Which cartridge is more effective for self defense - 38 Special or 380 Auto?

Now be careful here guys. I am asking about cartridge effectiveness and ballistics not about the model of handgun. Thanks.

If a labratory test were conducted where, under controlled conditions,
the EXACT same defensive scenario could be played out with the ONLY
variable being the calibre (.38 special or .380acp)...then we could obtain
an answer to this question. Anything else is simple a matter of preference
or opinion.

38 Spl, by a fairly substantial margin.

Either unless you miss.

The heavier bullet always wins.

38spl 158gr over a .380 95gr every day of the week..

.

Compare typical loads. A 95 grn ball at probably 850 out of the typical LCP or similar 380 pocket auto, vs lets say the Buffalo Bore 158 SWC at an "honest" 850 fps out of a 2" 38 spl: the same velocity but 66% more bullet. The numbers come out different for different loadings in each caliber, but the 38 spl comes out way ahead every time. Even the 38 spl target wadcutter (148 gr bullet at 700 fps) has 18% less velocity but 55% more bullet. Calculating the power factor (bullet weight times velocity) is a good way to compare loads, assuming similar bullet performance.

Here you go

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

Road Rat said:

Here you go

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

Click to expand...

Very interesting read, thanks for posting.

In a lab? 38 special. Otherwise which ever one you shoot better with.

I have carried both the .380 and the .38 special for many years. I have to go with the earlier posters comments. I carry the .38 special simply because there is more bullet.
I read the above mentioned article and agree that bullet placement is key, but in a self defense situation, odds are one is not able to make that perfect head shot. Shoot center mass with a heavier bullet. My opinion only.

Better

.38, no argument. Especially if you get into the +P range.

have to agree with the 38 spl.

The one you have with you when you need it...

Lost Lake said:

The heavier bullet always wins.

38spl 158gr over a .380 95gr every day of the week..

.

Click to expand...

I agree with that!

I've seen guys killed by both (and one shot to boot), and guys who have survived being hit by each. I've seen guys killed by .22 shorts, and guys survive .45 ACP. Shot placement is the key. But I'd still opt for the larger projectile at the same given velocity.

Shot placement is king, adequate penetration is queen . . . everything else is angels dancing on the heads of pins.

The .38 Spl 158-gr LSWC and the .380 95-gr FMJ are both capable of accurate placement and adequate penetration (I've never seen underpenetration on a human target in a shooting case involving either). Which can you shoot most accurately with, with your gun? And which can you control better for those follow-up shots that so often seem necessary?

For me it is no contest. The 38 Special because of the heavier bullet. It's a no brainer AFAIAC.

While the 9mm is close on a lot of comparisons, I think the .38 will beat out the .380 by quite a margin. I trust this guy and all of his data.
Ballistics 101 | All the ballistic charts. Finally, in one place

I'll take the 38 for the reasons mentioned above and because the 380 does nothing for me at all.

380 too weak for outdoors, too loud for indoors.

Road Rat said:

Here you go

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

Click to expand...

I did not find this article at all interesting to read.

I cannot believe anyone is still doing this. Way too many ways to “Stack the deck”. What is next? Shooting some goats sideways through both lungs and timing how long they can stand up. (Inside humor)

Way too much recoil-spring-tension in the straight blowback 380 and the few dip lock models are really new. I am not weak but my wife’s 380 is really hard to chamber the first cartridge and very hard to clear a jam. It is the least shot safe queen in my house. I would sooner confront an intruder with any of my .22 rimfires than her 380. But I have enough real handguns.

The itty bitty case in the 380 cannot hold enough powder for a fair comparison. And you can put itty bitty bullets in 38 specials and shoot its socks off.

They divided the 38 special into standard pressure and +P back in 1974. The inexpensive revolvers and the aluminum frames worried some.
In 1974 the aluminum rims on my 10 speed bike needed to have the bumps tuned out once a month. Now I have a a couple of mountain bikes that never bend aluminum alloy rims.

So, like bicycle aluminum alloy rims, the aluminum used in modern guns is not your grandfathers aluminum alloy.

All my .38 special revolvers are +P rated. Even my aluminum alloy frame Chiefs Special.

Or, better stated perhaps, back when all guns were steel all major companies products could shoot maximum loads for that caliber.

Back when the 44 and 45 long colt was king you needed to stop the enemies cavalryman or his horse. The last time military horses were used was WW1.

The lower powered 38 special loads for old off brand guns is probably only 50 percent better than a 380.

I would estimate the 38 special +P is better by a factor of 2.
(My 1994 Speer reloading manual number 12 gives 380 cal a maximum of 3.7 grains unique for 100 grain bullet for 925 feet per second).
(My 1994 Speer reloading manual number 12 gives 38 special +P a maximum of 6.2 grains of unique for *110 grain bullet for 1165 feet per second)
(*no 100 grain bullets listed in 38 special +P)

More people can shoot better with the 38 special than any handgun anywhere near its power.

That 380 is too short a bullet to push air aside very far. Shoot it into gel at 30 and 50 yards and we can talk about bullet penetration and hollow point expansion.