.380 shooters- what's your favorite hollow point?

[bikejunkie]

Hey everyone- I did some searching, and haven't really come up with many good reviews and such for .380 ACP hollowpoints. There have been several threads on ball v hollowpoints- I know I want hollow points for my daily summer carry Sig P238, but I haven't decided which one. I'm considering Remington Golden Sabers, Federal Hydra-Shok, or Corbon DPX- but to be fair I'm not overly committed to any of them because reviews seem to be somewhat hard to come by. So what do you guys like?

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[Burt Gummer]

Bufffalo Bore +P HPs.

 

[unklekippy]

I put a little Ruger LCP in my pocket. I would firmly stand behind Burt Gummer's Buffalo Bore's if I did not fear damage to the gun. For me, Hydra-Shok's are the best all around .380 HP. I do not dispute anyone else's opinion, but they work great in all of my .380's and I completely trust the accuracy and penetration. Kip.

Burt-I don't know where the hell you came up with your "bottom line"(Osprey 45(pending), etc.), but that is absolutely HILARIOUS. Well done, Sir. Kip.

 

[VW_Factor]

Grizzley Extreme for summer time carry.

380 Auto +P 70gr Xtreme

We are not confident in its ability to penetrate multiple layers of winter clothing, so winter carry is any +p ball round that feeds well.

 

[bikejunkie]

Come fall/winter my daily carry is a Springfield XDm 9mm, so I'm not overly concerned about penetration when I have more clothes to conceal the larger pistol- I'm mostly looking for a good carry hollow point for spring/summer

 

[Crispy]

Hornady Critical Defense for my LCP.

 

[Burt Gummer]

The Critical Defense ammo I believe is pretty much the same as their Zombie Max and I use those also. One guy told me to put Buffalo Bore hardcast in there as the last three rounds for when your opponent takes cover; damn, people really do the math on this stuff. BTW, the LCP seems fine with the Buffalo Bore, hasn't fallen to pieces yet. Also, recoil isn't bad at all compared to 'standard' ammo.

I usually am not a +P ammo fan except for the .380 which needs that extra punch. The BB hard cast dents up a 1/4 steel plate pretty good; more so than 9mm - only because of the structure of the bullet. At least you know even though it is a .380, it is going into the vitals, or through a light cover, a car door, etc.

UncleKippy - playing the NFA/suppressor game is expensive as hell. I had enough cash for those, some really nice prostitutes, or groceries. Went NFA stuff, so I am getting skinnier and crankier every day.

 

[errackeleo]

I like the Speer LE Gold Dot hollow points. Can't say I've done any comparison testing though. I like the Federal Hydra-Shok 90 Grain cartridges also. The Buffalo Bore were pricey so I only tried one box. It's a .380....how much difference can it make? It's the gun I carry when I would normally not carry anything at all.

 

[deadshot2]

If it were my pistol, and my money, I'd be buying the Speer #23606 .380 ammo. The GDHP is a reliable bullet that expands reliably, doesn't fragment so it forms a huge mushroom for it's size, and at 1040 fps (MV) it packs a punch. The Fed Hydra-Shok would be my second choice for .380 but it's too bad Federal doesn't offer their EFMJ bullet in a .380 load. Everything you want in a bullet. Controlled expansion, weight retention, and good penetration without overdoing it. Feeds reliable in almost any semi-auto, even the fussy ones. 9mm Parabellum is the smallest they offer.

 

[bikejunkie]

I may try gold dots just because that's all I can find locally...I'm not sure why nobody has .380 JHP's anywhere in Salem, or Woodburn at the major retailers. Sending my wife to Guncrafters this evening to look for some...I struck out last night at Bi-Mart (2), Wal-Mart (3), Wholesale Sports, Dicks, Sports Authority, and the Gun Broker here in Woodburn- nobody had hollow points except 1 lonely box of gold dots at Wholesale, but I didn't know anything about them yesterday. Today I'd buy them. Lots of target ammo tho

 

[bikejunkie]

Well my wife was able to snag me a box of Golden Saber, and a box of Hydra-Shok tonight from Guncrafters, after they were complete a-holes to her (SOP for those jerks- they've seen the last of our money) Hopefully my pistol will loosen up a bit after a couple hundred rounds of target ammo- it wouldn't go into battery with the Hydra Shock by hand cycling the slide. The golden saber struggled a bit but after hand cycling about a hundred rounds of ball it goes into battery and seems to feed fine. This is all after stripping and cleaning/lubing the pistol the second I got it home from the store. Any advice on that? I mean it's possible this gun just won't like Hydra-Shock, but it's too soon to tell. Break in advise would be appreciated. I'm spoiled because my XDm didn't care one bit and has gobbled every bullet I've fed it without a single hiccup.

 

[Crispy]

Well my wife was able to snag me a box of Golden Saber, and a box of Hydra-Shok tonight from Guncrafters, after they were complete a-holes to her (SOP for those jerks- they've seen the last of our money) Hopefully my pistol will loosen up a bit after a couple hundred rounds of target ammo- it wouldn't go into battery with the Hydra Shock by hand cycling the slide. The golden saber struggled a bit but after hand cycling about a hundred rounds of ball it goes into battery and seems to feed fine. This is all after stripping and cleaning/lubing the pistol the second I got it home from the store. Any advice on that? I mean it's possible this gun just won't like Hydra-Shock, but it's too soon to tell. Break in advise would be appreciated. I'm spoiled because my XDm didn't care one bit and has gobbled every bullet I've fed it without a single hiccup.

Break that thing in with the cheapest ammunition that your pistol will tolerate (a couple hundred (IMO)). Then start testing the HP ammo for reliability and accuracy. If a company is going treat your wife like that look'em up on the forum and leave your opinion of them. Spread the word of her experience to help others out in who to give their business to. That and like you said, never give them another cent of your money. Good luck with the Sig! Sigs are great firearms!!

 

[deadshot2]

Break in advise would be appreciated.

If I read correctly, your pistol is a Sig? It's been my experience that they don't take "breaking in". If you're having trouble with the slide going to battery remove the barrel and check that the chamber area (especially the top of it) is clean and smooth. Take a paper clip or sharp pointed tool and make sure there's nothing gooping up the front ridge of the chamber where the case headspaces.

Also, spend some time polishing the feed ramp. I like to use some 2,000 grit Wet/Dry sandpaper I get at my local O'Reilly A/P store and make sure the ramp is as smooth as possible. Then polish it with a felt "bob" on a dremel tool using Flitz, Jeweler's Rouge, or any extra fine metal polish. When it is mirror shiny, it's just right for me.

Lastly, make sure you aren't "riding the slide" when charging the pistol with a round. Pull the slide back as far as it will go, then let it go. It has to be totally released to do it's job properly.

The only pistol I ever owned that had the problem you described was a Kel-Tec but it now works flawlessly after taking the steps I described.

 

[bikejunkie]

It is a Sig P238- I haven't fired it yet, but I have disassembled it and cleaned all the shipping oil/protectant out, and lightly oiled. I am just letting the slide go, and it's clear the tip of the hollowpoint is hanging up on the feed ramp. It may be a magazine problem. I do know the feed ramp isn't shiny like the one on my XDm...I'm gonna run a few hundred rounds through it this weekend and see if things change. I know the Hydra-Shok has a really square bullet cone profile, compared to something like the Golden Saber that's much more round. That being said, I'm really shocked that a Sig wouldn't automatically feed anything I put in there from the start- it's a bit concerning

 

[unklekippy]

deadshot2's second paragraph should help your feed issues. I also agree with sending a few hundred ball rounds down the pipe first for "break-in". Don't be too shocked about your pistol being picky with ammo. No doubt, Sig is a fine manufacturer, but it's amazing how identical guns with consecutive serial numbers can be two different animals entirely.

Burt-how can you say that about the Hornady Critical Defense? THE TIPS AREN'T GREEN!!! Everyone knows that without the green tip, they will just pass through a zombie like taco's from a truck pass through me. Apparently, the hookers in LO are much nicer. On my side of town, given the choices of NFA, groceries or pro's, the NFA wins out every time. By the way, when you say "nice prostitute", do you mean Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, or one that doesn't take my Blu-Ray player when she sneaks out at 4am? Now I'm gonna have to buy Ishtar on DVD again. Kip.

 

[iGun]

What hollow point for .380? None for me. I carry BB 100gr lead hard cast in my p238.

 

[Burt Gummer]

On the other end of the scale, for those worried about over-penetration, but want maximum damage - <broken link removed>

 

[deadshot2]

By the way, when you say "nice prostitute", do you mean Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, or one that doesn't take my Blu-Ray player when she sneaks out at 4am? Now I'm gonna have to buy Ishtar on DVD again. Kip.

Don't know what makes me question your judgement more. Prostitute or watching Ishtar

 

[bikejunkie]

So thus far my pistol has no qualms about digesting Remington Golden Saber, but will not eat hydra-shock even a little. I'll try some Corbon DPX in a few days. I do have one question- how many rounds of target ammo should it be able to swallow between cleanings? I always clean anything I have shot after I get home, but about 150rds in my 238 had a couple fte's and it seems the little extractor finger was sticking. A bit of lube didn't help much. After cleaning all seems well. Maybe it's only good for 100rds at a time- and that's ok- I'm just wondering what others experience is. My XDm can shoot zillions and never malfunction beyond an occasional slide failure to lock back after marathon shooting sessions

 

[deadshot2]

So thus far my pistol has no qualms about digesting Remington Golden Saber, but will not eat hydra-shock even a little. I'll try some Corbon DPX in a few days. I do have one question- how many rounds of target ammo should it be able to swallow between cleanings? I always clean anything I have shot after I get home, but about 150rds in my 238 had a couple fte's and it seems the little extractor finger was sticking. A bit of lube didn't help much. After cleaning all seems well. Maybe it's only good for 100rds at a time- and that's ok- I'm just wondering what others experience is. My XDm can shoot zillions and never malfunction beyond an occasional slide failure to lock back after marathon shooting sessions

Whenever I have bought a pistol that displayed a "fussy appetite" or had a tendency for jaming/sticking, I've gone after all the possible problems.

I disassemble the pistol as much as necessary to get to sticking or ornery parts. A small stone, I use a triangular Lansky pocket sharpening stone, applied to all the parts that should be flat and smooth, some 2,000 grit sandpaper in the slots that have burrs, and then a careful cleaning, lubing, and assembly. Polish the feed ramp until it is as shiny as a mirror. Polish the chamber enough to remove any machine marks.

A pistol should work perfectly from the first round to it's last one, many thousands later. Today a lot of "fit and finish" is overlooked in the Factory due to production pace or price point for the finished product. That's why one pistol can sell for $400 and one that's just about the exact same design will sell for three times that price.

"Break In" is just another way to say "Wearing the parts enough so they'll fit".

As for "Target Ammo", that term usually is a synonym for "Cheap Ammo". Your question on "how many" will vary from brand to brand, and month to month. I've shot some Remington "cheap stuff" that seemed like it contained coal dust for powder yet some purchased a year later was just fine.

That's why I prefer to load my own. I get to select the powder that burns cleanest in my weapons and still have inexpensive target ammo as well.