.38 Special vs .380 Auto ACP Ammo Comparison - Ballistics Info & Chart

The following ammunition cartridge ballistics information and chart can be used to approximately compare .38 Special vs .380 Auto ACP ammo rounds. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacketing type. As such, the following is for comparative information purposes only and should not be used to make precise predictions of the trajectory, performance, or true ballistics of any particular .38 Special or .380 Auto ACP rounds for hunting, target shooting, plinking, or any other usage. The decision for which round is better for a given application should be made with complete information, and this article simply serves as a comparative guide, not the final say.

For more detailed ballistics information please refer to the exact round in question or contact the manufacturer for the pertinent information. True .38 Special and .380 Auto ACP ballistics information can vary widely from the displayed information, and it is important to understand that the particular characteristics of a given round can make a substantive difference in its true performance.

Velocity

As illustrated in the chart, .38 Special rounds - on average - achieve a velocity of about 880 feet per second (fps) while .380 Auto ACP rounds travel at a velocity of 980 fps. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. That is to say, .38 Special bullets travel 1 times the speed of a 737 airplane at cruising speed, while .380 Auto ACP bullets travel 1.1 times that same speed.

Various calibers

Energy

Furthermore, the muzzle energy of a .38 Special round averages out to 240 ft-lb, while a .380 Auto ACP round averages out to about 190 ft-lb. One way to think about this is as such: a foot-pound is a unit of energy equal to the amount of energy required to raise a weight of one pound a distance of one foot. So a .38 Special round exits the barrel with kinetic energy equal to the energy required for linear vertical displacement of 240 pounds through a one foot distance, while a .380 Auto ACP round exiting the barrel has energy equal to the amount required to displace 190 pounds over the same one foot distance. As a rule of thumb, when it comes to hunting, muzzle energy is what many hunters look at when deciding on what caliber of firearm / ammunition to select. Generally speaking, the higher the muzzle energy, the higher the stopping power.

Again, the above is for comparative information purposes only, and you should consult the exact ballistics for the particular .38 Special or .380 Auto ACP cartridge you're looking at purchasing.

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