Thanks for that. I saw PMC Bronze .380 FMJs Sunday and then neglected to buy a box before I departed.

I do not handload .380s and cannot find any factory ammunition except my old stash of Hydra-shoks that might have Federal primers. I consider those too expensive to experiment with at this point. I have my eyes open for American Eagles. Surely some will come along soon.

For now, the Remingtons have been the best I've tried. They came in the proverbial 250-round "value pack" container (Green and white, IIRC). Nickel cases. Fairly recent production - maybe within the last year or two.

I can stand a failure to lock the slide after the last round, and the slide flying forward when the mag is inserted. I don't have these problems but I know others talk about them. "Light strikes" are just intolerable.

S&W has forgotten more about making defensive handguns than most of us have ever learned. Why they have this problem with so many guns (not just the BG380) amazes me. I'd gladly put up with with a couple more pounds of trigger-pull weight, if that is what it takes, to make the gun fire every time. It makes me wonder if they are working to specifications that do not take into account the variation of the ammunition being used... or if it is a combination of faults with both gun AND ammunition? Likely both, I suppose.

The Winchester FMJ-FN ammunition I mentioned earlier in this thread says "Made in USA" on the box, so I guess it is domestic production - unless someone is being cute and meaning they assemble the cartridges here with components made elsewhere...