Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 380 Auto Tests...

Some actual chrono data from one of my LCP's:

Winchester White Box 95 gr FMJ - 811 fps
Corbon 80 gr DPX - 965 fps
Remington 88 gr JHP - 866 fps
Federal 90 gr Hydra-Shok - 879 fps
PMC 90 gr JHP - 838 fps
Hornady 90 gr Critical Defense - 866 fps
Hornady Custom XTP - 893 fps
Hornady American Gunner XTP - 815 fps
Speer 90 gr Gold Dot- 931 fps

This and the Liberty Civil Defense are what I have settled on for my Kahr P380. Have had zero feeding issues and they have the highest velocity of any .380s.

From what I have observed, regardless of bullet design, when impact velocities are under 1000 fps the likelihood of a bullet opening up in flesh is low. That and with the low bullet weight and sectional density if it does open up penetration is going way down.

Bob

I use Winchester USA 95 grain FMJ flat point.

0) Super wimpy 380 book load:
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...weight=90&shellid=22&bulletid=24
4.8 gr Power Pistol 90 gr Gold Dot. for 380

1) Wimpy 380 loads for kel-Tec P3AT and LCP
6 gr Power Pistol 90 gr Gold dot, chronographs at 1100 fps with the 2.75" barrel.
The case support is at .290" and the case will bulge a little bit at 6 gr, and we WISH we had safety margin on that.

2) Medium loads for Bryco and Kahr

3) Super hot 380 for 1907 Colt-Husqvarna bushed to 380
8.5 gr Power Pistol 158 gr 1187 fps over chrono
Case support at .175", thick chamber walls, heavy slide, and stiff recoil spring