[ViennaGambit]

Just picked up an LCP to carry as a BUG or for the few times when I cannot get away with my Glocks or 642 during the AZ summer... Put a box of FMJs and Gold Dots through her and performed flawlessly - 2" groups at 25 feet off hand will do the trick for me. Killed my trigger finger, however and I think I need to add a hogue or inner tube to give me a better grip.

Anyway, read and heard more than a few times of guys not trusting a .380 hollow point to either penetrate enough, get hung up on clothes and/or break up and thus carry flat nose FMJs. So was wondering what your alls opinion on the matter was?

In your .380 LCP/P3AT/TCP ccw, do you carry FMJ or Hollow Points?

Thanks!

[09crue]

i load my lcp with Magtech FMJ's,it's difficult to get both penetration and expansion from 380's..

[dkf]

I have Hornady 90gr XTPs loaded in my LCP. The XTP bullet doesn't yield huge expansion numbers but it is a consistent performer which favors penetration over expansion. Since the .380 HPs can be shallow in the penetration dept I am willing to saccrafice expansion for penetration. When I get the chance I want to do some testing with the standard pressure Buffalo Bore 100gr hardcast load.

[481]

.380s using 95 gr. FMJs in the velocity range of 900-950 fps will produce about 16-18 inches of penetration in soft tissue. JHPs in the same caliber, if they expand, will usually fail to produce more than 10 inches of penetration- the key metric in terminal ballistic performance. If bone is struck, both designs will exhibit a reduction in their respective depth of penetration.

If your circumstances allow you to sacrifice penetration for the luxury of expansion, JHPs are the way to go. Otherwise, stick with the FMJs.

[ViennaGambit]

Thank you guys - this is what I was after.

I am going to try the Buff Bore 100gr hardcast flat nose to see how they feed. Sounds like THE round to carry, if they feed reliably... might order the FMJ FN as well in case the others dont feed 100%

I should polish my ramp as well... youtube time...

EDIT: just have to add - I cant believe how damn small the LCP is, and why I waited so long to pick one up.

[Tiro Fijo]

Originally Posted by ViennaGambit

...when I cannot get away with my Glocks or 642 during the AZ summer...

I spend a lot of time on the Border and I have no trouble with Service sized handguns concealed. It has to do with your holster & belt. I carry two guns in that heat & it never bothered me.

Remember, this is a tool that could very well save your life. It's not meant to be comfortable like a La-Z-Boy recliner. You have to dress around the gun.

IMO, anyone that banks on a .380 as being enough gun CONSISTENTLY is foolish.

[ViennaGambit]

not worth it.

[ViennaGambit]

not worth it x2

[FatBoy]

WOW, is this a carry over from another thread? Because I don't feel what he said was all that bad.

Anyhow, I am currently in the FMJ camp w/ the little .380. I carry a larger gun almost all the time, but sometime I have to resort to a BUG.

[Iceman cHucK]

I like fmj for reliability and penetration in my Walther PPKS 380. Expanded HPs yields too shallow of penetration in my opinion.

[txgunguy]

FMJ for me. The lcp is great when I'm in situations I can't carry my glock.

[mastrbloata]

Fmj..

[ithaca_deerslayer]

Originally Posted by dkf

I have Hornady 90gr XTPs loaded in my LCP.

I have the Hornady Critical Defense. Has the red plastic tip, and feeds really well.

I've had the larger mouth gold dots hang up on my LCP (but I use them in 9mm).Whatever to use, reliable feeding is important.

If I were to carry an FMJ, I'd wonder if the overall cartridge design has the same quality as the premium carry rounds.

Hopefully the Critical Defense has the right balance between expansion and penetration.

[BDSBruce]

I worried about this question for a long time and switched from FMJ to JHP, then mixed both in the mag for a bit. In the end, I decided to test them and get some facts put together so I could make an informed decision.

The good news is that most expand. The bad news is that many expand too much to allow sufficient penetration. The best news is that there are a couple of gems that balance expansion and penetration. I'm using one of those gems.

Mouse Gun Ballistics - Federal Hydra-Shok 380 Auto Denim and Gel Test - YouTube

Mouse Gun Ballistics - Federal Hydra-Shok 380 Auto Denim and Gel Test - YouTube

Full view of all tested loads here. http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2...est-recap.html

[dkf]

WOW, is this a carry over from another thread? Because I don't feel what he said was all that bad.

Certain people around here just can't help but to be a ******. The ignore list helps....

[1canvas]

for me when I must carry a .380 I carry Gold Dots.

[JEEPX]

I have my LCP loaded with Buffalo Bore Barnes Tac-XP.

[ChiefWPD]

I carry WW full jacketed flatnose rounds in my Ruger LCP. Wally World has 'em for around $37 bucks per 100. Just feel the .380 is too light to trust with expanding rounds.

[dkf]

I would never carry WWB as their QC is some of the worst in the biz in my experience.

[cowboy1964]

The .380 gets no respect but I wouldn't want to get shot with one. People die from .22s all the time.

[RYT 2BER]

Originally Posted by cowboy1964

The .380 gets no respect but I wouldn't want to get shot with one. People die from .22s all the time.

This ^^^^^^^

Personally jhp for me... Ive shot plenty of 380 fmj at 2x4 ply wood and it goes through the plywood like a knife through butter.. My guess is that fmj 380 would overpenetrate like nobodys businessconsidering it bored holes in 2x4s from my lcp without breaking a sweat leaving the wood blocks looking like swiss cheese.

Now Im convinced that a human body is going to put up alot less resistance than solid blocks wood but I guess I can be wrong.

Im not worried about penetration.. again.. SD shoots are generally at such close distances Im not losing any sleep over it... I generally always carry larger caliber ammo when possible..

Im actually not worried about 380 "ammo for SD"... its just the "380 guns" im not in love with because I cant shoot them like well larger stuff..

[cowboywannabe]

a member on here named streetking has his avatar pic up.....take a look at it.

in sub minor calibers i would carry FMJ because without adequate penetration, nothing else matters.

if the bad guy puts his hands up in an offensive manner, you have muscle, and bone to shoot through before the bullet ever gets to the chest. then you have more muscle and bone to shoot through before the bullet gets to any vitals.

balgel is nice to see how a bullet will probably perform in a homogenous median, but it does not indicate how it will do in a human body.

[CanyonMan]

Without question... FMJ !
You will never get the needed penetration out of a JHP for a .380.


Good luck.






CM