Bodyguard 380 ammo suggestions for concealed carry.

[Captain O]

Why are you worried about "overpenetration"? A primary rule of shooting is: "Know where you are shooting and what is behind it".

Secondary wounding (collateral damage) is rarer than you would think. The prime directive is to stop the assailant.

 

[PirateJim]

So the answer I'm seeing here is pretty much "any of the high quality defense loads" make some people feel comfortable. I don't have a Bodyguard, but use the Hornady Critical Defense in my LCP. It feeds well and has a good reputation.

I've read some comments elsewhere from people that suggest jacketed round-nose for the best penetration if you anticipate your opponent may be wearing heavy clothes (i.e. heavy winter coats, etc.). Living in Florida, that is a rare situation, so I go for the hollow-points.

You'll do as you feel best, of course. But despite the expense I like to put about 100 rounds of my chosen defense ammo through a new gun after I feel it is fully broken in and ready to be put into service (usually 4-500 rounds because I'm just that anal).

 

[Elliot45]

Cor-Bon Powr'Ball Ammo

A man I know who works in a local gun shop recommended this. It's basically a hollow-point bullet with the cavity filled in with a polymer substance to make it a round-nose bullet. Therefore, it feeds much better in most weapons than JHPs which are known to jam in some guns. Once the bullet hits the body, it expands just like other hollow-points. If you know anything about Cor-Bon, it's that they make great ammo that usually has higher velocity than normal ammo. Check it out, I think you will like it. Regards, Elliot45

 

[mrmike7189]

I feel that the high energy velocity is great but if it expands too much too quickly then it lacks penetration. It is so hard to find 380 acp ,never mind find the right match for your gun. I ' d like to try out 100 rounds of my carry ammo someday, but for now I will settle for 40-50 rounds. Just a few boxes here and there , I think 380 is almost as hard to find these days as 22lr??????

 

[hardluk1]

Newbes and there questions . Try to search for 380 ammo and read what others use and give some a try .

Some LGS that are worth a darn will order you some ammo as and part of there next ammo order or firearm order from there wholesaler . I have not bought ammo locally in some long I have no idea what ours stock . Always on line . Good luck finding what you and your pistol likes .

 

[gmiller0737]

Carrying Federal Hydra-Shocks in My Ruger LCP

 

[cmj8591]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. Everything else is just voodoo.

 

[handlebar]

I use Fiocchi Extrema in my 380's

 

[Protected One]

I think 380 is almost as hard to find these days as 22lr??????

Must be a Massachusetts thing. Both 380 and 22 are plentiful in Michigan LGS and big box stores.

 

[findlayref19]

For ballistic information on the different rounds I like Brass Fetcher. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1UICFxcABkGg8Nj3X0dW8Q

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brass+fetcher+380 will give you multiple brands of ammo to take a peek at.

Most important is to make sure your gun likes what you choose to shoot!

 

[swsig]

On Youtube, Shooting The Bull tested .380 defense rounds. The best performers were those that used the XTP bullet. The winners (the only acceptable rounds) were in order:
1. Precision One XTP (Hard to find)
2. Fiocchi Extrema XTP
3. Hornady Custom XTP (Not Hornady Critical Defense FTX)
4. HPR HyperClean XTP
5. Federal Premium HydraShok

You can view Shooting The Bull's results here:
Final Results of the .380 ACP Ammo Quest | Shooting The Bull

I am quoting myself from another thread because the above link to Shooting The Bull has more info than is provided in the video alone. There are photos of the spent bullets, and some of them are pretty eye-opening. Some of the "big-name", highly touted rounds performed very poorly when Shooting The Bull replicated the FBI gel tests.

Although Precision One XTPs did best, I've found that the high-performing second place Fiocchi Extrema XTPs are much easier to find, so that's what I use. Regardless of which round you choose, be sure to fire a bunch of them to make sure they work with your gun.

 

[Old cop]

I'm using the HPR hollow point, it feed great in my M&P .380.

 

[V0OBWxZS16]

The best information I know of for .380 is from ShootingTheBull410.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNSGOEQko_MjOCGyqlMTiM2njdQQRbdg
Final Results of the .380 ACP Ammo Quest | Shooting The Bull

Lots of ammunition from a number of big names fared poorly.

For ballistic information on the different rounds I like Brass Fetcher. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1UICFxcABkGg8Nj3X0dW8Q

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brass+fetcher+380 will give you multiple brands of ammo to take a peek at.

Most important is to make sure your gun likes what you choose to shoot!

Slow-mo photography is going to look cool, but give little useful information because it emphasizes the temporary cavity. The temporary cavity is of little significance for pistol rounds.

 

[rangerman]

380 body guard

I have a 380 bodyguard can I use a 356 dia bullet or is the 355dia the only dia I should use

 

[Model 15-4ever]

With cast or swaged lead, coated or plated bullets, .356 is correct. With jacketed bullets .355 is correct.

 

[Execpro]

I've used Precision One ammo with XTP bullets for a number of years.
It gets my vote.
Full Metal Jacket bullets are very popular, but my concern is possible
over penetration. You are responsible for where that bullet goes.
All ammo using XTP bullets rated well. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Rob613]

I like Tim Sundles take on it…

"The current 380 auto frangible ammo delivers a large amount of surface trauma but lacks serious penetration. For example, if you shot me or another sane man in the face with modern frangible 380 ammo, it would blow off a big portion of my cheek and send a few teeth down my throat, I would undoubtedly fall to the ground in shock and pain, but I would be very much alive and functional if I could get past the shock and pain as that frangible bullet would have stopped somewhere inside my face, never making it to my brain. However, if you shot a drugged up maniac in the face with that same frangible 380 ammo and blew half his cheek off, he would keep right on coming because he is insane and is not thinking like you or I. Plus, he is likely pain free and fear free and won't know that half his cheek is missing and if he did know, he would not care. So whatever 380 ammo you shoot him in the face with, had better go through his face and blow his brain stem out the back of his head, because only a CNS (central nervous system) hit with a 380 is going to stop him. Likewise, a torso hit to the sternum needs to penetrate deep enough to blow all the way through his spine to shut him down spontaneously. If you fail to shut him down instantly, you and your loved ones are going to have to find a way to survive while you wait for him to bleed out and pass out. The best chance of survival for you and your family is to shut down the attacker instantly."

So, hard cast flat nose for me.

 

[Tomac]

I live in a part of Texas where its Tee shirt weather most of the year so I like the Hornday "american Gunner" 90 gr. XTP JHP for my M&P 380.....

This is a good load and what I carry in my BG2.0.
.380 is the problem child w/enough energy for sufficient penetration or good expansion, but not enough energy for both.
The XTP bullet provides decent penetration w/modest expansion, and that's good enough for me.

 

[BKLooney]

From what I've seen with .380 ammo you usually get expansion or penetration, not both.

In our .380's we carry FMJ.