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Pow'R ball ammo now available in .380 ACP
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The .380 PB chrono'd at an average 1128 fps out of a short barrel (NAA Guardian). Not too shabby!
UPS rescheduled my delivery -- I won't get my supply of PB until the 6th.... bummer.
UPS rescheduled my delivery -- I won't get my supply of PB until the 6th.... bummer.
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UPS just delivered my supply of .380 Pow'Rball. It looks good, and is loaded into Starline brass. The Pow'Rball promises 1250 fps and 243 ft/lbs. from the PPK. It will be interesting to see how it performs from the P-3AT
I'll put a mag or two through my P-3AT to test function and then load her up for carry.
I'll put a mag or two through my P-3AT to test function and then load her up for carry.
flyandscuba.....
Please chrono the new ammo with the P3AT and post results. I'm curious how Pow'Rball compares with data from other ammo provided in the July American Rifleman article. From what I’ve read on the Cor-bon site they don't provide barrel lengths so their data is rather meaningless
Please chrono the new ammo with the P3AT and post results. I'm curious how Pow'Rball compares with data from other ammo provided in the July American Rifleman article. From what I’ve read on the Cor-bon site they don't provide barrel lengths so their data is rather meaningless
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Sorry, I don't have a chrono -- but I do have bundles of newspaper soaking as I type. I'll be doing an "oldgrandpa special" for expansion testing.
I understand that the published numbers from Cor-bon in the .380 Pow'Rball were from being fired through a Walther PPK. Some velocity decrease should be expected with the shorter barrel of the P-3AT, but I expect the numbers will be similar to what was obtained by Evan Marshall in the NAA Guardian with the Pow'Rball on the www.stoppingpower.net website:
I understand that the published numbers from Cor-bon in the .380 Pow'Rball were from being fired through a Walther PPK. Some velocity decrease should be expected with the shorter barrel of the P-3AT, but I expect the numbers will be similar to what was obtained by Evan Marshall in the NAA Guardian with the Pow'Rball on the www.stoppingpower.net website:
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Well, after viewing OG's and Byron's work -- I couldn't stand it anymore. I took my wetpack in the garage and did a little "range work" :shock:
Thankfully, I have no neighbors on that side of my house -- only wetlands.
I fired four rounds of the .380 Pow'Rball through my P-3AT into the wet pack, Each round shed the copper jacket and the lead core penetrated 7-8" inches. Expansion of the lead core was minimal. What I pulled out actually appeared as a "lead cup" of almost the same diameter as the original bullet.
I wasgoing to try a .45 Pow'Rball through my PT145 and a .357 Sig. Pow'Rball from my M357 -- but figured I better not risk those retorts with my neighborhood.
Overall, I'm disappointed with the Pow'Rball from the P-3AT. I'll be picking up a couple of boxes of Golden Sabers ASAP.
Here's an example of the recovered lead core -- alongside the chambered round removed to show the smiley in the 380 PB. The smiley was notable to the polymer ball, but comparison of that cartridge with a fresh one indicated no "seating" of the bullet deeper into the case.
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good job!!
thanks, scuba, for that report and posting that picture.
.....edited to remove implications........
I'm not knocking CorBon as I did get fairly good results with the longer barrel Bersa pistol. If CorBon really knew their stuff they would have tested with .380cal short barrel pistols and warned people that a minimum length .380cal barrel of over 3" is needed for their stuff to work. The Pow'rBall bullet has a heavy copper jacket as Flyer pointed out. Part of the "wounding" will be with the large expansion the stiff jacket gets when it separates from the bullet. But the effect is lost due to the jacket only penetrates a short distance while the unexpanded, tiny, 70gr bullet continues on. About like getting hit with a .22LR.
Actually, with the longer barrel the .380cal CorBon 90gr+p round did a much better job than the Pow'rBall. I will keep some of it in the Bersa along with Golden Saber and Hydra Shok. But the Pow'rBall ain't gonna make the grade, not with our P3AT's for sure. Warning, the CorBon 90+p don't work in the P3AT. Again, I'm not knocking CorBon as the Pow'rBall may work fine in 9mm and .45cal. Who knows?
Most of the gunzine writers use water jugs for their tests. They're in for a big surprise with the .380 Pow'rBall even with a longer barrel pistol. Water everywhere and no expansion!!
Thanks, scuba for posting that smiley picture. I thought about that after I was done at the range and packing up so it was too late then. Might not get setback but it could loosen the plastic ball. Whatever.
Hey, byron, if you're reading this, thanks again for getting me the Pow'rBall. Sure opened our eyes. Do you want me to mail you a few rounds for a souvenier??
og.....midi might want to add scuba's picture to the Articles file.
thanks, scuba, for that report and posting that picture.
.....edited to remove implications........
I'm not knocking CorBon as I did get fairly good results with the longer barrel Bersa pistol. If CorBon really knew their stuff they would have tested with .380cal short barrel pistols and warned people that a minimum length .380cal barrel of over 3" is needed for their stuff to work. The Pow'rBall bullet has a heavy copper jacket as Flyer pointed out. Part of the "wounding" will be with the large expansion the stiff jacket gets when it separates from the bullet. But the effect is lost due to the jacket only penetrates a short distance while the unexpanded, tiny, 70gr bullet continues on. About like getting hit with a .22LR.
Actually, with the longer barrel the .380cal CorBon 90gr+p round did a much better job than the Pow'rBall. I will keep some of it in the Bersa along with Golden Saber and Hydra Shok. But the Pow'rBall ain't gonna make the grade, not with our P3AT's for sure. Warning, the CorBon 90+p don't work in the P3AT. Again, I'm not knocking CorBon as the Pow'rBall may work fine in 9mm and .45cal. Who knows?
Most of the gunzine writers use water jugs for their tests. They're in for a big surprise with the .380 Pow'rBall even with a longer barrel pistol. Water everywhere and no expansion!!
Thanks, scuba for posting that smiley picture. I thought about that after I was done at the range and packing up so it was too late then. Might not get setback but it could loosen the plastic ball. Whatever.
Hey, byron, if you're reading this, thanks again for getting me the Pow'rBall. Sure opened our eyes. Do you want me to mail you a few rounds for a souvenier??
og.....midi might want to add scuba's picture to the Articles file.
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Cor-bon did there testing (to publish the advertised ballistics) out of a Walther PPK I'm told. Basically, the same barrel length of your Bersa Thunder.
Maybe try it out of a bersa. See if it does any better.
I might be calling corbon in a few days to see what they used for test firing. It was under development for a while and they might not have it right. But then I dont work there.
For now the Hydra-shoks and the golden sabers with the other type of corbon rounds still in the magazines(the white blue box)
I might be calling corbon in a few days to see what they used for test firing. It was under development for a while and they might not have it right. But then I dont work there.
For now the Hydra-shoks and the golden sabers with the other type of corbon rounds still in the magazines(the white blue box)
No barrel length info from Cor-Bon.....
I just got an email from Cor-Bon sale manager responding to my question why their web site doesn’t provide barrel lengths along with Velocity and Energy values they list. His response was “we provide barrel lengths in our brochures”.
I’ve never seen a Cor-Bon brochure nor have barrel lengths been listed on any ammo boxes I’ve seen. This sounds like a snow job to me.
I'm now skeptical of Cor-Bon’s claims and have decided I'm not going to pay extra cost to purchase their ammo….. My 2 cents.......
I just got an email from Cor-Bon sale manager responding to my question why their web site doesn’t provide barrel lengths along with Velocity and Energy values they list. His response was “we provide barrel lengths in our brochures”.
I’ve never seen a Cor-Bon brochure nor have barrel lengths been listed on any ammo boxes I’ve seen. This sounds like a snow job to me.
I'm now skeptical of Cor-Bon’s claims and have decided I'm not going to pay extra cost to purchase their ammo….. My 2 cents.......
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