Poll: Best .380 Defence Round?

S

Sarge55

New member
Let's get away from all the "My round's better than your round" contoversy. Time to get serious....... We really need to try to find # 1 for defensive carry! I know it's out there.......Lets take a poll of what everyone on the list, who own .380's, is ACTUALLY carrying in their defensive .380's. What are we all carrying (guns & Ammo). AND......If you'd like, explain why you feel your preferred round is the best at the task at hand. If all works out OK, this should turn out to be a very educational thread!
Who's first?

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DAH BIG DAWG'S ON DUTY
 
In my SIG P-230, I carry Cor-Bon 90gr +P hollow points.

They are reliable and accurate in the SIG, and deliver around 220fpe with good expansion.

--Rich

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Nothing threatens freedom so much as self rightous ignorance.
 
I use Corbon 90 gr +P or Fed Hydra shoks in my SIG 232 and Beretta 85. Both guns have been thoroughly reliable with everything I've put in them, but for carry, i stick with teh CB or Feds. M2
 
Based on Shawn Dodson's recommendation for this caliber, Hornady 90 grain JHP-XTP.

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Slowpoke Rodrigo...he pack a gon...

Vote for the Neal Knox 13
 
I have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite. (I purchased it before Colt turned.)
I keep the mag loaded with alternating rounds of Federal Hydra-Shok's and Glaser Blue's.

Will



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Mendacity is the system we live in.
 
i popped an antelope with a 90 grain hydra shock 3 times and the results were puzzling.the boullets that hit solid bone (hips and femur) totally came apart.. doing a lot of superficial damage but not stopping the animal. Penetration was not deep on bone hits and the bone remained intact, though scored. A fatal heart shot passed between the ribs and again the bullet totally came apart. the weapon used was a hungarian pa-63 in .380

Antelope bones are fairly brittle and fracture sharply.. the 380 did not break bones. The wounds were nasty looking but the bullets did not penetrate very far (2-3 inches) when dense muscle and heavy bone were encountered, and over-expanded in my opinion. However in the chest cavity penetration was like 7-9 inches from point of impact behind the shoulder and damage to the heart was substantial. (that stopped the animal dead)

However, i've carried a 380 as a "finishing gun" for years.. with a head shot its all over quickly and cleanly.

I leave the conclusions up to you...

but that's my experience with the bullets.

Dr.Rob
 
Dr. Rob,
I've heard things like this regarding .380's before. Sometimes it makes me wonder. Still, it feels like a pretty strong round. I like to carry my .380 when I leave my .40 caliber Glock at home. The .380 Colt Mustang Pocketlite is perfect for my Galco waist pack. I've also read in some magazines that the .380 is roughly equivalent to the non +P .38 special. I was just at the gun shop buying ammunition for my wife, and I just don't see how this is possible.
The case on a .38 special round is almost twice as long as the case on a .380. Does anyone have an opinion regarding this??

Thanks,
Will

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Mendacity is the system we live in.

[This message has been edited by WLM (edited April 14, 2000).]
 
I carry a Hungarian FEG SMC-380 (never hunted antelope with it though ;)) and a Colt Govt. .380. I put one or two Glasers on top (two in the house and one on the street) and fill the rest of the mag with either HydraShocks or Hornady JXT-XTP. I'm still evaluating the reliability of the Hornadys. The Winchester hollow-points don't feed well for me.
 
I carry 90 gr. hydroshocks in my sig 230. I've run about 100 through it without a hiccup! The main reason I use them is because our local LEOs use them. If I ever found myself in court because of a shooting I believe it would be to my advantage. I think there are several good brands to use and federal hydroshock just happens to be one of them. goodshot
 
Right now i am using Winchester SXT's in my Bersa Series 95. In soaked newspaper this round penetrated about 8" with perfect expansion. Next test will be soaked newspaper with 2 layers of denim.
 
i think PRESSURE is the issue.. the average 398 special is not going as fast as a 380 does.. its a VERY destructive little round and all hydra shocks i've fired into game have expanded. (point of note the one animal i described before i had shot at from 300 yards away with a rifle.. just grazing it and stunning it when i approached, rifle shouldered and 380 in hand the sucker jumped up and i was forced to shoot it with what i had in hand)
 
WLM:
The 38Special was originally a blackpowder round. When it changed to smokeless powder, the same case was retained but at a much smaller powder density. The short answer is that the 38 special round has a lot of empty space in the loaded case.
My wife sometimes carries .380, so I'm very interested in this thread. She carries a Colt Pony with Corbon.
 
Well, first I'll respond directly, I carry Remington Golden Saber in my Colt Mustang Pocketlite.

I don't necessarily think this is the "best" round, but it's a quality round. I've said this in the past, but it's worth repeating. The "best" round is almost any major manufacturer's self defense round that you can put on target with your gun and your level of training. There is no magic bullet.
 
I carry Hardball. It's cheap, reliable and has good penetration. I believe for smaller calibers you cant go wrong with fmj.

Peace
IZZY :cool:
 
P.S. I carry a nickled ppk. I can't reccomend this to every one based on the qaulity control problems of American made Walthers.
 
Ditto the Golden Sabres (102gr.) I carry 'em in my FEG APK MK II (that's a mouthful) because they group tightest. I trust 'em for shot placement.
 
I'm in the same camp with IZZY. Walther PPK loaded with FMJ. Shooting the .380, penetration and reliability count more than expansion. I want zero percent of jams and want what I hit to get a deep hole in it, several times if possible...

Just my opinion, but then again, I'm a "squeeze off two rounds and run for cover" kind of guy.

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Triggers exist to be pulled... again and again.
 
102 gr. Golden Sabers is what I carry when carrying a .380. It is one of the few hollowpoint rounds of .380 that shows good penetration in clothed geletan yet maintains good expansion both.

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"what gives a government that arms the whole world the right to disarm it's own citizens?"
 
Colt Mustang PocketLite. 90 grain Federal HydraShoks because they are 100% reliable in this gun and print six round clovers at five meters.

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Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat!

I hunt, therefore I am.
 
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