380 defense ammo

[Belt99]

Just bought a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard. In my other 380, a Bersa Thunder, I usually carry Hornady Critical Defense. What other brands of ammo do you guys like to carry in 380?

 

[cwillour]

I have some Buffalo Bore that runs pretty nicely, but the CD is really my preference.

 

[Tydeeh22]

winchester supreme elites.

 

[Goober135]

I like Speer Gold Dot's in my Bersa.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTTuXpFChsA&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

 

[Broom_jm]

90gr XTP's or Sierra JHP's -- handloaded, of course.

 

[cosermann]

If I can find high quality, reliable FMJ, that's my first choice.

Second choice is 90gr Hornady XTP. Frankly, I'm more interested in penetration than expansion with the .380.

So, if XTP doesn't expand as reliably as their Critical Defense load, that's fine (and preferred!) by me.

If it expands too much, 380 is a marginal penetrator.

 

[Skywired]

Hornady Critical Defense for me. XTP is my second choice.

 

[357 Terms]

Penetration is the most important factor in SD ammo. Most 380 HP's don't.

FMJ all the way with the 380.

 

[45fan]

I have tried Buffalo Bore, Speer, Winchester silvertips, Remington Golden sabers, Hornady XTPs, and Fiocci Extrema (loaded with XTPs).

Buffalo Bore is by far the hottest, not something that I would recommend for a pocket .380. Winchester silver tips and Speer Gold Dots both shoot well, and expand redily, but the issue I have found with them is the tendency for either to deform loading from the magazine, or while in the spare mag carried in the pocket. Remingtons are not bad, have not done any expansion testing with them myself, but compared to Hornadys, are pricey.
The Xtp, in my opinion, is the best bullet for the .380, as it does not expand as violently, thus gives a bit better penetration than comparable self defense bullets. When I found the Fiocci load with XTPs, I tried them, and found them to be as good as the Hornady, for about half the price, so that is the current load that my wife carries in her BG, and I in my LCP.

 

[mbaza3]

I used Gold Dots for a while but went back to Hornady Critical Defense. I never had any feeding problems with them in Kahr P380.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

You hear all kinds of conflicting opinions with .380. It's kind of at an inflection point in the effectiveness curve. FMJ will penetrate well enough but won't expand at all, while your JHPs won't expand reliably. Does that mean they'll also penetrate well enough? Critical defense may be the best compromise; it won't get plugged up with clothing it has to penetrate, and if it doesn't expand, at least it should penetrate. I got some for my .45. I have a couple of .380s for bug use, but trying to put one up front gives me a headache.

 

[hankhill]

I only pack Hornady CD or Speer GD, oh and Black Hills.

 

[rustygunner]

Speer Gold Dot, or lately Hornady CD is all I carry... if I'm carrying .380 at all.

 

[Cowboy 44]

hornaday CD is what i have in my .380

 

[Adamz04]

Penetration is the most important factor in SD ammo. Most 380 HP's don't.

FMJ all the way with the 380.

No.no.no. Most 380 premium defense loads will still do 10-12 inches penetration. Although that's not kosher with the FBI that is plenty good for defensive situations.
I tested some corbon dpx in my kahr p380 and they opened up to 3/4 of inch wide. I was shocked... They were as wide as my federal hst 9mm after expansion. Only ten inches deep but with that kind of expansion I'll take it.

 

[cosermann]

Ok, I'll bite, what 380 premium defense load will expand and penetrate 12" consistently in standardized tests?

 

[Broom_jm]

This round seems to inspire the whole "expansion/penetration" debate more than any other commonly sold cartridge. While I'm sure there are merits to both, I have always looked at it like this:

I wouldn't want to be shot with either and I'm sure 99% of BG's agree. Shoot what you carry and make sure you're good with it. Not unlike big game hunting with powerful rifles, putting shots where they count is, by far, the most important thing.

 

[Steeler]

I use golden sabers in my mak, have had good results. I dont really carry it much anymore though.

 

[jve153]

I carry federal hydrashock in my bg380. The gun seems to like it. Haven't had any issues with it. I've only shot about 200 rounds of it so far, but it's been on point and reliable for me. After seeing the shrapnel left on the ground after shooting steel, I wouldn't want these things pointed in my direction. I havent tried any other SD rounds in it yet as these work and SD ammo is expensive and I know these work.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

There's what the gun will eat and fire reliably, then there's what it does when it hits a target, meaning a bad guy, not a picture of a bad guy on a sheet of paper. The question with the .380 has been one of what happens to the round when you shoot the bad guy with it, and how much does that make the bad guy want to stop doing whatever it is he's doing that led you to shoot him for it. There's penetration, and there's expansion. Do you have one, the other, or both? With other calibers, it's not so much of a question, but with this one, it seems to be.