What .380 ammo do you prefer for self defense?

BBD280

BBD280

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For those that carry a .380 for self defense, what's your go to load?
 
fieldgrade said:
I just bought an LCP II. It ran Speer Gold Dot 90 grain well. Going to run some Hornady Critical Defense next.
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I got some Critical Defense ammo with mine from the guy I bought it from. It runs great, but I'm contemplating the standard pressure BB/Underwood hardcast loads because I know they'll penetrate deep and crush bone.
 
Speer Gold Dot 90 grain rounds in my Gen 2 LCP when I carry it. My EDC is a Shield 9mm with Speer Gold Dot LE 124 grain HP's.
 
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When I did carry a .380 in the winter months I would carry FMJs sometimes because I wanted the extra penetration. Usually just Federal because I never experience any malfunctions from it.
 
Hornady Critical Defense, but I've run Gold Dots, Hydrashok, and others through my LCP with no failures.
 
Hydrashock's for me, but there are others out there. Hydrashock's seems to give a good balance of expansion and penetration, cycle well in my Bodyguard, and aren't too hard to find either.
 
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Hornady Critical Defense. There's hotter out there but this stuff is accurate and I can put 6 down range very quickly.
 
I run reloads. It’s s Montana gold 90 or 95 grain jhp round. It works reliably and consistently in my M&P bodyguard 380 and also the “original” model of the Bodyguard 380. I do carry them for Self defense as it’s cheap to shoot and reliable. I have used the Federal in a few of their variations and also the Gold Dot 95 grain jhp
 
fieldgrade said:
I just bought an LCP II. It ran Speer Gold Dot 90 grain well. Going to run some Hornady Critical Defense next.
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I’ve thought about getting one. Trigger feels good enough, smoother than the old double action original LCP. Some are hesitant on that single action trigger for pocket carry. Cw380 or LCP II is what I’ve narrowed it down to. Had a Kahr pm380 a few years ago.

I greatly prefer 9x19 in Federal HST, 124 or 147 grain for self defense. My Glock 42 gets ball ammo or lee Extreme penetraters. Everyone says penetration is important when going down to 380. Underwood makes factory ammo with that bullet. Gets good reviews from the tests I’ve watched on YouTube and read about online .

https://www.underwoodammo.com/products/380-acp-90-grain-xtreme-penetrator?variant=7865927925817
 
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I'd recommend either FMJ or the XTP hollowpoint.

The .380 really doesn't have enough velocity to both expand AND penetrate effectively and reliably compared to 9mm/.40/.45

The FMJ will feed more reliably than hollowpoints for the most part. It will almost certainly penetrate better than any hollowpoint that actually expands. But as a round nose, it will likely not crush or cut as effectively as an expanded hollowpoint.

The XTP is a limited expansion round. That helps provide SOME expansion while still allowing for enough penetration to reach the vitals.

Other limited expansion hollowpoints may work as well.
 
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