Why is the 380 ammo so sensitive?

[RogerLeo]

Almost every 380 I have owned has hiccups from jamming to light primer strikes. 9mm 45 40 22 cals in all my pistols run pretty smooth. i just picked up an Interarms APK and it is giving light primer strikes on some ammo. But other ammos it is crushing the primer. I guess I'll need to try different types of ammo until I can find one I trust. Strangely Remington 88 GR. Jacketed HP running good but PPU 94 GR ball(misfire leaning on bottle cap) is getting light strikes causing misfires. The casings with the silver primer are the Remington's. The one leaning and others on the left are PPU. Sorry about bad photo but you can see the Rems are getting a good strike. Also Hornady Critical Defense fire fine. What is your favorite 380 Ammo?

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[Hodgie]

It's typically the pistol having a week, worn or light hammer spring that doesn't have enough force to ignite a harder primer and not so much the ammo. Put that same ammo in a CZ-83 which us a European police/military pistol and I guarantee it will fire because of how they have the pistol set up.

PPU is known to use harder primers try some other American manufactured ammunition like blazer brass.

[danhr]

Question: "Why is .380 ammo so sensitive?"

Answer: "because .380 is made for women."

[john9001]

now that's funny.

[FJW]

If you ever get hold of a 9x18 Makarov pistol you will have everything you were looking for in a 380 and a little bit more.

[Emptymag]

I have 3 pistols in .380ACP and have never had this issue.

Colt Pony
F.I. Model D (Colt clone)
Kel-Tec P3AT

I've probably only fired about 4 or 5 brands through them. Whatever is on the shelf at Walmart mostly and some PPU I orded online.

[Bang]

No problems with P3AT or a Walther PPK, or an HSc when I had one.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

Never insinuate to a 380 round that it is not worthy of being shot out of any gun they get disgusted and misfire on purpose ! personally i am more respectful of 25 acp after getting hit twice !

[Hodgie]

If you ever get hold of a 9x18 Makarov pistol you will have everything you were looking for in a 380 and a little bit more.

The only issue is a complete lack of good performing self defense ammunition. The Hornday FTP is good but not easy to find. PPU's HP defense ammo is garbage when it comes to expansion. If you roll your own then there are more possibilities.

[Yellowfin]

I load my own practice ammo with Xtreme 100gr plated flat point, 2.7gr Titegroup, and winchester primers and it feeds and fires every time. The Remington 88's are also 100%.