Is .380 accurate enough??

1

1/2 cocked

New member
Howdy,

If a .380 is carried for personal protection it must be shot placement to be effective. If that is correct is it accurate enough from a Colt Mustang to be effective at ten yards? How about a CZ 82/83? Out of a short barrel hollow point doesnt seem to work half the time either.
 
M

Majic

New member
Shot placement is the key no matter what caliber you are shooting. Short barreled guns are just as accurate as the longer barreled counterparts. It's the shooter that's the weak in the accuracy department. Whether or not a bullet expands is partially determined by the bullet's construction. Today with the growing SD market there are quite a few bullets designed to expand at the lower velocities of the short barreled guns.
 
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hj28rules

New member
I have had a CZ83 .380 for some time now. Inside 15 meters the pistol is more accurate than I am. I use Hydra-Shock hollow points for SD and they seem to work just fine.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
Quality self-defense ammunition should expand at the expected velocities in the caliber it's chambered for. In .380ACP, that means that it should work from a short barrel.

Ball ammunition (non expanding bullets) is not an uncommon choice in some of the smaller calibers to ensure adequate penetration. Some worry that the expanding ammunition will not penetrate sufficiently. It is true that the penetration numbers for expanding .380ACP ammo typically indicate that it doesn't meet the FBI's criterion for minimum penetration.
 
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Dave R

New member
Depends on the pistol, of course.

I had a Colt Mustang (briefly) that I couldn't hit a tin can with at 7 yards. I was stupid when I bought it (first pistol) and later learned it was just plain worn out.

Bought a PPK clone that is amazingly accurate. That fixed barrel probably helps.

Currently carry a P-3AT. Took some significant practice to be able to shoot it well. But early on, bench resting it showed me it was capable of being accurate enough. And once I got used to the trigger, I am happy with its accuracy.
 
H

HighValleyRanch

New member
.380 is more than accurate!

Of course that depends on the particular gun and the shooter, whether it's accurate. But if you are asking the potential accuracy of the round, here's the test. I shot this five shot group last week at the range with my Walther (interarms) PPK at 15 yards, standng two handed.
I was pretty amazed that I was able to get this good a group, because the sights aren't very good, and my aging eyes aren't either. I had to go over to dot sights in my bullseye competitions.
The groups measures less than two inches.

That little PPK is dependeable as well. It shoots anything and is reliable without jams or stovepipes. It is slightly heavy, but can pocket carried in my carhart jeans or IWB or slide holster. I wear it more than my glock.
 

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michael t

New member
I have a Colt Mustang and when carried like all my 380's I use Corbon DPX this copper HP is accurate and over a 1000fps..
 
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IMTHDUKE

New member
This little bugger will put em where you point em.

Mustang Pocket Lite.jpg
 
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Ivory Grips

New member
At 10 yards...

At ten yards I can empty a magazine full of .380 ball ammo from my Bersa into a target about the size of a mans head. And that my dear friends is about all you need expect from any handgun. And with a little practice, anyone can do this.
 
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Ivory Grips

New member
Excuse me fellas!

What I meant to say, and should have in my last post was 10 feet and not yards! After I made the last post, I measured off ten yards and I knew I had errored. I guess this ol injun is gonna have to pay more attention to what I'm smoking in my pipe. My apology please.
 
S

ShipWreck

New member
Seems to me that a lot of people are choosing to fire ball ammo out of their .380s
Click to expand...

I carry ball/FMJ in my 32 - but in 380 - I think hollowpoints are still worthwhile - I used to use Goldensabers when I had a 380.
 
D

Double Naught Spy

New member
The .380 is plenty accurate as a caliber. The problems tend to come in with the shooter and the platform being used to shoot .380. Some platforms do not lend themselves as well to good shot placement because of unduly heavy or long trigger pulls, overly small size (more difficult to hold in a consistent proper manner), short sight radius, and/or poor sights.

With the single action trigger, the little Colt Mustang noted above is a sweet shooter and much easier to shoot accurately than its counterpart, the DAO Colt Pony with its long trigger pull and 13 lb trigger, even though from a rested position, both guns have comparable accuracy.
 
O

obxned

New member
A while ago, when checking my notes, I found that of all the guns I have owned, those in .357, .45, and .380 were the most accurate regardless of quality or condition of the firearm.

Not surprisingly, both the .380 and .45 are Browning developments.
 
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revjen45

Moderator
When my compact.45 became unreliable due to crud buildup and a weak recoil spring in the FAS-3 course I switched to my Makarov 9X18 (not too much different from .380 ACP). Accuracy was quite adequate to finish the class. Have you considered the Mak in 9X18? I have found mine to be completely reliable, and as accurate as I can shoot, or better.
 
G

Gunwiz

New member
Understanding .380

First, let's understand why we would carry a .380. SIZE. .380's fit in handguns much smaller than .45's. Hense....conceal carry or backup. I personally carry a Keltec P3AT with Corbon Powerballs as a regular dress item, wheather I have a sidearm or not. Why, again size. Is it acurate? For what the gun was designed for, it will do it. 15 to 20 feet is no problem. Will it dot the I's in a sentance......no. Will it hit centermass on a lowlife attempting to take what's mine........everytime. Also, the Powerball ammo gives me the best of both words. Very effective hollow point for personal defense with the feeding of ball ammo so no jams.
 
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abarth

New member
I don't understand this, people carry FMJ for there 380 because they want penetration. And many of them think the JHP will not expend anyway. So what do you get when a JHP that does not expend, you get a bullet that penetrate like a FMJ. So why not carry JHP that has a history that doesn't expend well, plus if it expends there is a chance it may tumble inside the body, creating a bigger wound. BTW a general 95gr 380 FMJ will penetrate about 18" of gel, XTP which I carry will only expends to .45-.47" but penetrates about 10-12" of gel.
 
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