The .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed
by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was
introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since.
Other names for .380 ACP include .380 Auto, 9mm Browning, 9mm Corto, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short,
9×17mm and 9 mm Browning Court. It is not to be confused with .38 ACP, 9mm Ultra, 9mm
Makarov or 9mm Parabellum.
Design The .380 ACP cartridge was designed for early
blowback pistols which lacked a barrel locking mechanism. The locking mechanism that is found
on most other pistols is not necessary for the .380 because of the round's relatively
weak bolt thrust when fired. The recoil spring and the mass of the slide are enough to buffer
the recoil energy of the round. This simplifies manufacture of pistols chambered for such
a round, generally thereby lowering the cost. It also permits the barrel to be permanently
fixed to the frame, which promotes accuracy. There have, however, been a number of locked-breech
pistols chambered in .380 ACP, such as the Pedersen Hesitation-Lock of the Remington
Model 51 and 53. There have also been some diminutive submachine guns, such as the Ingram
MAC-11 and vz. 83. Uses
The .380 ACP has experienced widespread use in the years since its introduction. It was
famously used by many German officers during World War II in the Walther PPK, as well as
by Italian forces in the Beretta M1934. However, as a service pistol round, its power did not
provide suitable penetration for combat. It did find use as a backup gun due to low recoil,
and is popular in the civilian market as a personal defense round. The .380 ACP round
is considered suitable for self-defense situations, and as a result, it has been a viable choice
for concealed carry pistols. The combination of decent penetration in close range defense
situations with light recoil has made it a viable round for those who wish to carry a
small, lightweight handgun that can still provide adequate defense. It was the round
used in Defense Distributed's "Wiki Weapon" project to successfully 3D print a firearm.
Performance
The .380 ACP is compact and light, but has a relatively short range and less stopping
power than other modern pistol cartridges. According to gun author Massad Ayoob, "Some
experts will say it's barely adequate, and others will say it's barely inadequate." Even
so, it remains a popular self-defense cartridge for shooters who want a lightweight pistol
with manageable recoil. It is slightly less powerful than a standard-pressure .38 Special
and uses 9 mm diameter bullets. The heaviest bullet that can be safely loaded into the
.380 ACP is 115 grains, though the standard has long been 85, 90 or 95 grains.
The wounding potential of bullets is often characterized in terms of a bullet's expanded
diameter, penetration depth, and energy. Bullet energy for .380 ACP loads varies from roughly
190 to 220 foot-pounds force. The table below shows common performance parameters for several
.380 ACP loads. Bullet weights ranging from 85 to 95 grains are common. Penetration depths
from 6.5 to 17 inches are available for various applications and risk assessments.
Key: Expansion – expanded bullet diameter.
Penetration – penetration depth. PC – permanent cavity volume.
TSC – temporary stretch cavity volume. Popular Firearms in .380ACP
The .380 has had something of a recent upsurge in popularity with the increase of concealed
carry laws, as have the compact and inexpensive pistols that make use of it. Popular pistols
chambered in .380 ACP include: Colt Mustang pocketlite
Llama Firearms Micromax SIG Sauer P238
Walther PPK/S Walther PK380
Bersa Thunder 380 CZ 83
SIG Sauer P230/P232 Kel-Tec P-3AT
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Diamondback DB380
Kahr P380 Remington Model 51
Ruger LCP Ruger LC380
Taurus TCP 738 Glock G42
MAC-11 machine pistol Prior to 2014, Glock had produced models in
.380 although they were not available to the U.S. market because they do not earn enough
"points" for importation under Federal law. This changed with the introduction of the
U.S. manufactured Glock 42 chambered in .380 ACP.
Synonyms 9×17mm
United States = .380 Auto, .380 ACP. United Kingdom = 9mm Browning, 9mm Browning
Short, 9mm Short. European Union
Spanish and Italian = 9mm Corto / 9mm Short French = 9mm Court / 9mm Short
Potuguese = 9mm Curto / 9mm Short Dutch = 9mm Kort / 9mm Short
Bosnian = 9mm Kratak / 9mm Short Western South Slavic =9mm Kratak / 9mm short,
Kratka 9 / Short 9 Eastern South Slavic = 9мм Къс / 9mm
Short German = 9mm Kurz / 9mm Short
Romanian = 9mm Scurt / 9mm Short
See also 9 mm caliber
List of firearms List of handgun cartridges
Table of handgun and rifle cartridges References
External links Colt Automatic Pistols Website
Article on Defensive Use of .380 ACP from American Rifleman
StoppingPower.Info .380 ACP vs various target videos
Ballistics By The Inch .380 ACP Results.