Ruger LCP .380 ammo for SD

[MagnumDweeb]

This had just been absolutely bugging me. For some reason I feel the need to get a gun that can absolutely everywhere a law abiding fully-clothed man can go. I find sometimes I can't carry my snub nose Ross 462, Bersa 9mm Ultra Compact, or Ruger Sp101 3" .357 magnum, in my pockets at times.

Granted it's rare but I'd also like a BUG I can put in my other pocket without worries and the Ruger LCP fits the bill it seems.

Now I'm just worried about ammo. I like Fiocchi ammo for my .357 magnums and my S&W 15-3 but I've read around here on the thehighroad that their .380 loadings are very anemic. I want ammo I can affordably practice with on a regular basis. Also I don't want a round that's only going to penetrate a few inches and I've been tempted into going the FMJ route but I know at my core that's the wrong way for SD.

Can anybody share their experiences with the Ruger LCP and the various SD ammo they've tried?

 

[9mmforMe]

I personally cannot attest to the Ruger LCP except that what I have read has been very positive as of late. I did however own a KelTec 3AT (.380) and felt quite well protected while carrying it. I do NOT consider the round anemic. I decided to use full metal jacket round nosed ammo. I did this mostly because it was 100% reliable in my gun, was not cost prohibitive and offered greater penetration. As a side note, I must say there was a part of me that was curious to test quality SDHP ammo, but still the FMJ was just fine and made sense to me...still would use it in fact. BTW I have owned other Rugers and currently have a P95 and think very highly of the quality of their firearms.

 

[franko07]

i use speer gold dot ammo in .380 in mine, over 200 rounds of the gold dot with no problem and more then 2200 total rounds thru my lcp and the only problem i had was with the hornaday critical defense. i had 4 jams with the hornaday and that is the only time the gun has EVER jammed on me.

 

[9mmforMe]

Here's something you might find interesting.

http://goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/380acp/gel380acp.htm

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot26.htm

 

[fireman5069]

PMC Starfire works well and the cone is tighter to ease chambering. Winchester PDX1 had problems feeding.

 

[Zanad]

check out the buffolo bore ammo. it seems they have some good oferings.

 

[wrs840]

I use speer gold dot ammo in .380 in mine...

Same here. I've never had my LCP malfunction with any ammo, even Hornady FTX. I don't trust FTX though, based on some FTFs I've had with .38spl FTX in my 442.

The LCP is a great, discreet, "go anywhere" in even the lightest Summer-weight business-slacks pocket-carry gun in a good leather wallet-holster. For pocket-carry, I prefer a 442 in a Blackhawk size 3, or even better, my new 637 2.5"bbl in a Desantis Nemesis, but the pants dictate what will work. Best to have the options, IMO.

Good luck!

Les

 

[Shadan7]

MD, this may be of interest - we recently greatly expanded our .380 test data: http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/380auto2010.html

Cheers -

 

[withdrawn34]

A lot of people prefer FMJ in .380 due to insufficient penetration of many .380 HP rounds. The Winchester PDX stuff seems to be the only decent performing HP for .380s.

 

[tbeb]

I have no experience with the LCP. I prefer at least .38 special +P for self defense. If I carried a .380, I would load it with a jacketed, non-hollowpoint round that feeds reliably. Reliability is #1, and #2 is penetration. I'm not an expert, but that's the way I see it.

 

[MikeNice]

I'm not usually the one to do this but. . . .

Try the search function. We just had this discussion last week. It seems like at least twice a month we have a "best .380 round" thread.

 

[SwampWolf]

If I carried a .380, I would load it with a jacketed, non-hollowpoint round that feeds reliably. Reliability is #1, and #2 is penetration. I'm not an expert, but that's the way I see it.

That's the way I see it too-and I am an expert! Proof of my expertise is the fact that I'm on the internet all the time; getting smarter and smarter with each post...

 

[Ben86]

The ruger lcp is a great little gun, but to me the taurus tcp is a refinement of it. In my lcp I practice with whatever cheap fmj I can get my hands on and carry the speer gold dot 90 grain jhp. Practicing with your carry load is not practical for .380 IMO. In other calibers you have "mediocre" hollow points that do they job ok and are cheap enough to practice with. It takes a premium .380 hollow point to get the job done properly, not a mediocre one. So that makes practice with them far from cost effective. Just try to keep the bullet weight of practice and carry ammo close.

 

[Newton]

FMJ or JHP is the perennial 380 question, but I think that with the arrival of Gold Dots it has been settled.

Make no mistake, this little pocket pistol is quite deadly, it is no toy and quite capable of putting an attacker in the dirt.

Gold Dots show both good penetration and expansion that is both reliable and controlled at sub-10 yard distances.

In my opinion, the LCP and 7 rounds of 90gr Gold Dots is a very effective CCW package, even as a primary. My own has never jammed, and I trust it implicitly.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I did an unscientific test with a few differnt jhp 380 rounds in my p3at (same bbl length) and didn't have the greatest results:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=540090
However the phone books weren't soaked very long so I plan to soak some longer and repeat the test soon, and use a chronograph.