.380 ammo

[rosewood]

I suppose the thing is, we try to compare a self defense situation to a LEO action. Our requirements may be different than what a typical LEO may see in their routine. We most likely do not need to penetrate a car door or windshield in a self defense situation like they would, so the 12-18" may not be as important. But we have to base our decisions on something rather than random picking off shelf because we like the color of the box...

Rosewood

 

[transfixer]

I suppose the thing is, we try to compare a self defense situation to a LEO action. Our requirements may be different than what a typical LEO may see in their routine. We most likely do not need to penetrate a car door or windshield in a self defense situation like they would, so the 12-18" may not be as important. But we have to base our decisions on something rather than random picking off shelf because we like the color of the box...

Rosewood

Windshields are notoriously hard to penetrate, a hangun will require 2 or 3 shots to get through most windshields, if hit in the same spot, car doors ? I don't see myself having to shoot through a car door but would feel undergunned with most pistols if I had to do that .

I just like expansion or maximum fragmentation of the projectile for a pistol round, much different than what I want in a hunting round, I want through and through penetration in those if possible, but I'm obviously not worried about tracking in a self defense situation ,,,

 

[rosewood]

I don't see myself having to shoot through a car door but would feel undergunned with most pistols if I had to do that .
,

Just replaced a door and bed on my 90 F150 so I could get it painted. After working on a door, I doubt most any ammo would have an issue going through it unless it hits the power window motor or the window regulator. The rest of the door is hollow and the sheet metal is quite thin. I wouldn't rely on it stopping anything. I now feel less safe driving a vehicle even in the event of an accident. I can clearly see why the deer bent the door up so bad when it t-boned me. Took the bed off and I bet the whole thing doesn't way 300 lbs. If it wasn't for bracing, the door and bed is quite flimsy.

Rosewood

 

[transfixer]

Just replaced a door and bed on my 90 F150 so I could get it painted. After working on a door, I doubt most any ammo would have an issue going through it unless it hits the power window motor or the window regulator. The rest of the door is hollow and the sheet metal is quite thin. I wouldn't rely on it stopping anything. I now feel less safe driving a vehicle even in the event of an accident. I can clearly see why the deer bent the door up so bad when it t-boned me. Took the bed off and I bet the whole thing doesn't way 300 lbs. If it wasn't for bracing, the door and bed is quite flimsy.

Rosewood

I've never had the opportunity to try shooting through a car door ,,, I do have a friend that runs a salvage yard, maybe I can get him to let me try a few different pistols/rounds to see what they do to a car door ? hmmm, that might be interesting !

 

[rosewood]

I've never had the opportunity to try shooting through a car door ,,, I do have a friend that runs a salvage yard, maybe I can get him to let me try a few different pistols/rounds to see what they do to a car door ? hmmm, that might be interesting !

Yeah, after making that post, I realized I have the old door propped against my shop waiting to go to scrap yard....

 

[GunnSmokeer]

I researched the topic and found that there are indeed several loads in 380 ACP which will penetrate 10 to 12 inches of ballistic gelatin and reliably expand to 50 or 55 caliber, even when going through cloth covering the gelatin!

But, I Took the cheap and easy route myself. I carry 100 grain round nose full metal jacket in my gun because that's what I got a case of inexpensively for my practice ammo.

I would not feel comfortable carrying premium hollow points in my gun unless I tested at least 100 of them in practice to make sure they feed reliably, and to confirm their point of impact compared to my gun's sights (or, in my case, a laser).
Even if I were willing to shoot up $100 worth of ammo before trusting that ammo in my carry gun, I would also flinch at the prospect of shooting another 50 rounds of it every six months to maintain proficiency.

So, FMJ for me. And I regularly shoot up what was in the gun and replace it with fresh ammo from my closet or gun cabinet.

 

[nmurph]

12in of ballistic gel is not equivalent to the chest of a human. It would be more like 12in of thigh muscle A .380 would easily pass through a deer's chest at 20 yds. A humans chest is much smaller and a jacket or sweatshirt doesn't add any significant impediment.

 

[transfixer]

People put way too much emphasis on FBI statistics and testing , just like everyone jumped on board when the FBI decided to go back to 9mm, it wasn't because 9mm was better, or even that the ammo has improved that much, it was simply that many FBI recruits could not master the recoil of a .40 good enough to consistently qualify, the .40 S&W is a ballistically superior cartridge, but if the person shooting can't hit anything with it, it doesn't matter.

Police departments have just followed their lead, one department I know of when they started phasing in the 9mm Glocks were giving them to the shooters with the worst qualifying scores first, officers that scored high when qualifying with their service .40 were the last ones to get the new 9mm's.

 

[notnksnemor]

I carry my LCP year round.
In the summer it's full of HST's.
In the colder months I load 3 fmj's on top followed by HST's.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

I'd find FMJ's that run flawlessly in the gun and go with them. I think I've come down on the side of decent handgun ammo that functions with the gun flawlessly and shoots exactly where you aim, rather than the "precious" ammo that is too expensive to practice with.


My 2 cents.

 

[pjciii]

Anyone been able to find the federal hst deep for the 380? Its was supposed to be available this spring
Patrick

 

[treemanjohn]

I use buffalo bore hardcast lead and their gold dots. I alternate them in the mag. The lead bullets penetrate like no others I've seen