Forums / Gun Discussion / .380 caliber

Good up to 30 feet for me,nice carry but like magsafe ammo as it is a hollow point with bb's in it.I'm told the when it hit's it's like being shot with a 10mm round nose.Not sure if true but I know a guy in sin city selling ammo that with go BOOM when it hit's of diffrent cal's out of shot gun news mag.TY

i have two guns in that caliber.NAA Guardian, that is a great carry pistol...heavy and well crafted...and the Sig p238 which is a must have for any gun owner..i like that caliber for a mouse gun cause it does pack a punch and has in my opinion less recoil that say a .22 mag. just a short 9mm and perfect for self defense.

super easy gun to carry. as far as the round goes i was willing to comprise caliber to ensure i had a gun on me. Mid summer in NC i didn't even want to wear clothes let alone a holster and a mid sized Glock or 5" 1911. im sure some of you can relate

I would be very selective on which weapon chambered in 380 that I would carry.

Most are what many call belly guns, out of the pocket and point it, POP POP..

The CZ 83, Colt Mustang. Beretta, Browning BDA, Sig 238, Diamondback, KAHR, S&W Bodyguard, Walther PPK and PK are the ones I would use personally...

S&W BodyGuard, Colt, CZ, Beretta, Browning and Walther PK are higher capacity and would be my first choice...

Again in my personal opinion I do not see it as a primary without the restriction in the USA that some other countries have on civilians using Military Type Ammo...

the foot pounds of energy as a 9mm Luger.
If you feel safe with a 380
God Be With You.

1. The lower pressures of the .380ACP vs. 9/40/45 are what allow it's use in smaller, lighter, blowback-operated pistols. This drop in power makes for significantly lighter/smaller guns.

2. Likewise, the lowered sectional density, projectile weight/momentum, and available velocity window are what make it a borderline caliber. Even with the best .380ACP ammunition you will most likely not see adequate penetration (12"+), reliable expansion, or performance against common barriers like window glass, wood, etc. You sacrifice adequate terminal performance and gain a more concealable pistol.

3. Unless your wardrobe, mission, lifestyle, etc. absolutely DEMAND a pistol of a certain weight/size, then I would select a small/light handgun that adequate terminal ballistics. The 3" .45acp 1911, compact 9mmPs like the Glock 26, and the 1.5-3" barreled 5-shot .38sp revolver all offer adequate penetration, reliable expansion, and adequate barrier performance with the right loads. The slight increase in size/weight also generall makes the gun more comfortable to shoot for many folks. Your carry method, holster and wardrobe choice will go a long way towards comfortably concealing a pistol of adequate 'power'.

4. The only .380ACP rounds currently approaching minimum accepted performance are the LE Winchester Ranger SXT and the Hornady Critical Defense. Every other .380 round I've tested or seen used did not penetrate adequately and/or did not expand with any predictability.

5. No .380ACP performs in a similar manner to any 10mm.....since it is not a 10mm. There is no way to get the .380ACP bullet to have the sectional density, weight or diameter to compete with the wounding ability of a significantly larger/heavier/wider bullet. 5 or 6 tiny pellets penetrating to a depth of 4-8" does not resemble a .40-75cal hole 12-18" in length. The external ballistics and wound volume are not comparable, and neither are the effects on live targets. Joe Zambone may say otherwise, but I'll continue to rely on physics, human shooting results, and the work of folks like the FBI FTU.

Several .40SW loads do perform in a very similar manner to some 10mm loads, since the bullet sizes/weights/velocities/designs are similar.

LBC, I carry the .380 on me every day and take a CZ 9X18 with me in a shoulder bag in case I need more when I leave the house. I understand all of the points for more or less than a .380 but I am very comfortable and confident that it will get the job done. Most of us on this site have probably never had to fire in self defense and I pray that if we do, we all have enough with what we got!

i have a taurus .380 but i don't carry it. i have it for an easy to hide gun in the house and garage. i to have my concerns if the round would be enough to rely on. i have heard that the hornady ammo has the same or very close to the same kinetic energy as a 9mm. have not been able to verify that with any concrete evidence. and then again i damn sure don't want to be on the wrong end of one. some one jacked up on meth probably wouldn't care, but a normal body would not take to well with it. but i don't think the bad guys are letting anyone know ahead of time which cal. it's ok to use, so better safe than sorry.

I have a Ruger LCP that i carry as a back up to my Glock 23. I personally believe that the 380 is an ok Caliber for defense IF you train with it and can hit what your aiming for. A .380 between the eyes is more than adequate if you know what i mean. Main thing what ever you choose be certain to get range time with it. Practice makes perfect.

I'd rather be hit in the head with a bat than shot in the chest with a .380.
Just my 2 cents.

The .357 might as well be a one shot. Good luck finding it after the first round. If you are shooting mags that is.

Derringer that is.

Waco, Tx They build some quality stuff

Ishootdaily, I agree with you about the CZ's. I have the CZ 82 with me where ever I go because it is so accurate and I have 20+ rounds easily carried. I have more expensive and bigger pistols but it just comes down to what is most comfortable, easy and dependable.

You can carry a Taurus PT709 Slim or Kel-TEC PF-9 (both in 9mm) with three-dot sights and conceal them very well. Both are single-stack mags and are only slighty larger than a Ruger LCP or Kel-TEC P-3AT in .380 ACP.

I prefer the Taurus 709 - it is a little smoother shooting than the PF-9 - probably because of the weight. The PF-9 is a handful to shoot.

Crimson Trace also has a laser out now for the Taurus PT 709 Slim..

My wife and I both have the 709 slims and I like them alot. And I carry mine a good bit but I never leave home without my CZ. It is just so much more accurate and carries more rounds. I'll have to check out the PF-9 cause I like the 9mm. Thanks for sharing info.