9mm vs. .380

With the ever-increasing deluge of micro 9mm handguns on the market today, it’s easy for many shooters to dismiss the .380 ACP without a second thought. And truthfully, only a few years ago, I would have 100 percent agreed with this statement. Especially given that most 380 handguns suffered from a fundamental mechanical issue that made them ill-suited to both new shooters and those with limited hand or arm strength. But a few new designs from big names have turned this on its head. So, let’s dive deeply into both cartridges and closely examine their benefits to help you make this critical caliber decision.

Developed in Germany around the turn of the century, 9x19mm or 9mm Parabellum is the go-to round for modern semi-automatic pistols. Whether you’re a beat cop with a Glock 19, a soldier with a P320, or a civilian carrying a SIG P365, your handgun is a 9mm.

9mm Pros

Because of its prolific nature, 9mm is available everywhere and, more importantly, very affordable. Unless you’re buying defensive or specialty loads, $100 will get you more than enough 9mm for a training session at the range.

Another significant advantage of 9mm is the variety of loads available for it today. 165gr subsonic rounds pair perfectly with a suppressor to make your 9mm handgun (or carbine/SBR) extra quiet. In comparison, 124gr JHP rounds ensure that your rounds dump most of their energy into a target.

There are even special 135gr rounds designed to defeat automotive glass for civilians or cops who might encounter a threat behind the wheel. Truly, if there’s a special need or niche for a handgun, there’s a 9mm round designed specifically for it.

9mm Cons

For the most part, there really aren’t any. Yes, the round isn’t typically a one-shot fight-stopper, but its small size and light felt recoil means that handguns chambered in it have plenty of spare rounds in the magazine and are easy to get back on target between shots.

The only real drawback for the round is felt recoil in super compact, “micro” handguns. In these guns, the round can be a little snappy. But if you’ve ever had the joy of shooting a tiny J-Frame snub nose 38 special revolver, 9mm micros have vastly less felt recoil with dramatically better terminal performance.

9x17mm, or 9mm kurz,  more commonly known as .380 ACP, is a slightly younger round that, despite being used as a military cartridge in Europe for decades, has a reputation in the United States as anemic.

There are two big reasons for this. The first is that .380 has roughly 30% less muzzle energy than 9mm Parabellum. The second has to do with bullet type. For decades, all ammunition was either lead or ball (AKA FMJ). This meant that .380 didn’t normally stop fights quickly unless a vital area was hit, like the heart or the brain. It also meant that attackers wearing thick denim or leather at medium range could shrug off direct hits as they would often fail to penetrate their clothing.

The energy issue can’t really be solved due to the limitations of the gun designs chambered in it. Still, modern projectile science has greatly elevated the round to proper defensive cartridge status.

One benefit of the reduced power of the round is that extremely small blowback handguns can be chambered in it. Guns like the venerable Walther PPK/s or super tiny Kel-Tec P3AT. These guns are tiny and affordable. Unfortunately, their method of operation means that shooters with limited hand strength often struggle to operate them correctly.

Since blowback firearms lack a locked breech, they rely on a stout recoil spring and hefty bolt (or slide, in this case) to delay the action’s rearward travel. This means they are normally three times harder to rack the slide on, and given their diminutive nature; they are also difficult to grasp properly.

However, many modern Ruger, Walther, and SIG designs now use a locked breech. This means that shooters can get a super compact handgun with roughly 25% less felt recoil than a 9mm of the same size. The downside is decreased ballistic efficacy, but if recoil control is a limiting factor for you, these options remain viable.

Another downside of the round is the cost, .380 is normally between 50 and 60% more expensive per round than 9mm Luger. 

Best is always subjective, and contrary to what my wife says, I’m frequently right. So, I’ve compiled a short list of some of the best examples of guns chambered in both .380 and 9mm for a specific application. This way, you can narrow your search down somewhat to a few guns that I can personally recommend. But I don’t make these recommendations lightly; Every gun on this list I’ve personally shot, or a very close friend has shot at least 500 rounds through. Lastly, this isn’t an exhaustive list; just because your favorite gun isn’t on this list doesn’t make it a poor choice. 

I combined these two guns into one section because they are mechanically identical. For the uninitiated, these 9mm Glock handguns set the gold standard for reliability and capacity when they hit the market. And for good reason: they’re both incredibly reliable and can tolerate huge amounts of use and abuse with just a little bit of extra care. Obviously, this makes them ideal for self and home defense as reliability is the single most important aspect of defensive weapons. But that’s not the only reason you should choose the Glock for home defense.

It also has a very serviceable trigger (and about a million aftermarket replacement options), and very impressive magazine capacity, with aftermarket examples holding up to 100 rounds of 9mm! Combine that fantastic capacity and reliability with very mild recoil, and you’ve got the perfect recipe to protect yourself and your loved ones.

I know I’ll catch hell for this. Still, with such a limited market in terms of higher-capacity .380 firearms, the new B&T TP380 stands alone as the most reliable, capacious 380 Auto pistol available.

Based on the Steyr TMP / B&T TP9/MP9, the TP380 is a semi-automatic pseudo-machine pistol that gives shooters a large-format pistol in a pocket pistol caliber. Why would you want this?

Simply put, the ability to either install a brace or (with a tax stamp) a stock further mitigates the already very mild recoil of .380 Auto from a locked-breech firearm like the TP380. This, combined with a suppressor and an optic, means that a shooter at home has an ultra-quiet, totally controllable compact gun that can be effectively fired with one or two hands. Navigating your home to save loved ones, freeing a hand to manipulate light switches, or grabbing and pulling unruly children back to safety isn’t an issue.

The only downside to this gun is the same as with all B&T firearms: cost. The TP380 runs around $2,500! But, if you want the only .380 Auto I would ever personally endorse for the role of home defense gun, that's how much it will cost you.

When selecting the optimal pistol for concealed carry, the priority lies in seamless concealment, ease of handling, and commendable stopping power. However, it's essential not to overlook ammunition capacity, rendering tiny micro pistols less preferable. While they excel in concealed carry, their limited magazine hardly surpasses a revolver's capability.

Instead, I propose the Glock 43x. Slimmer by nearly half an inch compared to the esteemed G19, the 43x seamlessly blends into a waistband's contours. Moreover, boasting a ten-round magazine capacity, with the option for even greater capacity spare mags, the G43x furnishes shooters with ample firepower for deterring assailants.

In terms of stopping power, the G43x chambers the 9mm luger, solidifying its stance in two-way shooting scenarios. Admittedly, it won't halt an attacker with just any shot placement. However, equipped with appropriate defensive ammunition and precise aiming, the G43x stands as a dependable carry piece.

One of the biggest drawbacks of running a .380 Auto pistol, aside from stopping power, is limited capacity. The majority of them hold seven or fewer rounds. Thankfully, the engineers at Ruger have an eloquent solution: the Security 380.

Feeding from a double-stack magazine, the Ruger Security 380 holds an impressive 15 rounds of ammo in a standard magazine. Plus, unlike the vast majority of .380 pistols, the Ruger pistol functions VIA locked breech - so you won’t be stuck with a snappy pistol despite its relatively anemic chambering.

Best-in-class magazine capacity, soft-shooting, and with a great trigger - what’s not to love? Well, namely, the gun’s thickness. While not nearly as thick as a Glock 19, the little Ruger is still noticeably girthier than similarly sized 9mm pistols like the SIG P365. But it’s not all doom and gloom, the extra width of the pistol’s grip makes it point better in the hand and reduces felt recoil by spreading the recoil impulse over a larger distance. For all these reasons plus Ruger’s legendary warranty, the Security 380 is my pick for conceal carry guns in .380 Auto.

Unless a physical limitation prevents you from handling the recoil impulse of a 9mm handgun, shooters should choose a 9mm Luger every single time. There’s a reason every modern military issues handguns of this caliber - it works. 9mm strikes a great balance between capacity, controllability, and stopping power. Plus, modern offerings are as compact as snub-nosed J-frame 38 specials like the SW442 pictured above.

Yes, .380 Auto pistols can get the job done in the hands of a determined or trained shooter. Still, by the very nature of carrying a handgun over a rifle, you’re already compromising stopping power in favor of portability and concealability. Why would you further compromise this to get a slightly easier gun to shoot?