Informal Test and First Look: Corbon .380 DPX Ammunition

Stephen A. Camp · #1

Hello. I recently received some of this ammunition from Corbon. It is a standard pressure load, something appreciated by many shooters who prefer not loading their handguns with anything +P rated.

The 80-gr. DPX is centered between Federal Classic 90-gr. JHP on the left and Federal 95-gr. FMJ on the right.

It uses a homogeneous copper alloy bullet with a large hollow cavity; there is no jacket and the bullet is designed to perform to the FBI protocol of at least 12" penetration. Not having access to ballistic gelatin nor a constant-temperature laboratory, I do not know how well it will meet such testing, but am extremely hopeful after my own "backyard ballistics" informal testing.

This expanded DPX bullet was fired into water using a Bersa Thunder pistol having a 3.5" barrel. Expansion was remarkably consistent whether fired into water or super-saturated newsprint.

Ten shots were fired approximately ten feet from the chronograph screens and the average velocity from my Bersa Thunder was 1067 ft/sec, slightly higher than Corbon's nominally-listed 1050 ft/sec.

When fired into both water and super-saturated newsprint, expansion was very consistant and uniform. These bullets did not fragment and I could find no loss in bullet weight from recovered bullets.

Accuracy was very good and these cartridges ran smoothly in the Bersa. There was no "hesitation" at all in feeding and ejection was positive. There were zero malfunctions.

Using a rest and a two-hand hold from a seated position, this five-shot group was about average for the DPX and Bersa at 15 yards. Certainly this is farther than most might deem necessary for this type/caliber firearm, but if it is satisfactory at this distance, it should be fine closer in as well. There was no evidence whatsoever of anything other than bullets impacting the target that were stabile in flight; no tipping or out-of-round holes.

Only forty shots were fired and that's not a definitive test for reliability at all, but it does appear that this round should feed in most .380 autoloaders.

If this ammunition might be useful to you, please contact Corbon via their website at http://www.corbon.com for pricing and availability. If it is not on the market yet, it should be very soon.

For those interested in a more detailed report, follow the link below:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Bersa%20Thunder.htm

Best.

KinnyLee · #2

These things are damn impressive from every test I've seen. It's the only pistol ammo that are not magnum rounds that I've heard of that will pierce through a car door and expands reliably when it hits flesh. Definitely need to get some. :D

Stephen A. Camp · #3

Hello. I think that the Barnes X-bullet idea is a good one and I've been very favorably impressed with it in 9mm. I don't know if car door penetration & expansion are in the cards for the .380, but I do think that the 380 DPX is likely to become one of the better performers in this caliber against "soft targets."

Best.