Best 380 auto ammo
- Thread starter brutus51
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Okay, tee shirt or light clothing weather. At any rate I don't consider a .380 an adequate defensive round.
M
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ThomasT
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First off I'm not "Bucko" to you or anyone else here so keep your name calling off of here.
If you don't like the test 5pins did then take it up with him. I have seen many of his test and they look valid to me. I haven't seen any better test from you.
Triggernosis
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Oh really? And where would your first POA be? You're probably one of those wishful "head shot" snipers aren't you?
Short Barrel (Like an LCP 2.75")
- 12-14" when expanded. 14-18" when tumbling. Anything with the XTP. I use Hornady American Gunner. It always tumbles out of a short barrel when it fails to expand (roughly a 40-75% chance of expansion in my opinion).
Long Barrel (Like a .380EZ 3.675") - Hornady Critical Defense. The pedals fold back farther at higher velocity making for 12"+ penetration. It ends up looking like a .40-42 Caliber Wadcutter. In shorter barrels it ends up larger and stops short.
Just my opinion. That and a buck will buy you a cheap cup.
- 12-14" when expanded. 14-18" when tumbling. Anything with the XTP. I use Hornady American Gunner. It always tumbles out of a short barrel when it fails to expand (roughly a 40-75% chance of expansion in my opinion).
Long Barrel (Like a .380EZ 3.675") - Hornady Critical Defense. The pedals fold back farther at higher velocity making for 12"+ penetration. It ends up looking like a .40-42 Caliber Wadcutter. In shorter barrels it ends up larger and stops short.
Just my opinion. That and a buck will buy you a cheap cup.
ThomasT
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I like the XTP bullets but they seem to be some of the tougher hollow points and need more speed to open up. That means a bigger than a pocket gun with a longer barrel. have around 800 XTP bullets in 38 caliber 158gr weight and load them in hotter 38 special and mid range 357 loads. I also like them in a 357 lever action and they do open up with more velocity.
Its hard to get the needed velocity from a pocket sized 380 for these to always open.
Its hard to get the needed velocity from a pocket sized 380 for these to always open.
hollywood63
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Average Joe
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Federal HST
mrmike7189
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The old school 90 grain federal hydrashocks did better in testing. They made the "Winners Circle" I've switched from HST back to Hydrashocks in 380.
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JERRY
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I've seen .25s and .32s in FMJ kill men with one shot to the chest; I've no reason to think a .380 FMJ won't do the same. I've seen a women take a .40 FMJ (guessing because the rest of the ammo in the gun used was FMJ) to the gut and run around and get transported to the hosp. and live.
Yea, the BB 95 Gr Std. Pressure has less recoil than the hardcast, and also the extra barrel maintenance required due to the hardcast is a turnoff for me.
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FlSwampRat
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That's what I run.
Triggernosis
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The standard pressure is also hardcast.
What do you mean by "extra maintenance"?
? No it's not.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=217
Look up item 27F on Buffalo Bore's website. They made it specifically for people who don't like hardcast. And in Glock barrels, over time, hardcast bullets can cause lead build up that must be cleaned out relatively frequently. Potentially, a good amount more frequently than otherwise normal maintenance. Here, take a look at this. Lead bullets can be shot in Glock barrels, but it supposedly voids the guarantee, and it requires more attention to detail, and for me, just more headaches in general.
https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/hard-cast-in-glock-barrel.1676840/#post-24628331
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Triggernosis
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I was referring to 27E, the hardcast std. velocity load.
I've shot hundreds of rounds of lead bullets of all calibers and I've never had any issues with excess lead buildup in any of my barrels. However, I'm a longtime member of Castboolits and understand what im doing.
I've shot hundreds of rounds of lead bullets of all calibers and I've never had any issues with excess lead buildup in any of my barrels. However, I'm a longtime member of Castboolits and understand what im doing.
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I think there was a misunderstanding on your behalf of what I was referring to. You said "The standard pressure is also hardcast" in response to me saying "the BB 95 Gr Std. Pressure has less recoil than the hard cast". I guess this is where you must've thought I was referring to some 95 grain hardcast load, but notice that there is no 95 grain BB hardcast load, the hardcast loads are only 100 grains. There is a standard pressure and +P 95 grain non hardcast load, and a 100 grain standard pressure and +P hardcast load. I was referring to the 95 Grain stuff the whole time.
I guess there was either a misunderstanding, or you just didn't know I specifically am against hardcast, therefore not knowing the hardcast load being standard pressure or +P doesn't matter to me, since I stay away from anything hardcast.
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Triggernosis
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10-4. Yeah, so many options it's confusing. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Dudedog
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http://shootingthebull.net/blog/final-results-of-the-380-acp-ammo-quest/
.380 forces you into a bigger trade off of expansion vs penetration than say 9mm.
(I own a .380 so not saying you need 9mm just mentioning to nature of the beast)
WIN PDX1 great expansion but short on penetration, Gold Dots maybe a bit short on penetration.
Ammo using XTPs not as much expansion as the first two but better on penetration.
Thing to remember is odds are if you need to shoot something it won't be at a good angle.
I decided on the XTPs for winter, Gold dots for Summer.
(note: I have been known to make poor decisions
, I get reminded of this every now and then)
.380 forces you into a bigger trade off of expansion vs penetration than say 9mm.
(I own a .380 so not saying you need 9mm just mentioning to nature of the beast)
WIN PDX1 great expansion but short on penetration, Gold Dots maybe a bit short on penetration.
Ammo using XTPs not as much expansion as the first two but better on penetration.
Thing to remember is odds are if you need to shoot something it won't be at a good angle.
I decided on the XTPs for winter, Gold dots for Summer.
(note: I have been known to make poor decisions
, I get reminded of this every now and then)
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.380 is not an incapable round just requires the proper ammo for application...
WWB FMJ FN - 32"+ Penetration out of 2.75" or 3.675".
Hornady American Gunner XTP - 14" (12" in bare gel) if it expands and 17" if it tumbles (it is not stable out of short barrels if it fails to expand) out of a 2.75" barrel. If you shoot it out of longer barrels you run the risk of stabilizing it when it doesn't expand.
Critical Defense - 14" Penetration out of 3.675" (the lower the velocity the shorter the penetration because the petals don't fold back and you get a larger diameter. I wouldn't use under 3.25").
Remington 88 gr JHP - Expands and gives decent penetration in 3.25" + Barrels. Acts like hardball in a 2.75".
A 0.42-0.50" round that penetrates 12-14" or a .355 that tumbles and penetrates 17" should be adequate.
I've had consitency issues (from lot to lot) with the .380 Gold Dots. Until that changes I'm not using them.
LCP - Hornady American Gunner
380 EZ - Critical Defense
That's what I'm running because that's what I've seen the most consistent penetration in the 12-18" range with in those barrel lengths.
I don't see a reason to change summer to winter. Clothing does not provide a significant barrier to bullet penetration. It does increase the chance the hollow point will plug and you will get increased penetration.
If anybody cares my own testing in wild hog carcasses have been consistent with the a I've gel test numbers.
WWB FMJ FN - 32"+ Penetration out of 2.75" or 3.675".
Hornady American Gunner XTP - 14" (12" in bare gel) if it expands and 17" if it tumbles (it is not stable out of short barrels if it fails to expand) out of a 2.75" barrel. If you shoot it out of longer barrels you run the risk of stabilizing it when it doesn't expand.
Critical Defense - 14" Penetration out of 3.675" (the lower the velocity the shorter the penetration because the petals don't fold back and you get a larger diameter. I wouldn't use under 3.25").
Remington 88 gr JHP - Expands and gives decent penetration in 3.25" + Barrels. Acts like hardball in a 2.75".
A 0.42-0.50" round that penetrates 12-14" or a .355 that tumbles and penetrates 17" should be adequate.
I've had consitency issues (from lot to lot) with the .380 Gold Dots. Until that changes I'm not using them.
LCP - Hornady American Gunner
380 EZ - Critical Defense
That's what I'm running because that's what I've seen the most consistent penetration in the 12-18" range with in those barrel lengths.
I don't see a reason to change summer to winter. Clothing does not provide a significant barrier to bullet penetration. It does increase the chance the hollow point will plug and you will get increased penetration.
If anybody cares my own testing in wild hog carcasses have been consistent with the a I've gel test numbers.
As far as the .380 FN FMJ ammo, I've seen conflicting results in different tests. For the WWB 95 FN Grain FMJ, I have seen one or so test(s) that show 30"+ penetration, but I've seen many more tests that show no where near 32" penetration, but more like 16-20" penetration. Oddly enough, all the "hot" Buffalo Bore FN FMJ tests have shown no more than 20" penetration to my surprise. Take a look at this.
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/04/380-auto-fmj-heavy-clothing-terminal.html?m=1
And this is Buffalo Bore +P, which one would think might do 40"+, yet
Also, this thread is interesting too.
https://www.defensivecarry.com/foru...in-fmj-fp-defensive-carry.html#/topics/150343
I'm not worried about .380 overpenetrating.
Normally a 16" depth of penetration in a .380 would be indicative of tumbling. Any appreciable expansion would be shorter and any standard weight fmj would be much deeper.
I have no experience the large meplat bullet but a 148 gr 700 fps .358 Wadcutter only penetrates 16" so that is not necessarily out of the question.
Yea, the article said that the slower FN FMJ's (around 850 fps) tumble often, while the faster ones usually don't, and therefore penetrate deeper. Tumbling also increases cavity size, so I guess it's more of a good thing than bad.
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