Gunsmith on caliber efficiency of a .380

[recaffeination]

Only what you see pal.

[SQLGeek]

"Hey you can't do that."

Andy, I may or may not have been throwing a little chum in the water...

[Skiprr]

Efficiency is the inverse ratio of the energy put in to a system versus the energy out.

Let's say you have a .380 round that gets 1000 ft-lb with a 2 inch barrel and 1500 ft-lb with a 4 inch barrel. That means you get a 33% increase in muzzle energy from a 2 inch increase in barrel length. You could compare that data with similar data from a .45ACP. It could be that the % increase of the .380 is more, but that doesn't have a correlation with effectiveness of the round. In other words, the efficiency of the .380 might be better, but who cares.

The efficiency of a Prius is better than an Indy car, but the Prius won't win the race.

[WildBill]

Efficiency is the inverse ratio of the energy put in to a system versus the energy out.

Let's say you have a .380 round that gets 1000 ft-lb with a 2 inch barrel and 1500 ft-lb with a 4 inch barrel. That means you get a 33% increase in muzzle energy from a 2 inch increase in barrel length. You could compare that data with similar data from a .45ACP. It could be that the % increase of the .380 is more, but that doesn't have a correlation with effectiveness of the round. In other words, the efficiency of the .380 might be better, but who cares.

The efficiency of a Prius is better than an Indy car, but the Prius won't win the race.

I think I was wrong about my analogy. I think the gunsmith was saying that the .380 was capable of achieving full velocity and energy from a shorter barrel than some other calibers. This may be true, but my conclusion is still the same.

[txhighlander]

My first instructor carries a 380 to this day. He spent 4 tours in Vietnam as a Ranger, the 82 if I remember correctly, then 25 years and counting as a cop. I would never wan this man to be shooting at me. There was a shooting few months ago where I live, a person returned fire with I believe with a LCP 380 loaded with Hornady critical defence ammo. The first shot went thru the door, the seat, thru the man's thigh, and embedded in the roof with enough pressure to make a divit in the roof. The second shot went thru the door, the seat, grazed the second man's thigh and thru the door making a divit in the outside of the door. All the officers are carrying that type of ammo now. I carry a Sign 230 sl and don't feel under gunned. My job is to stop the forward aggression of the bg. If it takes more than one shot then so be it. My instructor taught me to shoot till the threat has stopped, walk away and call 911, but only if the situation can't be avoided. Any pistol caliber is inferior to rifle calibers. You have to be able to put the bullet where it is needed, but sometimes it doesn't matter. I have heard stories from cops about bad guys not going down after being cut in half with 12 gauge shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot. There really is no right answers.

[WildBill]

My first instructor carries a 380 to this day. He spent 4 tours in Vietnam as a Ranger, the 82 if I remember correctly, then 25 years and counting as a cop. I would never wan this man to be shooting at me. There was a shooting few months ago where I live, a person returned fire with I believe with a LCP 380 loaded with Hornady critical defence ammo. The first shot went thru the door, the seat, thru the man's thigh, and embedded in the roof with enough pressure to make a divit in the roof. The second shot went thru the door, the seat, grazed the second man's thigh and thru the door making a divit in the outside of the door. All the officers are carrying that type of ammo now. I carry a Sign 230 sl and don't feel under gunned. My job is to stop the forward aggression of the bg. If it takes more than one shot then so be it. My instructor taught me to shoot till the threat has stopped, walk away and call 911, but only if the situation can't be avoided. Any pistol caliber is inferior to rifle calibers. You have to be able to put the bullet where it is needed, but sometimes it doesn't matter. I have heard stories from cops about bad guys not going down after being cut in half with 12 gauge shotguns loaded with 00 buckshot. There really is no right answers.

IMO, the right answer is to carry a handgun - in a caliber that the CHL can shoot well.

[A-R]

the efficiency of the .380 might be better, but who cares.

The whole thread really could've ended right here

[philip964]

I dont think that James Bond will buy into this?

A .380 ACP would have been a big improvement for him from either the .25 ACP or the .32 ACP he used.