No, 380 is not smaller than 9mm. This is a common point of confusion because people often compare caliber designations without fully understanding the units involved.
Let's clarify:
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.380 ACP (or 9mm Kurz): This refers to a pistol cartridge. The ".380" represents the approximate diameter of the bullet in inches (0.38 inches).
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9mm: This also refers to a pistol cartridge. The "9mm" represents the approximate diameter of the bullet in millimeters (9 millimeters).
Since there are approximately 25.4 millimeters in an inch, a .380 bullet is roughly 9.65mm in diameter. Therefore, a 9mm bullet is slightly smaller than a .380 bullet. The difference is subtle, but the 9mm is the smaller caliber. The confusion arises from the different units of measurement used to represent the same thing—bullet diameter.
