Surprising penetration of .380 auto

[Hokkmike]

Took the .380 Bersa Thunder out again.

Had an old book that we were going to put in our burnable trash. This is a heavy book about a foot thick and large. So I though, hmmmm - it would make a easy, quick, and portable target.

Anyway, after I was done shooting I opened the pages and found that the
.380 FMJ at 25 feet or so penetrated fully half way and more through the pages of the book. Incidentally, even though off hand, the group was fist sized.

I wouldn't want to imagine how much further it would penetrate against a softer target. Seems entirely adequate for self defense. Of course I realize that FMJ would not be the bullet of choice.

 

[1 old 0311]

The .380 has been doing the job for a 100 years. The .45 nuts will never accept it. They will just go to their car to get their weapon when it is needed

Kevin

 

[varoadking]

This is a heavy book about a foot thick and large.

Yeah, I'd say that a foot thick book would be large...and likely deserved shooting...

 

[Nortonics]

Great little gun. Although I don't advocate it, I've handloaded for this exact gun to velocities up to 1100 fps with high quality hollow points and the accuracy does not diminish, recoil is still minimal, nor does the gun object. Load some standard ball ammo at those velocities and I'd bet it would make it through 3/4 of that book minimum.

Small caliber gun, with a lot of folks dismissing it as a CCW piece. Not me though. Fast to target, incredibly accurate for the cost, and backed up with 9+ rounds. The saying "can't stop what ya can't hit" does not apply to this gun. Miss half your shots and the target is still going down with the other half - period.

My primary is a .45 ACP, but I've carried the Bersa when I want less weight and easier concealability and I've never felt underequipped doing so.

 

[TriggerMan]

I shot a 4" thick dry phonebook with my Colt Mustang .380 a while back from about 7 yds. first I tried a UMC round nosed FMJ round and it went straight through, no problem, then I tried a WWB with the flat nosed FMJ round and it only went about 3" into the book. Granted the Mustang has a shorter barrel but if you want penatration use a round nosed bullet. But I trust if I have to use this for self defense it will do the job.

 

[MICHAEL T]

32 ball will give 380 a run in penatration. People shouldn't dismiss these Calibers been around a long time and a lot of people been shot. Remember 32 ball was Police caliber for many a year in Europe and used by military also.
Growning up seems all the old men carried a 32 rev or auto stuck in pocket or IWB My father had a Top break 32 rev.

 

[MCgunner]

I hate phone books, shoot every one I see center mass.

Yeah, just worry about marksmanship and let the ballisticians hash out the terminal ballistics. If you can't carry any more size comfortably or properly concealed, you gotta carry what you gotta carry. That's precisely why there are mouse guns and why they are so bloomin' popular. Properly applied, even a .22 is terminal. I carry my .380 when I need to.

 

[enfield]

I carry a .32 just in case I get attacked by a phone book.

 

[Devonai]

If all I wanted to do was poke 9mm holes in people, I would trust the .380 FMJ.

What I want is a round that will reliably expand, even after being fired through clothing, and preferably stay in the body. That's why I consider standard-pressure 9x19mm JHP in 115 or 124 grains to be the minimum acceptable load. YMMV.

 

[mete]

Having used the 380 on such things a feral cats and dogs, squirrels, woodchucks , I find it distinctly unimpressive ! To use a 380 when you now can get a similarly sized 9mm or even 40 ,for SD , I think is foolish .

 

[MCgunner]

But, you cannot get a .380 the size of a P3 AT, maybe the Rohrbaugh if you're filthy rich, but other than that. I prefer my 9, but I also have a .380 that I need to carry sometimes.

 

[sheepdog_tx]

If all I wanted to do was poke 9mm holes in people, I would trust the .380 FMJ.

What I want is a round that will reliably expand, even after being fired through clothing, and preferably stay in the body. That's why I consider standard-pressure 9x19mm JHP in 115 or 124 grains to be the minimum acceptable load.

Techinally the 380 is wider since the 9 para is a tappered cartridge...

Sure a hotloaded 9 para will do outperform a 380 standard. Pound per pound, hotload vs hotload, the 380 at comparable loads of a 9mm do just as well. Besides since when is the europellet something to aspire to? :banghead:

 

[Newton]

I'm a fan of .380 because it is chambered in very concealable guns, and I would rather have a 380 in my pocket than a Springfield XD45 in the safe.

I shot some Santa Barbara FMJ (the hot stuff) from a P-3AT into a stack of dry glossy magazines, the penetration was between 2 and 3 inches, it really was that poor.

I stopped carrying JHPs at that point.

 

[los]

But, you cannot get a .380 the size of a P3 AT..

Have you heard of the Seecamp LWS380??

.




It's identical in size to my LWS32
.

 

[Steelharp]

What I wanna know...

heavy book about a foot thick

What the heck kinda book is a foot thick?!? Sounds like something collectible... or an old city records book...

 

[Hokkmike]

Steelharp, it was an old concordance tossed out by the library.