The reason behind the post is Saturday I loaded 95gr Magtech ball over a near max charge of CFE Pistol and went to check function. The LCP was a handful compared to the Monarch ball I have been shooting since I bought the pistol, and that is what it's loaded with when I carry. I searched and found that the load is ~750 fps and even read a report the load bounced off a phone book at ~10'. I backed the last 400 down from 4.1 to 4.0 (4.2 max) and they are running 750 fps like the Monarch so fine for practice.
Now the search is on for a carry load, I am not really comfortable with lightweight bullets or the new frangible bullets hitting the market.
This is only a 380 question, I have a G19 9mm and a G20 10mm....
From this data, or if you have other links with similar tests, what cartridge would you choose for a 380?
Looking at all that info plus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts when I was deciding what to carry, I decided on the Hornady American Gunner 90gr. XTP for my carry ammo. While not the biggest expansion, the XTP was a consistent performer in all the tests I viewed. I have HSTs for my 9mm and .45 ACP, but they didn't penetrate well in the .380.
The Beretta 85 is loaded with 102 gr Remington Golden Sabres. They are quite manageable in a larger gun. I would use the same load in my Savage pistols if I were to use them for self defense.
A Taurus TCP has either 95 gr Winchester XPD (?) or the Federal HST loading. They are a little snappy in a small gun like that but I am not expecting to use it at more than a few yards.
I based my choices on a combination of research, experiences/observations of others, availability, and price. I am not big on water tests only as they have been shown to skew results. The same can be said for other test media so I try to get as many different ones as possible. I've also had access to medical reports of those shot with various rounds. As I was doing this during the ammo drought of the last several years, I was also limited in my choices by what was available. Luckily, I am able to purchase ammo from a police supply house so my options were a little greater than most. The Remington's were bought during a clearance sale while a rebate was going on so they were bought due to their price and that they were available in addition to their predicted effectiveness.
I don't expect much expansion from these rounds due to modest velocities so look for penetration. The heavier HPs I feel give the best of both worlds as they should penetrate decently even if they expand. If limited to FMJ I would not feel any less capable.
I have tested 380s with hot loads [work up to case failure] and put them in 3 catagories.
1) Wimpy: LCP, P3AT only good for Bufflao Bore +P level due to: a) thin chamber walls b) poor case support c) low mass slide
2) medium: Kahr P380, Bryco Hotter than wimpy with 0.215" feed ramp intrusion
3) Hot: Beretta 1934, Colt 1903, Husqvarna M/07 full case support thick walls massive slide
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. -Ernest Hemingway The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.-- Edward John Phelps
Same here. When I went to the gun store to first get ammo for my LCP I mistakenly bought a box of FTX which performed poorly in their tests. Had to go back and rectify that by getting a box of Hornady factory 90 gr. XTP.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
This is the only thing I have for any 'real' .380 Auto test in my book. This buck was hit by a car during last November's rut. Broke one of it's back femur bones, got rolled, bruised up, lost some hair. Sheriff's dispatch called, told me where the accident happened, drove out and met up with Highway Patrol officer. While he filled out a salvage tag, I took care of this deer with a Glock 42. It was dragging itself across a pasture toward a timbered area using it's front legs mostly. I caught up to it 10 yds away and put a bullet in it's neck, dropped that deer like a stone. That was it. Doesn't look like it from the picture, but that buck's neck was really swollen up from the rut, thick hide, muscle and all.
The cartridge was Hornady Custom .380 auto with their 90 gr. xtp bullet.
Since the LCP isn't rated for +P use, I'd refrain from any hot handloads or any of the performance loads offered by the boutique makers. If there's any magic going to occur with an expanding bullet in the .380, it will just as likely happen with one of the premium loads like the XTP, Gold Dot, HST or even the Hydra-Shok.
Personally, I carry Gold Dots simply because they have the highest velocity (in my guns) out of all the factory loads mentioned.
Last edited by 41magfan; 01/15/18.
The uninitiated are always easily impressed. NRA Endowment Member
The factory XTP loads are supposed to clock 1000 fps, the average velocity of the four loads using the XTP in the test Jim posted is 810, odd.
I found a box of bullets in town and loaded 25 with 4.1 grs of CFE Pistol, Hodgdon data indicates 1,010 with 4.2 grs out of a 3.75" barrel. The loads functioned fine and seemed mild, I want to shoot them over the chronograph next weekend.
The actual barrel on my g42 (w/o the chamber), is only like ~2 1/2". So, even though my box of hornady 'customs' says 1000 fps at the muzzle, they must be chrono'd out of a longer barrel at the factory.
To go from 0 - 680 mile per hour in 2 1/2 inches I think would be seeking a miracle out of a little gun barrel. But in say that, I don't have a chronograph to actually measure it. RWD, I look forward to your tests, definitely will shed more light on it.
Hornady 90 gr. XTP on the left (# 35500) and Sierra 90 gr. JHP Sports Master on the right (# 8100). Both .355 dia.
Notice the bearing surfaces between the two. You wouldn't think the Hornady would be as accurate or as balanced as it is, but that bullet is very accurate. Just started loading the Sierra and shot 5 round apiece of 3.8 grs power pistol and 4.0 grs p.p. The gun seemed to print a better group with the latter, so I'm in the process of loading up 50 rounds.
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/RdCkILB.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/dn1DUMW.jpg)