Best ammo for P380/CW380 - what works for you?

[fljr]

Winchester white box worked very well for me. However, Tulammo and Perfecta were a nightmare.

[SlowBurn]

For range ammo, lately my best source has been local Shoot Straight and its been either Aguila or Magtech. Both are fine. I have a slight preference for Magtech. For carry ammo I like Hornady CD; its just super reliable and not cheap but not ridiculous.

[Fedupmech]

I've had good luck with CCI Blazer 95gr. Precision One XTP 95 gr JHP, and good luck with PPU. The PPU is about the cheapest I could find, about $ 16.oo a box at Wallyworld. I had a few issues with Winchester white box. A few FTF's. 100 rounds shot, probably 5 or 6 FTF's.

[SlowBurn]

I'll also be interested in the reviews of the new HST when they come out
http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/8175806-2-ammo-lines-unveil-new-bullets-at-SHOT-Show/

[fljr]

Very good info. Thanks I'll have to try some Magtech and Blazer.

[Bill K]

I'll also be interested in the reviews of the new HST when they come out
http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/8175806-2-ammo-lines-unveil-new-bullets-at-SHOT-Show/

10" of expansion! That's awesome! :amflag: :)

"The .380 ACP HST bullet is heavy for caliber, at 99 grains. This extra weight, coupled with surprisingly high velocities of around 930 fps from the stubby, 2.75 inch barrel of the Ruger LCP, allow the bullet to reach around 10 inches of expansion in the Bare Gelatin and Heavy Clothing stages of the FBI protocol."

[ulflyer]

Haven't had any trouble with any brand: Freedom, Defender (local reman), Blazer, WWB, Corbon, Golden Sabre. I've shot way more WWB than any other with never a hiccup.
Couldn't ask for better performance from the CW380, but I have done a lot of the mods
listed in the Sticky's....fluff/buffing, grinding off bottom of ramp, etc.

[timboy]

Off the top of my head american eagle,winchester white box and Remington umc have all been great,the only ammo that I have used that it hates is tulla brass.

[fljr]

Haven't had any trouble with any brand: Freedom, Defender (local reman), Blazer, WWB, Corbon, Golden Sabre. I've shot way more WWB than any other with never a hiccup.
Couldn't ask for better performance from the CW380, but I have done a lot of the mods
listed in the Sticky's....fluff/buffing, grinding off bottom of ramp, etc.

Where do you find these mods?

[clayflingythingy]

Blazer Brass & PMC Bronze for range ammo.

Hornady Critical Defense for carry.

My CW380 is finicky and has choked on UMC, WWB, etc.

[Ron AZ]

.380 ACP Range ammo - HPR 100 gr. TMJ's have been perfect in 2 different P380's both in 6 and 7 round mags. Fed American Eagle FMJ has been perfect in the 6 rd. mags and pretty good with occasional failure in the 7 rd. mags. Magtech FMJ's no problem in 6 rd. mags but I get a failure to feed the 2nd round in the 7 round mags 75% of the time. So I just don't shoot the Magtech's in the 7 rd. mags anymore.

[SlowBurn]

.380 ACP Range ammo - HPR 100 gr. TMJ's have been perfect in 2 different P380's both in 6 and 7 round mags. Fed American Eagle FMJ has been perfect in the 6 rd. mags and pretty good with occasional failure in the 7 rd. mags. Magtech FMJ's no problem in 6 rd. mags but I get a failure to feed the 2nd round in the 7 round mags 75% of the time. So I just don't shoot the Magtech's in the 7 rd. mags anymore.

Sounds like a problem with your 7 round mag. Mine feeds Magtech no prob.

[erichard]

I get the same problem with the second round in the extended mag, particularly with truncated/wide nose ammo. The top bullet is positioned by me to be pointing at an upward slant, but when that one gets chambered, the second round moves up to the top of the mag and for some reason slants downward. The forces promoting that are: bullet is a little forward and less supported from rounds below (not a problem with rounds that follow because they are closer to the follower's slant up), the slide knocks the round down maybe as it goes backward (center metal pushes on the nose of the bullet, especially if it is forward a little, which they always are). So when that flat nose hits the steep ramp, it freezes in a nosedive.

I'd like to know about grinding that lower ramp as was mentioned earlier. I haven't seen that sticky.

BTW, mine recently got back from Kahr regarding this very issue of the second round nosediving in the extended mag. They put in a new recoil spring and switched out mags, ran 42 rounds through it and said it was fixed, but I still get the nose dive on the second round of the extended mag. I wish they'd shoot that second round 42 times and maybe they'd see the problem, because I didn't have issues with other rounds in the mag. I still need to test more whether round nosed ammo will work in that second spot. Initial testing was no, but need to do more.

Also, as an aside, I was having issues with the slide not locking back on the last round, and the new mags seem to have a slightly larger flat catch on the follower for the slide lock if I'm not mistaken. The previous one seemed more flush to the plastic, and the new ones have a little overhang of that metal piece. This would of course help hit that slide lock and allow the slide lock to be shaved down a bit more so as not to get premature slide lock on earlier rounds. Could be mistaken on this, but it was something I noticed straight away. It does now lock back appropriately and doesn't lock back prematurely.

Also, with fresher recoil springs, the slide no longer had that 1/8 inch failure to go into full battery, which makes sense.

If anyone can point me to that ramp grinding sticky, I'd like to look it over.

[Pointblank]

I'm using Precision One +P for my carry ammo. Their website says it's designed for the Glock 42, but I wrote Kahr and they said +P is good to go in all their pistols, including the .380s. I think the little Kahrs need the extra power to be 100% reliable.

[Whaleman]

For practice PMC Brass. Carry is Buffalo Bore +P 90G JHP. Dan

[CPTKILLER]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNtPHYwcDts

Good video to answer this question.

[DavidR]

My CW380 had issues with failure to return to battery but was flawless with Hornady Critical Defense.

[Armybrat]

My CT380 wouldn't fire ANY of the WWB .380 I tried yesterday. Not even a dimple mark on the primers.

The Remington Sure Shot fmj and Hornaday Critical Defense ran perfectly.

[Bikehiker]

Stay away from Perfecta--not going into battery and not extracting.

[Busted Knuckle]

Mine totally choked on fiochi fmj, gave 4 boxes to neighbor to shoot through his lcp, both my wife's and mine eats PMC fmj, magtech, win white box, some local reloads, and Hornady Critical Defense.

[Ron AZ]

Sounds like a problem with your 7 round mag. Mine feeds Magtech no prob.

SlowBurn, could be. But Magtech .380 FMJ's are causing a problem in 2 different 7 rd mags in 2 different guns. One of the 7 rd mags was a replacement from Kahr when they had the gun, because of a problem with the previous 7 rd. magazine.

I shot like ~ 44 7 rd. mags full of the different ammos I mentioned in my previous post. I had failures in 12 of the 7 rd. loaded magazines. 8 of the 12 with a failure were loaded with Magtech FMJ's.

Also, since my results with the HPR TMJ's have been flawless in the 7 rd. mags, it at a minimum shows there is an ammo interaction with the 7 rd. mags that i have.

[SlowBurn]

SlowBurn, could be. But Magtech .380 FMJ's are causing a problem in 2 different 7 rd mags in 2 different guns. One of the 7 rd mags was a replacement from Kahr when they had the gun, because of a problem with the previous 7 rd. magazine.

I shot like ~ 44 7 rd. mags full of the different ammos I mentioned in my previous post. I had failures in 12 of the 7 rd. loaded magazines. 8 of the 12 with a failure were loaded with Magtech FMJ's.

Also, since my results with the HPR TMJ's have been flawless in the 7 rd. mags, it at a minimum shows there is an ammo interaction with the 7 rd. mags that i have.

RonAZ Are you "topping off" when you shoot the 7 rounders (ie starting with one in the pipe?) Somebody mentioned thats when they have issues with the second round and I realized I've never tried that at the range with the spare mags. I will next time though.

[Ron AZ]

RonAZ Are you "topping off" when you shoot the 7 rounders (ie starting with one in the pipe?)

No. Always shoot the 6 rd'ers as 6 + 1. Then pull out the 7 rd'er to simulate using it as a quick reload. So no topping off the 7 rd'er.

[SlowBurn]

Don't know if its going to work or not yet, but you can order the new Federal HST 380 here:
http://www.cmcgov.com/store/pc/FED-PRM-HST-380ACP-99GR-JHP-20-200-p33724.htm

[Cokeman]

How many rounds is it for that price?

[topgun1953]

Looks like 20 in a box, 200 in a case.

[Robert1]

According to that the HST is only getting 10" of penetration. Some of the XTPs are exceeding that.


I'll also be interested in the reviews of the new HST when they come out
http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/8175806-2-ammo-lines-unveil-new-bullets-at-SHOT-Show/

[Bikehiker]

Some of worst CW380 ammo: Perfecta/Fiocchi. Avoid.

[skiflydive]

In my P380 I've used Blazer Brass FMJ, Winchester FMJ with a truncated nose, Winchestr JHP, Speer Lawman FMJ, 3 or 4 different kinds of factory reload FMJ's, and Hornady Critical Defense. I haven't had any failures...not one.

[SlowBurn]

Don't know if its going to work or not yet, but you can order the new Federal HST 380 here:
http://www.cmcgov.com/store/pc/FED-PRM-HST-380ACP-99GR-JHP-20-200-p33724.htm


Looks like 20 in a box, 200 in a case.

Thats what it was. Unfortunately did not feed well in my Kahr 380s. I wasted 2 boxes, trying it with both guns and 4 mags. Gave the 3d box to a friend with a different 380 to see if they have better luck. I'm sticking with Hornady CD for carry, almost any FMJ (but NOT FIOCCHI) for practice.

[SmokyT]

Speer GD 90gr for carry and Remington/UMC 95gr FMJ for range practice. They seem to work better with my P380 than other ammo. CCI/Blazer 95gr FMJ tend to have more FTFire (i.e., light strikes), though they have no problem with my two Ruger LPCs.