380 Self defense ammo for winter and summer

[transplant]

How many if anyone here changes their cc ammo for summer vs winter. As a follow up question, does anyone use a different first round(JHP for example) than the rest of their magazine/cylinder(FMJ FN for example)? What are your opinions on this?

 

[hittman]

I don’t overthink it.
Gun is loaded with whatever comes out of the Winchester white box.

 

[kmoore]

Ammo in any of my guns is for a specific purpose. In the .380 acp thats all about SD, no reason to change ammo by time of year nor type of rounds in the mag. For me it's federal personal defense JHPs I think there 90 gr. but would need to look that up to be sure. They cycle every time. After about 15 years of firing the gun each year about a full box. I can't say that about other brands of FMJ.

 

[RC44Mag]

a couple decades ago I bought a bunch of Cor-Bon .380 for my 84F. I don’t shoot it often nowadays in fact seldomly and still have plenty of the C-B for self defense if needed.

 

[Kevin]

Are you thinking summer ammo vs winter ammo because winter clothes are just thicker?

I can see that in 380. Especially for thick winter jackets with denim.

But down here in Texas it isn’t a big difference really. Winter is just a medium weight jacket.

 

[Stantheman1986]

No, I don't fiddle around with ammo to change for the seasons

Once I find good ammo that works in that gun, that's what stays in it.

My Glock 42 likes S&B .380 ball ammo , it's reasonably warm and I prefer my smaller calibers in Ball so they punch deeper.

 

[Mike J]

A few years ago I bought my wife a S&W 380 Shield EZ. I went around a bit about what ammunition would be the best choice. Did research online. Not sure how well I did & I hope I never find out but it is loaded with Hornady Critical Defense. No it has not been changed for different seasons.

 

[Mobuck]

When the average 'mope' wears the same gym shorts and t-shirt for all seasons, I don't see an advantage to different ammo.

 

[Rumrunner]

I don't change out ammo in my LCP II for winter or summer. However, I load it with HP's staggered with ball ammo. It functions well with either, in fact I've never had a failure with it. When HP's are on sale I usually buy some and throw them altogether in an ammo box. So there may be 3 different brands in one magazine.

 

[BearBiologist]

I don't bother but then I don't use a marginal caliber like a .380.

 

[dweis]

I use two brands of ammo in my 380, but that has nothing to do with weather. At the range I shoot American Eagle FMJ. For SD I load Underwood Extreme Defender. I have no need for any other ammo brand or bullet.

 

[DGW1949]

How many if anyone here changes their cc ammo for summer vs winter. As a follow up question, does anyone use a different first round(JHP for example) than the rest of their magazine/cylinder(FMJ FN for example)? What are your opinions on this?

It's been some 35-40 years since I've used a .380 but back when I did, it served as a back up gun and I loaded it with Winchester Super-X 95 Grn FMJ ammo. Since then, I've had some problems out of Winchester ammo so nowadays I'd probably use Federal's version....Either way though, the point is to use something that carries a full-weight for caliber bullet which in the case of a 380 is 95 Grns. Not all 380 FMJ ammo uses that. Some are some 10% lighter, which ain't a good thing in a cartridge that is relatively weak to start with....That's just my opinion, I'm sure others have their own.

DGW

 

[eveled]

If I wasn’t certain about reliable feeding. I’d load hollow point in the chamber and ball ammo in the magazine. I never have even shot a .380

 

[GunnyGene]

Temp (and other atmospheric conditions ) only matters if you're shooting a 1/2 mile or more. The longer the shot the more it matters. Pretty sure you're not doing that with a .380.