If you’ve been around the gun community long enough, you’ve likely heard about the battle waging between 9mm and .45 ACP, or maybe the one between .40 S&W and .45 ACP…
Some people love to rant about the 9mm, while others prefer to take the classic .45 ACP head-on.
Either way, these calibers tend to get the most attention among keyboard warriors…but what about 9mms little sister, .380 ACP?
Both 9mm and .380 both have the same diameter bullet, so what sets these two apart, and when it comes to self-defense which is better?
Well, we’re here to offer a little perspective and some data to help you out. We’ll walk through the similarities and differences between 9mm and .380 ACP, then help you figure out which one is right for your defense setup.
So, keep reading!
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A Little Bit on the .380
The .380 is an American-made cartridge created in 1908 by John Moses Browning.
It’s also referred to as the 9mm Browning, the 9x17mm, and the 9mm short, all due to the fact that it has the same diameter as the 9x19mm Parabellum.
But for easiness’ sake, let’s just stick with calling it .380 ACP.
The .380 was designed as a low-recoil round that would be easy to manage but strong enough to neutralize oncoming threats.
Unfortunately, the .380 never lived up to its true potential as a service round and was overshadowed by the performance of the 9mm.
Still, it did see action among some police forces and was the caliber used by the MAC-11 submachine gun.
Even though the .380 never lived up to the expectations that Browning may have hoped for, it did become a popular round for backup pistols due to its relatively small size.
And thanks to the gun’s low recoil, it’s been marketed as a great self-defense cartridge for inexperienced shooters.
.380 ACP Ammo in Stock
Comparing the .380 to the 9mm
With the exception of the train-stopping .45 ACP, which has a long history of success in the field, most other cartridges in production have a hard time squaring off with the 9mm – and for good reason.
The 9mm gives you the best of all worlds — magazine capacity, control, and power. It’s not hard to see why it’s a favorite of law enforcement worldwide, and also one of the most popular calibers time and time again.
While the .380 might just look like the 9mm’s shorter cousin, in actuality, these two rounds function quite differently.
Keeping that in mind, it’s kinda unfair to place the .380 up against the 9mm. (Yes, we know did that with the title, but hear us out…)
Instead, a better question is “which caliber is better for you?”
9mm Ammo in Stock
Which Is More Powerful?
When looking at power, the 9mm unanimously beats the .380 every time.
It’s a heavier cartridge that produces significantly more energy (including recoil energy).
If power is your primary focus and you’re thinking of going with a .380, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
It’s been (unfairly) stereotyped as an underpowered cartridge for almost as long as it’s been around, but ballistic tests place the 9mm lightyears beyond the .380 with regards to power.
And while it’s no match for the 9mm, shooting the right ammo can transform your .380 into a formidable concealed-carry pistol.
So, Why Choose .380 over 9mm?
Well, if power is your primary decision, you wouldn’t. But power isn’t what the .380 is made for.
In some ways, the low power of the .380 ACP is actually one of its strengths, depending on how you look at it.
The average .380 gun is designed as an ultra-lightweight, subcompact handgun.
This makes them great for use as a primary or backup concealed carry weapon.
And since the .380 cartridge doesn’t produce much recoil energy, you’re able to exercise more control over your lightweight handgun than you would with a round like the 9mm.
So, what you end up getting with the .380 is a lightweight gun that’s not much different in size from pocket pistols like the .22 LR, .25 ACP, and the .32 S&W, but far more powerful.
What about Shootability?
Generally speaking, one of the biggest advantages to the 9mm is that it’s an easy-to-handle cartridge — at least when compared to the bigger calibers out there.
Here’s a 9mm Glock 19:
Indeed, the 9mm does have a lot to offer in terms of power and control, making it one of the most well-rounded handgun cartridges, in my opinion.
However, when we’re looking at shootability between the 9mm and the .380, the 9mm loses this round.
If you’re looking for a powerful caliber that’s easy to handle, the .380 delivers in every way.
Here’s a Bersa Firestorm .380:
It may not have the same expansion or penetration as the 9mm, but it does have lower recoil.
In fact, if you shoot a 9mm handgun and a .380 handgun that weigh the same, the .380 will experience 94% less recoil than the 9mm.
Admittedly, that low recoil won’t do you much good against someone on the other side of the parking lot. But it makes a difference if you’re stopping an armed assailant from entering your bedroom — especially if you’re an inexperienced shooter.
Which Is Best for Concealed Carry?
Again, that depends on the needs and expectations you have of your pistol.
Remember, the 9mm is the superior caliber for military and police because it’s powerful, easy to control, and has a maximum effective range of 50 meters (almost 55 yards).
It also has a maximum range of 1,800 meters, but good luck at hitting a target that far away unless you’re shooting legend, Jerry Miculek.
Needless to say, the .380 doesn’t outdo the 9mm on any of those strengths, with the exception of being easier to control.
But stopping threats 50-yards away isn’t what the .380 is designed for.
It’s a mouse gun that’s meant as a last resort to neutralize threats at close range.
For this reason, it’s become a popular backpack/purse pistol for some shooters and a backup pistol for law enforcement.
The Verdict
I mean, can you really go wrong with a 9mm?
Personally, I think the 9mm offers an all-around great round useful in almost every type of scenario. On the other hand, the .380 is limited to close-range protection.
Also, for doomsday preppers, the 9mm clearly wins. You’ll likely come across more 9mm ammo than any other cartridge.
But if you’ve already got a 9mm and want a lightweight, easy-to-carry pistol…the .380 makes a fine addition to your collection.
Remember, the .380 isn’t an ineffective round by stretch of the imagination. It just doesn’t outperform the 9mm in any way except for weight and size.
And since subcompact 9mms are a thing, there aren’t too many reasons to opt for a .380 as your primary.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, part of buying a gun is finding the right fit for you.
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the 9mm and the .380, hit the range and give both calibers a test to see which one you like best.
Did we get it right or is one clearly better than the other? Leave us your thoughts below. Looking for that perfect mouse gun for your collection? Take a look at the Best .380 Pistols.
148 Leave a Reply
Yeah I have friends who sneer at "only" having a 380. I ignore them. For me a gun is all about home defense, and they seem to ignore that it matters much more that I hit what I'm aiming at vs how much damage I do. And believe me, you hit someone with a 380 at close range, that's no love tap; it will stop them. And thanks to much less recoil, I feel I have a much better chance with that than a 9mm, esp if I'm shooting with one hand. It's not like I can go "wait a minute Mr Criminal, give me a sec to assume the proper grip and stance..."
When I made the decision to start carrying again, I also decided to start practacing again. (I am over 80 years old, and I have not done any real shooting for 15 years or so.} So i got ahold of some old friends, and went out to the local range, with about a dozen pistols, from .22s through .45s. If I am going to carry, I want to be able to hit what I aim at. So, lots of practice. My son carries a beautiful S & W .45, but I soon discovered that I could not fire more than one clip thru it wthout a lot o pain in my wrists. Samer thing with amost everything else. Eveh the 9mm could only last 3 clips, without hurting.
Then, I tried a friend's wife's Bersa 380. I put a half-box thru it! No pain! The next day I bought 2 boxs. I finally got so I could hit what L aimed at, and still no pain. So, I now carry a Bersa 380, and practice regularly..
What a fantastic article! I have a S&W .45 ACP and am Apex 9mm. To all did a great job explaining the differences, magazine capacity, velocity and penatration. The 9mm target rounds don't break the bank. However, I'm now thinking about the .380 for the range only and the 9mm as my CC. The .45 is now my home defense. Thanks again for a clear description.
In making the decision for my wife's carry gun, she found the 380 easier to rack so it was the clear choice.
Everyone says the .380 caliber is smaller than the 9 mil. It's not. The 9 mil is literally a smaller diameter. 9 millimeters is 0.354 inch diameter round. .380 is 0.380 inch diameter round. 9 millimeter ÷ 25.4 millimeter/inch = .354 inches making the 9 millimeter round (if it's truly 9 millimeter) 0.034" smaller in diameter. If the .380 is not as powerful, it's because powder load/bullet weight ratio is smaller by comparison, not the diameter of the bullet.
For posterity’s sake, this is incorrect. 380 ACP and 9 mm Luger/Parabellum are both .355, and the projectiles can even be interchanged when reloading, obviously allowing for weight differences. The 9mm is indeed a much hotter load owing to the larger case and pressure as we all know, but the bore diameter is identical.
Bruh .380 is not actually .380. Pleaseeee people quit making claims when you have no idea what you’re talking about. They are both officially listed as being 9mm/0.355, but to my eyes the .380 diameter looks a. Tiny bit smaller.
I do allot of sport in the outdoors, cycling and running. My EDC is a Glock 19, my sports companion is a Glock 42 with Hornaday Crtical Defense, mag guts in each of two mags, one in the Glock 42 and a spare, giving me 15 rounds. It’s enough power and ammo for a sports outing I believe. Back home the Glock 19 comes out.
There could be 3 apartments within a 50 yard distance. Do to over penetration, I could probably inadvertently injure a neighbor or friend. I just want the perpetrator out of my personal space or home. A .380 is sounding much better to me. Yes, I might have to hit him with about 5 rounds but with the less recoil, this shouldn’t be a problem to stay on target.
Just curious, what’s the average distance from within your bedroom to your hallway or even the average distance of someone’s hallway? I keep hearing 50 yards/55 feet, I live in DC, an urban area. Which means at 50 yards you are not even a threat to me or my family at that distance. A .380 is perfect for my personal space.
After all is said and done; this is all about accommodating a smaller, inexperienced shooter. The 9mm is (much) more powerful than the .380 cal. The 9mm, is still an anemic round, when compared with the .357 magnum, the .45 cal., and the .40S&W. Say what you want, any data, etc., but the bare-bones facts are that a larger, more powerful round is going to stop a threatening, violent man in his tracks, faster than a smaller, less powerful round. (Go big, or stay on the porch). The 10mm round was developed in answer to the anemic 9mm and .38+P rounds used in the tragic 1986 FBI Shootout, in which 2 agents were kia, among 5 others wounded, (7 total), when the involved agents chose 9mm and .38+p rounds. The 10mm round; due to it's "recoil problems" with smaller, and female FBI Agents, was 'cut down' to the popular .40 S&W round. The .40cal Round was ultimately pushed out, (again), due to "recoil problems" with smaller and female FBI Agents. The 'new & improved' 9mm round was then ushered in, in a campaign by the FBI in an attempt to accommodate these smaller agents. Now, you have a general public who "wants their cake, .. and to eat it too". You can't have it both ways. To attempt to "be comfortable, and to be safe", in a lethal situation, is flawed logic. Tragically, NOT Reality. The underpowered .380, and 9mm, while both lethal, are being, have been foisted upon the general public. In an attempt to please the smaller, weaker agents, the FBI Bureaucrats have inadvertently led the FBI, and the general public, down a slippery slope of unbelievably ridiculous bureaucratic bungling. The FBI Agents, mostly Accountants and Lawyers need to 'man-up'. Realize that the more you "sweat and are uncomfortable in training; the less you will bleed in combat". It's past time to correct this Tom-foolery, and get back to basics and common sense. The rest can follow suit.
The best daily carry is the one you will carry. Numbers and cartridge performance do not mean anything if the firearm is not with you. I'll take a .380 over a 22LR or 25. The Ruger LCR Max should be considered. I got mine on sale at Academy for $279. Less my military discount I'm out at $250+/-. I ordered (2) 12-round magazines for $40 bucks.
Carry something besides your permit!!!
Excellent job...
I have 2 9's, SIG P365 and Ruger P95. As awesome as these are, seriously considering a little Walther 380.
I chose the .380 for my wife because although it loses the power battle to the 9mm that's outweighed by the confidence she has with it. The reduced recoil "relaxed" her and she's much more proficient with the .380 than she was with the 9mm. Great article!
You got it exceptionally right…especially the parts about what the persons needs are and what suits their situation! Great job!
Hi! You got it right. The 9mm bullet has a more gunpowder capacity than the .380 bullet. Therefore, the 9mm bullet is longer than the .380's. The .380 caliber handgun is much shorter than the 9 mm, consequently, the 9 mm range is longer as well. There is a beautiful .380 handgun made by Browning, which I believe is one of the best .380 handguns on the market.
Great article thanks well done. For those of you that do not own a 380. Or have never bought ammo for one. The technology in ammo is crazy now days. And they have some defense ammo now days for the 380 that would change ones mind. And on the streets, in news reports the 380 gets its fair share 67 yr old vet from northern Utah have a great year ahead
50 meters is exactly 55 yards. Otherwise informative article.
50m = 54.6807 yards
Learn something new every day! Thanks for the correction.
Shot placement class.
"If you’re looking for a powerful caliber that’s easy to handle, the .380 delivers in every way."
We all know the .380 isn't a "powerful" caliber.
Not till u get shot with it
I didn’t say it doesn’t hurt, just that it isn’t powerful.
Just a point of interest, John Dillenger was taken down by a .380.
Nope. Dillinger was killed with a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless (.32 ACP)
correction. The Colt apparently was the gun Dillinger was carrying at the time.
"The .38 caliber revolver belonged to Capt. Timothy O'Neil of the East Chicago, Ind., police department. He and colleague Sgt. Martin Zarkovich fired two of the five shots credited with killing Dillinger outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago"
credit: Chicago Tribune.
Harville leaves out one important point…. Reloadability. I reload my 380 Browning with 68 grain Leigh copper hydro shock bullets at 1100 fps. When they hit gallon jugs full of water, the jug explodes. Same with the 9mm version. Anybody getting hit by one of those things is going to be a world of hurt.
Exactly. It's "powerful" enough to do the job. For self defense, it's a great caliber weapon. Yes, the 9mm has more energy, but a 380 will stop a perp just the same and typically u can get more shots off quicker with high accuracy
My brother had the best answer to all the flak about size, caliber, etc.: "It ain't the gun, it's the gunner". Whatever firearm you use, make the decision to be the safest person with that weapon. Practice, train, treat your weapon with respect and, also, respect the opinions and rights of others. There's a reason we have so many options to choose from; we're not robots, we're people. Thanks. Be safe, stay safe.
You chose the right tool for the job. A small .380 for personal protection of self and loved ones where discretion is needed. It is definitely not for engaging A mall shooter or anybody 30 feet or more away. Read that most defence shootings are 10feet or less (in your face situations) and that less than 50% of the shots fired hit the target. That means completely different training for those types of situations.
Good article! The 380 has its place. The 380 is a good round for what it was designed for.
Wife loves her 380EZ. I liked so well, I bought one for myself.
I carry a 40SW most of the time. But I also carry the 380 at other times.
380 will do the job. If I remember correctly WWI was started my a 380.
FN .32 caliber
We who carry understand the three factors that control the damage caused that can stop and attacker: (1) the size or diameter of the hole, (2) the depth of the hole, and (3) the tissues that are destroyed or damaged by the hole made by them. Compared to rifles, handguns are typically underpowered by handguns are more portable to carry concealed wherever we go. There are many issues involved in our decisions about where to carry, when to carry, what to carry, and how to carry. We all have to focus on the three disciplines of mindset, gun handling, and marksmanship and what makes us skilled in all three. We all have to make choices about effectiveness, number of rounds our handgun will carry, the cost of those rounds, and whether we will be able train enough with the ammunition which use for carrying. One choice does not fit all. I carry what works well for me and I respect that my choices may not work for everyone because their criteria differ from mine. (Critical thinking does not mean there is only one choice because there are multiple sets of criteria that are reasonable.) And by the way, I would be grateful for backup from any reasonable, law abiding person who saved my neck regardless of what they they carry. I hope none of us ever has to face defending against an attack.
Two points of interest regarding the .380. 1) As mentioned the lower recoil is not only for inexperienced shooters but for smaller women. My wife will not shoot my G22 because of recoil. She also has some arthritis and racking the slide on a 9mm is still hard for her. The S&W .380 ez fits both needs. She is a deadeye with it. 2) I've yet to meet a single person who would volunteer to be shot with a .380 (or anything smaller for that matter).
Hi Wes, my wife and your wife have these issues in common and she carries the same handgun. As an instructor, I am well aware of how to teach people to rack a slide but technique is not always enough even though instruction can help many shooters. Winchester PCDW-1 hollowpoints and Federal HST hollowpoints are some of the best to shoot in a 380 and they shoot well in the S&W .380 my wife has. Also, this pistol was designed by S&W as a carry handgun for exactly the reasons you stated.
Try the Underwood 90gr 380 with the Extreme Penetrator LeHigh Defense bullet. It's a 380 on steroids - acts like a 9mm almost and they're barrier blind. They also make a +P version. Be aware of your target backdrop though, as they can over-penetrate. Ammo Quest tests it per FBI specs here on youtube under this title: Ammo Quest .380 ACP: Lehigh XP Xtreme Penetrator test in ballistic gel .
I agree as a woman with super small hands I struggle to reach the trigger on my husbands 9mm and successfully hit what I’m aiming for. And IF I am successful one round maybe two is max for me with the recoil.
I would highly recommend the .380 ez then. S&W made a great design. I helped an elderly neighbor chose a gun a year ago. We let him shot several revolvers and a couple of different autos. With his age and limits with his hands, the EZ was what he chose as well.
They are great I'm a old vet got 2 of my daughter inlaws one easy to use for alot of folks
This ammo should have been included in your article in some form., “ Federal has introduced a .380 ACP load to its Hydra-Shok Deep lineup, the first cartridge for the chambering to consistently meet FBI protocol recommendations.”.
In deep concealment gun I believe the better comparison would have been .380 vs. 38spcl snubby. My last duty weapon was a Glock 22 gen4 and yes in a full size gun I prefer the 40 S&W over the 9mm. However in a compact weapon like EDC it's a Glock 26 gen5. I currently have a deep concealment 380 in the form of what I've experienced is the only good Taurus I've owned it's the TCP 738. I can hit a steel torso at 25 yards all day long with 100% reliability with various defensive ammo. I would still like to get a Glock 42, but they're as hard to find as a politician a day after they're elected.
At least with the snubby, you can play around with bullet weight and charge more than loading a .380 auto.
Hi John. Tom Givens notes in his book "Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics" that some recent develops in ammunition have raised the 38 spl off its knees. He says - among the best are the all lead semi wadcutter hollow point rounds by Winchester or Federal. He also mentions the Barnes bullet as loaded by CorBon in its DPX line in the 3 inch barrel or longer. He notes that all penetrate adequately and tend to expand, or deform , creating larger wound channels.
You did not get it right. Compare the Sig 365 or XD-Hellcat to those .380 pistols. If you want to be taken seriously, try harder.
Ok, I'm an old Artilleryman and thinks its best to engage bad guys as far away as possible. 20-30 kilometers works for me. When it comes to small arms I maintain that philosophy. When bad guys with AR-15's are afoot, I want to have 7.62 NATO bullet launcher to stop them before they can reach me. The same goes for a handgun. 50 meters is better than knife throwing distance, which is about the best you can do with a 380. I don't want a gun that only really shoots from one end of a bedroom to the other. That doesn't work so well outdoors where 50 meters is much better. The discomfort of recoil doesn't even enter in my consideration when choosing an effective caliber. All I want is to survive... and engaging the attacker at 50 meters assures that much better than at "bedroom" or "knife" range. A gun I can only use in my bedroom isn't worthless... but its close.
Certain climates and how people are dressed makes your choices useless. There was times I had to carry a mouse gun, yes I prayed I didn't have to use it. Because if I carried what would have been viewed as a "cops gun" my cover would have been blown. However like you I prefer bigger calibers when I can and yes in a full size gun I prefer 40 over 9mm. Now that I'm retired I don't have to worry about some else's choice of a duty weapon.
Bob- If you're shooting an attacker at 50 meters you better have a really good lawyer.