ATTENTION: Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status."
No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of
the firearms community. Thank you.
|
.380 ACP Results in fps (2008)
Click here
for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this caliber.
barrel length |
Cor Bon 90 gr. JHP
|
Cor Bon 80 gr. DPX
|
Federal 90 gr. Hydra-Shok JHP low recoil
|
Pow'r Ball 70 gr.
|
Winchester 85 gr. Silvertip HP
|
Winchester 95 gr. SXT
|
18" |
1359 |
1329 |
1227 |
1563 |
1199 |
1048 |
17" |
1350 |
1324 |
1198 |
1579 |
1137 |
1074 |
16" |
1350 |
1322 |
1199 |
1593 |
1149 |
1090 |
15" |
1290 |
1267 |
1124 |
1438 |
1112 |
1002 |
14" |
1319 |
1283 |
1161 |
1532 |
1142 |
1072 |
13" |
1306 |
1274 |
1172 |
1499 |
1132 |
1043 |
12" |
1292 |
1255 |
1157 |
1512 |
1149 |
1019 |
11" |
1283 |
1247 |
1160 |
1493 |
1125 |
1022 |
10" |
1264 |
1253 |
1151 |
1481 |
1103 |
1008 |
9" |
1275 |
1237 |
1139 |
1479 |
1107 |
1012 |
8" |
1250 |
1214 |
1142 |
1410 |
1123 |
995 |
7" |
1221 |
1195 |
1087 |
1419 |
1062 |
1010 |
6" |
1205 |
1181 |
1070 |
1373 |
1072 |
1013 |
5" |
1156 |
1136 |
1049 |
1353 |
1073 |
1003 |
4" |
1091 |
1086 |
998 |
1241 |
1025 |
934 |
3" |
1004 |
1027 |
922 |
1150 |
904 |
877 |
2" |
926 |
983 |
854 |
1021 |
846 |
789 |
real* world weapon |
Cor Bon 90 gr. JHP
|
Cor Bon 80 gr. DPX
|
Federal 90 gr. Hydra-Shok JHP low recoil
|
Pow'r Ball 70 gr.
|
Winchester 85 gr. Silvertip HP
|
Winchester 95 gr. SXT
|
Walther
PPK/S 3.35" barrel |
n/a |
1049 |
968 |
1181 |
973 |
956 |
Ruger
LCP 2.75" barrel |
988 |
950 |
866 |
1082 |
875 |
845 |
* see also the 2010 tests of .380 auto
Other Resources
BBTI is not the end-all of ballistics testing, just one more component
available for the common good. In addition to extensive discussion
about ballistics to be found at many gun forums, here are some other great
resources pertaining to ballistics testing you should check out. (And
if you would like to recommend a site to list here, please send an email.)
- BrassFetcher:
excellent resource, with an emphasis on bullet performance in ballistic
gelatin
- The Box O' Truth:
testing ammo penetration through various barriers
- Terminal Ballistics
Research: Specializes in the research of cartridge & projectile performance,
using hard data gathered from 20 years of hunting game.
Acknowledgements
We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our
ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make
this insane project much more practical. Without his help all of this would have
been much more difficult and perhaps impossible. Anyone who uses our data owes him
a debt of gratitude.
And thanks to our spouses, who were not just tolerant but enthusiastically supportive
of this rather nutty project.
Disclaimer
This project, and all of its results, is only our fault. We (well, Jim K,
mostly) paid for everything ourselves, and we did not receive any kind of sponsorship
or remuneration from anyone. We did all the work. We used products we
were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning
them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind. Furthermore, the
data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments
over what ammo or caliber or gun is "best." How you use the data is entirely
up to you. And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money
and do the work and publish your own results. Or not. Your choice.