.380 ACP

.380 ACP
A .380 ACP pistol cartridge by Sellier & Bellot
TypePistol
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerJohn Browning
Designed1908
ManufacturerColt's Manufacturing Company
Produced1908–present
Specifications
Case typeRimless, straight
Bullet diameter.355 in (9.0 mm)
Land diameter.348 in (8.8 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)
Case capacity11.8 grains h20
Primer typeSmall pistol
Maximum pressure21,500 psi (148 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
90 gr (6 g) Buffalo JHP 1,025 ft/s (312 m/s) 210 ft⋅lbf (280 J)
95 gr (6 g) Federal FMJ 980 ft/s (300 m/s) 203 ft⋅lbf (275 J)
45 gr (3 g) RBCD TFSP 1,835 ft/s (559 m/s) 337 ft⋅lbf (457 J)
100 gr (6 g) Buffalo +P HC-FN 1,160 ft/s (350 m/s) 299 ft⋅lbf (405 J)
85 gr (6 g) Norma MHP 1,280 ft/s (390 m/s) 309 ft⋅lbf (419 J)
Test barrel length: 3.75 inches (95.3 mm)
Source(s):
  • Federal Cartridge[1]
  • Buffalo Bore Ammunition[2]
  • RBCD Performance Plus Ammunition[3]
  • Norma Ammunition[4]

The .380 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), also known as .380 Auto, .380 Automatic, or 9×17mm, is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge that was developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case.[5] It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, for use in its new Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless semi-automatic, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since, seeing wide use in numerous handguns (typically smaller weapons). Other names for .380 ACP include 9mm Browning, 9mm Corto, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short, and 9mm Browning Court (which is the C.I.P. designation). It should not be confused with .38 ACP. The .380 ACP does not strictly conform to cartridge naming conventions, named after the diameter of the bullet, as the actual bullet diameter of the .380 ACP is .355 inches.

  1. ^ "Federal Cartridge Ballistics". Federal Cartridge. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  2. ^ "Buffalo Bore .380 ACP +P 100gr. Hard Cast F.N." Buffalo Bore Ammunition. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  3. ^ "380 Auto RBCD Performance Plus 45gr. Total Fragmenting Soft Point Ammo". RBCD Performance Plus Ammunition. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Norma .380 Auto MHP 85 gr". Norma Ammunition. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  5. ^ Wilson, R. K. Textbook of Automatic Pistols, p. 241. Plantersville, SC: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1943.

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