380 vs 9mm vs 45 ACP 2026: Ballistics, Recoil, Size & Self-Defense Compared

The 9x19mm Parabellum was designed by Georg Luger in 1901 for the German Navy. The cartridge prioritized lighter bullets at higher velocity, enabling smaller and lighter pistols with higher magazine capacity. The 9mm became the NATO standard pistol cartridge in 1955, and today it is the most widely used handgun cartridge in the world. Over 60% of law enforcement agencies in the United States issue 9mm duty pistols.

The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) was developed by John Browning in 1905 and adopted by the U.S. military in 1911 with the iconic M1911 pistol. The cartridge was designed in response to the Philippine-American War, where the .38 Long Colt revolver failed to stop determined attackers. The military demanded a pistol cartridge with "one-shot stopping power," and the .45 ACP's heavy 230-grain bullet traveling at 830 fps delivered that capability. The cartridge served as the U.S. military sidearm caliber for 74 years.

The .380 ACP (also known as 9mm Short or 9x17mm) was designed by Browning in 1908 for the Colt Model 1908 pocket pistol. The cartridge was engineered specifically for compact, blowback-operated pistols where a locked breech was unnecessary. Its moderate pressure (21,500 psi SAAMI max) and shorter case allow simpler, lighter pistol designs that prioritize concealability over raw performance. The .380 shares the same 0.355-inch bullet diameter as 9mm but differs in case length (17.3mm vs 19.15mm) and operating pressure.

The critical inflection point for all three cartridges was the development of modern hollow point ammunition in the 1990s and 2000s. When limited to full metal jacket ammunition, the .45 ACP's larger diameter created objectively larger wound channels. Modern hollow points engineered to expand to 1.5-2x their original diameter eliminated much of this advantage, because a 9mm bullet expanding from 0.355" to 0.60"+ creates a wound channel comparable to a .45 ACP expanding from 0.452" to 0.70". The .380's lower velocity makes reliable expansion more difficult, which is why bullet selection matters most in that caliber.

The ballistic spectrum across these three calibers is wide. The .380 ACP fires a light bullet (85-95 grains) at moderate velocity (900-1,000 fps from a 3.5" barrel), producing 190-240 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. The 9mm fires a medium bullet (115-147 grains) at higher velocity (1,070-1,200 fps from a 4" barrel), producing 332-364 ft-lbs. The .45 ACP fires a heavy bullet (185-230 grains) at lower velocity (830-950 fps from a 5" barrel), producing 356-400 ft-lbs. Each achieves its energy through a different balance of mass and velocity.

Velocity drives hollow point expansion, which is where these differences become practically significant. Premium hollow points are engineered to expand reliably within a specific velocity window. 9mm defensive loads are designed for 950-1,200 fps, where expansion is consistent. Premium .380 loads operate at 900-1,000 fps from short barrels, placing them at the bottom edge of reliable expansion velocity, making them more sensitive to barrel length and clothing barriers. The .45 ACP operates at the lower end of the velocity spectrum, but its larger starting diameter means it needs less expansion to create an effective wound channel.

Momentum (mass x velocity) tells a different story than energy. The .45 ACP produces roughly 30% more momentum than 9mm, which translates to greater penetration through barriers and more tissue displacement. The .380 produces the least momentum of the three. This is why some shooters still prefer .45 ACP for specific applications: the heavier bullet maintains its path through intermediate barriers better than the lighter, faster 9mm or the much lighter .380.

The FBI's ammunition testing protocol, established after the 1986 Miami shootout, defines the performance standard for defensive handgun ammunition. The protocol requires 12-18 inches of penetration in calibrated 10% ballistic gelatin through six different barriers: bare gel, heavy clothing, sheet steel, wallboard, plywood, and automobile glass. Any load that meets these standards is considered adequate for defensive use regardless of caliber.

Premium 9mm defensive loads consistently meet this standard with margin. Federal HST 147gr achieves 15.24 inches of penetration with 0.606 inches of expansion. Speer Gold Dot 124gr achieves 14.50 inches with 0.538 inches of expansion. These results fall squarely within the FBI performance window. For our complete ranking of 9mm defensive loads, see the Best 9mm Self-Defense Ammo guide.

Premium .45 ACP defensive loads also perform well. Federal HST 230gr achieves 14.6 inches of penetration with 0.850 inches of expansion. The .45 ACP's larger expanded diameter (0.70-0.85") creates a wider wound channel than expanded 9mm (0.50-0.60"), though the difference is less dramatic than comparing unfired bullet diameters suggests.

Premium .380 ACP defensive loads are more inconsistent. Hornady Critical Defense 90gr achieves 10.5-11.5 inches of penetration with 0.45-0.50 inches of expansion. Federal HST Micro 99gr achieves 11.0-12.5 inches with 0.50-0.55 inches of expansion. Several loads fall short of the 12-inch minimum, particularly through heavy clothing barriers where the lower velocity fails to drive reliable expansion. The .380 has less margin for error in defensive scenarios.

Recoil is one of the clearest differentiators across these three calibers. A .380 ACP 95gr load from a Ruger LCP MAX (10.6 oz) produces roughly 3.5 ft-lbs of free recoil energy. A 9mm 124gr load from a Glock 19 (24 oz) produces roughly 5.5 ft-lbs. A .45 ACP 230gr load from a Glock 21 (29.5 oz) produces roughly 7.5 ft-lbs. Despite the .45 ACP pistol being the heaviest, it still produces the most felt recoil.

Split times illustrate the practical impact. Competitive shooters typically achieve 0.15-0.20 second splits with .380, 0.18-0.22 seconds with 9mm, and 0.25-0.32 seconds with .45 ACP. In a five-round defensive engagement, .380 and 9mm allow the shooter to place all five rounds significantly faster than .45 ACP while maintaining the same accuracy standard.

The .380's low recoil has real training benefits. Shooters who flinch or anticipate recoil develop bad habits that take effort to correct. Starting with .380 can help new shooters build proper trigger discipline without recoil anxiety. However, there is a counterintuitive factor: the lightest .380 pocket pistols can feel snappy despite the cartridge's lower energy. A 10-ounce pocket pistol absorbs recoil differently than a 24-ounce compact. The blowback action common in .380 designs produces a sharper impulse than the locked-breech action in 9mm pistols.

Lower recoil also means less shooter fatigue during extended practice. Combined with lower ammunition cost, 9mm creates a compounding training advantage over .45 ACP: the 9mm shooter can afford more practice rounds and shoot them with less strain. The .45 ACP's recoil impulse is often described as a "push" rather than a "snap," which some experienced shooters find more controllable, but measurable data (split times, qualification scores) consistently favors the lighter-recoiling calibers for speed and accuracy.

Platform size is the reason .380 ACP still exists in 2026. The cartridge's lower pressure and shorter case enable pistol designs that are genuinely smaller than any 9mm option. The Ruger LCP MAX weighs 10.6 ounces and measures 5.17 inches long by 0.81 inches wide. These pistols fit in a front jeans pocket, a suit jacket pocket, or an ankle holster without printing.

The smallest 9mm pistols are meaningfully larger. The SIG P365 weighs 17.8 ounces and measures 5.8 inches long by 1.06 inches wide, 68% heavier, 12% longer, and 31% wider than the LCP MAX. These are excellent concealed carry pistols, but they require an IWB holster and a belt. They do not disappear into a pocket.

The .45 ACP is full-size territory. The Glock 21 weighs 29.5 ounces. Even compact .45s (Glock 30 at 24 oz, Springfield XD-S .45 at 21.5 oz) are heavier than any 9mm compact. For concealed carry, .45 ACP platforms are the hardest to conceal and carry the fewest rounds for their size.

This size difference matters for specific concealment scenarios. In athletic wear, a pocket .380 is carryable while a micro-compact 9mm is not without a belly band. In formal attire, a .380 pocket pistol is virtually undetectable. For ankle carry as a backup gun, a .380 is dramatically more comfortable during an 8+ hour shift. See our best concealed carry pistols guide for our full ranking and our holster guide for concealment options.

Magazine capacity is 9mm's most decisive advantage over .45 ACP. The smaller cartridge allows significantly more rounds in the same frame size. A Glock 19 (compact 9mm) holds 15+1. A Glock 21 (full-size .45 ACP) holds 13+1 in a substantially larger frame. The SIG P365 (micro-compact 9mm) holds 10-15 rounds. The smallest .45 ACP pistols hold 6-7 rounds.

The .380 vs 9mm capacity comparison is closer than expected in the micro-compact class. The Ruger LCP MAX holds 10+1 of .380. The SIG P365 holds 10+1 of 9mm with its flush magazine (up to 15+1 with extended). Both carry the same number at baseline, though the P365 offers the option to extend to 15 in a slightly longer grip. Where 9mm capacity dominates is in compact and full-size frames.

In defensive scenarios, capacity matters. FBI data shows average law enforcement shootings involve 3-4 rounds, but outlier events can require 10+. Hit rates under stress are typically 20-30% for trained officers, meaning having 15 rounds versus 7 provides a significant margin of safety.

9mm ammunition is the cheapest of the three despite being more powerful than .380. Practice-grade 9mm FMJ runs $0.22-0.30 per round. Practice-grade .380 FMJ runs $0.35-0.45 per round, counterintuitively more expensive due to lower production volume. Practice-grade .45 ACP FMJ runs $0.40-0.60 per round.

The cost difference compounds dramatically with regular training. At 200 rounds per week, annual costs are $2,300-3,100 for 9mm, $3,600-4,700 for .380, and $4,200-5,200 for .45 ACP. The 9mm shooter saves $1,800-2,000 versus .45 ACP annually, money that can fund additional training courses or gear upgrades.

Availability overwhelmingly favors 9mm. As the world's most popular handgun cartridge, 9mm is manufactured in dozens of loadings by every major company. During the 2020-2021 ammunition shortage, 9mm returned to normal availability months before .45 ACP. The .380 was among the hardest calibers to find. The variety of proven defensive loads in 9mm dwarfs both .380 and .45 ACP selections.

This is where .45 ACP has a clear, unambiguous advantage. Standard .45 ACP 230gr ammunition is naturally subsonic at 830-850 fps, well below the speed of sound (~1,125 fps at sea level). Every standard .45 ACP load can be fired through a suppressor without the supersonic crack that defeats the purpose of suppression.

Standard 9mm ammunition is supersonic. To achieve subsonic 9mm performance, shooters must use specialty 147gr subsonic loads (940-970 fps) or 158gr+ heavy bullets. These loads work well, but not all 9mm pistols cycle reliably with subsonic ammunition without a heavier recoil spring. .380 ACP is borderline: most loads are close to the speed of sound, and the limited energy makes suppressors on .380 an uncommon choice.

For dedicated suppressed pistol use, .45 ACP simplifies the equation. Any box off the shelf will be quiet through a suppressor. Platforms like the FN FNX-45 Tactical or HK45 Tactical are purpose-built for this role. However, modern 9mm pistols paired with quality 147gr subsonic loads achieve comparable sound reduction at lower cost per round.

The right caliber depends on the specific application. Each has strengths that make it the better tool for certain missions.