The .380 is a pretty small caliber, but does it have enough power to be an effective defensive cartridge? I test the .380 with a couple of different loads an…
Hey… I wouldn’t want to be shot with either one of those loads… to
those who say .380 isn’t sufficient I always tell them “stand out there and
let me shoot you with it”… No one has yet to take me up on that offer.
Thank you for uploading this. This test surprised the hell out of me. I
normally run the Gold Dot jacketed hollow points when carrying my FEG Mark
II, but will definitely switch to ball ammo from now on.
Law of conservation of energy, the defensive round travels faster so it has
more energy. The fact it didn’t go farther must mean it imparted more
energy on the gel per inch traveled than the ball ammo. This is the most
desirable result. I’d rather have the defense round stop in the aggressor
imparting all energy rather than a ball round passing through and exiting,
taking some of the energy with it. Plus you are responsible for collateral
damage, so I’ll take the defensive rounds 100% of the time over ball ammo.
I guess I’m confused/ignorant. Why would I want 16 inches of ballistics
gel penitration? I can’t think of too many people thicker from front to
back than 16 inches. 8 inches should place the round in the middle of most
human’s torso… where as 16 is out the back! (providing it’s not hitting
bone as well)
Even if it only penetrates 9-1/2″ with a self defense round. The wound
cavity will be wider than that of a ball round. Other ballistic testing
have proven this. I dont need a round to go through someone and risk
hitting a civilian anyhow…
People saying 9″ is enough aren’t considering that this is just jello, an
actual human body has clothing, possibly thick layers at that. As well as
bones. 9″ in jello may only be a few inches or less in an actual body,
especially if bone is hit. FBI requires ammo to penetrate atleast 12 inches
to compensate for this and make sure enough penetration results.Notice that
most of the time when someone is shot with a 9mm round, it does not exit
their body – and 9mm averages 17 inches of penetration when it comes to
hp’s (as demonstrated in this video) .
The hollow points are made to stay in the assailant and not exit to maybe
hit an innocent bystander. I shoot handloads with XTP 95 grain HP’s that
are reaching 1125 fps out of my bersa thunder 380 with a 3 1/2 inch barrel.
The longer barrel makes for better velocities and accuracy that are right
there with a 9mm. I would not want to be on the business end of my Bersa
He didnt make this vid for him to say “.380 sucks!!”.
If you were actually paying attention, you’ll heae him say it falls short
of what the FBI considers effective penatration. That JHP might have gone a
shorter distance since it would have to go thru clothes as well.
I know ill be loading my wifes Bersa Thunder with FMJs from now on.
didn’t you notice that the 380 golddot expanded MORE than the 9mm hornady?
that explains the under-penetration of the golddot. check out tnoudoors9’s
test of the hornady critical defense 380. no over-expansion so it
penetrated a decent amount
I usually carry my 9mm, but at times when I carry my 380, I like to carry
flat-nosed FMJ, like Winchester super-x ammo. 95 grains, penetrates more
than a hollow point, and still smushes out and expands slightly. I only
carry FMJ in my 380 not only because of penetration and having to possibly
shoot through barriers (i.e. car door, window, etc), but also because most
little 380’s are much more reliable with FMJ when it comes to feeding than
they are with HP’s.
I use my bodyguard most of the summer. It fits in my pocket without being
noticeable. I dress with my shirt tucked in so that limits my selection of
carry weapons. I also believe that in most situations, the 380 is a very
capable deterrent.
Even a 22 hurts like hell, ask anyone who was ever unfortunate enough to be
shot with one. I also have 7 rounds in the gun and another mag in my
pocket. I know some one is going to bring up the crazed doper that doesn’t
feel pain but really, how many of us are going to face that situation. If
I did, they said in training to keep shooting until the threat has been
eliminated. Just my own opinion of course.
My opinion/perspective/philosophy – whatever you want to call it – changes
every other day. Sometimes I trust the ballistics and the numbers, but
other times I think in more common sense terms. Some would call it more
realistic terms. There is still a 90g bullet flying at a few scores short
of supersonic speeds. It’s still enough for a person to get the job done.
It’s certainly better than a call from a cell phone. It’s not like the
people who buy .380s are execting to use them in battlefield conditions.
Sometimes I think that’s the perspective a lot of ammunitions criticism
comes from. Not all of it is app.icable to civilian use.
I would still carry hollow point. I would imagine a ball round going
through it’s intended target and hitting an civilian would have massive
legal repercussions…. Personally getting shot with anything would suck,
Cool test. I always thought hollow point would be better for self defense.
Turns out I was wrong.. I will get balls next time. Would wad cutters be
any better than ball ammo?
At the end of the video it looks like you have a bunch of people that love
close by. You must have pretty cool neighbors or it’s all family and
friends.
basing the experiment on a more realistic practice will prove ammunition’s
quality is all i’m saying…making the consumer’s choice that much easier
to decide what ammo should they use for that”worse case scenario” i get
what your saying, but shooting bare gel or just using heavy clothing over
gel isnt going to show what’s best for that “worse case scenario” and if
people understood the human anatomy say like a Hunter know’s how to
skin,gut and portion a deer. u would understand our weaknesses.
In another gel test I saw some time ago, the .380 flat point jacketed
bullets exdceeded 15″ and the wound channel was about double that of ball
ammo. The Winchester offering in that bullet is also quite accurate in my
Bersa.
Planning on an assailant seeing a gun and changing his mind is planning on
a best case scenario. By that logic I don’t need to carry any ammo because
the site of the weapon is enough to end the situation. That is also the
logic Joe Biden used when he recommended that people walk out on their
balcony and fire two shoots from a double barreled shotgun to frighten away
an attacker. By the way, don’t mistake this for a personal attack on
you.This is a common argument that has become a pet peeve.
Some European countries use .380 for police use. People get shot and killed
every day in in the U.S. with .380’s. Bottom line I wouldn’t try to run
down and catch one.
We as responsible citizens carry because we want to prepare for worst case
scenario, when doing that we should choose a caliber that also takes into
account the worst case of that worst case scenario. What if the perp has
heavy clothing and his body is angled at you? What if your shot has to go
threw an arm first before it hits the chest at an angle? While the .380
might have enough penetration for a flat chest shot does it have it for a
less than optimum shot like the example i used?
I’m sure this is a stupid question, but what purpose does 12″ of
penetration serve vs 9″? Does it deliver less force into the body upon
impact? (legit question, hold the flaming please)
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Hey… I wouldn’t want to be shot with either one of those loads… to
those who say .380 isn’t sufficient I always tell them “stand out there and
let me shoot you with it”… No one has yet to take me up on that offer.
I only ever carried ball rounds in my .380 as I expected it would penetrate
more.
Thank you for uploading this. This test surprised the hell out of me. I
normally run the Gold Dot jacketed hollow points when carrying my FEG Mark
II, but will definitely switch to ball ammo from now on.
Interesting! Good info as I’m getting to purchase a .380.
380 is way too expensive
People keep forgetting that you can mix ammo in a mag. One round of JHP
then one round of FMJ if you want! Combat mix!
Law of conservation of energy, the defensive round travels faster so it has
more energy. The fact it didn’t go farther must mean it imparted more
energy on the gel per inch traveled than the ball ammo. This is the most
desirable result. I’d rather have the defense round stop in the aggressor
imparting all energy rather than a ball round passing through and exiting,
taking some of the energy with it. Plus you are responsible for collateral
damage, so I’ll take the defensive rounds 100% of the time over ball ammo.
I guess I’m confused/ignorant. Why would I want 16 inches of ballistics
gel penitration? I can’t think of too many people thicker from front to
back than 16 inches. 8 inches should place the round in the middle of most
human’s torso… where as 16 is out the back! (providing it’s not hitting
bone as well)
Even if it only penetrates 9-1/2″ with a self defense round. The wound
cavity will be wider than that of a ball round. Other ballistic testing
have proven this. I dont need a round to go through someone and risk
hitting a civilian anyhow…
People saying 9″ is enough aren’t considering that this is just jello, an
actual human body has clothing, possibly thick layers at that. As well as
bones. 9″ in jello may only be a few inches or less in an actual body,
especially if bone is hit. FBI requires ammo to penetrate atleast 12 inches
to compensate for this and make sure enough penetration results.Notice that
most of the time when someone is shot with a 9mm round, it does not exit
their body – and 9mm averages 17 inches of penetration when it comes to
hp’s (as demonstrated in this video) .
can you compare this 380. and 32 acp?
Did anyone else notice how the .380 HP expanded MORE than the 9mm HP? .52
vs .46 interesting
.380 is like a dagger whereas a .45 is a longsword. You can disable someone
with a good dagger thrust but the longsword is larger but more deadly.
good video thanks
I would love for someone to tell me why 9-10 inches of penetration is not
effective. 9-10 inches is devastation
Thank you Sir great video ball ammo it shall be.
The hollow points are made to stay in the assailant and not exit to maybe
hit an innocent bystander. I shoot handloads with XTP 95 grain HP’s that
are reaching 1125 fps out of my bersa thunder 380 with a 3 1/2 inch barrel.
The longer barrel makes for better velocities and accuracy that are right
there with a 9mm. I would not want to be on the business end of my Bersa
He didnt make this vid for him to say “.380 sucks!!”.
If you were actually paying attention, you’ll heae him say it falls short
of what the FBI considers effective penatration. That JHP might have gone a
shorter distance since it would have to go thru clothes as well.
I know ill be loading my wifes Bersa Thunder with FMJs from now on.
Try 9×18 Makarov rounds
How good is it at penetrating THATS WAT SHE SAID
didn’t you notice that the 380 golddot expanded MORE than the 9mm hornady?
that explains the under-penetration of the golddot. check out tnoudoors9’s
test of the hornady critical defense 380. no over-expansion so it
penetrated a decent amount
Great comparison and great video. Thank you!
Buffalo Bore .380 +p will give you 1100ft/sec results with plenty of
penetration.
.380
I usually carry my 9mm, but at times when I carry my 380, I like to carry
flat-nosed FMJ, like Winchester super-x ammo. 95 grains, penetrates more
than a hollow point, and still smushes out and expands slightly. I only
carry FMJ in my 380 not only because of penetration and having to possibly
shoot through barriers (i.e. car door, window, etc), but also because most
little 380’s are much more reliable with FMJ when it comes to feeding than
they are with HP’s.
that is perfect cuz stays is the body of assailant
Dern youtube shnit messing up my post…
a bullet is a bullet 22 380 is not a 44 but if you can kill someone with a
knife do you get my point
Very professional and as far as I can tell, unbiased. You back up your
result with proof.
I use my bodyguard most of the summer. It fits in my pocket without being
noticeable. I dress with my shirt tucked in so that limits my selection of
carry weapons. I also believe that in most situations, the 380 is a very
capable deterrent.
Even a 22 hurts like hell, ask anyone who was ever unfortunate enough to be
shot with one. I also have 7 rounds in the gun and another mag in my
pocket. I know some one is going to bring up the crazed doper that doesn’t
feel pain but really, how many of us are going to face that situation. If
I did, they said in training to keep shooting until the threat has been
eliminated. Just my own opinion of course.
always thought carry ammo was not meant to excessively penetrate, expand
and transfer maximum energy to the target……meh, what do I know?
I load my .380 with every other round, hollow point and FMJ. Best of both
worlds.
My opinion/perspective/philosophy – whatever you want to call it – changes
every other day. Sometimes I trust the ballistics and the numbers, but
other times I think in more common sense terms. Some would call it more
realistic terms. There is still a 90g bullet flying at a few scores short
of supersonic speeds. It’s still enough for a person to get the job done.
It’s certainly better than a call from a cell phone. It’s not like the
people who buy .380s are execting to use them in battlefield conditions.
Sometimes I think that’s the perspective a lot of ammunitions criticism
comes from. Not all of it is app.icable to civilian use.
hollow point is made to stop inside, so it doesn’t exit hitting someone
else.
I would still carry hollow point. I would imagine a ball round going
through it’s intended target and hitting an civilian would have massive
legal repercussions…. Personally getting shot with anything would suck,
You should have put 4 layers of Denim on the gelatin block top, like the
FBI does.
Cool test. I always thought hollow point would be better for self defense.
Turns out I was wrong.. I will get balls next time. Would wad cutters be
any better than ball ammo?
This is such a high quality video. Much appreciated. I’ve been carrying 380
hollow points in my LCP for a while now, glad I came across this video.
At the end of the video it looks like you have a bunch of people that love
close by. You must have pretty cool neighbors or it’s all family and
friends.
grt video i have to subscribe to your channel ty
Not to mention that it’s very illegal if you live in almost any city.
basing the experiment on a more realistic practice will prove ammunition’s
quality is all i’m saying…making the consumer’s choice that much easier
to decide what ammo should they use for that”worse case scenario” i get
what your saying, but shooting bare gel or just using heavy clothing over
gel isnt going to show what’s best for that “worse case scenario” and if
people understood the human anatomy say like a Hunter know’s how to
skin,gut and portion a deer. u would understand our weaknesses.
In another gel test I saw some time ago, the .380 flat point jacketed
bullets exdceeded 15″ and the wound channel was about double that of ball
ammo. The Winchester offering in that bullet is also quite accurate in my
Bersa.
Bidens idea won’t work for me. I don’t have a balcony to play dramatics
from.
Planning on an assailant seeing a gun and changing his mind is planning on
a best case scenario. By that logic I don’t need to carry any ammo because
the site of the weapon is enough to end the situation. That is also the
logic Joe Biden used when he recommended that people walk out on their
balcony and fire two shoots from a double barreled shotgun to frighten away
an attacker. By the way, don’t mistake this for a personal attack on
you.This is a common argument that has become a pet peeve.
Some European countries use .380 for police use. People get shot and killed
every day in in the U.S. with .380’s. Bottom line I wouldn’t try to run
down and catch one.
We as responsible citizens carry because we want to prepare for worst case
scenario, when doing that we should choose a caliber that also takes into
account the worst case of that worst case scenario. What if the perp has
heavy clothing and his body is angled at you? What if your shot has to go
threw an arm first before it hits the chest at an angle? While the .380
might have enough penetration for a flat chest shot does it have it for a
less than optimum shot like the example i used?
I’m sure this is a stupid question, but what purpose does 12″ of
penetration serve vs 9″? Does it deliver less force into the body upon
impact? (legit question, hold the flaming please)