Best .380 for defense

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Before you say anything, I know, I know. I'll be getting a .40 before long, but for now, my Bersa Model 85 is all I have. I have no idea if it will fire +P rounds, so I'll rule those out. I don't wanna buy a box and not be able to use them. So besides +Ps, what are the best .380 rounds to use for self-defense?

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Dr. Fresh wrote:

Before you say anything, I know, I know. I'll be getting a .40 before long, but for now, my Bersa Model 85 is all I have. I have no idea if it will fire +P rounds, so I'll rule those out. I don't wanna buy a box and not be able to use them. So besides +Ps, what are the best .380 rounds to use for self-defense?

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Whatever your gun fires with accuracy and precision would be my advice to you. If you want a direction to look toward, try these...

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_62&products_id=233

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Thanks for the link. I'm not the best shot with it yet, and I don't know off hand what I have in it now, but all I've tried are FMJs, and it hasn't malfunctioned yet.

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I am informed that all modern weapons will fire +P safely, that is the point of the SAMMI ratings.

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I use Remington Golden Sabres in my PPK/S because the feed ramp/chamber are not flush. The GS's have a flatter nose and load easily in the chamber. FMJ will load too, but definitely require you to drop the slide.

The GS's are good on expansion and over decent penetration for the caliber. 8-9 inches of penetration against 12-13 for a .40 is acceptable when the alternative is carrying nothing at all.

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Apart from the question of hollow-point/ramp hangups, I've only ever had problems with Sellier & Bellot (Czech) .380 ammo. The casing for the primer charge was supposedly too thick (the 'official' explanation), and it was necessary for me to double-strike many (40% of one lot, I would estimate) ofthese rounds to set them off. It's an old gun, but my hammer spring is adequate to shoot other ammo without problems, so I'm pretty sure it was the ammo causing this. Not a big deal at the range, but...

Edit: Sorry, I (mis-)understood the question to be one about .380 ammo in particular.

-ljp

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TheApostle wrote:

I use Remington Golden Sabres in my PPK/S because the feed ramp/chamber are not flush. The GS's have a flatter nose and load easily in the chamber. FMJ will load too, but definitely require you to drop the slide.

The GS's are good on expansion and over decent penetration for the caliber. 8-9 inches of penetration against 12-13 for a .40 is acceptable when the alternative is carrying nothing at all.

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Am I correct in saying that the Golden Sabre round is 102 grain? If so, it offers 9.7 inches of clothless penetration according to the manufacturers test data.

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I'm partial to Corbon DPX as it is a consistent, accurate, good penetrator from all I have read and experienced shooting it. There is a big mouth on the snout of the bullet so it may not feed well in all guns, but it feeds fine in the 3 different caliber guns I have used it in.

It is a solid copper bullet so there is no concern about jacket separation and inconsistent penetration due to this factor as many popular rounds have been found to suffer from. Separation especially concerns me in light rounds like the .380 and 9mm where you don't have a lot of mass to start with. Jacket separation on some rounds can apparently as much as halve their total penetration leaving 2 or more shallow wound tracks instead of the desired single wound track to a vital organ.

Downside: It is very pricey, especially when you are buying an extra box just to pop off at the range to verify feeding in your pistol. In .380 I can't think of any other downside to it as long as it feeds in your pistol ok.

http://www.stoppingpower.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10021


10% Ballistic Gelatin Tests for:
Corbon .380 80 gr DPX

Testing Platform:
Keltec 3AT

Barrier:
Bare Gelatin


TEST RESULTS:

Round # 1:
Penetration: 8.375”
Recovered Weight: 80.2 gr.
Expansion*: .714 cal.
Velocity: 914.7 fps

* Expansion measured at widest point.



10% Ballistic Gelatin Tests for:
Corbon .380 80 gr DPX

Testing Platform:
Keltec 3AT

Barrier:
Four Layers of Denim


TEST RESULTS:

Round # 1:
Penetration: 6.75”
Recovered Weight: 80.8 gr.
Expansion*: .732 cal.
Velocity: 958.6 fps

* Expansion measured at widest point.



10% Ballistic Gelatin Tests for:
Corbon .380 80 gr DPX

Testing Platform:
North American Arms .380

Barrier:
Four Layers of Denim


TEST RESULTS:

Round # 1:
Penetration: 7.375”
Recovered Weight: 80.7 gr.
Expansion*: .716 cal.
Velocity: 988.8 fps

* Expansion measured at widest point.



10% Ballistic Gelatin Tests for:
Corbon .380 80 gr DPX

Testing Platform:
Walther PPK

Barrier:
Four Layers of Denim


TEST RESULTS:

Round # 1:
Penetration: 7.50”
Recovered Weight: 81.0 gr.
Expansion*: .725 cal.
Velocity: 1085 fps

* Expansion measured at widest point.

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I use Corbon DPX in my Bersa-T .380 and they work fine, just fine.

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Cool, thanks for the replies. Looks like I have to make a trip to the store to buy a couple of boxes of ammo, haha.. I just wish .380 wasn't so much more expensive than 9mm.