Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Anyone here believe a .380 is inadequate?

I was reading a review of the 100 grain Buffalo bore 380 flat nose lead loads and the reviewer was claiming his fear with the load was over penetration with the little .380, then we had the 1700 shooting review that indicated .380 up through 44 magnum was about the same in performance. I am starting to think that a .380 at reasonable distances is going to work about as well as the other larger calibers. I think all of them fall into about the same performance range give or take a bit. Anyone here feel well protected by a .380?

Not my first choice, but with some of today’s loading....it’s much better than it once was! memtb

Ditto...

What Would You Wisely Choose


380 Auto Verses 9mm Verses 40S&W verses 45 Auto


You are in a small room with only one door. On the outside are 5 murderous thugs each armed with a machete. One will enter the room every 20 seconds with the intent of chopping your head completely off.

Your only choice of firearms is either a 380 Auto with 5 rounds of the best ammo available or a 9MM with 5 rounds of the best ammo available or a 40S&W with 5 rounds of the best ammo available or a 45 Auto with 5 rounds of the best ammo available to defend yourself.

Which would you wisely choose?

Alll you have to do is hit them where it counts, a miss with a 9mm, 40 or 45 won't do you any good either...

Yep, in the most recent, high sample, statistical study, stopping performance jumps up dramatically starting with .380 ACP, falling just a couple of percentage points below the top performers, to include .44 Magnum. The measure anylized was ability to stop an attacker before attacker accomplished his attack, without regard for number of rounds landed on the attacker.

That wasn't the question.

Your question, though ambiguous, is only an attempt to make a person choose a larger cartridge. It is no different than all the people on the Campfire that condone and encourage the use of a 223 deer hunting. If I put myself in a position that 5 machete wielding thugs were to come one at a time and I had to shoot them, I would be more interested in hitting them to stop them, than to worry about caliber.

The original question was whether or not a 380 is adequate and yes, a 380 is adequate.

Wouldn't be my first choice as I have other options. But like has been said there are some good loadings out there. If it was what I had ,I would practice with and load right.Corbon, Hornady and Winchester all have good loads. I know several deputy's that carry an LCP with the Winchester load and.they don't feel under gunned.

So you are saying that with your SUPERIOR marksmanship skills you feel well equipped with a 380Auto. So I guess you carry one as your PRIMARY carry gun.

Will a .380 work?Sure,so will 22 LR, but it is about like saying a .223 is and excellent elk round.Sure it will kill them if placed right,but there are a heck of a lot better options. A sharp stick works too, but I don'r carry one.

You are trying too hard to sell me on a cartridge and not be able to use it. I may not be the best shot with a handgun, but I am good enough that I wouldn’t want me to be shooting at me...

That isn't saying much. I wouldn't want the worst shot in the world shooting at me as most get lucky at times. Now I guess you carry a 380 Auto as your primary carry gun?

Wow! I can just imagine what your Kindergarten teacher had to put up with...

She taught me a lot. She wasn't a 380 Auto fan. Now do you, due to you SUPERIOR SKILLS with a 380 Auto, carry one as your PRIMARY carry gun. Probably not I guess. You probably carry a double barrel derringer in 22 RF with only one barrel loaded. I guess it is loaded with a 22 Short RF.

The cartridge is acceptable, but the majority of the pistols aren't up to my requirements.

Getting back to the original question......

I carry a 380 often, but the choice is principally due to CC limitations imposed by the climate here in the land of perpetual sweat.
Read that as shorts and a light shirt pretty much year round.

No, given good shot placement - the primary factor in any shooting, whether hunting, self-defense or inanimate targets - and decently performing ammo a .380 is entirely adequate.

Given the choice for saving my hide, an M2 .50 caliber machine gun is not too big at all, although finding a place to carry a 100 round belt about my body becomes problematic...

I’m probably not that good of a shot either. I shoot a least once a week. My favorite shooting is at a plate rack. 6 - 1/2 inch steel plates on a rack at 10 yards. I’ve used 22lr, 22mag, 380, 38special, 9mm, 40s&w and 45acp. They all knock over the plates. Sometimes the little 22 lr reminds you of that bowling pin that’s hit but want fall.
Now for those not familiar with the rack. It has a rope that comes back to the firing line. When the plates are down you pull the rope. It’s stands them all back up with a arm on a swivel.
When the plates are hit with the 9 or 38 they fall over . But when they are hit with a 40 or 45 they don’t just fall over it shakes the entire rack .
Now if 5 people were after me I want to have something that will do them some good. Not saying a 380 want kill someone but I think there is better choices. Hasbeen

Although it is sub-optimal on the energy scale, in the right gun and with the right ammo, I think it is adequate.