Corbon to Launch .380ACP Powerball Load

[Newton]

Pre-production testing of early batches of this 70 grain .380 load have shown that it will expand to 0.60 and give 9 inches of penetration through denim from a PPK.

The Powerball design improves reliable feeding and consistent expansion. The design also shows superior penetration in spite of reduced bullet weights.

The round will do 1300fps, that's just over 260 ft.lbs which is going some for a .380ACP.

Finally, someone has put a modern bullet design on top of a powder load that matches the kick of a Santa Barbara .380ACP (for those who have tried this surplus Spanish ammo).

Bring it on, my P-3AT wants some.


Newton

 

[DMK]

Man, I wish they'd make some of this in 9x18 Mak.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Don't want it.

9 inches of penetration is not enough.

 

[Preacherman]

Have to second Lone Gunman on this. I like the concept of the Pow'rBall, and it certainly solves a number of feeding problems: but for serious use, a round has to be able to get deep enough to damage vital organs and/or body structures. In my testing of the Pow'rBall in .45, 9mm and .40, it's expanded like an explosive grenade, but has not gone very deep... and that makes its real-world life-saving performance "iffy". If your assailant is very heavy-set, or wearing multiple layers of heavy clothing, or has an arm or hand in front of your point of aim on his torso, these light, fast loads just might not get through to where they'll stop him - and that's bad news.

(That's why, even with the stellar stopping record of the .357 Magnum 125gr. JHP load, I prefer to carry the 145gr. Winchester Silvertip. It's got a street record almost as good as the 125gr., but has significantly better penetration, without so much as to be over-penetrative. That's an important factor in my book.)

 

[snubby]

Maybe Corbon should slow down their PowRBall loadings somewhat-- might result in a slower (though still reliable) expansion, but with deeper penetration.

 

[Snowdog]

Or, they could keep the velocity and increase the antimony content to restrict expansion.
Besides addressing feed issues, I think it's hard to improve on Remington's 102gr Golden Saber. Regardless, new entries to the expanding bullet market is never a bad thing, more power to 'em.

 

[kokapelli]

I expect that Power Ball will be slower out of the short barrel of the P-3AT and that means less expansion and that means better penetration!

 

[drone23]

I would like to see them make a .32auto version that will feed reliably in a P-32.

-D

 

[PCRCCW]

9 inches of penetration is not enough.......

It beats the hell out of a sharp stick in the eye

And most other .380 loads if thats what you carry.

Shoot well.

 

[JERRY]

thas why i would carry fmj in a .380 or lower.

except in a seecamp of course because it cant cycle fmj. unfortunately.

 

[Newton]

A 9 inch deep hole, 0.60 inches wide equals a fair old amount of damage.

I very much doubt that the lighter loaded Golden Saber would surpass this level of performance. It just doesn't have the power.

For those who love the convenience vs. power ratio of the P-3AT, the extra power, reliable expansion, and improved feeding of this load should make it an obvious choice.

I'll reserve final judgement until we get some independant, back to back tests, of the PowerBall versus the Gold Dot, Hydrashock, and Golden Saber.



Newton

 

[lee n. field]

I wish they'd make some of this in 9x18 Mak.

I was just thinking that this would be just the thing for my .380 Mak.

 

[Gary A]

It would be nice if Cor-Bon made some of anything in 9x18 Mak. Too bad they dropped their Mak line some time ago...couple of years maybe? There is still some floating around out there but they haven't made any in quite some time.

 

[longeyes]

Maybe with the seeming surge in Makarov popularity Cor-Bon can be persuaded to come up with Pow'rBall in 9x18?