# .380 HP vs. FMJ



## oldguy (Apr 1, 2010)

I'm wondering why HP is any advantage in .380 acp. Seems to me, if you are going to have a problem using a .380 for sefl defense, it's going to be penetration, not expansion. It also seems to me that HP expansion will exacerbate a penetration problem. Why not carry FMJ? It's less than half the price of HP and feeds without a hiccup in every semi I know of. With todays center fire ammo, using FMJ in a semi is probably as reliable as a revolver.

I carry a Walther PPK/s usually and a LCP when clothes are too light to conceal the Walther. But I have experienced second round jams on both using HP. The FMJ ammo has fed flawlessly on both, so I carry FMJ. 

Sure would like to hear some informed opinion on this. :smt102


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

There has been much debate on this very subject. I'm still on the fence, personally. I load with Golden Sabres, but carry FMJ's in one of my spare mags. I tried the Buffalo Bore 100 grain hardcast lead cartridges, and they shot great. Seemed like it was gonna be a great compromise, but they leaded the chamber up quickly on my LCP, and caused the bullet to stick in the chamber. They fired fine, but could not be manually ejected by hand. I had to disassemble the pistol and tap it out of the barrel, backwards to unload it without firing. I could use them, anyway, but was a little too nervous about it.

In a perfect circumstance, where the bad guy wasn't wearing heavy clothing, wasn't turned sideways, and wasn't a giant with big muscles, the JHP's would likely penetrate enough to wreck a major artery and stop an attack. I realize that most BG's are probably gonna stop the attack once they understand that they have been shot, but I'm thinking worst case kind of bad guy, here.

On the other hand, a FMJ will likely penetrate through an arm and on into center-of-mass, if the attacker is turned sideways. It will also likely penetrate heavy clothing and still have enough power left to penetrate the rib cage, or maybe even do spinal or pelvic bone damage, depending on the location.

Of course, there's also the chance that an FMJ can pass through only soft tissue and still be lethal when it exits the bad guy, possibly striking a bystander.


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## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

oldguy,
What brand oh HP's are you using? I have a few boxes of Remington, Golden Sabre, 102 grain JHP and I really like them.


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## MorganOverlook (May 4, 2010)

Bisley said:


> There has been much debate on this very subject. I'm still on the fence, personally. I load with Golden Sabres, but carry FMJ's in one of my spare mags. I tried the Buffalo Bore 100 grain hardcast lead cartridges, and they shot great. Seemed like it was gonna be a great compromise, but they leaded the chamber up quickly on my LCP, and caused the bullet to stick in the chamber. They fired fine, but could not be manually ejected by hand. I had to disassemble the pistol and tap it out of the barrel, backwards to unload it without firing. I could use them, anyway, but was a little too nervous about it.
> 
> In a perfect circumstance, where the bad guy wasn't wearing heavy clothing, wasn't turned sideways, and wasn't a giant with big muscles, the JHP's would likely penetrate enough to wreck a major artery and stop an attack. I realize that most BG's are probably gonna stop the attack once they understand that they have been shot, but I'm thinking worst case kind of bad guy, here.
> 
> ...


If you are carrying a gun for self defense, and why else would you be carrying, the most important thing is that it goes "bang" each and every time that you pull the trigger.

The world's greatest full metal jacket, high explosive, armor piercing, incendiary, hollow point, whatever ammo isn't worth much if it doesn't work in your gun. Find something that works in your gun and practice with it.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

MorganOverlook said:


> If you are carrying a gun for self defense, and why else would you be carrying, the most important thing is that it goes "bang" each and every time that you pull the trigger.
> 
> The world's greatest full metal jacket, high explosive, armor piercing, incendiary, hollow point, whatever ammo isn't worth much if it doesn't work in your gun. Find something that works in your gun and practice with it.


Thank you for that sage advice. It's good to know that if my gun goes off, I will be safe. I won't trouble my pretty little head any further with all this technical talk.


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