Which is better - 9mm Luger or .380 ACP?

Mooseman · Dec 20, 2014

Minuteman said:

This photo is very deceptive. I don't know if it is some sort of optical illusion or what. It makes it look like there is a big size difference between the LCP and the LC9. There is not a lot of difference in their sizes. Less than an inch in any direction. This is better illustrated in your attachment in post #4 in this thread.

BenL · Dec 21, 2014

Bafflingbs said:
You should definitely spring for an LCP. It is one hell of a pocket pistol! I love mine, and, I did a range report on it sometime back. I'll try and find it and post it.

I agree. For what they are, they function perfectly.

If you get your trigger finger pinched, just swap out the trigger for an RTK trigger; it's pretty easy to do and a good upgrade.

annihilation-time · Dec 21, 2014

9mm.... because 45 ACP isn't an option.

Blaster229 · Dec 21, 2014

BenL said:
I agree. For what they are, they function perfectly.

Not with Speer gold dots.

fidelity · Dec 21, 2014

Bafflingbs said:
Did you see the video I posted? The Lehigh ammo isn't a hollow point. It's a contoured flat nose. Very unique design, made to create a huge wound track. Other reviews state it runs flawless in a LCP.

Hadn't heard about these before. Found some at Underwood ...

http://www.underwoodammo.com/380acp90grainxpboxof20.aspx

A bit pricey, but will see how they run in my Sig P238.

john_bud · Dec 21, 2014

.380 becomes very marginal when heavy winter clothes are worn. Around here (wi), that's about 9 months out of the year.

I'm also biased against micro pistols with big mitts, so the prime benefit of easy concealment with tiny physical size is gone. So why get a larger weaker caliber? Just my situation.

fidelity · Dec 21, 2014

Originally from Wisconsin too (and just there on Friday). If there more often, I would carry my P99AS Compact. However in more temperate areas, where I can carry, a P238 or 38 Special revolver can be convenient.

guthook · Dec 21, 2014

Mark75H said:
Can you name 3 .380's that have less recoil than a 9mm?

I guess I have bad luck and own 4 .380's and 3 of them have more recoil than my wife's Sigs or my Browning 9mm; the 4th is about equal, definitely not less.

Yeah, my S&W Bodyguard is downright painful to shoot. I guess the larger metal framed .380's would recoil less, but then it negates the weight savings.

Bafflingbs · Dec 21, 2014

fidelity said:
Hadn't heard about these before. Found some at Underwood ...

http://www.underwoodammo.com/380acp90grainxpboxof20.aspx

A bit pricey, but will see how they run in my Sig P238.

That's bad ass! I like underwood ammo. But be careful from what you shoot these, they are +P rated.

fidelity · Dec 21, 2014

Good point. The P238 runs +P fine, and I've run similarly juiced Underwoods through it without a problem.

It is ammo finicky though. I have other boxes of Underwood (maybe the 102 gr, have to check) and other manufacturer 380 loadings that it would initially hiccup (FTF, stove pipe, etc). No issues after a break-in period, and sticking with ammo that never had an issue during this early period, but I also never went back to check the old boxes.

BlackBart · Dec 21, 2014

john_bud said:
.380 becomes very marginal when heavy winter clothes are worn. Around here (wi), that's about 9 months out of the year.

I'm also biased against micro pistols with big mitts, so the prime benefit of easy concealment with tiny physical size is gone. So why get a larger weaker caliber? Just my situation.

Lesson learned in Korea with the M1 Carbine.

Mark75H · Dec 21, 2014

guthook said:
Yeah, my S&W Bodyguard is downright painful to shoot. I guess the larger metal framed .380's would recoil less, but then it negates the weight savings.

No, its about the action itself. I have a Titan II from the 1980's that, despite being the size of the BDM, is snappier to shoot than my best .380 (a toggle action ERMA, smaller & lighter than the Titan)

guthook · Dec 21, 2014

Mark75H said:
No, its about the action itself. I have a Titan II from the 1980's that, despite being the size of the BDM, is snappier to shoot than my best .380 (a toggle action ERMA, smaller & lighter than the Titan)

Have to take your word on that, as I only own one .380 pistol. The web of my hand takes the brunt of the recoil. It's the only polymer gun I own... I like heavy metal firearms, but not in a pocket gun.

The S&W BG is just my ICE gun that is comfortable enough to wear all evening and not know it's there.

I was attacked by my neighbors pit bull when trimming grass this year. Luckily I had the weed whacker in my hand and smacked it down when it jumped for me. The neighbor was running to me from across the road and trying to call it off, but didn't get to the animal until it had a face full of .095 line buzzing in it's snout. I didn't feel very safe fending off a pit like a lion tamer, wondering if I had enough gas in the tank. Decided right then and there I needed a lightweight form of protection while outside.

.

Vile Shadow · Dec 21, 2014

BlackBart said:
Lesson learned in Korea with the M1 Carbine.

Tell me you weren't one of the ones that ditched his Garand for the carbine because it was too heavy. :shocking:

Never mind. :facepalm:

You ain't that old.

BlackBart · Dec 21, 2014

Sling Blade said:
Tell me you weren't one of the ones that ditched his Garand for the carbine because it was too heavy.

Never mind.

You ain't that old.

I DID know a old guy that did and he was later captured at the Battle Of The Bulge. Said he loved the carbine but I don't think he was a ballistics guru. He was in love with his 30/30 and I think that's the only thing he ever hunted with. Died a few years back, I enjoyed talking to him on his Murray Rd property in Worcester Co. First guy in the area that allowed me a "foreigner" (chicken necker) hunt his land.

janklow · Dec 22, 2014

BlackBart said:
Lesson learned in Korea with the M1 Carbine.

well, that's one theory, anyway. some apparently disagree:
The Box O’ Truth #36 – Frozen Clothing And The Box O’ Truth

BlackBart · Dec 22, 2014

janklow said:
well, that's one theory, anyway. some apparently disagree:
The Box O’ Truth #36 – Frozen Clothing And The Box O’ Truth

Could be, I dunno...... but 45 yards is close in, 200 - 300 isn't for a round basically equivalent to a .357. A battle rifle it isn't. :shrug:

BenL · Dec 22, 2014

Blaster229 said:
Not with Speer gold dots.

I haven't tried my LCP with Gold Dots. I put 500 rounds of ball through it, 100 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense, and called it "done". Recently, though, I was at a neighbor's house shooting into a stack of doors with a few different guns to see how many doors the different rounds would go through. The first door was a steel door with a solid core (wood and insulated foam); the Hornady Critical Defense, while expansion was pretty big, didn't pass through the door (left a big bulge on the back side.)

I think I may switch to ball ammo in the 380. I know the wound channel would be small, but I'm concerned about under-penetration, now. I've also been looking at a CM9. Only a hair bigger, but 9mm. I wish the CM45 was out when I bought my CW45. Only slightly smaller, but maybe enough to make it more pocketable. I pocket carry the CW45, but you can kinda see the butt of the handle pressing out when I do.

Bafflingbs · Dec 22, 2014

BenL said:
I haven't tried my LCP with Gold Dots. I put 500 rounds of ball through it, 100 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense, and called it "done". Recently, though, I was at a neighbor's house shooting into a stack of doors with a few different guns to see how many doors the different rounds would go through. The first door was a steel door with a solid core (wood and insulated foam); the Hornady Critical Defense, while expansion was pretty big, didn't pass through the door (left a big bulge on the back side.)

I think I may switch to ball ammo in the 380. I know the wound channel would be small, but I'm concerned about under-penetration, now. I've also been looking at a CM9. Only a hair bigger, but 9mm. I wish the CM45 was out when I bought my CW45. Only slightly smaller, but maybe enough to make it more pocketable. I pocket carry the CW45, but you can kinda see the butt of the handle pressing out when I do.

Before you go the FMJ route, check out the .380 extreme penetrator ammo by Lehigh. They look very promising.

Mooseman · Dec 22, 2014

BenL said:
I haven't tried my LCP with Gold Dots. I put 500 rounds of ball through it, 100 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense, and called it "done". Recently, though, I was at a neighbor's house shooting into a stack of doors with a few different guns to see how many doors the different rounds would go through. The first door was a steel door with a solid core (wood and insulated foam); the Hornady Critical Defense, while expansion was pretty big, didn't pass through the door (left a big bulge on the back side.)

I think I may switch to ball ammo in the 380. I know the wound channel would be small, but I'm concerned about under-penetration, now. I've also been looking at a CM9. Only a hair bigger, but 9mm. I wish the CM45 was out when I bought my CW45. Only slightly smaller, but maybe enough to make it more pocketable. I pocket carry the CW45, but you can kinda see the butt of the handle pressing out when I do.

At what distance were these doors?

Which is better - 9mm Luger or .380 ACP?

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For everyday carry, in most situations; which is better?

9mm Luger

.380 ACP

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