The 380 Versus the 9mm

[Graybeard]

https://www.budsgunshop.com/blog.php/post/the-380-versus-the-9mm

One is the easiest to carry concealed; the other packs more punch

Richard Mann May 18, 2023

The current trend with concealed-carry handguns is to go small. The reasons should be obvious; the smaller a handgun is, the easier it is to conceal, and, therefore, the more comfortable it is to carry. The two most popular cartridges for small, self-defense handguns are the 9mm Luger and the 380 Auto. If you’re trying to decide which one might be the best option for you, there are some things about both cartridges that you should know.

9mm Luger

The 9mm Luger has been with us for 120 years. It began life as a cartridge for the German military, and it wasn’t until after World War II that it began to find real popularity in the United States. In 1967, the Illinois State Police adopted the Smith & Wesson Model 39 – chambered for the 9mm Luger – as their issue sidearm, and other agencies soon followed suit. The cartridge remained very popular with law enforcement until the 1990s when the 40 S&W entered the scene. The 40 was the premier law-enforcement cartridge up until just a few years ago when the FBI switched back to the 9mm Luger. American law enforcement remains greatly influenced by the FBI, and now the 9mm Luger is once again commonly found in the holsters of policemen.

380 Auto

Though often called the 380 ACP, the correct name for this cartridge is the 380 Automatic or 380 Auto. It was designed in 1908 by firearms genius John Browning, who also designed the 45 Auto several years prior. The bullet diameter of the 380 Auto is 0.356 inch, and the bullet diameter of the 45 Auto is 0.452 inch. Interestingly, it appears that with the 380 Auto, Browning simply reduced the case dimensions of the 45 Auto cartridge by the same degree as the difference in bullet diameter; the 380 Auto is almost exactly 22 percent smaller than the 45 Auto in every way. Early on, the 380 Auto was also known internationally as the 9mm Kurz – 9mm Short – and was quite popular in Europe, especially in the Walther PPK. But the cartridge did not really find its legs in America until the interest in concealed carry spiked toward the end of the last century. Today the cartridge is quite popular in sub-compact semi-automatic handguns.

Capacity

9mm Luger cartridges are just minutely larger in diameter than 380 Auto cartridges, but the difference is only 0.017 inch and is not to enough to cause a capacity difference in single- or double-stack magazines with similar-sized handguns. However, the 9mm Luger cartridge is about 2/10 inch longer. This can translate to a slightly deeper grip in 9mm Luger pistols. When pistols of the same size are compared, magazine capacities are generally identical. However, because the 380 Auto operates at a lower pressure and is slightly shorter, 380 Auto pistols can be smaller and lighter than 9mm Luger pistols of the same basic size. The Glock 42 is slightly lighter than the Glock 43, and some 380 Auto pistols can even weigh less than 10 ounces.

Terminal Performance

Terminal performance can be looked at in a variety of ways. Some people like to compare kinetic energy, while others are more interested in penetration combined with how much the bullet will upset. The best you can expect in kinetic energy from the 380 Auto is about 250 foot-pounds at the muzzle while with its best loads, the 9mm Luger can exceed 400 foot-pounds. The 9mm Luger’s extra power gives it an advantage in the penetration and bullet upset category as well. The best-performing 380 Auto loads will penetrate to between 8 and 12 inches and bullet diameter will increase by about 1.5 times. With the 9mm Luger, bullet upset will be similar or slightly more, but penetration generally ranges from 14 to 18 inches. The 9mm always hits harder and penetrates deeper.

Recoil

The best way to compare the recoil between these two cartridges is to compare similar guns, like the Glock 42 and 43. Fully loaded, the G42 380 Automatic pistol weighs 15.87 ounces; the G43 9mm Luger pistol weighs 20.64 ounces. If both are being fired with standard self-defense loads, the nominal recoil energy of the G42 will be around 3.63 foot-pounds and about 5.71 foot-pounds for the G43. From a recoil standpoint, that is a tremendous difference that will not only affect shooting comfort, but it can also impact the time required to accurately fire multiple shots on target.

And the Winner is…

You would really have to stretch your imagination to say that the 380 Auto is as effective at stopping bad guys as the 9mm Luger. There’s a reason the duty guns for most American law-enforcement officers are chambered for the 9mm as opposed to the 380. It is worth noting, however, that the 380 Auto is a popular chambering for back-up guns for cops. This is because 380 Auto pistols can be very compact and easier to carry in ankle or pocket holsters.

While duty use seems to be the forte of the 9mm Luger, when it comes to ultra-deep concealment, the 380 Auto has the advantage. Miniature semi-automatic pistols chambered for the 380 Auto can weigh less than one pound fully loaded and are almost as easy to conceal as a cell phone. This gives the 380 Auto immense appeal for those who want to carry a concealed handgun as comfortably as possible.

The 380 Auto’s lack of recoil is also appealing to some. Novice shooters, recoil-sensitive shooters, and those with limited hand strength will find that with guns of a similar size they can shoot the 380 faster and more comfortably and accurately. Fortunately, with both cartridges there are a lot of excellent self-defense and practice loads available for shooters to choose from.



FAQs

Q: Is the 380 Auto more comfortable to shoot than the 9mm?

A: Generally, yes, but only in similar-sized handguns. Some ultra-compact 380s can be uncomfortable to shoot because the grips are so thin and the pistols are so light.

Q: Is the 9mm Luger or the 380 Auto best for concealed carry?

A: The answer mostly depends on how you dress and how you carry a concealed handgun. If you need the smallest and easiest-to-carry handgun, the 380 is a better option. If you want the most powerful, go with the 9mm. Since the 380 Auto cartridge is smaller than the 9mm Luger, does 380 Ammo cost less? Actually, the cost to shoot both cartridges is very similar. However, when the least expensive loads are compared, the 9mm Luger can be shot for less.

[Ranger99]

Ammunition technology has completely
changed the game the last decade

Seems like some new breakthrough
every few months

[gypsyman]

 Did some backyard ballistic tests with my Bersa .380. Using Browning 95gr BXT HP. a couple years back. Did a fine job of opening up 2 liter pop bottles filled with water. My everyday carry gun.

[Land_Owner]

Black steel, 380, Walther PPK because...and another in stainless steel, that was inexpensive and because - why not?  Both guns have more than doubled in value.  That's a plus. 

A 6-cavity Ranch Dog TL358-100-FN mold throws cast lead-tin alloy at 104 grains, which feeds like candy over a tiny load of IRM 700X, hits to point of aim at 7-yards, and rounds reloaded with pre-runup components still cost less than $0.05 each.

[Lloyd Smale]

ill vote for the 9 for a different reason. i have huge hands and feeding those cases through my 550 is just easier. no different when using the case feeder on one of my lock and loads but they seem to not like that case either and tend to have lots of upside down cases in the tube and thats such a pain in the but along with all the other lnl idiosyncrasies that i just use the 550. that and all my 380s are pocket guns and to me arent as much fun to shoot. so i loaded a pile of 380 jacketed and cast and probably wont load it again. 9s? i load and shoot more of them then every other caliber combined. mostly because its cheap fun. for carry i prefer a small 40 or 45

[orerancher]

My Bersa .380 is a lot easier to carry stuffed in the waistband of my wranglers then my Beretta 92 or my Ruger P95...

[Land_Owner]

ill vote for the 9 for a different reason. i have huge hands and feeding those cases through my 550 is just easier.

I too have huge hands, which can palm a basketball.  I formerly had one revolver, a Ruger BH "Convertable" in 45ACP/Colt and one pistol, an AutoOrdnance 1911, in 45 ACP, both now gifted to my youngest son.  I am NOT a Pistolero...I prefer a RIFLE.

My 380 Walther and two additional handgun ownership began with the purchase of three guns from the family of my too-soon-departed co-worker and friend...so there is "sentimental value".  Suddenly, I had five pistols/revolvers.  I probably would not have purchased a 380 if left to my own, but relentless advertising of "plastic" guns in diminutive size, easily concealable, affordable, etc., would have been a nagging inducement to investigate/purchase one, or a 9mm, whichever occurred first. 

I have since shot another 380, a plastic Ruger, lighter weight, greater felt recoil, and probably less accurate, though shooting it once (one time into the dirt) is not a "statistical population" from which to make a determination.  It was "whippy", with greater felt recoil, and less controllable than the heavier, all-steel, Walther.  The "right" gun makes a great deal of difference.

Making ammunition for the 380 is cause-for-pause as the cases are "tiny" in comparison to 45 Colt, get "lost" inside of other cases if tumbled together, require a miniscule amount of powder, and could, if inattentive, be double (maybe triple) charged.  But at 104 grains per cast projectile, a 6-cavity Ranch Dog mold produces more than 65 "brilliant pebbles" in minutes per pound of ally, which alloy cost me practically nothing (except tin and amortizing the specific mold and casting equipment across all of the calibers for which I cast). 

Both calibers, 380 and 9mm cases, are very small, by size comparison to (say) 38 Special, 357 Magnum, or 45 Colt.  "High capacity" magazines, light weight, concealability, affordability, and an edge as self-defense make the 9mm the advertised "favorite", while the 380 remains on the "back shelf" for many.