The 380 Auto holds a valuable place in society, primarily due to the easily concealable, compact pistols chambered for it. HOWEVER, because of the cartridge's limited size, it suffers from reduced power, making most existing 380 Auto ammunition unreliable for stopping a determined attacker.
We've extensively tested nearly all available 380 Auto ammo and found it lacking as a dependable means of self-defense—especially against large, pain-insensitive, or drug-impaired threats.
Here's the problem:
- Modern frangible 380 ammo causes significant surface trauma but lacks deep penetration.
- Against a rational person, such trauma may incapacitate due to shock and pain, but not necessarily stop them.
- Against an irrational or drugged attacker, surface wounds may not deter them at all.
- Effective 380 ammo must penetrate deeply enough to reach the brain stem or spine for instant incapacitation.
- Failure to stop the attacker immediately could endanger you and your loved ones while waiting for them to bleed out.
To address this, we've developed several standard pressure 380 Auto loads designed for maximum effectiveness in life-threatening scenarios.
Item 27G/20
- 90gr. Jacketed Hollow Point bullet
- Velocity: over 1,050 fps from a 3.75-inch Browning Double Action (BDA)
- Uses flash suppressed powder to prevent blinding in low light conditions
- Recommended strategy: chamber this expanding load, followed by a magazine of non-expanding loads for deeper penetration
Below are real-world velocities recorded from personal 380 Auto pistols—not lab test barrels:
- 1,061 fps — BDA, 3.75-inch barrel
- 1,049 fps — Walther PPK, 3.5-inch barrel
- 970 fps — Colt Mustang Pocket Lite, 2.75-inch barrel
- 949 fps — Keltec
