Every year, the SHOT Show in Las Vegas is a sight to behold, an expression of the very finest that firearm technology has to offer and pointing the way toward emerging trends. This year, it was all about handguns, especially those developed for self-defense and concealed carry. Of these, one of the more unexpected developments to emerge from this sector was the resurgence of pistols chambered in the .380 ACP cartridge, a round most people had written off as obsolete.
.380 ACP, Colt’s brainchild back in 1908 for its then-new pocket hammerless semi-automatic pistol, the Model 1908, had sweeping adoptions among a good number of European military and police forces in the early 20th century. Known by a host of other names, including the 9mm Kurz, .380 Auto, and 9mm Browning, it garnered further fame when James Bond used a Walther PPK chambered in .380 in a string of his iconic flicks. However, the creation of the 9mm, with its heavier projectile and higher velocity, relegated the .380 ACP to the background for many years.
Advances in Technology
Despite the dominance of the 9mm, the .380 ACP seems to have somewhat experienced a rebirth, and this comes down to a great degree from advances made in ammunition technology. Performance of present-day .380 loads at the top of the list from companies like Federal’s Hydra-Shok Deep and Hornady’s Critical Defense rival older 9mm loads. Federal’s Hydra-Shok Deep, for instance, utilizes a 99-grain projectile that achieves nearly 1,000 fps from a 3.75-inch barrel to give 13 inches of penetration in bare gel and 0.496 inches of expansion. Hornady’s Critical Defense load utilizes a 90-grain bullet at 910 fps to penetrate ballistic gel to about 13 inches.
Modern .380 Pistols
As if the .380 has again enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, several makers have produced new guns chambered for the cartridge that marries its inherent advantages with modern features.
Beretta 80X Cheetah: An updated version of the classic Cheetah with a refreshed thin-grip, an extended beavertail, Picatinny rail, and optics-readiness, this compact handgun becomes quite desirable given a 13+1 capacity and its MSRP of $799.
Browning 1911-380 Black Label Crushed Orchid: This compact carry gun, based on these designs, is developed especially for 1911 enthusiasts. It features a beavertail grip safety with a skeletonized hammer and ambidextrous safeties. With the low MSRP of $950, it weighed 18 ounces, making it pretty much of a steal.
Sig Sauer P365 Rose Kit: The kit, designed in collaboration with the highest-ranked shooter, Lena Miculek, includes a custom-made P365-380 ROSE, Vaultek Lifepod pistol safe, and full training. This package is tailored for women to get them on the firearms scene.
Rock Island Armory LI380: This .380 single-stack, double-action model has an LI-comfort grip and fixed barrel for concealed carry. Capacity is 8+1, with an MSRP of $299.
Ruger Security-380: High in capacity, it comes with one 10-round flush-fitting magazine and one 15-round extended magazine. It has a drift-adjustable rear sight and a fiber-optic front sight; MSRP is $369.
EAA/Girsan MC14T Tip-Up: This Tip-Up barrel pistol makes it easier to load and unload for those with limited hand strength. Capacities are 13+1 or 10+1 with an MSRP beginning at $498.
Conclusion
The fact that the .380 ACP has again emerged into the scene only goes to show that its core features remained relevant all these years and that advances in ammunition made it very viable once more. With the new generation of pistols at one’s disposal, so the .380 ACP once more brings into contention a balance between manageable recoil and adequate stopping power for self-defense and concealed-carry purposes.