.380 ACP
Encyclopedia
The .380 ACP pistol
cartridge is a rimless
, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning
. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense
cartridge ever since. Other names for .380 ACP include .380 Auto, 9mm Browning, 9mm Corto, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short, and 9x17mm. It is not to be confused with .38 ACP
or 9mm Luger.
pistols which lacked a barrel locking mechanism. The locking mechanism that is found on most other pistols is not necessary for the .380 because of the round's low breech pressure when fired. The recoil spring and the mass of the slide itself are enough to buffer the recoil energy of the round. This simplifies manufacture of pistols chambered for such a round, generally thereby lowering the cost. It also permits the barrel to be permanently fixed to the frame, which promotes accuracy. There have, however, been a number of locked-breech pistols chambered in .380 ACP. There have also been some diminutive submachine gun
s, such as the Ingram MAC-11
and vz. 83.
, as well as by Italian forces in the M1934 Beretta. However, as a service pistol round, its low power did not provide suitable penetration for combat. It did find use as a backup gun due to low recoil, and is popular in the civilian market as a personal defense round. The .380 ACP round is considered suitable for self-defense situations, and as a result, it has been a viable choice for concealed carry pistols. The combination of decent penetration in close range defense situations with light recoil has made it a viable round for those who wish to carry a small, lightweight handgun that can still provide adequate defense.
than other modern pistol cartridges. According to gun author Massad Ayoob
, "Some experts will say it's barely adequate, and others will say it's barely inadequate." Even so, it remains a popular self-defense cartridge for shooters who want a lightweight pistol with manageable recoil. It is slightly less powerful than a standard-pressure .38 Special
and uses 9 mm (.355 in) diameter bullets. The heaviest bullet that can be safely loaded into the .380 ACP is 115 gr, though the standard has long been 85, 90 or 95 grains (5.5, 5.8 or 6.2 g). The .380 has had something of a recent upsurge in popularity with the increase of concealed carry
laws, as have the compact and inexpensive pistols that make use of it. Popular pistols chambered in .380 ACP include the Walther PPK/S, Bersa Thunder 380
, SIG Sauer P230/P232, Kel-Tec P-3AT, Smith & Wesson
BODYGUARD 380, Diamondback DB380, Kahr P380
and Ruger LCP
. Glock
also produces models in .380, though they are not available to the U.S. market because they do not earn enough "points" for importation under Federal law.
The wounding potential of bullets is often characterized in terms of a bullet's expanded diameter, penetration depth, and energy. Bullet energy for .380 ACP loads varies from roughly 190 to 220 ft·lbf. The table below shows common performance parameters for several .380 ACP loads. Bullet weights ranging from 85 to 95 grains are common. Penetration depths from 6.5 inches to 17 inches are available for various applications and risk assessments.
Key:
Expansion – expanded bullet diameter (ballistic gelatin).
Penetration – penetration depth (ballistic gelatin).
PC – permanent cavity volume (ballistic gelatin, FBI method).
TSC – temporary stretch cavity volume (ballistic gelatin).
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
cartridge is a rimless
Rim (firearms)
A rim is an external flange that is machined, cast, molded, stamped or pressed around the bottom of a firearms cartridge. The rim may serve a number of purposes, the most common being as the place for the extractor to engage...
, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning
John Browning
John Moses Browning , born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world...
. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
cartridge ever since. Other names for .380 ACP include .380 Auto, 9mm Browning, 9mm Corto, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short, and 9x17mm. It is not to be confused with .38 ACP
.38 ACP
The .38 ACP also known as the .38 Auto was introduced at the turn of the 20th century for the Browning designed Colt M1900. The cartridge headspaces on the rim. It had first been used in his Model 1897 prototype, which Colt did not produce...
or 9mm Luger.
Design
The .380 ACP cartridge was designed for early blowbackBlowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
pistols which lacked a barrel locking mechanism. The locking mechanism that is found on most other pistols is not necessary for the .380 because of the round's low breech pressure when fired. The recoil spring and the mass of the slide itself are enough to buffer the recoil energy of the round. This simplifies manufacture of pistols chambered for such a round, generally thereby lowering the cost. It also permits the barrel to be permanently fixed to the frame, which promotes accuracy. There have, however, been a number of locked-breech pistols chambered in .380 ACP. There have also been some diminutive submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s, such as the Ingram MAC-11
MAC-11
The Ingram MAC-11 is a machine pistol developed by American gun designer Gordon Ingram at the Military Armament Corporation during the 1970s...
and vz. 83.
Uses
The .380 ACP has experienced widespread use in the years since its introduction. It was famously used by many German officers during World War II in the Walther PPKWalther PPK
The Walther PP series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols.They feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel which also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring...
, as well as by Italian forces in the M1934 Beretta. However, as a service pistol round, its low power did not provide suitable penetration for combat. It did find use as a backup gun due to low recoil, and is popular in the civilian market as a personal defense round. The .380 ACP round is considered suitable for self-defense situations, and as a result, it has been a viable choice for concealed carry pistols. The combination of decent penetration in close range defense situations with light recoil has made it a viable round for those who wish to carry a small, lightweight handgun that can still provide adequate defense.
Performance
The .380 ACP is compact and light, but has a relatively short range and less stopping powerStopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
than other modern pistol cartridges. According to gun author Massad Ayoob
Massad Ayoob
Massad F. Ayoob is an internationally known firearms and self-defense instructor. He has taught police techniques and civilian self-defense to both law enforcement officers and private citizens in numerous venues since 1974...
, "Some experts will say it's barely adequate, and others will say it's barely inadequate." Even so, it remains a popular self-defense cartridge for shooters who want a lightweight pistol with manageable recoil. It is slightly less powerful than a standard-pressure .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
and uses 9 mm (.355 in) diameter bullets. The heaviest bullet that can be safely loaded into the .380 ACP is 115 gr, though the standard has long been 85, 90 or 95 grains (5.5, 5.8 or 6.2 g). The .380 has had something of a recent upsurge in popularity with the increase of concealed carry
Concealed carry
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity.-In Canada:...
laws, as have the compact and inexpensive pistols that make use of it. Popular pistols chambered in .380 ACP include the Walther PPK/S, Bersa Thunder 380
BERSA Thunder 380
Introduced in the late 1990s by Argentine firearms manufacturer Bersa, S.A., the Thunder 380 is a lightweight, relatively small semi-automatic pistol chambered in the popular .380 ACP caliber.-Development:...
, SIG Sauer P230/P232, Kel-Tec P-3AT, Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
BODYGUARD 380, Diamondback DB380, Kahr P380
Kahr P380
The Kahr P380 is a compact pistol chambered for the .380 ACP cartridge and produced by Kahr Arms. It uses a double-action only trigger and operates on the short recoil principle....
and Ruger LCP
Ruger LCP
The Ruger LCP is a subcompact, .380 ACP pocket pistol announced by Sturm, Ruger at the 2008 SHOT Show. The pistol lacks certain features required for sale in California or Massachusetts.-Overview:...
. Glock
Glock
Glock Ges.m.b.H. is a weapons manufacturer headquartered in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria, named after its founder, Gaston Glock...
also produces models in .380, though they are not available to the U.S. market because they do not earn enough "points" for importation under Federal law.
The wounding potential of bullets is often characterized in terms of a bullet's expanded diameter, penetration depth, and energy. Bullet energy for .380 ACP loads varies from roughly 190 to 220 ft·lbf. The table below shows common performance parameters for several .380 ACP loads. Bullet weights ranging from 85 to 95 grains are common. Penetration depths from 6.5 inches to 17 inches are available for various applications and risk assessments.
| Manufacturer | Load | Mass (grains) | Velocity (ft/s) | Energy (ft•lbf) | Expansion (inches) | Penetration (inches) | PC (in3) | TSC (in3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cor-Bon | JHP +P | 90 | 1050 | 220 | 0.58 | 9.0 | 2.38 | 15.7 |
| Federal | HydraShok JHP | 90 | 1000 | 200 | 0.58 | 10.5 | 2.77 | 21.0 |
| Winchester | Silvertip JHP | 85 | 1000 | 189 | 0.63 | 6.5 | 2.03 | 10.6 |
| CCI/Speer | JHP | 88 | 1000 | 196 | 0.36 | 17.0 | 1.73 | 9.1 |
| Hornady | XTP XTP XTP may refer to:*Extreme Transaction Processing, an exceptionally demanding form of transaction processing*Xanthosine triphosphate, a nucleotide*Ksantyp, a Polish guitarist - bands: moutza, hwt, ntk, enteka, proletaryat, corn... |
90 | 1000 | 200 | 0.44 | 11.8 | 1.73 | 9.1 |
| Federal | FMJ | 95 | 955 | 193 | 0.36 | 17 | 1.73 | 8.7 |
Key:
Expansion – expanded bullet diameter (ballistic gelatin).
Penetration – penetration depth (ballistic gelatin).
PC – permanent cavity volume (ballistic gelatin, FBI method).
TSC – temporary stretch cavity volume (ballistic gelatin).
Synonyms
- .380 Auto
- 9mm Browning
- 9mm Browning Short
- 9mm Corto
- 9mm Court
- 9mm Kratak
- Kratka 9 (Devetka)
- 9mm Kurz
- 9mm Scurt
- 9mm Short
- 9x17mm