a point-and-shoot proposition. I much prefer being able to see the sights on my Mustang and P238.