Thanks for your expert and knowledgeable opinion!![]()
Well, that was the general opinion on .380--stick to
ball, avoid JHP--about twenty years ago!

Thanks for your expert and knowledgeable opinion!![]()
The only actual uses I've seen involve hunting scenarios in different calibers than .380. I can't imagine that they'd be inferior to .380 ball.Not trying to be sarcastic here. And it's great that these Xtreme Defenders work for your wife.
But has there been any cases of these bullets used in actual SD shootings?
Do you know if any PDs use these or recommend them (in service calibers)?
I have a Sheriffs deputy friend you carries them, but only off duty I think.
Kind of an interesting concept, but real world results would be nice to know about.
The Lehigh bullets feed as reliably as ball. Maybe time to change your paradigm?Well, that was the general opinion on .380--stick to
ball, avoid JHP--about twenty years ago!![]()
Another rolling tempest in a small teapot. Popcorn? Anyone have popcorn?
The Lehigh bullets feed as reliably as ball. Maybe time to change your paradigm?
The Lehigh bullets feed as reliably as ball. Maybe time to change your paradigm?
Most of the time, the best choice in a .380 is a quality ball load, because otherwise you are not likely to have adequate penetration. If you are sure about getting HPs, there is only load authorized by LAPD now that they allow .380s for OD/BUG use. I can't recall it, but if you get that, you will be as good as it is going to get assuming that it feeds reliably.
This is generally the consensus. Rather than HPs which either won't expand, or if they do will have reduced penetration, maybe consider some heavy for caliber truncated cone. Something around 100gr with a flat nose at least half the diameter.
I don't think that JHP in .380 caliber penetrates enough. You can look up my link to the Underwood ammo.Dunno...what's a Lehigh--ball, JHP, polymer/powdered
metal screwdriver tip?
This is 2020, not 2000. My paradigm is carry JHP. What's
yours?![]()
I don't think that JHP in .380 caliber penetrates enough. You can look up my link to the Underwood ammo.
If I used a hollow point it would probably be Underwood +P 90 grain at 1200 fps.
Most of the time, the best choice in a .380 is a quality ball load, because otherwise you are not likely to have adequate penetration. If you are sure about getting HPs, there is only load authorized by LAPD now that they allow .380s for OD/BUG use. I can't recall it, but if you get that, you will be as good as it is going to get assuming that it feeds reliably.
Lots of interesting info there BB57. I admit to not having looked at a lot of .380 data in the last few years, but I never remember seeing any data that showed a 380 penetrating 25" out of a sub 3" barrel. Could you share your links for where you got that data?Doug's advice was the general consensus but it was a bit dated even back in 2014 when he posted it.
There are some good hollow point options now but you have to be mindful of the barrel length and the effects of velocity on expansion and penetration.
Good long barrel (3.5" to 4") loads:
Hornady 90 gr XTP
There are a 4 or 5 commercial loads using the Hornady 90 gr XTP that will expand to about 1.5x their original diameter and penetrate 12" in 10% ballistic gel - provided you launch them out of a 3.5" or longer barrel where you can get around 1000-1050 fps muzzle velocity. They'll work well in a PP, PPK, PPK/S, RIA Baby Rock, Bersa Thunder, etc, but not so well in something like a 3.25" Glock 42 or a 2.75" P238, Kimber micro, etc as the velocity will be down around or a bit under 900 fps.
Remington 102 gr Golden Saber
This load needs a long barrel and velocities around 950 fps to expand reliably. However it also expands slow enough to give excellent penetration to around 14". It's a great choice in a PP or an RIA Baby Rock where you've got 3.9"-4.0" of barrel to work with.
Good short barrel loads (2.75" to 3.25"):
Hornady 90 gr FTX
The 90 gr FTX will expand well to around .5" and penetrate about 13" at velocities around 900 fps, making it a good choice for short barrel .380 ACP pistols like the P238 and Kimber Micro
In a longer barrel with velocities in the 1000-1050 fps range it will expand more rapidly and penetrate less - down in the 10" range. That's still excellent performance for a face to face self defense shoot, it just doesn't meet the FBI's 12" minimum penetration requirement.
Sig Sauer 90 gr V Crown
When launched at around 850-875 fps it will penetrate about 13 inches and reliably expands to about .5" making it a great choice for a short barrel .380 ACP.
Speer 90 gr Gold dot
At around 900-925 fps they'll expand to around .5" but slightly under penetrate to around 11". They'll still expand but penetrate better in a 2.75" barrel where the velocity is down around 850 fps, making it a good choice for a Sig P238, Kimber Micro, etc.
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The wisdom to use a truncated cone flat point FMJ with a large meplat goes all the way back to the days of the Hatcher rating, where the round nose FMJ was assigned a factor or .9, while the flat point FMJ was assigned a factor of 1.05. That compared to 1.0 for a round ball, and 1.25 for a Kieth type LSWC with a large meplat. Hatcher did his work on livestock and human cadavers, across a broad range of cartridges, so the assignment of those constants isn't specific to the .380 ACP.
In modern practice using ballistic gel the flat nosed truncated cone FMJ doesn't produce significantly more permanent wound cavity than a round nose of equal weight. What the flat nosed FMJ does do is pose the same feeding challenge to the pistol as a truncated cone shaped JHP, and it'll guarantee over penetration in the 24" range in 10% ballistic gel.
So here's the thing. People are choosing to use a flat nose FMJ where it's 100% guaranteed they'll get zero expansion in order to ensure they get penetration and that penetration will always be excessive.
These same shooters, if they don't want to use one of the good loads for some reason (lack of availability, etc) would probably be better served by one of the hollow points that expand inconsistently at .380 ACP velocities. For example the 102 gr Golden Saber when launched at short barrel .380 ACP velocities will still expand about 40% of the time and give 14-15" of penetration when it does expand. When it does not expand you get 25" FMJ style penetration and the same very slightly increased permanent wound cavity that you'd get with a flat nosed FMJ. Still, 40% of the time you get good hollow point performance and excellent penetration compared to 0% of the time with flat nosed FMJ.