Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 380+P

Has anyone ever duplicated the Underwood or Buffalo Bore 380+P loadings of a 90 gr xtp at 1200?

Not quite 1200 but I have been in the 1100+ Range with the 90 gr XTP out of a Glock 42. Have to go pull my data to get you more specifics.

Mark in GA

What gun are you shooting them in?

Glock 42 which has. 3.25” barrel

Mark in GA

I didn’t run but a few to test, then dropped back a 1/2 grain on the load which had it running an honest 1025 fps. That’s where I stayed.

Mark in GA

Probably a good idea.

I will say that my G42 LOVES the little 90 gr. XTP and consistently shoots very tight groups with it!

My load of choice uses Ramshot True Blue along with the XTP

Mark in GA

I have a good one as well with Autocomp, I use it my my 42 and 380 EZ.

I get 1100 fps 90 gr speer JHP Gold Dot in Kel tec P3AT or Ruger LCP 2" barrels 6.2 gr Power Pistol [book load is 4.8 gr]

Those two small pistols are at the threshold of guppy belly case bulge with feed ramp intrusion into the chamber of 0.270".
With case webs only 0.100" thick, that leaves 0.170" of unsupported thin brass case wall.

All the other 380 pistols I have measured have better chamber support.
Other 380 pistol have longer barrels, and will get higher velocity.

Was at the range yesterday testing the 90gn XTP with Accurate #2 powder. 3.7 grains from my Baby Rock (3.75" barrel) averaged 1154fps. They were definitely spicy. From my LCPII they averaged 1077. Not sure I'd want to try to get any more from a 380 cartridge.

Has anyone tried the new Federal Hydra-Shok Deep? 1000 fps for a 99 gr bullet that expands and penetrates, looks interesting.

No but I tried some Norma MHP 85 grain copper HP and got 1185 fps out of a PPK. Specs say 1280 out of a 6”.

I got 926 FPS muzzle velocity out of a Sig P365-380. It doesn't penetrate any more than any standard pressure hollowpoint or conventional ball.

[Edit-I linked the wrong video the first time.]



The ammo I have shot against the same array (in 3 installments) is in this thread: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/17837796/

I have not experimented with +P loads in .380 because it is not a SAAMI recognized caliber and also because the Lehigh solids and Buffalo Bore hard cast standard pressure rounds appear to be good enough as is. (Lehigh has load data on its website.) I would be interested in seeing how the +P loads discussed in this thread compare against the standard velocity versions that I shot, but I am not going to volunteer for that. The standard velocity versions of popular hollow points did not do well.

In college I 'accidentally' over-charged my loads with an XTP and crony said 1050-1100+ as I recall.

It seemed harsh on that PPK/S and I quickly dropped that load for concern of safety. I would not personally try making the 380 more than it is....just me. Be safe folks.