Penetration of 380 - The Firearms Forum

cgraz1187 · 11-09-2006, 01:24 PM

I was wondering if someone knew if a 380acp will penetrat 2 wooden doors, I just purchased a bersa thunder and I wnated to try it out down the basement. I have a little area set up down there that I have used with my 25. Basically 2 solid old wood doors in front a a piece of drywall... behind it.. solid brick. Will the 380 penetrate the 2 doors and hit the brick?
Thanks in advance.

358 winchester · 11-09-2006, 02:18 PM

I would try it outside first and make sure to always use the same brand and bullet type as you did in the test. also the same distance!
Ron

Kenneth · 11-09-2006, 05:38 PM

Wood won't hold up to a lot before you chew a hole . If you seriously want an indoor range , and your handy with a welder , drop by a local Welding shop or scrap yard , get yourself 3 sheets of 5/16" steel about 4ft. high by 3ft. wide . Set one sheet at about a 60 degree angle and use the other two for side shield welded to the angled piece , then weld a piece about 3ft wide by 5" minumim tall across the bottom front , on the two side shields at the top you can cut you some hand slots for you and a friend to grasp for moving if you like .
Fill the bottom with sand to the top of the botttom piece . Use cardboard and little imagination for taget holder or sections of the door to slow the rds up a litle before striking the steel .
I would really suggest lead round nose as even a 380 with FMJ's are going to crack it sooner or later . Also you will need a vent fan , gunsmoke and lead will get stiffling indoors a lot sooner than you think . I wouldn't recomend anything stronger than 38 speacial wadcutters or 380 led round nose , for ricochette safety and back stop lasting . We made one outside and about every 100-150 rds of 357 mag require welding cracks .
If your basement is cinderblock you are risking costing yourself some expense if you or a buddy shoot through your stop or miss it entierly , leaks and all sorts of pains in the rear .
We also built somewhat smaller scale stops for a indoor rimfire range , 22's only and after a while even 1/4" steel looks like it's got the mumps with L.R. and even rimfires require some ventalation if you get a half dozen or so shooters going .
If you don't mind cycling the action manually , you can get some plastic 38 cal. bullets and use primers only for some surprisingly accurate shooting at 10-15 yds . Reducing the need for such a heavy backstop , cardboard box filled with crumpled news papers works great for these .
Edited this to say , if you don't have at LEAST 50 ft of shooting range in your basement , I would strongly suggest against it . Not trying to be a stick in the mud , but a safe distance and plenty of sand is a big factor when using a deflecting device for a stop , cannot stress this enough .
Kenneth

southernshooter · 11-09-2006, 11:11 PM

If you hit it is the same spot enought times any thing will penetrate
But when you do it I would not use FMJ's

Ursus · 11-10-2006, 06:14 AM

You may consider getting Glasers or MagSafes. Be sure of reliable feeding. (That would be expensive with an auto pistol, I know. That´s a plus for revolvers)

11-09-2006, 01:24 PM	#1
cgraz1187 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1	Penetration of 380 I was wondering if someone knew if a 380acp will penetrat 2 wooden doors, I just purchased a bersa thunder and I wnated to try it out down the basement. I have a little area set up down there that I have used with my 25. Basically 2 solid old wood doors in front a a piece of drywall... behind it.. solid brick. Will the 380 penetrate the 2 doors and hit the brick? Thanks in advance. -->

11-09-2006, 02:18 PM	#2
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: Penetration of 380 I would try it outside first and make sure to always use the same brand and bullet type as you did in the test. also the same distance! Ron __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

11-09-2006, 05:38 PM	#3
Kenneth Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 34	Re: Penetration of 380 Wood won't hold up to a lot before you chew a hole . If you seriously want an indoor range , and your handy with a welder , drop by a local Welding shop or scrap yard , get yourself 3 sheets of 5/16" steel about 4ft. high by 3ft. wide . Set one sheet at about a 60 degree angle and use the other two for side shield welded to the angled piece , then weld a piece about 3ft wide by 5" minumim tall across the bottom front , on the two side shields at the top you can cut you some hand slots for you and a friend to grasp for moving if you like . Fill the bottom with sand to the top of the botttom piece . Use cardboard and little imagination for taget holder or sections of the door to slow the rds up a litle before striking the steel . I would really suggest lead round nose as even a 380 with FMJ's are going to crack it sooner or later . Also you will need a vent fan , gunsmoke and lead will get stiffling indoors a lot sooner than you think . I wouldn't recomend anything stronger than 38 speacial wadcutters or 380 led round nose , for ricochette safety and back stop lasting . We made one outside and about every 100-150 rds of 357 mag require welding cracks . If your basement is cinderblock you are risking costing yourself some expense if you or a buddy shoot through your stop or miss it entierly , leaks and all sorts of pains in the rear . We also built somewhat smaller scale stops for a indoor rimfire range , 22's only and after a while even 1/4" steel looks like it's got the mumps with L.R. and even rimfires require some ventalation if you get a half dozen or so shooters going . If you don't mind cycling the action manually , you can get some plastic 38 cal. bullets and use primers only for some surprisingly accurate shooting at 10-15 yds . Reducing the need for such a heavy backstop , cardboard box filled with crumpled news papers works great for these . Edited this to say , if you don't have at LEAST 50 ft of shooting range in your basement , I would strongly suggest against it . Not trying to be a stick in the mud , but a safe distance and plenty of sand is a big factor when using a deflecting device for a stop , cannot stress this enough . Kenneth Last edited by Kenneth; 11-09-2006 at 06:03 PM..

11-09-2006, 11:11 PM	#4
southernshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Deep South Mississippi Posts: 5,943	Re: Penetration of 380 If you hit it is the same spot enought times any thing will penetrate But when you do it I would not use FMJ's __________________ Only you can see this

11-10-2006, 06:14 AM	#5
Ursus Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: El Salvador, Central America. Posts: 1,030	Re: Penetration of 380 You may consider getting Glasers or MagSafes. Be sure of reliable feeding. (That would be expensive with an auto pistol, I know. That´s a plus for revolvers) __________________ SI VIS PACEM, PARABELLUM.