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Abraham wrote:LEO's I've known have informed that me that a lot of people die from 22/25/32 calibers.

In fact, more so than larger calibers.

However, they die eventually while a few stop breathing right away...

I own a .357 magnum and hate to shoot it. It's painful. From muzzle blast to recoil. When I do shoot it, I load 38 specials. They're pleasant to shoot and are a reasonable defense caliber.

I prefer 9mm and if it hits what I'm shooting at, it's a whole lot better than a miss from a more powerful caliber...

I would say that a pretty large majority of gunshot fatalities I saw in the ER were shot with a .22......but they mostly didn't die right away. For that matter, neither did most of those killed with larger calibers. The one thing that all people who died quickly had in common, regardless of what they were shot with, is that the bullet either holed their descending aorta or the aortic arch, or it scrambled their brains.

Abraham wrote:"Trade it in for the 9mm G43. Not significantly bigger, and packing 9mm instead of .380."

My previous post was in response to the above.

Yeah, I realized that. I also said that if he didn't want to do that, I could suggest some .380 ammo choices.......and did.

And you're right.... the .380 you carry is better than the 9mm you left at home. But when the 9mm pistol is not objectively bigger than the .380 pistol, then the arguments in favor of buying a .380 in the first place diminish.

Abraham wrote:Ammo arguments will never cease.

Is a .45 better than a 9mm?

Is a 9mm better than a 380?

And on, and on, and on...

What is definitely better, is to be armed, irrespective of caliber...

This is not the same argument as 9mm vs .45. In that case, what is being disputed is whether fat, slow, and heavy is better than small, fast, and light.

But in the .380 vs 9mm argument, the bullet is the same caliber, and the dispute is whether it better to have light and fast versus heavyer and faster. Shrugging off the difference in cartridge length (a silly millimeter longer.......sounds like those old Chesterfield cigarette commercials....) as insignificant does a large disservice to the very significant real world difference in power between the two. A 9mm is a "major power" cartridge. The .380 is not.

Subjectively, for me anyway, the .380 isn't even easier to shoot.

When I suggested the OP trade in the G42 for a G43, I understood that he probably wouldn't. He had already made the investment, and so I approached it in jest. Hence my use of this guy at the end of my suggestion >>

But I seriously do believe strongly enough in the superiority of 9mm over .380 as a self-defense round that whenever I am guiding a newbie who seems enchanted by small size in choosing a gun, I will always steer them away from the tiny .380 pistol and toward the tiny 9mm pistol.......which in my experience is easier to shoot too.......and despite my personal preference for .45 ACP over 9mm.

But, to each his own. And you're right.... the .22 in your pocket beats the .44 magnum you left at home.

Suggestions?

Trade it in for the 9mm G43. Not significantly bigger, and packing 9mm instead of .380.

My wife and I both have G43s and love 'em.

But if that isn't an option for you, try Corbon 80 grain DPX: http://shopcorbon.com/corbon/dpx/dpx-ha ... o-80gr-dpx.

Caliber: 380 Auto
Bullet Wt.: 80gr DPX
Velocity: 1050fps
Energy: 196ftlbs
Test Barrel Length: 2.5 Inches
20 rounds per box.

The Corbon DPX line is very highly thought of, and it performs well in short barrels.

I also like the Hornady Critical Defense line: http://www.hornady.com/store/380-Auto-9 ... l-Defense/
1000fps and 200ftlbs at the muzzle.

Then there's 99 grain Federal HST: https://www.federalpremium.com/products ... px?id=1083
1030fps and 233ftlbs at the muzzle.

The problem with .380 is that there isn't a huge array of premium quality self defense ammo for it. And also (although this is admittedly less likely with a Glock), hollow points don't always feed well in .380 pistols......which means that a lot of people carry their .380 with just plain ball ammo.

If you have the means, trade it in on the 9mm, and I think you'll be a lot happier in the long run.