What self-defense ammo for a .380?

[S&W-Keeper]

My opinion, which is not worth much most of the time, is to find a round that feeds well and use it. .380's can be kind of fussy.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

-If looking for hollow points, give the Fiocchi Extrema line a look.

L8R,
Matt

 

[Pyzon]

What most folks find out after picking up one of these little pocket rockets is that they are not fun at the range, so the recommended 200 (or 500 as I have always believed) break in rounds turns into a single magful.....

My point is, limp wristing is a common problem with malfunctioning liteweights like these, and compound that poor technique with untested ammo and lots of folks wonder why they hate LCP's and P3AT's.

And I am not saying that because a girl is involved. Plenty of men can't run them good either.

What ever your choice of ammo, shoot enough for the pistol and you to get 'comfortable', and it will perform as hoped.

 

[Bhoffman]

Precision One

See
http://shootingthebull.net/blog/final-results-of-the-380-acp-ammo-quest/

 

[heeler]

After viewing Shootoing the Bull 410's excellent youtube gelatin tests I ordered four boxes of the Fiochhi Extrema with the XTP bullet.
I have stopped using the Critical Defense.

 

[Bhoffman]

Me too! After viewing the Shooting the Bull Vidio, http://shootingthebull.net/blog/final-results-of-the-380-acp-ammo-quest/ , I too have stopped using Critical Defense and got 200 rounds of Precision One. I like Fiochhi too, they use Hornaday XTPs) also. But, since they are made overseas, they are harder to get. Precision One is filling orders in less than two weeks.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

I my .380 I use Hydra-Shoks, but switch to anything with the Hornady XTP bullet for winter carry.

 

[heeler]

I ordered my Fiocchis from Cabela's for $15.29 a box.
Then found more at Selway Armory for $14.29 a box.
I could not find the Precision One anywhere.

Edit to add...The Extrema's are made in Missouri.

 

[Speedo66]

I'm using Buffalo Bore HP. They have a very high velocity, and got a good rating in a test I saw.

They call themselves "+P", but there is no official rating for +P in that caliber. Ruger recommends you not use +P ammo in their LCP, but other than firing enough to know they work in my gun, I use them only for carry, not practice, so I don't think I've stressed the gun. Not that I could afford to shoot them too often. ; >)

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

What most folks find out after picking up one of these little pocket rockets is that they are not fun at the range, so the recommended 200 (or 500 as I have always believed) break in rounds turns into a single magful.....

My point is, limp wristing is a common problem with malfunctioning liteweights like these, and compound that poor technique with untested ammo and lots of folks wonder why they hate LCP's and P3AT's.

And I am not saying that because a girl is involved. Plenty of men can't run them good either.

What ever your choice of ammo, shoot enough for the pistol and you to get 'comfortable', and it will perform as hoped.

The S&W Bodyguard .380 is surprisngly easy to shoot and doesn't hurt. She already put a box through mine with no problem and she shot great and enjoyed it.

I've heard the Ruger LCP can be unpleasant to shoot. We are planning on shooting hers this weekend. It's one thing I wasn't worried about as much because if need be I'll have her shoot my Bodyguard to get more familiar with shooting and I'll put a few hundred rounds through her LCP for her if the recoil is too much for her. They are both similar in function. In the end, it'll most likely rarely be shot and only used for self-defense carry.


If she wants to shoot for fun we can use some other gun.
.

 

[MICHAEL T]

All my 380 are loaded with Corbon DPX I like the copper bullet. Buffalo Bore has the DPX round also Either brand BB is hotter than Corbon

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Right now, at least in my area, the best .380 ammo is what you can find. Having said that, I have some Winchester PDX1 that I like for my new LCP. It is a 95-grain bonded JHP that is also low muzzle flash (says so on the box, anyway). It also has a round-nose profile that I think is more likely to feed 100%. Thirteen rounds of it did feed perfectly in my gun. With some Fiocchi loaded with an XTP (I assume this is Hornady) bullet, which has a straight-sided, conical profile, I had difficulty hand-chambering a round, but it shot perfectly well.

 

[CopperFouling]

I've heard the Ruger LCP can be unpleasant to shoot.

It's not nearly as unpleasant as one of the Airweight J-frames. I shot twenty .38s through one of those, tried a .38 + P, and promptly determined that was not for me. The LCP is much more pleasant to shoot.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Hornady Critical Defense ammo seems to get high marks from everyone. Speer Gold Dot ammo is also a good choice.

As for using only FMJ ammo in a .380. That's old thinking before all the improvements in bullets and ammo came about because of the explosion in carry 380's. There are plenty of good HP bullets out there loaded in reliable ammo that will do a better job for SD than FMJ ammo...

 

[zxcvbob]

As for using only FMJ ammo in a .380. That's old thinking before all the improvements in bullets and ammo came about because of the explosion in carry 380's. There are plenty of good HP bullets out there loaded in reliable ammo that will do a better job for SD than FMJ ammo...

Do they actually expand when fired from a 2.5" barrel? And if they expand, do they penetrate enough? I haven't seen any tests -- but I haven't really looked for any.

 

[Jim PHL]

Quote:
I've heard the Ruger LCP can be unpleasant to shoot.

""It's not nearly as unpleasant as one of the Airweight J-frames. I shot twenty .38s through one of those, tried a .38 + P, and promptly determined that was not for me. The LCP is much more pleasant to shoot.""



It truly IS a chocolate and vanilla world. I find my S+W 342 to be more pleasant to shoot than my LCP!

I carry the LCP more, though, and I carry FMJ in it.

 

[LeonCarr]

Another vote for Winchester FMJ Flat Point.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Skribs]

Zxcvbob, check out this video. The tester used his pocket pistol (IIRC a TCP), and he found some better than others.

 

[C0untZer0]

The days of recommending FMJ for .380 are over. There are now JHP rounds in 380 that go through 4 layers of denim, penetrate between 12"-14" and expand somewhat.

ShootingTheBull410 has tested a lot of ammo and Precision One came out on top, but there were several other good rounds that made the finals.

If I were to carry a 3" barreled 380, I would use Precision One ammo in it, or one of the other finalists that ShootingTheBull410 identifies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts&list=PLgNSGOEQko_MjOCGyqlMTiM2njdQQRbdg

 

[larryh1108]

I've heard the Ruger LCP can be unpleasant to shoot.

I used to only be able to shoot about 25 or so rounds in a session before it got a bit much. I got a grip sleeve and it made a huge difference. I can now shoot 100 rounds at a session and not think twice. I have 3000+ rounds thru it and it's been 100% with flat nose FMJ. That's my ammo of choice for carry.

I don't know why such a thin piece of rubber makes such a big difference but it does. It also aids in gripping the entire grip easier and more securely.

 

[481]

Another vote for Winchester FMJ Flat Point.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Same here.

At .380 velocities, expansion is just too darned "iffy" for my preferences.

Save the JHPs for 9mm and up.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

The Hornady XTP bullet seems to be the best of .380 bullets in terms of penetration and expansion, but when you look at tests of ammo using this bullet it's clear that its expansion performance is inconsistent at best.

.380 is a marginal cartridge for a reason.

I stand by my suggestion of Winchester flat point FMJ.