380 XTP

steve4102 · February 23, 2015, 11:23 AM

My wife purchased a Kimber Micro CDP this weekend. She is going to use it for her carry gun.

This is my first 380, so I had to order Dies, used brass and bullets. I also ordered a lee 102gr RN bullet mould.

I started out with 1000 Hornady 100gr FMJ for range work and practice. I was hoping to get by with the powders I have on hand, for soft shooting rounds that cycle well.
Red Dot
WST
Unique
231
Blue Dot
#2
Silhouette
True Blue
#5
3N37

Of these powders what would you guys recommend for soft shooting range work?

My main concern is SD loads. I haven't purchased any SD bullets yet, as I am still researching penetration and all that with a micro 380.

So far the XTP traveling at about 800fps seems to be a good choice. But, this was just one mans opinion and test.

What do you guys recommend for a good/great SD bullet in a compact 380?

http://shootingthebull.net/blog/fina...cp-ammo-quest/

Dufus · February 23, 2015, 12:24 PM

For powders, I have used WW231, Unique, and Red Dot with good results. I have not used the others that you mentioned.

The XTP bullet you mention will not expand at 800 fps, at least not in my testing.

For a very good self defense ammo, buy a couple of boxes of Hornady Critical Defense. These are loaded with the FTX bullet and it is not available as a component for the 380 ACP.

I have done expansion tests on the Critical Defense ammo and can verify that it WILL expand to at least 50 yds which is way beyond the typical distance of defensive handgun use.

Clark · February 23, 2015, 12:43 PM

That shooting the bull test shows Speer 90 gr Gold Dot bullet failing to expand.

Right now I am carrying a Kel-Tec P3AT, Ruger LCP, or Kahr P380 with 90 gr Gold Dots with 6.2 gr Power Pistol that do 1100 fps from those short barrels.
The first two pistols have poor case support at 0.27", and this is all the performance I can get. This is the same as Buffalo Bore claims for +P 90 gr 380 with those barrel lengths.

I handed it to a hunter whose antelope buck was still kicking, and one shot and the animal never moved again. It sliced the heart, but i don't think that was the part that stopped him.

DaleA · February 23, 2015, 01:38 PM

Clark are you sure about that load?

I'm looking at my Speer #14 manual and it lists 4.8 grains of Power Pistol as the max and lists it as a compressed load to boot. This is with .380 90 grain GDHP.

I don't load .380 yet but might do it in the near future so that is why I'm on the lookout for good loads others have used.

Clark · February 23, 2015, 03:36 PM

That is the +P loading for the 380 that Buffalo Bore sells.

The Kahr can take a lot more than that, and some old Beretta can take a lot more than that. It is mostly a function of case support, but slide mass and recoil spring force make it more pleasant.

The worst case support I have found in all the 380s I have measured is the .27" in the Kel-Tec and Ruger 6 ounce pistols. They are what defines the +P load.

DaleA · February 23, 2015, 04:36 PM

Thank you Clark.

skizzums · February 23, 2015, 04:41 PM

As already stated, that 231 will work great. Has a good spread to soft-shooting or "decently" hard-hitting round. Cool gun btw

jell-dog · February 23, 2015, 07:21 PM

Nice selection of powder!
Of the powders you list, I load 380auto with W231/HP-38 and AA#2, both give good to excellent accuracy.

I have found AA#5 to be not so accurate in 380auto (YMMV), AA#5 is much better suited to 9mm, IMHO.
JD

steve4102 · February 25, 2015, 07:04 PM

I rounded up a partial box of Blazer Aluminum 95gr FMJ and took the Mirco for a test drive today.

Cold, 3* with 15 + winds, set up at 10 yards, off hand.

I like it.

JeepHammer · February 28, 2015, 03:51 PM

I think the old adage applies,
1. APPLICATION,
2. APPLICATION,
3. APPLICATION.

When my wife started carrying a .380, I did some ballistics tests...

I tried all the 'Super Duper' hollow points on a cardboard box,
Plastic trash bag liner, and wet news papers,
Which makes a pretty good analog for 'Bad Guys'.

ALL of the 'Super Duper' rounds failed to expand and a bunch didn't penetrate very well, even for a .380

One that stood out as a 'Self Defense' round was the Glasser Safety Slug.
Even it .380 it expended all energy in the target,
Created a devastating funnel shaped channel,
Penetration was hard to determine since the Glasser fragments on expansion, but it did a LARGE amount of damage for a little, slow, light weight round.

And as far as kicking water out of the box, making the box jump, it did a real job!

She likes Remington factory FMJ for range practice,
So I reproduce them as closely as I can with the old press.

That's all I know about .380 rounds of any kind is what I learned from testing. Pistols really aren't my thing...

February 23, 2015, 12:43 PM	#3
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	That shooting the bull test shows Speer 90 gr Gold Dot bullet failing to expand. Right now I am carrying a Kel-Tec P3AT, Ruger LCP, or Kahr P380 with 90 gr Gold Dots with 6.2 gr Power Pistol that do 1100 fps from those short barrels. The first two pistols have poor case support at 0.27", and this is all the performance I can get. This is the same as Buffalo Bore claims for +P 90 gr 380 with those barrel lengths. I handed it to a hunter whose antelope buck was still kicking, and one shot and the animal never moved again. It sliced the heart, but i don't think that was the part that stopped him. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

February 23, 2015, 04:41 PM	#7
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	As already stated, that 231 will work great. Has a good spread to soft-shooting or "decently" hard-hitting round. Cool gun btw __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

February 23, 2015, 07:21 PM	#8
jell-dog Retired Screen Name Join Date: November 9, 2014 Location: Buffalo Commons Posts: 24	380 powders Nice selection of powder! Of the powders you list, I load 380auto with W231/HP-38 and AA#2, both give good to excellent accuracy. I have found AA#5 to be not so accurate in 380auto (YMMV), AA#5 is much better suited to 9mm, IMHO. JD

February 23, 2015, 11:23 AM	#1
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	380 XTP My wife purchased a Kimber Micro CDP this weekend. She is going to use it for her carry gun. This is my first 380, so I had to order Dies, used brass and bullets. I also ordered a lee 102gr RN bullet mould. I started out with 1000 Hornady 100gr FMJ for range work and practice. I was hoping to get by with the powders I have on hand, for soft shooting rounds that cycle well. Red Dot WST Unique 231 Blue Dot #2 Silhouette True Blue #5 3N37 Of these powders what would you guys recommend for soft shooting range work? My main concern is SD loads. I haven't purchased any SD bullets yet, as I am still researching penetration and all that with a micro 380. So far the XTP traveling at about 800fps seems to be a good choice. But, this was just one mans opinion and test. What do you guys recommend for a good/great SD bullet in a compact 380? http://shootingthebull.net/blog/fina...cp-ammo-quest/

February 23, 2015, 12:24 PM	#2
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	For powders, I have used WW231, Unique, and Red Dot with good results. I have not used the others that you mentioned. The XTP bullet you mention will not expand at 800 fps, at least not in my testing. For a very good self defense ammo, buy a couple of boxes of Hornady Critical Defense. These are loaded with the FTX bullet and it is not available as a component for the 380 ACP. I have done expansion tests on the Critical Defense ammo and can verify that it WILL expand to at least 50 yds which is way beyond the typical distance of defensive handgun use.

February 23, 2015, 01:38 PM	#4
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Clark are you sure about that load? I'm looking at my Speer #14 manual and it lists 4.8 grains of Power Pistol as the max and lists it as a compressed load to boot. This is with .380 90 grain GDHP. I don't load .380 yet but might do it in the near future so that is why I'm on the lookout for good loads others have used.

February 23, 2015, 03:36 PM	#5
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	That is the +P loading for the 380 that Buffalo Bore sells. The Kahr can take a lot more than that, and some old Beretta can take a lot more than that. It is mostly a function of case support, but slide mass and recoil spring force make it more pleasant. The worst case support I have found in all the 380s I have measured is the .27" in the Kel-Tec and Ruger 6 ounce pistols. They are what defines the +P load. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

February 23, 2015, 04:36 PM	#6
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Thank you Clark.

February 25, 2015, 07:04 PM	#9
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	I rounded up a partial box of Blazer Aluminum 95gr FMJ and took the Mirco for a test drive today. Cold, 3* with 15 + winds, set up at 10 yards, off hand. I like it.

February 28, 2015, 03:51 PM	#10
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	I think the old adage applies, 1. APPLICATION, 2. APPLICATION, 3. APPLICATION. When my wife started carrying a .380, I did some ballistics tests... I tried all the 'Super Duper' hollow points on a cardboard box, Plastic trash bag liner, and wet news papers, Which makes a pretty good analog for 'Bad Guys'. ALL of the 'Super Duper' rounds failed to expand and a bunch didn't penetrate very well, even for a .380 One that stood out as a 'Self Defense' round was the Glasser Safety Slug. Even it .380 it expended all energy in the target, Created a devastating funnel shaped channel, Penetration was hard to determine since the Glasser fragments on expansion, but it did a LARGE amount of damage for a little, slow, light weight round. And as far as kicking water out of the box, making the box jump, it did a real job! She likes Remington factory FMJ for range practice, So I reproduce them as closely as I can with the old press. That's all I know about .380 rounds of any kind is what I learned from testing. Pistols really aren't my thing...