Gunsmith on caliber efficiency of a .380

[WildBill]

I dont think that James Bond will buy into this?

James who??

[jimlongley]

I would just prefer to have a larger caliber if I ever need to stop someone immediately.

Me too! The caliber I want for that job has the same digits just different order. It starts with a 3 and ends with an 8 with a big goose egg in the middle.

Which is actually a smaller caliber.

And don't forget that a .380 is just a 9mm by another name.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Ants can carry several times their body weight. They're very efficient. But not much help moving a couch.

[74novaman]

First off, I would ask the gunsmith to define "efficiently." Otherwise, I'm

Think it'll involve "energy dump"?

I heard that

[The Annoyed Man]

I recently had a gunsmith (a very good one) to tell me that though people poo the .380, it uses a short barrel more ~efficiently~ than any other caliber. I know we have all seen ballistic tests, but how would you go about proving or disproving his claim?

Actual gunshot wound statistics.

[Beiruty]

what matters delivering the highest Kinetic enery at distance X while hitting the intended target. Rail Gun, anyone?

[C-dub]

what matters delivering the highest Kinetic enery at distance X while hitting the intended target. Rail Gun, anyone?

Do they have those in a hand held concealable model yet?

[Beiruty]

what matters delivering the highest Kinetic enery at distance X while hitting the intended target. Rail Gun, anyone?

Do they have those in a hand held concealable model yet?

Results do matter:

[Beiruty]

You need super conducting material at near room temperature, said conductor would suspend a projectile in contained magnetic filed in the confinement of barrel(rail), said rail is capable of accelerating said projectile to 10km per sec. 1 gram projectile would be 100/4.5 X the power of 9mm round 570j or at least 22X more powerful that is 75% of the powerful 18kj 0.50 BMG.
1.5 gram @ 10 Km/sec == 0.5 BMG.

[C-dub]

You need super conducting material at near room temperature, said conductor would suspend a projectile in contained magnetic filed in the confinement of barrel(rail), said rail is capable of accelerating said projectile to 10km per sec. 1 gram projectile would be 100/4.5 X the power of 9mm round 570j or at least 22X more powerful that is 75% of the powerful 18kj 0.50 BMG.
1.5 gram @ 10 Km/sec == 0.5 BMG.

You just made my head

[CC Italian]

Not to develop a caliber war...but my understanding is that the newer designed .380 is on par with the 38 special plus P.

Wgoforth- I remember we had this discussion a while back and we agreed to disagree but the bottom line is that no matter how much you speed up a .380acp jhp (like Buffalo bore +P etc) it still has a far less sectional density then a .38 special jhp in most bullets. You can send over a 50% heavier bullet on target per shot. This is why I replaced my .380 with a .38 special +P. It penetrates better, the bullet is heavier and with modern hollowpoints it opens up every time to a larger diameter then the .380. 38 special +P is more in line with 9mm standard pressure with equal barrel lengths then .380acp.

That being said I am not going to say the .38special is leaps and bounds ahead of the .380acp but cartridge to cartridge the .38 special is a more powerful round. The only thing the .380 has over the .38 is capacity and less recoil imo which is a valid argument for picking the .380acp over the .38special for many.

Once again I know you love your sig and it is what works for you and you are proficient with it and that is what really matters but the bottom line is the .38 special +P is more on par with 9mm standard pressure because of its increased bullet weight (sectional density) and velocity.

Here are two of the hottest loads I could find and even in a snub nose the .38 clearly outshines the .380acp.
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalo ... cts_id=577 This is just a hotter gold dot load

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalo ... cts_id=215 This is also a gold dot bullet

Sorry to turn this into another caliber war but I have owned both of these calibers and shot them extensively and the only thing they have in common is a similar bullet diameter.

[wgoforth]

No prob, like i say, just trying to undersrand more fully the gunsmiths comment relative to "efficiency" he mentioned.

[surferdaddy]

what matters delivering the highest Kinetic enery at distance X while hitting the intended target. Rail Gun, anyone?

Do they have those in a hand held concealable model yet?

Results do matter:

Mmmm, plasma.

[74novaman]

Results do matter:

Mmmm, plasma.

but is it in the 40 watt range?