Underwood Ammo 380 Auto +P Gel Test

[Ljutic]

Please read the warnings, but do enjoy the test. :D

http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/01/underwood-ammo-380-auto-p-gdhp-clear.html

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/BDSBruce/Blog%20Photos%202/IMG_1866_zps26b26f2d.jpg

[RRP]

Thank you for doing this work. I've enjoyed your website for a long time.

It is data I read on your site that led to my first Kahr purchase.

[rjt123]

So Underwood and Buffalo Bore make a +P .380 round, but I haven't seen or heard that anyone else does. The Buffalo Bore web site had some information saying that there is no agreed on definition of +P for .380. Do you have any light to shed on this?

[Ljutic]

So Underwood and Buffalo Bore make a +P .380 round, but I haven't seen or heard that anyone else does. The Buffalo Bore web site had some information saying that there is no agreed on definition of +P for .380. Do you have any light to shed on this?

Magtech Guardian Gold 85 grain 380 is also tagged as a +P on the box.

SAAMI is the governing body that developed the pressure standards for all calibers and they do not list a 380 +P. It's probably safe to assume that anything marked as 380 +P is going to be over SAAMI pressure limits.

[Ljutic]

Cool. Thanks for the feedback.


Thank you for doing this work. I've enjoyed your website for a long time.

It is data I read on your site that led to my first Kahr purchase.

[muggsy]

How does the performance of the +P 380 ammo stack up against the Remington Golden Saber ammo. I don't normally run +P in my 9MM, but the .380 is marginal for self defense.

[Ljutic]

How does the performance of the +P 380 ammo stack up against the Remington Golden Saber ammo. I don't normally run +P in my 9MM, but the .380 is marginal for self defense.

From my experiences, Remington Golden Saber 380 doesn't expand well from short barrels. GS 9mm 124 grain standard pressure does well from short barrels. Underwood loads the 102 grain Golden Saber in one of their 380 loads, but it's always out of stock when I look for it on their website. They might be able to get the bullet to expand in a short barrel.

[wyntrout]

Thanks for the test and review, Bruce. I just ordered 5 boxes because I found that I had run out of the Gold Dot version of Buffalo Bore... cheaper, too!

Wynn:D

[rjt123]

Wynn,

Where did you order it from, and how much was it?

[Ljutic]

Wynn,

Where did you order it from, and how much was it?

You can order it direct from Underwood. Just google search for Underwood Ammo.

Too bad Wynn "jumped the gun" no pun intended. I have one more Underwood 380 test in the production pipeline that may have changed his order.

[JERRY]

Underwood delivers good ammo for a descent price.

[wyntrout]

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

That's for the .380. I couldn't believe the prices! $25 something for 50-round boxes of defense ammo... instead of 20 or 25 rounds!

I've got BB 90-gr JHP and 95-gr FN FMJ, Speer Gold Dots, and Winchester Ranger T, as well, but I really like the +P Gold Dots... more powerful than +P .38 S&W GDSB from a snubby. I had hoped that my wife would have followed through and got licensed and use some of the milder stuff... that I got for her.

Wynn:)

[BucketBack]

My preferred 9mm 124+P is out of stock.

[wyntrout]

When I get the +P .380 Gold Dots in, I'll do some "flash-testing" and see if I want to update my avatar. The Buffalo Bore GDs have that nice doughnut flash, so you know it's kick-a$$ stuff!

Wynn:D

[JFootin]

That's a cool avatar, Wynn! :third:

[wyntrout]

Thanks, john. I get my batch of .380 +P from Underwood today. I have a lot to do so I don't know when I'll get to shoot some and see if I need a new avatar picture!

I ordered a bunch more ammo today... with 1,000 rounds of Underwood's 230-gr +P .45 ACP... regular Gold Dot bullets, I think. It was hard to tell from their photo. I would have preferred the Short Barrel bullets and their wider cavity, but bonded GD's at +P will be some stout stuff... more for the XD45.

I also ordered some .40 Remington... the Bonded Golden Sabers, and some more Speer 124-gr +P GDSB. I think that I'll be okay for a few years, if the S#!t doesn't hit the fan! Of course, Ammo to Go is saying they have the ammo in the warehouse... but it might take up to 22 work days to get it shipped!:rolleyes:

I just got a shipment last week that I ordered before Christmas! I went with Underwood on the .45 stuff, because they had it in stock... and it looked like a "healthy" load. I hadn't really noticed that it was +P. I'll have to test that in the XD.

Instead of buying silver, let alone gold, I'm loading up on ammo. It's getting more valuable and is good for barter, too.

Wynn:)

[Ljutic]

I keep trying to get another Underwood testing order together, but by the time one item comes in the other 3 items in the basket are out of stock. I know they must be doing the best they can to keep up.

I really want to try that 102 grain 380. The Remington load using this bullet fails miserably at expansion in the P380. Was hoping that Underwood may have cracked the code.

[wyntrout]

They were out of a lot of stuff when I was looking last night. The +P .45 I ordered wasn't cheap, but they had over two cases before I ordered mine. A LOT of places had okay prices, but were out of everything... and I'm sure the prices are going up before the next goes out the door.

Wynn:)

[Ljutic]

Just published the second Underwood test I mentioned above. This time it was the 100 grain FMJ. It's loaded in my P380 now and the 90 grain Underwood Gold Dot is not.

http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/01/underwood-ammo-380-auto-fmj-clear-gel.html

[wyntrout]

Underwood has the .380 ACP +P 102-grain Golden Sabers in stock for $30.55 per box of 50.

http://www.underwoodammo.com/380acp102grainbrassjacketedhollowpointboxof50-1.aspx

http://www.underwoodammo.com/images/site_logo.gif.jpg
Built to the tightest tolerances for peak performance rivaling and sometimes surpassing handloads in many guns. The Golden Saber High Performance Jacket successfully combines four critical elements of handgun bullet performance: match-type accuracy, deep penetration, maximum expansion and virtually 100% weight retention. This ammunition is new production, non-corrosive, in boxer-primed, reloadable brass cases.

Technical Information

Caliber: 380 ACP
Bullet Weight: 102 Grains
Bullet Style: Jacketed Hollow Point
Case Type: Brass

Ballistics Information:
Muzzle Velocity: 1060 fps
Muzzle Energy: 255 ft. lbs.

They were out of the 90-grain +P Gold Dots, my favorite.



Wynn:)

[wyntrout]

After Bruce's test, Underwood raised the velocity listed on the box to 1,200 fps.

At the range I had my camera too far forward to capture the halos as well as in my Avatar with the Buffalo Bore, but the halos are there... as well as with the +P 230-gr Gold Dots in my PM45. Some pictures posted next.

:59:

Wynn:)

[kwh]

Great pictures wyntrout. Would you supply some info on how you had the camera set up?

[wyntrout]

The camera is a Canon PowerShot SD780IS Digital ELPH set up on a surveillance camera mount the has the appropriate screw on connection. the camera was run in the 720P 30 fps video mode and I used the Canon ZB module software(updated to 6.9 a few days ago) to obtain stills with 640x480 dpi resolution. In this case the camera was on the table or shelf at the front of the shooting station about 2 feet to the left at stomach height. A better position might have been a bit higher and further to the rear to catch the halo as shown in my avatar photo.

Wynn:)

[kwh]

Thanks for the info. I may have to eventually replace my Canon SLR film camera with a new digital one. Becoming a sad world we live in. Plastic guns, no vinyl phonograph records, and no Kodachrome slide film.

[Cokeman]

Holy crap! These are all good things!

The world is sad for many other reasons.

[wyntrout]

I was looking for some pictures on my PC and noticed a folder with test in the title... some test shots I took with this camera... over 4 years old. I've been looking for a new one... sort of... would like a faster one for video. Mine only does video at 30 frames per second and that can miss the flash some times.

I need to go through my photos... going back to the 60's... and scan some, but that could take a long time. I bought a negative scanner, but it's mainly for 35mm and I haven't even opened the box... another project that I may never start!:rolleyes:

I take a lot of photos, but rarely print any. I hooked that camera up to my 58" plasma TV the other day to show the photos we all took while my wife's sister and children were here... better than my 24" LCD monitor... using mini-HDMI output from the camera.

Wynn:)

[garyb]

I really enjoy and respect this kind of testing. It is about as professional a job as can be done. I'd love to see the 380 critical defense round test results. Thanks for posting. Good job!