.380 Stats...

[MisterG]

The Sig Sauer 230 is my second favorite gun after a 1911 in .45acp. I carry the .380 more because it's lighter. I often feel under powered though. Like it might be a "p y" round. Are there any statistics showing success and/or failure of the .380 in shootings? I shoot it well. I use Cor-Bons. I just want more confidence in this less than 9mm minimum weapon. Thanks.

 

[Tom Servo]

Well, .380 is pushing the lower-end of stopping power, but you've probably already heard that. With the right shot-placement, it should do the trick, but there's a huge difference between .380 and 9mm.

Some manufacturer data and FBI testing results.

Same results for 9mm.

A synopsis of some of Marshall/Sanow's data (take Marshall/Sanow's stuff with a grain of salt, though.)

 

[MICHAEL T]

Like any pistol round the 380 has had sucess and failuers. But It must being doing something right as it just keeps selling. I carry 380's and feel any of them will do the job. I use CorBon HP or Rem102GS in mine.

 

[tbeb]

I don't have any statistics... Anyhow, I carried a .380 for
9-10 years. I don't carry it anymore. I don't believe a
88-102 grain bullet will penetrate deep enough. I now carry a .38 special loaded with 158 grain bullets. If I went back to a semi-auto, it'll be a 9mm minimum.

 

[Deersniper]

If I would carry a .380, FMJ would probably be best. HPs would just cause even less penetration. To me, .40 is the minimum.

 

[nemesis]

Back at the dawn of time, we used .380's because the only small guns came in .380. Now, you can buy very small 9mm's and even .40's; so now we have a choice.

If we examine the availablity of .380 ammo and the prices, 9mm looks more attractive all the time. 9mm is universally available, cheap and available in a wide variety of loads. Bring the questionable stopping power of the .380 into the picture and the question has to be "why bother with a .380 when we can have a 9mm in a similar package"?