Best Self Defense Ammo for Subcompact .380

[Boot71]

Underwood has the 68gr xtreme defender 380's on sale at the moment.....if anyone is interested. Normally $29 box/20, now $19.99 box/20. That's roughly what I spend on Hornady or Sig v-crown, so I figured I'd give them a "shot". Ha-ha
I ordered a few hundred of the standard pressure to see how they run in my G42.
I've never used them before, so I guess we'll see.......

 

[Leveraction44]

Underwood has the 68gr xtreme defender 380's on sale at the moment.....if anyone is interested. Normally $29 box/20, now $19.99 box/20. That's roughly what I spend on Hornady or Sig v-crown, so I figured I'd give them a "shot". Ha-ha
I ordered a few hundred of the standard pressure to see how they run in my G42.
I've never used them before, so I guess we'll see.......

They are rated very high by verified purchasers.

Probably a dozen reviews with people shooting them in a Ruger LCP with no issues.

I purchased several boxes. I have installed a 13 lb recoil spring and will see if they function well in my LCP Max. If they do, they will be what I use for self defense when I'm forced to carry a mouse gun.

 

[Leveraction44]

I found this on Underwood's website under FAQs.

Q: Can I shoot your +P .380 loads in my Ruger LCP (I or II)?

A: You may use our +P .380s in a Ruger LCP in limited quantities with the installation of a 13lb recoil spring. We do not recommend +P use without the heavier recoil spring.

 

[kuduman]

Shootingthebull410 did a looooonnnnggg series of tests on Youtube to figure this out. Any of the 90 XTP loads was the winner (not HST, or Golden Saber, etc.). They don't reliably expand, an of them. The XTP pretty much does. Some loadings are better than other (containing the XTP). Look it up.

In 9mm and .45 ACP, it's HST hands down. Not only is it the best or tied with it, it was (thank you Biden voters!) $34 for the 50-count box. I think they quit making those; too bad. Normal folks could afford to practice with them, too.

But for .380, I would either get the 90 gr. XTP, or the Buffalo Bore large meplat hard cast (100 gr?). It will definitely penetrate, and in a straight line (something FMJ will NOT do).

With the longer-barrel .380s, like the S&W EZ, you have myriad good options in .380-- with better performance than anything on the market had in 9mm, back 25 years ago. (Which is the why of the recommended .40 and .45... and now back to 9mm, as bullet design has improved.)

 

[fslc94]

Just shoot’em, they ain’t gonna know the difference.

 

[jglenn]

Pretty much anything loaded with the Xtp and claiming 1000fps will be a solid load. Only caliber I do not use the HSTs in...penetration is as valuable as expansion in the 380

 

[Leveraction44]

I think that a 380ACP is marginal as a self-defense round.

Most of the listed velocities are with longer barrel pistols.

Couple the marginal ammo with a shorter barrel pistol, and it is considered border line effective.

Often expansion of a hollow point doesn't occur, especially if the bullet passes through fabric.
If the round does expand, penetration is often lacking.

Taking these factors into consideration, the solid copper Xtreme Defense ammo makes a lot of sense.

1) If doesn't rely on expansion for causing a substantial wound channel.
2) Passing through fabric doesn't affect its performance.
3) Penetration is reliable
4) This same ammo loaded up an extra 10% with +P, pushes it a little bit further from the border line.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

If good self-defense .380 ammo costs $1.25 per shot, with tax and/or shipping,
let me ask y'all this:
How many rounds of that specific ammo (not just brand, but the exact load, bullet type and weight, etc.) would you want to shoot through your compact .380 pistol at the range before you trust your life with it to feed, extract, and eject reliably?

Historically, the consensus has been to shoot at least 200 rounds of your carry ammo before actually carrying it on the street. But if I did that, I would have spent more for this one lot of ammo to burn up in testing and practice THAN I SPENT FOR THE HANDGUN ITSELF. (I carry a P3AT).

The cost of several boxes of good HP rounds was a factor in my choice to carry 100 gr. FMJ ammo in my pistol. I got a case of that stuff a couple years ago for only 25 cents per round.

 

[Leveraction44]

If good self-defense .380 ammo costs $1.25 per shot, with tax and/or shipping,
let me ask y'all this:
How many rounds of that specific ammo (not just brand, but the exact load, bullet type and weight, etc.) would you want to shoot through your compact .380 pistol at the range before you trust your life with it to feed, extract, and eject reliably?

Historically, the consensus has been to shoot at least 200 rounds of your carry ammo before actually carrying it on the street. But if I did that, I would have spent more for this one lot of ammo to burn up in testing and practice THAN I SPENT FOR THE HANDGUN ITSELF. (I carry a P3AT).

The cost of several boxes of good HP rounds was a factor in my choice to carry 100 gr. FMJ ammo in my pistol. I got a case of that stuff a couple years ago for only 25 cents per round.

I plan on shooting a few boxes of target FMJ to make sure the pistol is reliable.

Then I will shoot maybe two boxes of carry ammo assuming there are NO failures.

After that, I will be comfortable.

Afterwards, I will shoot carry ammo through it about twice a year - one magazine full each time.

 

[spencer60]

Ditto. The majority of break-in would be FMJ, with a box or so of my carry ammo at the tail end (w/o cleaning if possible) to test it's ability to cycle.

As for ammo, I pretty much stick with the Critical Defense loads for 380. The insert will almost guarantee expansion and the powders are suitable for the very short barrels used by these mouse guns.

I know the penetration isn't as good as some stouter loads, but it's easier to make follow-up shots accurately, which is far more likely in my mind.