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738 Best Defense Rounds

16K views 60 replies 27 participants last post by  olfarhors 
#1 ·
I just purchased a Taurus 738. The gun is functioning perfectly. Now I need to purchase some Personal Defense Rounds. Is there a particular brand(s) that works best in the 738 TCP?

I look forward to your responses! Thanks in advance!

Jim
 
#5 ·
Critical DEFENSE is sometimes called a poor SD choice due to it's inability to pass the FBI protocol for 12" minimum penetration in ballistic gelatin.
Goldenloki shows it going 11.2". Close to the minimum. Oh so close! I only carry rounds that have passed the FBI ballistic test protocol. Just my opinion.

Here's a blurb of the net. Take it for what it's worth.... And always remember that an accurate hit with a marginal round is better than a clean miss with a
superior round!

.380 ACP (9mm Short, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz)
Now we're getting into some decent stopping power. The three or four best .380 JHP rounds have better stopping power than ANY bullet fired out of 2" barrel .38 Special snub-nose. All of the Big Five make good hollowpoints for this caliber. The Remington 88 grain JHP is the most reliably-feeding hollowpoint but slightly less effective than the Hydra-shok or Cor-Bon. Reliability is crucial, and thus you must test the rounds before carrying.
I recommend the following two cartridges above all others:
-Federal 90 gr. Hydra-shok (P380HS1 H) - the best standard-pressure .380 JHP load, period.
-Cor-Bon 90 gr. JHP - the most powerful .380 hollowpoint, bar none.
These are the two best .380 loads, and I recommend them for these guns:
SIG/Sauer P230, Beretta 84/85, Browning BDA, CZ-83, H&K P7K3, Walther PPK and PPK/s. The Russian, East German, Chinese and Bulgarian Makarov pistols are apparently perfectly reliable with the hot Cor-Bon, and the strong all-steel construction of these guns should stand up to an infinite amount of these potent rounds. I have heard that the Colt does also well with the hot Cor-Bon JHP, which you should definitely look into if you own a Colt .380. You have better stopping power than any .38 snub-nose revolver (the long-time favorite concealment sidearm) when you load your .380 with these two rounds.
Other good .380 ACP jacketed hollowpoints:
- Remington 102 gr. Golden Saber BJHP (GS380M) - Another excellent .380 load (the BJHP stands for "Brass Jacketed Hollow Point"), the heaviest one available. I prefer the Cor-Bon and Hydra-shok, but many (including Sanow) like this new Remington round for its deeper penetration. I'll stick with the Cor-Bon and Hydra-shok, but the choice is yours.
- CCI-Speer 90 gr. Gold Dot JHP A good all-around hollowpoint.
- Remington 88 gr. JHP (R380AI): A good high-velocity hollowpoint that feeds well in: Colt Government Model .380, H&K HK4, Taurus PT-58, older PP and PPK, Bersa .380, Beretta 70s, Makarov and Hungarian FEG. These are all good guns that might choke on other hollowpoints but they will probably feed the Remington fine. This hollowpoint was redesigned in 1993 and gives excellent performance while retaining its rounded shape for positive feeding. If your .380 chokes on other JHP loads, try fifty rounds of the Remington 88 gr. through your gun and see if it improves.
.380 ACP hollowpoints to avoid:
-Winchester 85 gr Silvertip (X380ASHP) I really cannot recommend this weak and jam-prone round. It works reliably in a few modern European guns (e.g. SIG 230, Beretta 84F), but every load named above offers better performance. The Silvertip will likely jam in any American-made .380 automatic. Russian .380 Makarovs and PPK series guns may jam with the Silvertip, as well. The .380 Silvertip was once state-of-the-art, but has since been superceded by superior designs. It is also quite expensive. Look elsewhere.
- PMC-Eldorado Starfire 95 gr. JHP This round is similarly weak and jam-prone.
- Federal 90 gr. JHP (380BP) (see below)
- Hornady 90 gr. XTP-HP (9010) Both the Federal 380BP and the Hornady XTP-HP never expand and may jam many guns due to their truncated-cone bullet nose profiles. Pass by these two.

Ammunition For The Self-Defense Firearm
 
#8 ·
That's why 2nd and 3rd hits are desired to quickly stop an attacker. It's hard to do accurately, but provides a dramatically greater chance of stopping an attack quickly. The "weaker" the round used the greater the benefit in making 2 or 3 hits. Train so it's natural to go pow-pow or even pow-pow--pow.
 
#7 ·
I've read the same thing about Crit. Defense, the experts talking said Crit. Duty was just as effective. I have started carrying the Hydra-Shoks, they are reported to be excellent in .380 ca.
 
#13 ·
You can use them if you want. But the fmj wound channel is typically 1/3-1/2 the bullet diameter. Sort of like sticking them with an ice pick. Attacks are stopped by causing the attacker to lose interest. Maybe the sound of the gun racking does it. Maybe "just a flesh wound" does it. Maybe. Typically those things don't do it, especially with a determined attacker or one on drugs. Then you must cause enough damage inside the attacker to MAKE THEM lose interest. Yeah, a lucky hit to a nerve center will work. But a wider wound channel with cut flesh will cause dramatically greater bleeding than a pierced wound from a fmj. Bleeding causes the body to shut down and the attack to stop.

Your gun, your call. But if you are choosing FMJ for reliability, you might want to look into eFMJ rounds. (But sadly, I don't think they come in .380.) or you may want to look into copper frangible rounds. They won't penetrate deeply, but do cause a lot of surface disturbance.
 
#11 ·
With the modern design all manufature use, I would concentrate on what functions 100% of the time in your gun. If you find a few different brands that do, then concentrate on penetration.

The Hornady products work 100% of the time in my TCP.
 
#14 ·
Look at - Ballistics 101.com for a listing of most all cartidges.
I talked to one the engineers at BB and was told that the +P used on some ammo is just a advertising ploy to promot a load that is just loaded to a saami max and not down loaded like so many loads out there. Makes sense that they would not build a load that was something to cause them issues over.
 
#15 ·
Look at - Ballistics 101.com for a listing of most all cartidges.
I talked to one the engineers at BB and was told that the +P used on some ammo is just a advertising ploy to promot a load that is just loaded to a saami max and not down loaded like so many loads out there. Makes sense that they would not build a load that was something to cause them issues over.
Thats exactly the case, with all the so called 380 Plus P rounds!
there is no set SAAMI pressure rating for a plus P ammunition in 380 caliber.
actually very few rounds have a listed plus p rating.
Where the posisble problems MAY come in and is has been reported (not saying its true as i have not witnessed it) but those loading that close to top pressure SAAMI ratings there had better be NOTHING weak in the pistol or cartridge or probelms arise.
anyone that loads the 380 can tell you about the extreme pressure spikes with very minor increases in powder, or decreases in OAL of the cartridge.
The best Plus P 380 round out there is called the 9 MM handgun.
 
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#20 · (Edited)
Today I had the opportunity to run several different rounds through my "A" model TCP after putting the Pierce grip extenders on......First i cranked a mag worth of Hornaday crtical defense....Very nice round. Snappy but not unduly so...Recoil was controllable...Then ran a mag worth of Corbon 90 grain +p JHP at 1050fps.........This round i found to be a bit punishing on the hand...recoil was much snappier than the Hornady CD....

Just an aside, i told my brother afterwards that i hoped the TCP was rated for +P... He jokingly told me "yours is is now." I finished off with a box of magtech 380 95 grain hard ball.........after the corbon, this round seemed liked a pussy cat...Easy on the hand with good control and accuracy.

The TCP performed very well... It ate everything without the hint of any problem......The Pierce grip extender helped a lot as far as control went for my hand. It has not effected the concealability at all in using my same pocket holster......So needless to say, im pleased with the grip extension and the great performance of my little TCP.....
 
#24 · (Edited)
Today I had the opportunity to run several different rounds through my "A" model TCP after putting the Pierce grip extenders on......First i cranked a mag worth of Hornaday crtical defense....Very nice round. Snappy but not unduly so...Recoil was controllable...Then ran a mag worth of Corbon 90 grain +p JHP at 1050fps.........This round i found to be a bit punishing on the hand...recoil was much snappier than the Hornady CD....
..
The Hornady XTP and FTX are modern design self defense rounds and so recoil is reduced, flash is reduced and performance typically in short barreled weapons is good.
Same with the Gold dots, Hydra shoks and most other modern designs.
of course there are several schools of thought on self defense rounds, one being power.
I find that the Remington Golden Sabres have a bit more recoil than the Hornady and Gold Dot as well, being a 102 grain pill, but not nearly as unruly as the Corbon or Buffalo rounds.
I don't really buy into the low flash ammoes, cause I figure the likely hood of me having to use my pocket 380 will be greatest at night, and really if you light off a firecracker in the dark you gonna have night blindness for a while ?
we all make decisions that we live with!
what i have decided on and what i like is a Sig sauer 238 , single action pocket pistol, has a short, light trigger, a bit more weight than the poly pistols, I carry either Gold Dots or Hornady FTX in it, I can at 6 -8 feet pop 7 rounds in less than 3 seconds and keep all in center mass on a silhouette.
that works for me!
I am playing with a 80 grain all copper hollow point that has even less recoil and better expansion/pentration than the Gold Dot/FTX but still playing with that.
 
#21 ·
I always carry Corbon in my 40 s&w, that is one hell of a round, I can always tell when I am shooting that round. I would like to try it in my TCP but was not sure It would hold up.... I guess I will give it a try.

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#22 ·
I always carry Corbon in my 40 s&w, that is one hell of a round, I can always tell when I am shooting that round. I would like to try it in my TCP but was not sure It would hold up.... I guess I will give it a try.
better get a real big old hammer!
thats going to take some real pressure to force a Cor-Bon in 40 caliber into the chamber of a 32 auto or 380 auto.
IF you get it to fit and do shoot it, please video tape it and post it here, i want to see!!-LOL
 
#25 ·
In my 380's I always carry jhp -whether its Hornady CD or Remington UMC 88 jhp (my target load).
I have had good results with 88jhp and water jugs-no denim. But just in case a jhp does not open-it will penetrate deeply, and it may tumble.
The idea is that a jhp will do more damage, even if it doesn't open fully.
Some people test with 4 layers of denim....and the rounds that do good in those tests are better no doubt. But where I live, 2 layers of denim is very unlikely, even in winter.
My pick for target loads is Rem 88 jhp because its cheap $31.95/100 at Walmart. It also makes a fair carry load. I just tried out some Win. 95gr PDX. I can say this- it is hot. I can definitely feel the difference in my hand. Its like $0.98 per round, and the Rem 88 is like $0.34.
 
#27 ·
I just got back from shooting a box of 20 rd pdx, I am impressed. It shoot through two 1 gallon water jugs, then I shot it through a 1" phone book and straight through a gallon water jug... I know there is no real merit to this but non the less it impressed me. Now I'm going out to buy another box, oh and all rounds feed great.



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#26 ·
yea thats what i kind of like about the Remington Golden Sabres is the additional weight!They also seme to feed very,very well in my assorted 380 pistols. same here the ONLY thing thta you find wearing 2 or more layers of denim is the dreaded "MILK JUG"-LOL
 
#28 ·
Nice uniform expansion!
and it looks like it stayed together as well!
 
#29 ·
Yes, it stayed together. I know this is not scientific or any thing but I was really impressed with the penetration of this round. I feel a little better carrying the TCP now.... I have had a lot of folks tell me a jacket could stop a 380 lol. am not so sure of that now... A 1" phone book then a gallon of water is a lot thicker then any jacket I have seen.


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#33 ·
I have a new 738, I guess I should get a new recoil spring, just cause they are usually the first things to go. Anyone suggest other parts to have just in case?
 
#34 ·
Haven't had my 738 apart in quite some time!
doesn't the 738 have a dual recoil set?
2 springs?
or am i remembering incorrectly----AGAIN!-LOL
 
#35 ·
Single recoil spring- but it separates from the rod. Maybe that's what you were thinking.
 
#39 ·
I stand corrected- C model- I never allowed the two springs to come apart, had assumed it was just one. Cleaning it now, and going to put the extension on one of hte mags. Got the ext's thru Ebay, bought two and they were here in 4 days. The other mag is at Taurus- being replaced, or fixed.
 
#40 ·
I stand corrected- C model- I never allowed the two springs to come apart, had assumed it was just one. QUOTE]

Now its just not nice to mess with an old mans mind!---LOL
 
#41 ·
I'm old, too, maybe that's why I was wrong. Too impatient to get too technical.
 
#45 ·
Thanks for all of the input! Based on what I have read here, I think I will try the Hornady CD rounds... Sounds like they are reliable for feeding, thats what is most important to me.
Thanks again!
well certainly in my mind that IS the msot important factor!
I mean you just are not going to scare an attacker by dropping the magazine out of a jammed gun and showing him what you "WERE" gouing to shoot him with if the gun had not jammed!
any round you should throughly test however for function in your particular gun.
perhaps i am lucky but i generally find several ammunitions that work just fine a a gun, some don't like a particular round but msot will accept multiple ammunitions just fine.
 
#43 ·
As an aside, to add some intel to Trooperc7's thot's, ...I called Taurus when I got my 738 and asked if it was capable of high-side -of-the-SAAMI-spectrum, and the tech said it was. Just don't feed it a steady diet of hot loads.
I have been carrying the Win. PDX1 Defenders also. I like them as does the weapon. I put one in the tube and stagger-load the mag with a ball round, HP, Ball etc. Works out well. Although I will also add, my go-too pills are the Federal Hydra-Shoks. We all want to have the best of the best for ours and our family's defense. But...(no flames please) as a civilian these day, I feel that most any of the HP's that are manufactured by reputable companies will prolly do the job we require of them. The FBI penetration test for a HP bullet has some pretty strigent standards...like after passing thru a angled winshield, or 2 sheets of metal or cinder block (etc) it must also pass thru some 12" of ballistic geletin. I really don't believe I will be needing a bullet that costs about $1.50 a piece. I hope I never have to use my weapon in defense, but if I do...I practice at 7 yards...bad-breath-distances....if I shoot someone at much greater distances, I believe I will be a guest of the state and my conjical visits won't be near-as-often as I would desire. Now the Castel Doctrine is a different story. My home defense weapons platforms will do the job intended for them. Anyways, thanks for listening. Regards Semper-fi and This We'll Defend Mike
 
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