Andrew49417
New member
TulAmmo would be better than nothing.
Best carry ammo for an LCP
- Thread starter casey97
- Start date
bofh
Banned
Actually, the AmmoQuest showed that Hornady Critical Defense is underperforming in penetration and 1 of the 5 tested with denim-covered gel did not expand. Again, read the full AmmoQuest review at Final Results of the .380 ACP Ammo Quest | Shooting The Bull.
Based on the AmmoQuest my list of acceptable 380 ammo for a micro pistol includes:
- Fiocchi Extrema XTP(TM) 90-grain XTP JHP, part # 380XTP25
- Precision One .380 ACP 90 grain XTP
- HPR HyperClean XTP 90-grain JHP
- Hornady Custom .380 ACP with 90-grain XTP JHP
and barely
- Speer Gold Dot .380 ACP 90-grain GDHP, part #23606
Roscoe P Coletrain
New member
Then I guess the one bullet that doesn't expand will leave a nice exit hole for all the blood to run out! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
I am still quite disturbed at his velocity measurements, as most other tests show he should have gotten at least 100fps higher velocity. As I pointed out on my most recent article about guns and ammo, it takes about 800fps to get a common hollow point to expand on impact, so the velocities he shows are at the bottom end of the scale for getting bullets to expand. The only explanation I can come up with is that he measured the barrel length in a different manner than others, and therefore his pistol barrel is actually shorter than those used in the other tests.
All that said, I think his choice of ammo using XTP bullets is excellent.
bofh
Banned
The barrel of a Taurus TCP is 2.85 inches long, according to the specs. His velocity measurement for the Hornady Critical Defense is right on with the 2.5 inch barrel tests (Pocket Guns and Gear: Hornady Critical Defense 380 Auto 90 Grain FTX Denim and Clear Gel Test). Both are 857 fps on average. His Fiocchi Extrema XTP measurement seems to be 50 fps lower in comparison to the 2.5 inch barrel tests (Pocket Guns and Gear: Testing Fiocchi Extrema 380 AUTO 90 Grain XTP). 791 fps vs. 840 fps on average.
You are right. I don't know, maybe I was looking at the wrong tests, and only thought I was looking at the tests done with a 2.5 inch barrel, and thought that is why he should have been getting more velocity.
Velocity still is the key to getting most modern JHP's to expand though, and my previous statement about 800fps is still correct. In addition, once you get the bullet to expand, the round needs to have some weight to get deeper penetration. Of course, extra weight makes it harder to get the velocity, which is why these tests are so important in the first place.
Thanks for the correction. I will try to pay closer attention to which test I am looking at in the future.
There's a pretty comprehesive thread on this on the S&W forum. One of the participants is a guy named Erich who apparently has extensive experience with this exact question and he reccomends truncated cone FMJ for the LCP
By truncated cone, you mean like the flat nose on some WWB .380? I normally load my P3-AT with Critical Defense, and my backup mag with those flat Winchester FMJ's.
Yes
gunnerbob
PEW Professional
This^^^! I carry these or standard FMJs in my TCP. It's a minimal caliber and penetration is more vital than expansion in this particular instance.
casey97
New member
Another 50 flawless rounds through the new stainless LCP. Makes it 120 for 120.
__________________
Exodus 22:2 If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure.
Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”
gundaddypv
New member
I use Hornady Critical Defense. Plenty of penetration, perfect expansion with bare and covered ballistics gel and feeds very well.
I'm not aware of any other ammo which feeds as realiably and am not in a financial position to test a bunch of ammo.
I'm not aware of any other ammo which feeds as realiably and am not in a financial position to test a bunch of ammo.
gunnerbob
PEW Professional
Again, this isn't absolute... just something to think about.
With just shy of the FBI standard 12" in bare gelatin (in these tests), this round warrants consideration. Keep in mind though, the test weapon used had a longer (albeit slightly) barrel than the LCP... this should have an effect on comparable ballistic performance.
With just shy of the FBI standard 12" in bare gelatin (in these tests), this round warrants consideration. Keep in mind though, the test weapon used had a longer (albeit slightly) barrel than the LCP... this should have an effect on comparable ballistic performance.
Thank you gunnerbob, those are great vids. Even with all the searching around I've done on YouTube, I hadn't seen a couple of those before.
Even with .380, I feel that primary-carrying FMJ in public is just too much of a liability, too much risk of overpenetration or dangerous ricochets in the case of a miss in the heat of the moment. Ideally we'd be able to depend on frangibles like Glasers or MagSafes to do the job while minimizing these risks, but IMHO those rounds were thoroughly debunked years ago. That being said, I've often considered whether keeping a frangible in the chamber might be a good idea when carrying in public. I don't do that, it's just something I've thought about from a risk-management standpoint.
For now, in my P3-AT, I think I'll stick with my Critical Defense for the primary. I do like the performance of those truncated Winchesters, I'll continue to carry those in the backup mag or even in the bottom half of the primary mag. I figure in a defensive situation, if you have to fire more than 3 shots, then the S really has hit the F and penetration may take a higher consideration vs. the risks of FMJ. Of course, as well all know, the presence of a gun itself ends 90+% of defensive situations with no shots fired...so we're talking about various degrees of risk-management.
And of course it's WWB, so odds are that's what you'll get a lot of range time with them by default.
Even with .380, I feel that primary-carrying FMJ in public is just too much of a liability, too much risk of overpenetration or dangerous ricochets in the case of a miss in the heat of the moment. Ideally we'd be able to depend on frangibles like Glasers or MagSafes to do the job while minimizing these risks, but IMHO those rounds were thoroughly debunked years ago. That being said, I've often considered whether keeping a frangible in the chamber might be a good idea when carrying in public. I don't do that, it's just something I've thought about from a risk-management standpoint.
For now, in my P3-AT, I think I'll stick with my Critical Defense for the primary. I do like the performance of those truncated Winchesters, I'll continue to carry those in the backup mag or even in the bottom half of the primary mag. I figure in a defensive situation, if you have to fire more than 3 shots, then the S really has hit the F and penetration may take a higher consideration vs. the risks of FMJ. Of course, as well all know, the presence of a gun itself ends 90+% of defensive situations with no shots fired...so we're talking about various degrees of risk-management.
And of course it's WWB, so odds are that's what you'll get a lot of range time with them by default.
casey97
New member
Now 170 out of 170. Latest 50 was Tulammo. Rapid fired the last mag. At the end I noticed the take down pin was half out. Gonna have to watch that. Anyone else have this problem, if so how did you fix it?
__________________
Exodus 22:2 If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure.
Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”
__________________
Exodus 22:2 If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.
Luke 11:21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure.
Luke 22:36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.”
