Best .380 Ammo [Tested]

For many years, the .380 ACP wasn't a hugely popular cartridge for concealed carry or home defense, but times are changing. 

The problem with this is that with so many types of .380 ACP ammo on the market, how do you know which is the best defensive ammunition for you?

Let's take a look at some of my favorite ammunition choices and break down the important facts of ammo selection.

Current In-Stock .380 Ammo

Best .380 ACP Ammo for Self-Defense

While I won’t name one brand to rule them all, I can make some suggestions based on my personal research into an effective round for my Sig Sauer P238. 

For reference, this weapon sports a 2.7-inch barrel.  

1. Hornady Critical Defense 90 Grain FTX - Editor's Pick Defense Ammo

Editor's Pick Defense Ammo

Hornady Critical Defense 90gr FTX .380 ACP

$22

at GunMagWarehouse

Prices accurate at time of writing

$22 at GunMagWarehouse

BattleHawk Armory (see price)

GrabAGun (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Polymer-tipped jacketed hollow point
• Casing: Nickel-plated brass
• Bullet weight: 90 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 1000 fps

Hornady's Critical Defense line makes use of polymer Flex Tip (FTX) that aids in expansion while also preventing the round from expanding too early upon contact.

The result is a round that boasts a tested median penetration depth of 13.5 inches while still delivering nearly half-inch expansion.

Couple that with the fact that Hornady packages their ammo in boxes of 25 instead of 20, and you have a round that performs extremely well while maintaining great bang for your buck.

What's your take on Hornady's defensive .380 round? Rate it below!

2. Sig Sauer 90 Grain V-Crown - Best Value Defense Ammo

Best Value Defense Ammo

Sig Sauer V-Crown 90gr JHP .380 ACP

$18

at GrabAGun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$18 at GrabAGun

BattleHawk Armory (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Jacketed hollow point
• Casing: Nickel-plated brass
• Bullet weight: 90 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 980 fps

Testing done by Chris Baker at Lucky Gunner has shown this round to be effective in both penetration and expansion.  

It reaches right around the minimum 12-inch mark on average while also expanding to half an inch in size.  

Sig's V-Crown ammunition is well-built and surprisingly affordable.  

3. Speer Gold Dot 90 Grain GDHP - Most Consistent Defensive Ammo

Most Consistent Defensive Ammo

Speer Gold Dot 90gr GDHP .380 ACP

$26

at GrabAGun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$26 at GrabAGun

BattleHawk Armory (see price)

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Jacketed hollow point
• Casing: Nickel-plated brass
• Bullet weight: 90 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 1040 fps

Speer's Gold Dot line has been a mainstay in defensive ammo nationwide, regardless of caliber, for many years. Their 90gr Gold Dot offering is no exception.

While these rounds fall just short of the FBI minimum penetration depth, they exhibit uniform and reliable expansion, which is tough to get in .380 ACP.

Also, keep in mind that these tests are conducted through 4 layers of clothing, which is on the extreme end of what would be expected.

4. Hornady American Gunner 90 Grain XTP - Most Affordable Defense Ammo

Most Affordable Defense Ammo

Hornady American Gunner 90gr XTP .380 ACP

$17

at GunMag Warehouse

Prices accurate at time of writing

$17 at GunMag Warehouse

Grabagun (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Jacketed hollow point
• Casing: Brass
• Bullet weight: 90 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 1000 fps

The Hornady American Gunner .380 ACP features the XTP projectile and penetrates well.

It offers controlled expansion to allow the round to expand gradually as it travels through the body.

While it doesn't sport 100% reliability on expansion like the Hornady Critical Defense FTX, it definitely stays within the FBI penetration depth standards.

The main draw here is that this ammo is extremely affordable and pretty common.

Best .380 Ammo for Target Practice & Plinking

5. Sellier & Bellot 92 Grain FMJ - Editor's Pick Range Ammo

Editor's Pick Range Ammo

Sellier & Bellot 92gr FMJ .380 ACP

$20

at Grabagun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$20 at Grabagun

Primary Arms (see price)

Sportsman's Guide (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Full metal jacket
• Casing: Brass
• Bullet weight: 92 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 955 fps

Another favorite of the PPT team for range use is Sellier & Bellot.

In our experience, this ammo shoots pretty clean and has given us good accuracy.

Another small bonus is that Sellier & Bellot ammo packs their rounds in boxes smaller than many competitors, making packing your range bag and ammo storage a little bit easier.

6. Magtech 95 Grain FMJ - Best Plinking .380 Ammo

Best Plinking .380 Ammo

Magtech 95gr FMJ .380 ACP

$18

at Firearms Depot

Prices accurate at time of writing

$18 at Firearms Depot

Battlehawk Armory (see price)

GrabAGun (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Full metal jacket
• Casing: Brass
• Bullet weight: 95 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 951 fps

Magtech makes a variety of ammo, all of which is known for solid performance-to-cost ratio. This FMJ ammo tends to be among the more accurate brands we shoot when it comes to general range plinking.

It is right in the middle on the clean-to-dirty scale, which means you shouldn't run into any issues as long as the gun has a reasonable cleaning schedule.

7. Fiocchi 95 Grain FMJ - Easiest to Find

Easiest to Find

Fiocchi 95gr FMJ .380 ACP

$19

at GrabAGun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$19 at GrabAGun

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

Sportsman's Guide (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Full metal jacket
• Casing: Brass
• Bullet weight: 95 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 960 fps

I've never had a problem with Fiocchi; every round has gone bang as it should. However, it's some of the dirtiest ammo I've used. 

After 200 rounds of their 9mm, my slide starts to stick. After 300, I need to clean it if I want to keep things running smoothly.

It is still one of the main brands I use for range ammo.

8. PMC Bronze 90 Grain FMJ - Best Budget Target Ammo

Best Budget Target Ammo

PMC Bronze 90gr FMJ .380 ACP

$18

at GrabAGun

Prices accurate at time of writing

$18 at GrabAGun

BattleHawk Armory (see price)

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Specs

• Bullet type: Full metal jacket
• Casing: Brass
• Bullet weight: 90 gr
• Muzzle velocity: 961 fps

If you are looking for reliable ammo that runs relatively clean, PMC Bronze is a great option.

In the current market, PMC ammo has been fairly available while remaining competitively priced.

This is great for those who are looking to plink with solid ammo at a solid price.

How To Choose The Best .380 Ammo

Testing Procedures for Self-Defense Ammo

The below pictures and data are from a super in-depth post from Lucky Gunner plus a few of our personal criteria. Here are some details of the test, which closely mimics FBI protocol:

• Shot 10 feet away
• 4 layers of fabric in front of the ballistics gel to simulate a "worst case" scenario of clothing

• Ideal penetration of 12-18 inches. More than 18 inches might go completely through the target and hit something beyond. While a 12-inch minimum protects against thicker targets and possibly hitting something like an arm first before the torso.
• 5 shots for more data

• Shorter barreled gun. Most tests are run with a full-size pistol, but Lucky Gunner used a Glock 42, which has a 3.25-inch barrel. Their thought was most people carrying a handgun most likely have a compact-sized one. So, for those of you with a longer barrel, the penetration and velocities might be slightly higher.

Self-defense is only one portion of this article, and our section on range ammo focuses more on the criteria of reliability, cost-effectiveness, and accuracy.

Final Thoughts

The .380 round is one some choose for self-defense or just for some fun on the range. Regardless of what you use it for, the right ammo will only help you reach your goals.

We've listed out some of our favorite .380 ammo brands to get you started and hopefully set you down the right path.

What's your favorite .380 ammo brand? Tell us in the comments below. Don't have one yet? Check out our article on the Best .380 Pistols: Pocket Rockets for some recommendations.

Latest Updates

• April 24, 2024: Updated the product categories as well as added supplemental information to each product.
• February 2, 2024: Updated list with new recommendations, added current California ammo ruling.