JackBull
Hunter
Does a 380 get the velocity out of a short barrel to expand? Would ball ammo make sense for reliability?
With what do you load your Max?
- Thread starter JackBull
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rammerjammer
Blackhawk
I load Fiocchi Extrema XTP in my Max. Good balance of penetration and expansion. When the XTP bullet doesn't expand it still, only penetrates 16-17 inches in many tests.
My unscientific conclusion from a few years of reading things is hollow points are better for 380, but I’d use fmj for 32 acp.
Depends on how close the target is. You should be able to approach 1k fps with a full load and I believe the XTP will expand @ 800
First two rounds are Hoenady Critical Defense HP, then FMJ. My reasoning is, up close I won’t be shooting through anything, but clothing. After that, there may be objects, as we all take cover.
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
Same! Don't have the Max but I have the original, 380 hollowpoints just don't get enough penetration for me to be 100% comfortable with them. I've carried XTPs , HSTs, Sig V Crown, Punch, and probably others I'm forgetting in 380, I always go back to FMJ and preferably flat nose so it's normally Winchester.
The LAPD actually carried FMJ in their 380 back up guns, not sure if they still do but I know they definitely did for some time. They started with Critical Defense and switched to Speer Lawman FMJ. Dr. Gary Roberts, Chuck Haggard, Erich Martell, Greg Ellifritz, quite a few experts reccomend FMJ in 380. Shot placement and adequate penetration are the most important things, sure there are 380s that hit 12 but I want a little more than the minimum. My rule is 9mm and up get hollowpoints, (and hard cast for woods carry), 380 and lower get solids. 38 special is kind of in between and can go either way for me.
OP
JackBull
Hunter
Is some FMJ hotter than others?
OP
JackBull
Hunter
Does FMJ increase reliability?
magnum0710
Single-Sixer
Some FMJ is loaded hotter than others but in the world of 380 it makes very little difference. I'd go with a name brand, stay away from the cheap stuff (magtech, Blazer, Ammo Inc, etc.) and call it good. I like the Browning Performance Target 380, it's loaded by Winchester so it's the same flat nose bullet but it's loaded to the same specs as the Browning defense ammo. It's rated at 1000 FPS rather than 950 or whatever the regular Winchester and Browning stuff is rated. There's a regular Browning FMJ too so if it doesn't say Browning Performance Target or BPT on the box it's the normal stuff. I don't think it really makes a difference but I get wanting something a little hotter. Fiocchi is known to be loaded hot but that was before they started making ammo in the US. Remington and Federal 380 is known for good velocity too, then there's the Sig Sauer 100 grain FMJ. The Sig load is a flat nose too but the velocity isn't as high since it's a heavier bullet. I prefer the Winchester and Browning loads myself and I'll get back to that in a minute.
FMJ does increase reliability but again I don't think it really makes a difference. My LCP has cycled every brand of ammo I've tried wether FMJ or hollow point, no issues. My reason for going with FMJ is because none of the 380 hollow points get enough penetration for me to be comfortable with. I've seen some highly touted loads that hit 12 inches in clear gel only get 8 to 10 in real 10% organic gel. A lot of people don't realize that the clear gel you see on most YouTube tests isn't the same as the real stuff. In any case I want more than the bare minimum of 12, I want to be in the 16 to 18 range which just isn't possible with 380 hollow points.
Here's the video that sold me on the Winchester flat nose.
This is a good article and it quotes Dr. Gary Roberts on using 380 FMJ. I was trying to find the podcast with Doc Roberts and Chuck Haggard where they discuss it further, I'll have to find it and post it later.
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/is-the-380-acp-an-adequate-caliber-for-defensive-use
