Has anyone tried the ARX Inceptor 56 gr. polymer/metal bullets in the .380? I just ordered some from Midway.
ARX load data shows them at 1,200 fps out of a 3.75" barrel. Now, that's fast... And, I would think LOUD...
And with this new design, terminal performance doesn't depend on bullet expansion, the bullet shape is engineered to cause a wide wound cavity.
I have not tried them in 380, but have used them in 9mm and 45 Auto. FYI, the Inceptor Polycase and Ruger ARX lines are the same bullet. Polycase also sells the same bullet without flutes as a frangible; that's what we use on steel at the local indoor range.
My opinion, based on my own observations and testing of these, is that they just suck. The general concept seems similar to the Lehigh ED and EP bullets, but actual performance is very different. The Inceptor/ARX bullets don't penetrate well on any sort of hard barrier, and act pretty much identically to round nose FMJ in the various test media I tried. I didn't bother trying them in meat, since there's enough correlation with the test media to see they wouldn't do well.
You might consider the 65gr Defender bullet from Lehigh if you want to use something like this in a 380; I don't anything at 380 speed/power to be impressive but at least it will penetrate better than the Inceptor bullet. (Just for fun, I've tried that bullet in 9mm +P+ loads - 1,860 fps from a Glock 19!)
I think I'd do as gunner500 suggests though if I had to carry a 380 - a solid flat point might be your best bet.
