Reviving a question: 380 FMJ or 380 JHP?

[Goffman]

Hey All,

Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm wondering if there has been any further thought or evolution of thought on the question of which is the better option for the 380 defensive round -- FMJ or JHP -- and, of course, why you think so. Seems as if there have been a number of new tests conducted of the 380 round in the last year or so. I was curious if these new tests (or anything else for that matter) have changed anyone's opinion, anyone's rationale (if not their opinion), or both. In addition, S&W has the new BG380 on the market, so I'm sure that we have a number of new 380 owners on this forum, me included.

By the way, some of the new tests include an additional round of testing (August 2010) by "Ballistics by the Inch" and the "Completely Unscientific Ballistic Testing with the Ruger LCP .380ACP" done by Brian Orr. I would like to post links, but I'm not sure that I fully understand the forum rules about doing so.

I should mention that my wife carries the Speer Gold Dot JHP in her Kahr P380, while I carry the Speer Lawman TMJ, in part because I have tested only FMJ/TMJ ammo in my BG380. So, we are a "divided house" in this regard, and my opinion on the better choice is divided as well.

 

[pete950]

I like Winchester white box FMJ its a flat point, I think it will act like a full wadcutter wich is my favorite load it a 38 snub.

it will get good penitration to get to the vitals.

Pete

 

[Goffman]

I like Winchester white box FMJ its a flat point, I think it will act like a full wadcutter wich is my favorite load it a 38 snub.

it will get good penitration to get to the vitals.

Pete

Hey Pete,

Is that the WinClean ammo? I was looking at the Winchester website the other day, and it looks as if their standard 380 FMJ ammo is roundnose. The WinClean has the truncated cone and an enclosed base.

 

[KEN L]

Winchester Silvertip still the best carry round for the .380 IMHO. Try em', you'll see!

 

[NE450No2]

Many years ago a bunch of my LEO buddies that carried 380's carried what was called then a "Mixed Salad", ie alternating HP and Ball rounds.

Also, as some of the pistols back then would not reliably feed HP bullets, they would carry a HP in the barrel and ball in the magazine.

I have also seen some 380's that would not feed a HP if it was the last round or two in the magazine.

Those guys wouyold csarry 3 or 4 HP's "on top" with ball rounds as the last 2 or 3 rounds in the Mag.

 

[cjw3]

I carry Federal American Eagle 95 grain FMJ in my Kel-Tec. I have chronographed them at 795 out of the KT, so they aren't exactly bombs but they do penetrate and function fine.

Just from what I have seen published over the years, it seems as though those nice big hollow points that are intended to promote rapid expansion also tend to clog on cloth. The end result is close to that of an FMJ, so I just stick with the FMJ for the positive functioning.

Google "brassfetcher" for some pics, etc.

 

[Ranger98]

I also read Brian Orr's test and have carried the Winchester 95 gr.PDX1 JHP in my LCP.I have fired over three boxes of this ammo with no problems.
I recently purchased a BG380 and have run 450 rounds of the Speer Lawman TMJ's through it with no issues.In Addition,I have rapid fired one box of the Winchester's through the BG with no problems.

 

[pete950]

Goffman

No look at the Winchester no frills white box fmj its a flat point not the win clean.

Ammunition to Go has it for sale right now.
A matter of fact there is a thread here on the forum and Erch talks about this round.

Pete

 

[sheriffoconee]

reliability is more important to me than expecting a rather slow moving bullet fired from a short barrel to expand.
With that said, find a ammo your firearm feeds 100% of the time and use it.
When I carried a 380, I had a HP in the chamber and ball in the mags for that very reason.

 

[ColbyBruce]

My last .380, I gave it away to my son. It fed everything we put in it, but he keeps it loaded with some old Speer 88 grain loads that I had a few boxes of.

 

[Mule88]

Pete950....thats the ammo I use, excellent choice. Cant depend on expansion in the .380 and the flat nose FMJ gives better penetration.

 

[Goffman]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I appreciate the rationale behind the flatnose FMJ rounds. However, if one were to choose a *roundnose* FMJ/TMJ 380 round, are there any brands out there that have a little more "ummph" than the others?

 

[KEN L]

*roundnose* FMJ/TMJ don't have "ummph" that's why jhp's were invented. Most of the current makers jhp's feed reliably, just find one that feeds 100% and go with that one. My carry gun is an LCP and so far it has been 100% with several different brands, but I still think the Winchester Silvertip is hard to beat! Nuff said..........

 

[walnutred]

Having followed ballistic tests on 380 FMJ for a couple of decades is why I don't feel too under gunned when I carry 38 S&W. For as long as they've been around the old Winchester Silvertips still seem to be the performance standard pocket pistol ctgs are judged by. Those would be my 1st choice if I was carrying a 380 with the WWB flat tips being second. 380 is what I carried for years and the main reason I no longer carry 380 is that I like a few other ctgs/firearm combos better. If I ever talk a friend out of his Sig I'll be back to 380 ;D

 

[5906fan]

I have both a .380acp (Browning BDA) and a Makarov that I carry with a handload jhp chambered and ball in the mag. handloaded a bit on the 'hot' side.
one of my biggest concerns around here is 'bangers' in an auto.
that's the reason for ball ammo.

 

[alwslate]

380 RN

Thanks for the responses, folks. I appreciate the rationale behind the flatnose FMJ rounds. However, if one were to choose a *roundnose* FMJ/TMJ 380 round, are there any brands out there that have a little more "ummph" than the others?

I don't trust the flat point to feed as well as the RN. I have
chronographed Federal, CCI and Remington RNs in my three
380s and found Federal to be a bit faster than the others.
However Remington penetrates better in pine. I think this is
because Remington bullets are jacketed while the other RNs
are just plated lead. Win. flat point runs about 50fps slower
than the three RN brands in my guns.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I have a Kahr P380 and I bought some Federal Hydra Shock for a carry round. No real reason, They just looked good. Here is some information on 380 ammo that might interest you. Don


terminal 380 acp

 

[586L-Frame]

Hi Pete950,
I recently bought some Winchester .380acp Flat Nose.
They seem to work fine in my new Bersa/Firestorm .380acp.

The American Eagle .380acp 95gr RN are very reliable and
accurate in my pistol as well.
586L-Frame

DLC’s Bersa Firestorm .380acp. with recently purchased ammo.

DLC’s Bersa Firestorm .380acp. with Bianchi Holster.

x

 

[scattershot]

There was a test in the latest Gun Tests magazine of .380 ammunition. I just skimmed the article, but the consensus was that even though the hollowpoints expanded very well, the solids gave more penetration, and the hollowpoint ammo was not the best choice. I'll go back and see if I can glean anymore info from the article, and post it when I do.

 

[ArmyCop]

Some say the JHP's are to prevent over penatration - to keep bullet from going all the way through and hitting an innocent. I personally wouldn't worry about a .380 FMJ doing that - so - if it were me - I'd go with the FMJ for that caliber.