USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • DAILY GUNS & AMMO DEALS – CLICK HERE!
Home Articles

The .380 Ammo Debate: Full Metal Jacket or Jacketed Hollow Point?

Nate Parker by Nate Parker
May 20, 2020
in Articles, Concealed Carry
Reading Time: 3 mins read
The .380 Ammo Debate: JHP or FMJ
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Normally when we think of debates over what type of ammunition is the best for self-defense, we think of caliber wars. Stuff like 9mm vs. 45 ACP, .40 S&W vs everything, your favorite caliber vs my favorite caliber. This time though, we are sticking with one caliber, the .380 ACP, and debating Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) vs Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP).

Why Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) for .380 ACP

Usually, this is a no brainer, always JHP (although we may disagree on which one). With .380 though there are two points of view here. One says use FMJ because penetration is king and any expanding JHP may not penetrate deeply enough to get the job done. A fair concern. The FBI recommends at least 12” of penetration in calibrated ballistics gel (not the same as the very popular clear ballistics gel). While we can debate that standard, we would be wise to remember they learned that lesson through the blood of FBI agents. It has been the standard for a few decades, pretty much unchanged. I would say it has pretty well stood the test of time. I will accept it as a reasonable standard.

Other than penetration, FMJ has a couple of other advantages in .380. For starters, it is cheaper. Cheap enough that I can basically shoot my carry ammo all the time. Recoil stays the same, point of aim/point of impact stays the same, and reliability can be confirmed over and over again. With the rounded profile of FMJ, it also tends to feed better in the sometimes finicky micro blasters that most .380 handguns are.

Why Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) for .380 ACP

On the other hand, with the wider market acceptance of the FBI’s ballistic gel standard, ammunition manufacturers are trying their best to tailor .380 loads to meet that basic standard. I don’t know that any are quite there yet, but they are getting close. Finding the balance between expansion and penetration in the powder puff .380 is a pretty tricky act to pull off apparently. What the JHP loads really offer is better overall reliability and accuracy through better quality control processes. As an extra bonus, even if they fail to expand, or fail to expand very much, they have sharp edges that tend to cut tissue a little better. Things like sealed primers, higher quality components, and more careful construction pay dividends when it comes to putting bullets on target when it really matters. Where JHP may suffer is that they may or may not feed well depending on the handgun. That is why Hornady’s XTP tends to be a popular choice. It seems to feed in almost anything.

Conclusion

So, which is really better for a .380? Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) or Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)? I am going hedge my bets and say JHP is better because of the better build quality and better QC. I will take the consistent reliability and improved accuracy over guaranteed penetration. If I am really that worried about under-penetration, I will pick a JHP that I am pretty sure won’t expand. Most importantly, ensure reliability in whatever gun is going to be running it. Ideally, that looks like at least 100 rounds of carry ammo through the gun without a single hiccup of any type.

What do you guys think, FMJ or JHP? Let us know in the comments, and tell us why.

Nate Parker

Nate Parker

Nate spends his days trying to find ways to afford more ammo. Nate is a performance driven shooter with over 400 hours of formal firearms instruction, dabbles in local handgun matches, and teaches the occasional shotgun class.

Next Post
Homeowner Shoots Intruder Through Door, Stops Break In

Homeowner Shoots Intruder Through Door, Stops Break In

3.3 25 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Please login to comment
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Previous Post

Homeowner Stops Burglary, Fires Warning Shots, Chases Down & Badly Beats Suspect

Next Post

Homeowner Shoots Intruder Through Door, Stops Break In

Related Posts

Paste Faster, Not Harder: My Review of the Paster Pooper Paster Gun
Gear Reviews

Paste Faster, Not Harder: My Review of the Paster Pooper Paster Gun

June 26, 2025
Armed Citizen Fires at Robbers After Woman Pistol-Whipped & Robbed in Chicago, Suspects Flee Unharmed
Defensive Gun Uses

Armed Citizen Fires at Robbers After Woman Pistol-Whipped & Robbed in Chicago, Suspects Flee Unharmed

June 25, 2025
Summer Concealed Carry: How to Stay Armed in the Heat
Concealed Carry

Summer Concealed Carry: How to Stay Armed in the Heat

June 24, 2025
Wayne Church Attacker Run Over by Member, Shot by Security
Defensive Gun Uses

Wayne Church Attacker Run Over by Member, Shot by Security

June 23, 2025

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

Navigate Site

  • State Guides
  • Maps
  • Articles
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Giveaway
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

wpDiscuz
3
0
Join the conversation, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply
You are going to send email to

Move Comment
Gun Deals
Gun.Deals