What is the absolute very best 380 acp ammo for self defense?
What is the absolute very best 380 acp ammo for self defense?
Page 2 of this section.. https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....defensive-ammo
lawnguy, best .380 is a bit of an oxymoron.
If you plan to carry a .380 as a primary defense caliber, you need to be able to shoot very well in terms of bullet placement. I have read a number of your posts on hardware -- how many rounds have you fired since you started posting on PF, and what are you experiencing? Software skill is much more important than hardware selection.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
It needs to hit the right place, and penetrate 12-18". Hitting the right place depends on you, like George said. Running the gun depends on you, too. The ammunition needs to work in the gun, so if you are going to try to use hollow points, you'll need to test them for function in the gun, and they'll need to actually penetrate, too.
If I were running a .380, it would probably be loaded with ball most of the time, unless I vetted a hollowpoint for function and penetration and some amount of expansion.
I think the Lehigh defense 90gr extreme penetrator has been deemed the best you can do in a .380. But some guns won't feed it reliably so test it in your gun. This bullet penetrates 17"-20" range in testing I've seen. I'll take that. So that's what I carry in my glock 42.
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Last edited by ack495; 10-16-2016 at 04:04 PM.
I like BB 100gr lead hard cast.
Standard pressure: https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=216
"+P": https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=127
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Does that function reliably in the LCP?Originally Posted by Clusterfrack
I like BB 100gr lead hard cast.
Standard pressure: https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=216
"+P": https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=127
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
I haven't got around to testing that load in the LCP. The +p work great in my old pocket carry gun, a p238.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Depends.
Do you prefer making tiny or shallow holes? Perhaps a combination of tiny AND shallow?
Many people like ammo that uses the Hornady 90 gr. XTP bullet because it barely expands and barely meets minimum recommended penetration depths - except when It doesn't.
The experts recommend Full Metal Jacket. A non-expanding .380 bullet has a better chance of achieving adequate penetration. Examples: FMJ, hard cast lead, monolithic solids, and even some hollow-points - http://www.luckygunner.com/remington...nition#geltest
Penetration is job one...and also quality. Nickle brass cases, flash retardant powder, and lacquer sealed primers & case mouths are a few indicators of quality defensive ammo. [Link needed for quality .380 FMJ]
Expanding .380 bullets that actually expand...
http://www.luckygunner.com/380-acp-9...rounds#geltest
...may still be effective, but are less likely to penetrate deeply located vitals
I use Speer Gold Dots and will try some from ASYM really soon. ASYM is my rifle ammo and 9mm carry ammo.
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