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View Full Version : Old Helmet vs .380


d190
03-14-2011, 08:22 PM
I had an old SyMax helmet that I was throwing away..

Back 25 years ago, I owned a AMT Backup .380 as my second handgun while on duty. I fired several of the premium rounds on the market back then and was not impress with the round at all...I sold it and bought a Beretta Tipup barrel 22lr and carried that for years...especially when I got some CCI Stingers in it.

Back to the last couple of years, retired from Department but with a Department issued CCW...I had been carrying a Glock 36 (45ACP), but it is a bit large for pocket carry in the summer...

So back to looking at a lightweight 380...bought a Ruger LCP and been carrying it often in pocket holster....I bought about every variety of current premium ammo out there...I have been impress by the current factory ammo available.

Tomorrow is trash day...so the old helmet and I take a motorcycle trip out in the hills. I fired fmj and the Hornady Critical Defense Handgun Ammo. I was impressed with the Hornady round...back to years ago, .380 jhp would have flattened on the helmet and took a layer or two of the fiberglass and died. those old rounds did not have enough poop to penetrate anything hard or heavy clothing...

This new round penetrated and opened up nicely....so it is definitely a winter round when jerks are wearing heavy clothing....I will probably switch to a more conventional jhp with the largest frontal cross section and deep cavity for summer when it only go through light clothing or bare skin.

And I had fun with HJCs/DOT label on the inside...

Rewind
03-15-2011, 08:12 AM
I can just imagine someone finding the in the trash!!!! You oughta put some red stains inside it!!!! :roflblack:

Wind
03-15-2011, 09:51 AM
I love the line, "No helmet can protect against all possible impact." I guess not.

Screamin' Eagle
03-15-2011, 10:18 AM
That reminds me of a training video that we use...

Wind
03-15-2011, 01:14 PM
As someone who is not that knowledgable about guns, I didn't understand half of what you said.

d190
03-15-2011, 01:28 PM
As someone who is not that knowledgable about guns, I didn't understand half of what you said.

Basically that .380ACP ammo has greatly improved in penetration and wound cavity. And I was just having a bit of fun with a helmet that is in today's trash....

25 years ago, I was not a bit happy with the commerical ammo available for the .380...think of .380 as a baby 9mm...

Commercial ammo has gotten better. But you still have to consider the conditions you would likely face if one had to use a handgun against another human. Time of year and clothing has a lot to do with bullet type.