.380 ammo - Page 2

wild cat mccane · August 9, 2018, 07:38 AM

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/sel...-tests/#380ACP

(in addition to Ammo Quest shots of 5)

Hornady FTX or their hunting round of XTP are always mentioned as possibles. If you look at Lucky Gunner's test, the Critical Defense might be better than Shooting the Bull's test of XTP rounds.

The one that replaced my boxes of XTP Foicchi is the Leigh Xtreme Penetrator loaded hotter from Underwood.

+P doesn't exist in 380. However, Underwood's regular and +P 380 ammo is different.

https://www.underwoodammo.com/collec...=7865927860281

I would not do Buffalo Bore as their velocity/pressure might be high, but their bullet is the cheapest hollow point available, Seirra. Their Barnes all copper used to be the bee's knees, but looking at Lucky Gunner it was going 8".

TailGator · August 9, 2018, 02:16 PM

I moved to Critical Defense a year or two ago because of seeing some pretty good test results. Feeds fine in my Sig P238s (his and hers).

Cyanide971 · August 9, 2018, 11:29 PM

HP for me. My Bersa Thunder 380 Plus loves Critical Defense and XTP’s, regardless if Hornady American Gunner, Fiocchi Extrema, or even the generic Freedom Munitions loading with it. Very accurate and reliable function with all of the above. I also like the fact that with XTP, they always seem to reliably penetrate deep enough to reach vitals, in spite of not having the perfect, classic huge expansion profile of other hollow points.

Water-Man · August 10, 2018, 12:53 AM

What I do choose is Underwood Xtreme Defender 380.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PDQcE-1T40

m&p45acp10+1 · August 10, 2018, 08:09 AM

I carry hollow points. I got a good deal on 200 rounds of Fiocci 90 grain JHP. They line up with the sights well, and function in my guns. So that is what I carry in them. When I see some Critical Defense at a decent price I will pick some up.

amd6547 · August 10, 2018, 08:30 AM

+P Underwood XTP in my Beretta 84F...I feel pretty well armed with 14 of those in my pistol.

Model12Win · August 10, 2018, 07:14 PM

I got dem holler tips, fam.

Bill DeShivs · August 11, 2018, 01:23 AM

".380....

Because you are too foolish to carry 9mm JHP +P"

Seems like if anyone carries something you don't like they aren't of sound mind, or they are foolish. So-tell us all about your firearms expertise......

**Aguila Blanca** · August 11, 2018, 01:57 AM

Golden Saber JHP.

Wishoot · August 11, 2018, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Centuriator

.380....

Because you are too foolish to carry 9mm JHP +P

^^^^^^^^^
Winner of the dumbest, least constructive comment on the internet.

ammo.crafter · August 11, 2018, 09:37 AM

My AMT Backup is loaded with FMJ Flat point ammo. No FTF or FTE and acceptable penetration.

seeker_two · August 11, 2018, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmady

Here's an interesting video demonstrating over penetration with 9mm and 380 FMJ ammo.
The 380 part starts around 3:35.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX3gpJ-GAy0

I don't see the problem in this FMJ-FP .380ACP load......

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Carl the Floor Walker · August 11, 2018, 08:59 PM

I shoot PrecisonOne Plus P in my Pico's and my Kahr. I like the Ballistics and totally reliable all the time. Just ordered another 500 rounds. I go through a lot of this ammo.

insman1132 · August 12, 2018, 07:42 AM

On my 380's I alternate. FMJ followed by a Hollow Point followed by a FMJ, etc.

Sgt127 · August 12, 2018, 11:20 AM

Buffalo Bore hardcast in my Remington RM380.

peterg7 · August 13, 2018, 10:13 AM

When I carried my BDA it was BB hardcast, LCP is JHP in summer and FMJ (WWB)in fall/ winter.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

motorhead0922 · August 14, 2018, 02:26 PM

I used to use Remington Golden Sabres in my S&W BG380, but switched to Hornady Critical Defense. As noted above, Lucky Gunner tests show Hornady's penetration and expansion to be excellent.

HighValleyRanch · August 14, 2018, 02:39 PM

since I just purchased my Sig 230SL, I'm now officially back in the .380 club, having carried a Walther PPK interarms many years back. I bought a bunch of the Precision One XTP a while back anticipating an eventual .380 purchase. I have NO problem with confidence in a .380 unless it's against the dreaded bear!LOL

lonniemike · August 14, 2018, 05:23 PM

I'm liking ExtremeDefender right now. But I'm also looking forward a 100 of the ARX bullets to play with.

Cosmodragoon · August 14, 2018, 05:35 PM

I have carried .380 in the past but I don't know. Some ammo will expand in gel and some won't. Your choice of firearm can make a difference too. The problem is that hollow-point expansion is a function of velocity and .380 is often pretty close to the threshold. Yes, some ammo is better than others. You'd really have to find ammo that works well for whatever gun you get and make sure to keep a supply of it on hand.

Here is a decent video on .380 ammo selection from Paul Harrell. Yes, he shoots his famous "meat targets" with various ammo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnXnXe87f0

Given that finding good defensive ammo in.380 can be more expensive or take a little more effort anyway, you might also give these a try. Despite the silly "extreme" name, these rounds represent a legitimate alternative approach for defensive ammo in cases where expansion might not be guaranteed. The harder non-expanding copper is shaped to maximize damage along the wound channel and it seems to do just that in a lot of tests I've seen. Here is one from Military Arms Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PDQcE-1T40

The other obvious question to consider is that given these challenges, why not just go with another caliber? There are lots of relatively small guns on the market now in 9mm. They aren't as small as the .380 guns and may not be "pocketable" but they are still pretty easy to carry. Both the PPS and Shield are quality firearms that are easy to carry. If you really want something that will fit in a pocket, have you considered an LCR? The shape tends to make it pocketable where the small nines might not be. You can run into similar concerns with .38 special but much heavier bullet weights are available and you can use +p. The .357 magnum can be brutal to shoot in such a small package but it might be worth considering .327 Federal. Ammo is scarcer but no worse than the hunt for "good" .380acp. It's a six-shooter and those "low recoil" 85-grain Hydra-Shoks still get up around 1200 fps from that short barrel.

Model12Win · August 14, 2018, 05:45 PM

The .380 has a decent enough drop factor.

Sharkbite · August 14, 2018, 06:49 PM

My only 380 is a very small Kel-tech 3AT. In such a short barrel I would not count on any JHP expanding. So, i load it with FMJ and only carry it when i cant conceal anything more potent

Casualshooting1 · August 14, 2018, 09:16 PM

I don't carry a .380 any longer, when I did it was loaded with Glaser safety blue dots.

Model12Win · August 15, 2018, 04:55 PM

Why was it loaded with those underpenetrating gimmick rounds?

Cosmodragoon · August 15, 2018, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Why was it loaded with those underpenetrating gimmick rounds?

A better question is why some of those gimmicks find life in the market. Could it be because not everyone has all the facts or a decent understanding of the physics? Is it because someone believed a commercial they saw or some wild advertising claim they heard? How about that recommendation or story from a buddy, some dude at the range, or that wise old man who hangs out at the gun store?

The reality is that a lot of people don't have all the facts or a decent understanding of things from physics to how crime and violence work. That goes for a lot of people, from the elected officials writing gun control legislation to people who love guns, use guns, work with guns, etc. There is a lot to learn and there is a veritable sea of misinformation out there. Heck, I've been around guns all my life and I'm still learning.

Just a thought, but let's take it easy on someone with three posts who might be here to learn.

August 10, 2018, 08:09 AM	#30
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I carry hollow points. I got a good deal on 200 rounds of Fiocci 90 grain JHP. They line up with the sights well, and function in my guns. So that is what I carry in them. When I see some Critical Defense at a decent price I will pick some up. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

August 10, 2018, 08:30 AM	#31
amd6547 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Posts: 2,313	+P Underwood XTP in my Beretta 84F...I feel pretty well armed with 14 of those in my pistol. __________________ The past is gone...the future may never happen. Be Here Now.

August 11, 2018, 01:23 AM	#33
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	".380.... Because you are too foolish to carry 9mm JHP +P" Seems like if anyone carries something you don't like they aren't of sound mind, or they are foolish. So-tell us all about your firearms expertise...... __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

August 11, 2018, 09:37 AM	#36
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	380 ammo choice My AMT Backup is loaded with FMJ Flat point ammo. No FTF or FTE and acceptable penetration. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

August 13, 2018, 10:13 AM	#41
peterg7 Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2017 Posts: 316	.380 ammo When I carried my BDA it was BB hardcast, LCP is JHP in summer and FMJ (WWB)in fall/ winter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

August 9, 2018, 07:38 AM	#26
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,625	https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/sel...-tests/#380ACP (in addition to Ammo Quest shots of 5) Hornady FTX or their hunting round of XTP are always mentioned as possibles. If you look at Lucky Gunner's test, the Critical Defense might be better than Shooting the Bull's test of XTP rounds. The one that replaced my boxes of XTP Foicchi is the Leigh Xtreme Penetrator loaded hotter from Underwood. +P doesn't exist in 380. However, Underwood's regular and +P 380 ammo is different. https://www.underwoodammo.com/collec...=7865927860281 I would not do Buffalo Bore as their velocity/pressure might be high, but their bullet is the cheapest hollow point available, Seirra. Their Barnes all copper used to be the bee's knees, but looking at Lucky Gunner it was going 8".

August 9, 2018, 02:16 PM	#27
TailGator Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,787	I moved to Critical Defense a year or two ago because of seeing some pretty good test results. Feeds fine in my Sig P238s (his and hers).

August 9, 2018, 11:29 PM	#28
Cyanide971 Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2014 Posts: 725	HP for me. My Bersa Thunder 380 Plus loves Critical Defense and XTP’s, regardless if Hornady American Gunner, Fiocchi Extrema, or even the generic Freedom Munitions loading with it. Very accurate and reliable function with all of the above. I also like the fact that with XTP, they always seem to reliably penetrate deep enough to reach vitals, in spite of not having the perfect, classic huge expansion profile of other hollow points.

August 10, 2018, 12:53 AM	#29
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	What I do choose is Underwood Xtreme Defender 380. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PDQcE-1T40

August 10, 2018, 07:14 PM	#32
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	I got dem holler tips, fam.

August 11, 2018, 01:57 AM	#34
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,461	Golden Saber JHP.

August 11, 2018, 08:59 PM	#38
Carl the Floor Walker member Join Date: June 3, 2017 Location: South Posts: 1,422	I shoot PrecisonOne Plus P in my Pico's and my Kahr. I like the Ballistics and totally reliable all the time. Just ordered another 500 rounds. I go through a lot of this ammo.

August 12, 2018, 07:42 AM	#39
insman1132 Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Location: SW FL year around Posts: 56	On my 380's I alternate. FMJ followed by a Hollow Point followed by a FMJ, etc.

August 12, 2018, 11:20 AM	#40
Sgt127 Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2002 Posts: 1,053	Buffalo Bore hardcast in my Remington RM380.

August 14, 2018, 02:26 PM	#42
motorhead0922 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 635	I used to use Remington Golden Sabres in my S&W BG380, but switched to Hornady Critical Defense. As noted above, Lucky Gunner tests show Hornady's penetration and expansion to be excellent. __________________ SAF, ACLDN, IDPA, handgunlaw.us My AmazonSmile benefits SAF I'd rather be carried by 6 than caged by 12. 2020: It's pronounced twenty twenty.

August 14, 2018, 02:39 PM	#43
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	since I just purchased my Sig 230SL, I'm now officially back in the .380 club, having carried a Walther PPK interarms many years back. I bought a bunch of the Precision One XTP a while back anticipating an eventual .380 purchase. I have NO problem with confidence in a .380 unless it's against the dreaded bear!LOL __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

August 14, 2018, 05:23 PM	#44
lonniemike Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Posts: 138	I'm liking ExtremeDefender right now. But I'm also looking forward a 100 of the ARX bullets to play with.

August 14, 2018, 05:35 PM	#45
Cosmodragoon Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2013 Location: Northeastern US Posts: 1,869	I have carried .380 in the past but I don't know. Some ammo will expand in gel and some won't. Your choice of firearm can make a difference too. The problem is that hollow-point expansion is a function of velocity and .380 is often pretty close to the threshold. Yes, some ammo is better than others. You'd really have to find ammo that works well for whatever gun you get and make sure to keep a supply of it on hand. Here is a decent video on .380 ammo selection from Paul Harrell. Yes, he shoots his famous "meat targets" with various ammo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnXnXe87f0 Given that finding good defensive ammo in.380 can be more expensive or take a little more effort anyway, you might also give these a try. Despite the silly "extreme" name, these rounds represent a legitimate alternative approach for defensive ammo in cases where expansion might not be guaranteed. The harder non-expanding copper is shaped to maximize damage along the wound channel and it seems to do just that in a lot of tests I've seen. Here is one from Military Arms Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PDQcE-1T40 The other obvious question to consider is that given these challenges, why not just go with another caliber? There are lots of relatively small guns on the market now in 9mm. They aren't as small as the .380 guns and may not be "pocketable" but they are still pretty easy to carry. Both the PPS and Shield are quality firearms that are easy to carry. If you really want something that will fit in a pocket, have you considered an LCR? The shape tends to make it pocketable where the small nines might not be. You can run into similar concerns with .38 special but much heavier bullet weights are available and you can use +p. The .357 magnum can be brutal to shoot in such a small package but it might be worth considering .327 Federal. Ammo is scarcer but no worse than the hunt for "good" .380acp. It's a six-shooter and those "low recoil" 85-grain Hydra-Shoks still get up around 1200 fps from that short barrel.

August 14, 2018, 05:45 PM	#46
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	The .380 has a decent enough drop factor.

August 14, 2018, 06:49 PM	#47
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	My only 380 is a very small Kel-tech 3AT. In such a short barrel I would not count on any JHP expanding. So, i load it with FMJ and only carry it when i cant conceal anything more potent

August 14, 2018, 09:16 PM	#48
Casualshooting1 Junior Member Join Date: August 14, 2018 Posts: 10	I don't carry a .380 any longer, when I did it was loaded with Glaser safety blue dots.

August 15, 2018, 04:55 PM	#49
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Why was it loaded with those underpenetrating gimmick rounds?