Ordered Ammo for a gun I don't own

[Ken45101]

If you are going with a .380 (or .32acp), I do not think hollow point ammo is a good idea.

For serious effect, you want 11-14" penetration. Winchester used to have a penetration comparison on their website. If a bullet expands, penetration is shallow. As I recall, their .380 Ranger only gave 6" of penetration.

I carry FMJ in my .380 (I rarely carry the .380 tough).

BTW, SGAMMO.com is well stocked with a dozen different .380 selections. They are a good quality supplier.

 

[RoyJackson]

If you are going with a .380 (or .32acp), I do not think hollow point ammo is a good idea.

For serious effect, you want 11-14" penetration. Winchester used to have a penetration comparison on their website. If a bullet expands, penetration is shallow. As I recall, their .380 Ranger only gave 6" of penetration.

I carry FMJ in my .380 (I rarely carry the .380 tough).

BTW, SGAMMO.com is well stocked with a dozen different .380 selections. They are a good quality supplier.

There a lot of videos on YouTube discussing .380 ammo. Some, like Paul Harrell's, are good...some pretty nonsensical...you be the judge.
You do have a point about hollow point and penetration. I haven't decided yet what ammo I'm going to use in my CW380. I really like Hornady Critical Defense though...just need to see how it runs in the gun.

Of course, IMHO, with most self defense in most situations, neither penetration or bullet expansion is going to matter that much. Once a bad guy is shot, unless he's a suicidal terrorist, he's most likely going to run

 

[defranks]

If you're in a self-defense situation, you may prefer a bullet with low penetration and high energy delivery. Remember that in a difficult situation you may miss with one or more rounds. Expanding ammunition is less likely to travel through a wall or other barrier and hit an innocent. Just one more thing to consider.

 

[Ken45101]

Of course, IMHO, with most self defense in most situations, neither penetration or bullet expansion is going to matter that much. Once a bad guy is shot, unless he's a suicidal terrorist, he's most likely going to run

The "one shot stop" is rare. There are many, many cases where police have hit a subject 2,3,6 times or more and they keep coming. Now some of them may be high on drugs, but you could run into that also.

OTOH, researchers (Kleck and others) believe that in over 90% of the times a gun is used in self defense, NO shots are fired, the mere presence of someone able to defend themselves sends the bad guy looking for easier targets. In that situation, any caliber or bullet type works well.

 

[k0ua]

Bet we could argue about bullet types and velocities and calibers for "a while"

 

[kcflhrc]

Bet we could argue about bullet types and velocities and calibers for "a while"

Agreed. We bought about 5 or 6 different kinds of 380 ammo for my wife's new S&W 380 EZ just to see how it all shot. Not a single issue with any of it from the cheap Monarch all the way up to the the Hornady Critical Defense. It all shot without issue. Probably has a lot to do with the quality of the gun also. Regardless, I keep JHP in all the pistols at home. I don't need a FMJ 9mm going through 3 walls and out the other side. But honestly, will any of us ever have the need to defend our homes? I'm guessing most will not have that happen.

 

[k0ua]

Agreed. We bought about 5 or 6 different kinds of 380 ammo for my wife's new S&W 380 EZ just to see how it all shot. Not a single issue with any of it from the cheap Monarch all the way up to the the Hornady Critical Defense. It all shot without issue. Probably has a lot to do with the quality of the gun also. Regardless, I keep JHP in all the pistols at home. I don't need a FMJ 9mm going through 3 walls and out the other side. But honestly, will any of us ever have the need to defend our homes? I'm guessing most will not have that happen.

Hopefully we never will, but it happens every day around the country. It always has, but it is just more apparent in the internet age where we have access to information on what is happening around the nation, not just our little sphere of local news. Glad to hear the EZ is working out for you.

 

[kcflhrc]

Hopefully we never will, but it happens every day around the country. It always has, but it is just more apparent in the internet age where we have access to information on what is happening around the nation, not just our little sphere of local news. Glad to hear the EZ is working out for you.

I was just thinking. I bet firing a 9 mm inside is loud as ****. I may open a window in the morning and fire off a round and see what the wife does. I'm guessing no pancakes or waffles for a while.

 

[Peter 315]

I was just thinking. I bet firing a 9 mm inside is loud as ****. I may open a window in the morning and fire off a round and see what the wife does. I'm guessing no pancakes or waffles for a while.

And a punch in the head...........:laughing:

 

[kcflhrc]

And a punch in the head...........:laughing:

Hopefully she doesn't fire back