Hollow points or FMJ for concealed carry .380?

I share the skepticism on .380 expansion, but I am persuaded that the newest wave (Hornady Critical Defense, Speer Gold Dot) might hold promise.

But I am not overly concerned with over-penetration in the .380 platform, either. I often carry 95 fmj.
 
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I carry a G42 380 auto. & a BG 380 auto during summer months,loaded with Hornady Critical Defense 380 auto 90 gr FTX bullets.:D
 
I'm using the Lehigh's as a compromise between the penetration of the FMJ and the wounding characteristics of HP - which perform dubiously in .380 pocket pistols.

When I practice with the Lehigh's they do make bigger holes in even paper targets than FMJ - for whatever that is worth.
 
I've been following this thread because I recently switched to a .380 for every day carry. I am also trying to decide which load is best.
The gelatin tests at Lucky Gunner show good penetration and expansion for several .380 loads using a Glock 42 with a 3.25 inch barrel. Seems to show that the extra half inch of barrel, compared to the LCP, can turn some iffy jhp's into adequate performers. What do you think?
 
Worrying over what some prosecutor might say isn't a good idea, since any defense lawyer will simply show everyone uses hollowpoints for self defense, making the prosecutor look silly.
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That would be the way to go for a defense attorney but the issue has been brought up and will depend on the jury characteristics relating to their world view.

Don't count on the prosecution looking silly. Do we need to go down the theme that folks really need to read the legal, criminological and psychological literature on jury decision making? NOT AGAIN!
 
As another poster pointed out if a hollow point should fail to expand won't it simply perform the same as a fmj would? If that's the case what would be the advantage of FMJ? If the HP expands you get HP performance. If it fails to expand you get FMJ performance. Why not go HP and let the round do what it will do?


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The biggest concern for HPs in a 380 is penetration. A bullet that expands well yet only penetrates 8 or 9" may not get the job done.
 
Remember, that you are carrying for a defensive not offensive engagement. Any bullet no matter how small is going to hurt and deter the threat to allow you to get away...... which is the objective. You hopefully are not standing there flat footed having target practice when you have option of escape. Going offensive with a .380 would not be my choice, but better than throwing stones or harsh words.

To that end, most any high quality bullet will do what you want if it functions. If you are really concerned about getting deeper penetration, for peace of mind you need to go to a higher caliber. Your .380 will most certainly deter. Key is good reliable ammo. I have carried Speed Gold Dots or Hydro Shock for more than 25 years as issued duty ammo (9mm, .40). I think its exceptional ammo and only comes in a hallows point. Just bought some in .380 and have total confidence it will do the job.
 
If a dope fiend gets close enough while shrugging off center of mass hits like mosquito bites, then I'm going to turn around and run like Hell
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I don't care what he is on, if arteries to his heart or the heart itself has a hole blown into it, he is toast.
 
Same reason that a skydiver with an open parachute lands softly on the ground and a skydiver without a parachute makes a significant dent in the earth....
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If a .355" hollowpoint expanded to 2.4" the instant the nose touched something solid (a difference comparable to the difference in aerodynamic cross-sectional area between a skydiver falling flat and a skydiver under a 26' parachute), that analogy would be a good one.

However, a .355" .380 FMJ and a .355" .380 JHP will still be very close to the same diameter when hitting a rib on the front side, since the JHP will be just beginning expansion. Even at maximum expansion, a .380 JHP will only be about .45 caliber or a little larger, which does increase hydrodynamic drag, but not enough to cause it to stop in a rib unless it is near the end of its penetration already.
 
QUOTE: "... Any bullet no matter how small is going to hurt and deter the threat to allow you to get away...... which is the objective..."

The objective for any bullet used for self-defense is to stop the attacker in his tracks. No bullet, no matter how large or small, can be counted on to "hurt and deter" the threat to allow you to "get away." You may well require more than one bullet planted in the "right spot" to accomplish the objective of stopping the threat.
 
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I shot my Critical Defense rounds the other day. They all functioned well in my .380. I have it stuffed with FMJ until I get to the store and buy some more CD ammo. As often as I get in a gun fight I think I'll be alright. To be honest I am carrying a full size 9 as my ECD with 9mm compact as a back up. Both with CD ammo. I am of the mind that FMJ works and HP works better. I'll use what I have at the time.
 
There are some AMAZING .380 hollow rounds on the market these days. You can expand near 9mm performance from them as well. Loads like the Underwood XTP and Buffalo Bore you really close to basic (non +P) 9x19mm NATO Luger performance envelopes.

Carrying ball in a defensive pistol is just asking for trouble. The likelihood of overpenetration risks it tremendously increased and innocent bystanders or family members are likely to be hit and/or possibly killed from this negligence.

If your pistol can't feed a modern HP tactical JHP, it's time to find a new carry gun and keep the ball for target use and tac trianing.
 
This is a hot topic, with many threads to it's credit. Personally I was about to give up on the .380. It seemed to offer just 2 choices: Overpenetrate and Underpenetrate, with nothing in between. Worse, my P3AT didn't like Hollowpoints or flat points at all!

....and then came the Hornady Critical Defense rounds. 12" of penetration, a better-than-ball wound channel, and a profile that would feed well in my pistol. I still mostly carry 9mm and larger, but I am finally feeling like I get the most out of the little .380 ACP.

This is what I choose to carry when I carry the .380, YMMV.
 
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