My Walther PPK/s .380ACP and "wife's" Ruger LCR .38Spl accompanied me to the range today. I had some handloads I wanted to chrono and also wanted to chrono some Hornady and Magtech loads.
Here are the results. (Note that I have no idea as to the barrel lengths on which the manufacturers based their velocity claims. My barrel lengths are noted in the description of the handguns used.)
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Walther .380 PPK/s (3.3" barrel)
MagTech Guardian Gold 85g HP (GG380A)
931fps actual (1082fps claimed)
Handload Magtech 85g HP
948fps (Titegroup)
Xtreme 100g plated RNFP
815fps (W231)
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Ruger LCR .38 Spl (1.875" barrel)
Hornady Critical Defense Lite 90g FTX (#93000)
979fps actual (1200fps claimed)
Hornady Critical Defense +P 100g FTX (#93011)
894fps actual (1090fps claimed)
Handload 110g Speer Gold Dot
920fps (W231)
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Based on these results and the relative recoil, I'm loading the 90g FTX loads for my wife in her LCR. (She has osteoporosis and a snappy load could break bones.)
For now I'll stick with the 85g Magtech loads in my Walther, but I am interested in some hardcast loads, including factory and handloaded options.
Buffalo Bore claims 995 fps out of a PPK with their 100 gr cast bullet and it's not even rated +P.
The +P version of the same bullet clocks 1149 fps out of their PPK.
Ain't nuttin slack about them numbers .....
Coyote_Hunter: I have numerous chronograph results of handloads in my IA Walther PPK/S .380 including hard cast loads. Here are my results:
Bullet: Speer 90gr Gold Dot JHP [#3992]
Powder: Alliant Unique 4.6gr
COL: 9.500"
MV: 1050fps [SD load]
Bullet: Hornady 90gr XTP JHP [#35500]
Powder: Alliant Unique 4.5gr
COL: 0.9630"
MV: 1051fps [SD load]
Bullet: Meister 92gr LRN [#MB-380-92]
Powder: Alliant Unique 3.4gr
COL: 0.9605"
MV: 909fps [Practice load]
Bullet: Meister 92gr LRN [#MB-380-93]
Powder: Hodgdon HP38 3.4gr
COL: 0.9555"
MV: 891fps [Practice load]
Bullet: MBC 95gr LRN [#356095M]
Powder: Hodgdon HP38 3.4gr
COL: 0.9615"
MV: 917fps [Practice load]
And for comparison here is the result for the same SD load from my Ruger LCP .380 which shows the effect of the 2.75" vs 3.25" barrel:
Bullet: Hornady 90gr XTP JHP [#35500]
Powder: Alliant Unique 4.5gr
COL: 0.9630"
MV: 950fps [SD load]
I shoot the same hard cast practice loads in my LCP but I haven't chronographed any of them.
I want to try that flat nose in my Glock 42, I am going to order a box of the +P and give em a whirl.