.380 ACP (9mm Kurz)
The pocket-pistol cartridge — easy to carry, but tiny blowback guns give it more snap than the ballistics suggest, and ammo runs pricier than 9mm.
Family
Handgun
Introduced
1908
Origin
John Browning, Colt / FN
History
Browning designed the .380 ACP in 1908 for compact blowback pistols like the Colt Model 1908 and FN Model 1910. It served widely as a European police and military sidearm cartridge through the mid-20th century. In America it boomed with the pocket-pistol wave of the 2000s, when guns like the Ruger LCP made it the deep-concealment standard.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
Ruger LCP, Smith & Wesson Bodyguard, Glock 42, Walther PPK, and the classic FN and Colt pocket autos.
Common load types
FMJ for practice and jacketed hollow point for carry.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.