Posted: 3/21/2015 7:14:59 PM EDT
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Recently purchased a glock 42, 300+ rounds runs great.
My question, is there a general consensus on what the best .380 personal defense round is? I've got some hornady critical defense with the FTX bullet but I've read that its not optimum ammo. |
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Gee... almost everybody likes to run down everyone else's choices here (so expect that and take with grain of salt).
I don't know the info on Hornadays .380 but I do like the 9mm Critical Defense. I think the most important thing in a gun fight or serious social encounter is to have a gun. Next is SHOT PLACEMENT. 380's have never been extoled for their over power cartridge. So one in the eye otta do (that is after the two to the chest or throat). I like the "no clog" design of the capped HP and expansion on impact. Also the powder they use get every bit of horsepower out of the short barrel. I think the most important thing is how you think about it and the confidence and skill you apply. So if you know it will do it probably will do for you. Oh yea.... this is against two legged puny humans RIGHT? Not trying to defend yourself from giant white bears charging out of a snow bank (that might not work). |
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Most of the preference is non-expanding bullets, not necessarily ball, in the 380. My fav is:
BB 100g lead FP +P |
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Quoted:
Most of the preference is non-expanding bullets, not necessarily ball, in the 380. My fav is: BB 100g lead FP +P Doing Google research I came across that BB and like it. A lot, The drawback is they're lead bullets and this is for a glock 42. |
| Glocks don't explode like vampires with sunlight when you shoot lead from them. It's just the poly barrels foul more, meaning if you don't scrub the barrels lead build up will occur (just like every barrel) and after thousands of lead bullets fired without cleaning it you may have a issue. Or you can just clean your gun and not worry about it. |
| I've looked at several videos on the net... and seems that most consistent performing loads ie. 12" of gelatin and a minimum expansion to .40" is a 90grain XTP (Hornady) loaded by whomever.... I currently have the G42 loaded with the Critical Defense with 90 grain FTX, but have some with XTPs on order, and will switch if they feed reliable... YMMV |
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I carry the Remington 88 grain JHP marked HTP (High Terminal Performance) in my Glock 42. This appears to be the same bullet that Remington has loaded since the early 80's. I worked an armed robbery back in the 80's where the suspect was shot by the store owner with this load. The perp took 3 or 4 of these 88 grain JHP fired from a Browning BDA 380. The 88 grain JHP performance was good IMHO, enough so I have no hesitation in carrying it. If the hollow point doesn't expand it will penetrate like a FMJ and this load did not under penetrate the perps winter clothing. The perp survived but was laying on the floor of the business when the first Officer's arrived. The perp definitely had had enough and did not like being shot with the lowly 380.
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Quoted: This. The real problem with the .380 and weaker loads is not expansion, it's penetration. If the bullet can't reliably get into the vitals, it's not going to get the job done. Quoted: Quoted: Ball. This. The real problem with the .380 and weaker loads is not expansion, it's penetration. If the bullet can't reliably get into the vitals, it's not going to get the job done. Once upon a time, your answer was correct, but not any more. 9mm is not the only round to see significant advancements in recent times.
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Quoted: well done - |
| Any of the modern big name 380 rounds will penetrate 10-14 inches of gel through multiple layers of denim with some expansion through a 2-3 inch barrel. It honestly mostly comes down to what you like and see as more available. With modern ammo, theres no reason to carry ball in a 380... |
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Yup. Precision One is what I carry. |
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Quoted: Any of the modern big name 380 rounds will penetrate 10-14 inches of gel through multiple layers of denim with some expansion through a 2-3 inch barrel. It honestly mostly comes down to what you like and see as more available. With modern ammo, theres no reason to carry ball in a 380... A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. |
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Quoted: A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. Quoted: Quoted: Any of the modern big name 380 rounds will penetrate 10-14 inches of gel through multiple layers of denim with some expansion through a 2-3 inch barrel. It honestly mostly comes down to what you like and see as more available. With modern ammo, theres no reason to carry ball in a 380... A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. The ones that made the cut were: Federal Hydra-Shok HPR Hornady Customs Fiocchi Extrema Precision One Hell, the only reason the Extrema rounds didn't take the #1 spot was because they OVER-penetrated in the denim test. |
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Quoted: That's simply not true... Once again, watch the Ammo Quest videos. I believe all of the rounds to make the final cut (5 in all), consistently surpassed the 12" minimum. The ones that made the cut were: Federal Hydra-Shok HPR Hornady Customs Fiocchi Extrema Precision One Hell, the only reason the Extrema rounds didn't take the #1 spot was because they OVER-penetrated in the denim test. I think you need to re-watch the vids my friend. Those other 4 had inconsistent expatiation. ONLY precision one accomplished CONSISTENT penetration and expansion. |
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Quoted: I think you need to re-watch the vids my friend. Those other 4 had inconsistent expatiation. ONLY precision one accomplished CONSISTENT penetration and expansion. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: That's simply not true... Once again, watch the Ammo Quest videos. I believe all of the rounds to make the final cut (5 in all), consistently surpassed the 12" minimum. The ones that made the cut were: Federal Hydra-Shok HPR Hornady Customs Fiocchi Extrema Precision One Hell, the only reason the Extrema rounds didn't take the #1 spot was because they OVER-penetrated in the denim test. I think you need to re-watch the vids my friend. Those other 4 had inconsistent expatiation. ONLY precision one accomplished CONSISTENT penetration and expansion. So now you are talking about expansion? You do realize that in your first post, you said Precision One is the only round to accomplish the 12" minimum standard? That statement was incorrect, as I stated. Btw, all of those rounds had pretty consistent expansion. Precision One was just the most consistent. Just because there is one best round, doesn't mean the others are under performers. A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. |
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Quoted: So now you are talking about expansion? You do realize that in your first post, you said Precision One is the only round to accomplish the 12" minimum standard? That statement was incorrect, as I stated. Btw, all of those rounds had pretty consistent expansion. Precision One was just the most consistent. Just because there is one best round, doesn't mean the others are under performers. Quoted: A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: That's simply not true... Once again, watch the Ammo Quest videos. I believe all of the rounds to make the final cut (5 in all), consistently surpassed the 12" minimum. The ones that made the cut were: Federal Hydra-Shok HPR Hornady Customs Fiocchi Extrema Precision One Hell, the only reason the Extrema rounds didn't take the #1 spot was because they OVER-penetrated in the denim test. I think you need to re-watch the vids my friend. Those other 4 had inconsistent expatiation. ONLY precision one accomplished CONSISTENT penetration and expansion. So now you are talking about expansion? You do realize that in your first post, you said Precision One is the only round to accomplish the 12" minimum standard? That statement was incorrect, as I stated. Btw, all of those rounds had pretty consistent expansion. Precision One was just the most consistent. Just because there is one best round, doesn't mean the others are under performers. Quoted: A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. Good God a clueless nit picker ................ u win. |
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Quoted: Good God a clueless nit picker ................ u win. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: That's simply not true... Once again, watch the Ammo Quest videos. I believe all of the rounds to make the final cut (5 in all), consistently surpassed the 12" minimum. The ones that made the cut were: Federal Hydra-Shok HPR Hornady Customs Fiocchi Extrema Precision One Hell, the only reason the Extrema rounds didn't take the #1 spot was because they OVER-penetrated in the denim test. I think you need to re-watch the vids my friend. Those other 4 had inconsistent expatiation. ONLY precision one accomplished CONSISTENT penetration and expansion. So now you are talking about expansion? You do realize that in your first post, you said Precision One is the only round to accomplish the 12" minimum standard? That statement was incorrect, as I stated. Btw, all of those rounds had pretty consistent expansion. Precision One was just the most consistent. Just because there is one best round, doesn't mean the others are under performers. Quoted: A 12 inch consistent minimum has become the accepted self defense industry standard. So far Precision one seems to be the only one to accomplish that standard. Personally I think it's much smarter to step up to 9mm and 147gr HST. Good God a clueless nit picker ................ u win. You claim there is only one HP round to accomplish the 12" minimum standard, I correct this obviously wrong statement.... and that makes me a "clueless nit picker".  |