Santa Barbara .380ACP - Where to buy it ?

[Newton]

I'm a big fan of the super hot Santa Barbara .380 soft point ammo, but like an idiot I shot it down to my last box before trying to buy more, and now everywhere appears to be sold out.

If anyone knows where I can still pick up a few hundred rounds I'd be mighty grateful.


Thanks

Newton

 

[ACP230]

Southern Ohio Gun (SOG) has it.
1-800-944-GUNS.

Dealer and C&R holder price is pretty cheap.
I don't know what they want if you don't have either.

 

[Newton]

ACP230

Thanks ! Just faxed off my order, I owe you one.

They also have that Hirtenberger 9mm I hear so much about, so I threw a couple of boxes of that in too.


Newton

 

[Reed1911]

We have 650 rounds of it up for auction on www.AuctionArms.com No reserve and starting out at .01

 

[Newton]

Thanks Reed, I'm hoping for a full case from SOG.

I wonder about using this ammo for SD, even though it doesn't expand, it has SO much more power than regular .380, and a truncated cone profile.

 

[Reed1911]

Honestly I would suggest something more along the lines of the Silver Tip or XTP for SD with the .380 ACP. On the Herit. ammo watch what you shoot it in and how much you shoot. It is loaded hotter than any manufacturer will back their pistols with (considering +P+ is not an accepted designation for ammunition by ANSI/SAAMI). That being said I have shot it in a number of pistols and it was fine, more recoil and flash than needed but all in fun.

 

[Snowdog]

Sounds like you've found yourself a load for your .380acp that you're confident with.
However, have you fired these from your .380acp before? I'm assuming since you're a fan, you have. I'm curious if that blunt truncated profile is detrimental to feed reliability. I'm also curious if this round necessitates the use of a heavier recoil spring, especially if the pistol in question is a blowback, as the majority of .380acp handguns are.

 

[Newton]

I have fired several boxes of them through a P-3AT, which is locked breach with no reliability issues, and definitely more kick.

Some people have tried them and are uncomfortable with the power level. While I think that excessive use may give rise to frame battering in an alloy gun, I doubt the possibility of a KB, I haven't seen any excessive signs of pressure, and these rounds were extensively used by the police in Spain.

I am less attracted by weak loaded JHPs than I am by a hot truncated cone FMJ, especially out of a short barrelled pocket gun.

I'm sure it would REALLY hurt if you were tagged by one.

 

[Wilson 17&26]

My P-3ATs love Santa Barbara but my recoil springs feel considerably weaker after shooting a few boxes, so I install new recoil springs (only $1 per set) after ever 200 rounds when using it or Cor-Bon. My normal spring replacement for my P-3ATs is between 1,000 and 1.500 rounds.

I also only shoot it in magazines with finger extensions so the P-3ATs don’t jump out of my hand.