.380 ACP
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| .380 ACP | ||
|---|---|---|
 Yugoslavian "9 mm Kratak" (9 mm Short) cartridges, FMJ. |
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| Type | Pistol | |
| Place of origin |  United States |
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| Production history | ||
| Designer | John Browning | |
| Manufacturer | Colt Manufacturing Company | |
| Produced | 1908 | |
| Specifications | ||
| Case type | Rimless, straight | |
| Bullet diameter | .355 in (9.0 mm) | |
| Neck diameter | .373 in (9.5 mm) | |
| Base diameter | .374 in (9.5 mm) | |
| Rim diameter | .374 in (9.5 mm) | |
| Rim thickness | .045 in (1.1 mm) | |
| Case length | .680 in (17.3 mm) | |
| Overall length | .984 in (25.0 mm) | |
| Ballistic performance | ||
| Bullet weight/type | Velocity | Energy |
| 90 gr (5.8 g) JHP | 1,000 ft/s (300 m/s) | 200 ft·lbf (270 J) |
| 95 gr (6.2 g) FMJ | 980 ft/s (300 m/s) | 203 ft·lbf (275 J) |
| Test barrel length: 3.75 Source: Federal Cartridge [1] |
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The .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) (also referred to as the "9 mm Short", "9 mm Browning", "9 mm Kurz", "9 mm Corto" or "9x17mm") pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since.
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[edit] Design
The .380 ACP cartridge was designed for early blowback pistols which lacked a barrel locking mechanism. The locking mechanism that is found on most other pistols is not necessary for the .380 because of the round's low breech pressure when fired; the guide spring is enough to buffer the energy displaced to the slide. This simplifies manufacture of pistols chambered for such a round, generally thereby lowering the cost. It also permits the barrel to be permanently fixed to the frame during firing, which promotes accuracy. There have, however, been a number of locked breech pistols chambered in .380 ACP. There have also been some diminutive submachine guns, such as the Ingram MAC-11.[2]
The cartridge is ballistically similar to the slightly hotter 9x18mm Makarov service pistol cartridge developed in the Soviet Union.[3]
[edit] Performance
The .380 ACP is compact and light, but short ranged and having marginal stopping power.[4] Even so, it remains a popular self-defense cartridge for shooters who want a lightweight pistol with manageable recoil. It is slightly less powerful than a standard-pressure .38 Special and uses 9 mm(.355 in) bullets. The heaviest bullet that can be safely loaded into the .380 ACP is 115 grains (7.5 g), though the standard has long been 85, 90 or 95 grains (5.5, 5.8 or 6.2 g). Many consider the .380 ACP to be the minimum cartridge suitable for self defense, while others draw the line at the slightly more powerful .38 Special or at the less powerful .32 ACP.
The .380 has had somewhat of a recent upsurge in popularity due to some very compact and lightweight pistols chambered for it, known as Mouseguns.
[edit] Ballistic Data
A 6.2-gram (96 gr) bullet leaves a 100-millimetre (4 in) barrel at about 290 m/s (950 ft/s) for a muzzle energy of about 192 foot-pounds (260 J) of energy.
[edit] Notes
- The .380 ACP should not be confused with the semi-rimmed .38 ACP cartridge which was later developed into the potent .38 Super.
- Firearms using the round are often marketed specifically to women, with the lighter recoil often mentioned in market material.
- The .380 ACP is a popular round with armed civilians in many South American and European countries due to legislation restricting the use of "military" calibers.
[edit] Synonyms
- 9x17mm Short
- 9 mm Kurz
- 9 mm Corto
- 9 mm Court
- 9 mm Short
- 9 mm Kratak
- 9 mm Browning Short
- 9 mm Scurt
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Federal Cartridge Ballistics. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ Ingram MAC Model 10 / M10 and Model 11 / M11 submachine guns (USA). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ A Comparison of 9x18 mm Makarov, .380 ACP, and .38 Special (2-inch/50-millimetre barrel). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ .380ACP Terminal Ballistics. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
[edit] External links
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