.380 ACP Remington 88-grain JHP

by
posted on March 6, 2012
88grainjhp.jpg

If you want the bullets you fire out of your defensive handgun to expand as they are penetrating a bad guy, you should probably test them before you trust them—especially if you carry a short-barreled handgun. This may seem unreasonable; after all, shouldn't factory ammo work in factory guns? The truth is, manufacturers cannot predict the velocity their ammo will produce out of every gun, and sometimes that velocity is not fast enough to force the bullet to expand.

This was the case with the 88-grain JHP .380 ACP load from Remington when fired from a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard. None of the half-dozen bullets expanded at all in 10-percent ordnance gelatin, and all penetrated at least 18 inches.

Load Handgun MV (fps) PEN (inches) EXP (inches) RW (grains)
.380 ACP Remington 88-grain JHP Smith & Wesson Bodyguard (2.75-inch barrel) 845 18+ 0.356 88

Latest

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Metal HD Pistol
Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Metal HD Pistol

First Look: Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal HD Pistol

With a steel frame and accessories for higher performance.

Heat And Rifle Barrels

How does heat affect accuracy in different types of barrels? It doesn’t help, but certain designs resist heat better than others.

First Look: Leupold VX 6HD Gen 2 Rifle Scopes

Push button locks for a hassle-free zero.

Tricking Out Your Carry Gun

Let your experience guide how you set up your defensive pistol.

First Look: C&H RMSC Max Optic

An RMSc footprint dot with a large viewing window.

Everyday Carry Essentials

What should we carry when we leave the house, and why should we carry it?

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Illustrated delivered to your inbox.