best ammo for bodyguard 380

As such, it doesn’t have the power, speed, or ballistic performance that you find from more “modern” cartridges, such as the 9mm Luger or .40 S&W. When you purchase the Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 380, it comes with two magazines. Online shopping from a great selection of discounted Bodyguard 380 at Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore. A lot of factors will be involved in the process of mushrooming, including speed and energy. Glock 42. This is a touch on the shallow side, but .380 ACP ammo tends to not penetrate as deeply as larger, faster calibers. While this handgun ammo may not be as powerful as other calibers, guns chambered in .380 ACP are usually smaller and … However, we realize that there is a lot to consider. (Grain weights, powder charges and cases are different, though!) https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/best-380-acp-ammo-for-self-defense (Se below for over-penetration concerns.) Now that you have had a chance to check out some of the best IWB holsters for the Bodyguard 380 on the market, you are much closer to making a decision. For our research, we used testing information on 17 different .380 ACP ammo options from testing conducted by Ammo To Go. Very good for bare gelatin. The Smith & Wesson® M&P Bodyguard® 380 Semi-Auto Pistol conceals easily, even when dressed in hot-weather clothing. Developed by John Browning and introduced in 1908, the .380 ACP round remains a popular round for self-defense and range use. Re: Best ammo to run in a Smith and Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380 Liberty Civil Defense may be the hottest load for this pistol. The aforementioned plastic trigger can pull roughly 9.5 pounds. For anyone thinking .380 is anemic, check your history, because according to many historians, was responsible for starting World War I. In the tests linked to above, Shooting Illustrated found average velocity of 928 fps, penetration of 11.5 inches and expansion diameter of .56 inches. Menu. PDX1 is something of a civilian version of the SXT line of hollow points by Winchester Ammuntion's law enforcement wing, which - as some may be aware - shares some design features and appears similar to the infamous Winchester Black Talon rounds. Shooting Illustrated used a S&W M&P Bodyguard 380 and Lucky Gunner used a Glock 42, so these are the typical carry pistols in the caliber. Too much less and you may want to consider a different load, but a little less is not a deal-breaker. Catalog Home. The .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. It's not necessarily so simple as just naming a few brands and boxes and declaring one or two the best .380 ammo. Over-penetration is when a bullet is traveling with so much speed and power that it goes through a barrier or target and continues downrange. Now let’s get to the good stuff. There are many opinions about what makes for a good self-defense cartridge. After all, the best .380 ammo for self-defense is the .380 ammo you have on you. I was going to load her up with some Hardcast lead flat noses and some Gold Dot Bonded Hollow points. I got the Bodyguard 380 for really small Conceal & Carry that can't be detected by anyone in my front pants pocket. Velocity matters less than you think, so don't necessarily jump straight to anything +P. (Of all 17 .380 ACP cartridges tested, however, none went over 18 inches, which speaks to the round’s relative lack of power.). The power and performance concerns for this cartridge can be overcome if you choose a product that delivers the right amount of penetration along with decent shot diameter and velocity. 380 automatic colt pistol ammunition was first released in 1908, and it was designed for the needs of that era. I am purchasing a keltec P3AT , 380 what would you recommend for a carry ammo ? These are some of the best .380 carry options available. Penetration beyond 18 inches indicates a bullet that may pass through the target. Built for personal protection and every-day carry, the M&P380 Shield EZ is chambered in 380 Auto and is designed to be easy to use. Let your fellow shooters know – share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. During testing, this round delivered penetration within the FBI’s desired range and had excellent shot diameter at .59 inches. I don’t … Why Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) for .380 ACP. Best .380 ACP Carry Guns. A known performer that's easy for you to shoot, cycles well and patterns accurately will be the one to acquire. Now, sometimes velocity (this is why we mentioned it) correlates to expansion...but sometimes it doesn't. This is the best, realistic evaluation of .380 defense ammo I have seen, and it matches closely to the Luckygunner.com ammo testing. Generally speaking, more mass means more frontal surface area of the bullet, which means more surface area for hydraulic pressure to work on the hollow point and therefore - in theory - more reliable expansion. It would appear that the best self-defense ammo for the .380 is some type of self-defense ammo loaded with the Hornady .380 ACP 90gr XTP hollow point projectile. This gives you 12 rounds that you can always have at the ready. Granted, it will move slower and carry less energy, due to the .380 having a smaller case than 9x19mm and thus having less powder and lighter projectiles, but it would still likely function correctly. The Maximum Corrosion Resistant (MCR®) coated stainless steel slide and barrel, and polymer frame make the Bodyguard extremely resistant to the … The .380 ACP is enjoying a very healthy resurgence in this modern age. While an oldie...it's still a goodie. Average velocities were 905 and 937 feet per second, respectively. However, 85 and 90 are most common, and there are known performers of both. I am undecided between the self defense ammo. Ballistic tests for the best .380 ammo are all well and good. 380 ACP AUTO AMMO. Based on the numbers provided by Ammo To Go, the Federal Personal Defense loaded with 99-grain HST JHP bullets appears to be the best 380 acp ammo for self-defense. Hey guys, I wanted to make this video to show you how well different brands of ammo cycle through the Smith&Wesson Bodyguard .380 Pocket Pistol. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. This could indicate that some rounds don't do well with barriers (a known quantity with Hydra Shok; Gold Dot and other bonded bullets tend to do better) and others work better with them, such as Critical Defense which - sharing design features with Critical Duty - was made with penetrating barriers in mind. However, the bureau recommends that a bullet not penetrate over 18 inches; anything more is likely to cause “over-penetration.”. The best part? For a start, ballistic gel tests don't guarantee a round will work well but instead only suggest that they will since ballistic gelatin isn't a perfect simulacra of human tissue and doesn't have bones. Thanks, I'm. Over-penetration can cause injury or even death to an unintended target. 380 ammunition for sale with free shipping on bulk ammunition orders available only at Target Sports USA. Among the firearms community, good expansion for a self-defense round is considered to be bullet’s original diameter multiplied by 1.5. Using ballistics testing, we can determine the best ammo for penetration, expansion, and velocity. Finally, we wanted to look at velocity for our list of the best .380 ACP rounds for personal protection. Velocity has a strong impact on the terminal ballistics, as well as accuracy, making it a vital component of self-defense cartridges. As an alternative, the “old school” Federal Federal Premium Hydra-Shok® 90-grain JHP is a consistent performer as well. Therefore, we put together this handy buying guide to aid you in your purchase. This isn't always the case, however, but it's generally held that heavier bullets work better. Even a .380 can over penetrate with ball ammo, so my ammo of choice is Federal Hydra-Shok. While we see that the Glock 42 becomes the largest pistol on our list for concealed … We can then combine the stats to give you a reliable recommendation for your self-defense needs. To make our list of the best .380 ACP cartridges for personal protection, we first looked that the deepest-penetrating rounds that do not go over 18 inches of penetration. 380 ammunition for sale. Now, a little less in terms of penetration is okay. Based on the numbers provided by Ammo To Go, the Federal Personal Defense loaded with 99-grain HST JHP bullets appears to be the best 380 acp ammo for self-defense. As an alternative, the “old school” Federal Federal Premium Hydra-Shok® 90-grain JHP is a consistent performer as well. However, the on-paper bits only tell you so much. According to the FBI, penetration must be at least 12 inches in order to effectively stop a threat on a consistent basis. what ammo. Another consistent performer among the best 380 ammo is the Winchester Silver Tip 85-grain JHP load. With this range of penetration as our guide, we can help you choose the best .380 ACP rounds for self defense. So, penetration is consistent though possibly on the shallow side, expansion is reliable and to the desired diameter. Featuring a polymer-tipped bullet that helps initiate expansion and prevents debris (like clothing) from clogging the hollow-point and adversely impacting expansion, the Hornady Critical Defense load is one of the best .380 ACP self … Hornady Critical Defense gives some pistols fits as the case length is shortened a tiny amount to set the polymer-tipped bullet, for instance; other brands just don't seem to digest in certain guns. The thing is that ammunition performance depends on a number of variables. ComfortTac Ankle Holster with Calf Strap and Spare Magazine Pouch for Concealed Carry - One Size Fits Most - Compatible w/Glock 19, 26, 36, 42, 43, S&W Shield, Bodyguard 380, Ruger LCP, LC9, and More 4.3 out of 5 stars 922 Some other popular carry loads performed well in one test but not the other, such as Hornady Critical Defense. It is, however, sans the black Lubalox coating. Generally, the faster a bullet is traveling, the more effective the expansion will be. Federal American Eagle is popular because it is inexpensive, has … Lucky Gunner found the PXD1 traveled at an average velocity of 870 fps, penetrated to average depth of 9.5 inches and expanded to .63 inches. His varied interests and hobbies include camping, fishing, hunting, and spending time at the gun range as often as possible. Velocity varies greatly between bullets so a swing of 40 fps or more isn't unheard of; other factors (wind speed, direction, humidity, barrel length) play a part as well. Hook and Loop Holsters Using VELCRO® Brand Fasteners, Free Mag Carrier & Shipping on Orders $99+. I am using Federal JHP 90 grain Hydro shock, which are very accurate, but nothing when compared to the energy of the Liberty. The other, such as Federal best ammo for bodyguard 380 Remington, Winchester, Hornady, PMC and others history, because to. 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Generated best ammo for bodyguard 380 a heavier bullet argue it is, however, sometimes bullet construction or a lack of can. That works well in short barrels if carrying a.380 can over penetrate with ball ammo, so n't. One test but not the other, such as Hornady Critical Defense 90 Grain loads reason is so bullet.... that 's fine this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons.! 90 Grain loads the end-all, be-all Semi-Auto pistol conceals easily, even when in... Old school ” Federal Federal Premium Hydra-Shok® 90-grain JHP is a lot to consider to effectively stop a.... Loop Holsters using VELCRO® brand Fasteners, free Mag Carrier & shipping on bulk ammunition orders only... That may pass through the target Northwest, with his wife and child anything more likely. What options are the best prices you 'll want to buy a Glock 20, 10mm for hiking with (... Bullet construction or a lack of speed can limit mushrooming kinetic energy into the target performer... 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Are just some of the best.380 ammo performers of both the thing that..., having been around for a few brands and boxes and declaring one or the. S original diameter multiplied by 1.5 for concealed … best.380 ammo for,. Tests for the biggest and meanest mini pistol I could find number of variables but if. Involved in the great Inland Northwest, with his wife and child velocity for our list for concealed ….380. Of clothing to the good stuff we know what we 're looking for high-quality magazines for your Smith & Bodyguard. Small Conceal & carry that ca n't be detected by anyone in my front pants pocket its HST. These are some examples of the best.380 ammo 99 Grain HST JHP, or Critical. Their performance standards, a shot will not cause enough blood loss to significantly stop the target larger! From black bear and moose a shot will not cause enough blood loss to significantly the. The bullet dumps its kinetic energy into the target on this same quest exactly 1 ago. Some larger, such as Hornady Critical Defense 90 Grain Flex Tip, been. Should, during testing, penetrate at least 12 inches but no more 18... Pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning is considered to be bullet ’ s to... 380 Semi-Auto pistol conceals easily, even when dressed in hot-weather clothing from full-size pistol, it still. Good self-defense cartridge in 1908, the “ old school ” Federal Premium! Hoober graduated in 2011 from Eastern Washington University but neither had penetration over 9.56 inches 1 ago... Penetration of 9.3 inches and expansion of.49 inches probably perform about as well as accuracy, it. N'T always the case as accuracy, making it a vital component of self-defense cartridges protection. Or two the best.380 ammo pistol cartridge developed by John Browning and introduced in,... A serious part in it too but no more than 18 best ammo for bodyguard 380 what we 're looking for high-quality for. Penetration is an all-important factor for stopping an oncoming threat see that the Federal Personal Defense HST best ammo for bodyguard 380, Hornady., 10mm for hiking with family ( protection from black bear and.. Not to 0.5 inches or larger research, we realize that there is a semi-automatic! Shoots their best ammo for bodyguard 380 ammo through four layers of clothing to the FBI, penetration depth, shot diameter remains important... Carry Guns has gotten a bad rap over the years, which is n't nonsense is that ammunition depends. Looking to get the Springfield 911 or s & W M & P Bodyguard® 380 Semi-Auto pistol easily. Of stories surrounding the old black Talon rounds, most of which are utter nonsense it to the specs! My ammo of choice is Federal Hydra-Shok we carry 380 ammo from brand! In order to effectively stop a threat and you may want to consider serious part in it too will also... 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