Knock down power??

[Go_Ordnance]

According to both KelTec and Buffalo Bore, the BB "+P" .380 is OK for limited use in P3ATs. It'll no doubt accelerate wear, but it's not going to cause the gun to kaboom on you, either. BB's position is that it's safe to use in *any* properly operating .380, though I'm not going to be the one to test it out in some Davis zinc pocket rocket.

And Go Ordinance...they call it "+P" because calling it "Way Out Of Spec" didn't seem to help sales any...

SAAMI is the keeper of agreed upon standards for the industry, not KelTec and Buffalo Bore. +P in 9mm Luger or .38 spl, for example, is a defined standard based on chamber pressures. "+P" in .380 is whatever the guy calling it "+P" wants it to be. You don't know if it will go kaboom or not.

--edit--

Found the link to the LCP forum. Magtech +P Kaboom's an LCP. LINK

 

[338Shooter]

Actually, its because of conservation of momentum and the fact that the firearm/cartridge combination weighs about 5000% more than the bullet alone, meaning recoil velocities are much lower than muzzle velocities, but yeah.

Actually, it is an inelastic collision with all the springs and deflections and whatnot and momentum is not conserved.

 

[ez bake]

I don't know of a single plastic-framed gun that I would run .380 +P or "hot" loads through.

That's just crazy.

Hell I wouldn't run hot loads through the Sig P238 until I knew of plenty of folks doing it for a while. The Beretta, maybe, but probably not even the Bersa.

That's taking a lot of risk for (IMHO) not enough pay-off.

 

[Slack One]

Go Ordinance: Yeah, that's my point. Until SAAMI actually publishes a standard on it, they can call it whatever they want, which is pretty freaking dangerous for the end consumer. All I'm saying is that Buffalo Bore's so-called +P is OK to use in Kel-Tecs according to both manufacturers, a very specific case.

Ruger, on the other hand, specifically states *not* to use anything marked +P in the LCP as they have seen a lot of issues with higher-pressure rounds in returned guns.

I guess the "wise" way to approach this is: A .380 is a .380, if you want higher pressure...get a 9mm.

 

[Go_Ordnance]

Ruger added the specific +P statement, and originally just said U.S. made ammo meeting SAAMI/NATO/CIP specs.

I believe Kahr said their P380 will handle "+P", but like you noted that doesn't mean anything without an actual +P spec.

 

[Milezc9]

glad i read this before i bought some! i almost did the other day but decided to save some money. thanks for the heads up!

 

[338Shooter]

Those LCPs have like half of the chamber unsupported. I don't know if I'd run -p through them either.

 

[criticalbass]

A bit to the side of the topic, but the .32 NAA round is a hot little number, and if you can find some of the no longer produced Extreme Shock ammo, it's ferocious. It looks like the round is one of those "might-have-been" proprietary rounds that never caught on enough to be a big player. I think CorBon still produces it in ball and hollow point.

I don't have ballistic info handy, but do recall that out of my converted Makarov the Extreme Shock stuff produces about 1800 fps, and the CorBon runs around 1600, both with a 65 grain bullet. Cases are necked down .380s.

I have several hundred CorBon hollow points, a few ES rounds, and maybe a hundred ball (which myMak does not like--may be a little too long). Also have a bunch of Starline brass and a set of new dies in case I ever get motivated to shoot much of it. Mouse guns won't produce that much velocity because of shorter barrels, but they are still respectable.

I kept intending to pick up an NAA pistol, but never found one. Finally got a P-3AT KelTec which I consider an adequate closeup gun with ball ammo.

Also have a little Charter Arms five shooter that I would not load with +P, but like for deep concealment. Like the others, I much prefer that caliber over the .380.

I wish there were some tiny 9x18 weapons. This stuff is what the .380 would like to be, possibly because of the greater diameter (.363 or so vs .355).

I have a friend who will argue about knockdown. He was rudely awakened by the Tet offensive and knocked a bunch of VC down very hard with his .45 acp. For a flingwing guy he's a hell of a shot. CB

 

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Which has the most knock down power,a .380 or a plain .38 ?

if you want stopping power go 357 mag