380 Auto is the SAAMI name for the .380 ACP / 9x17 mm semi-automatic pistol cartridge introduced by Colt in 1908 for John Browning's Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless pistol. C.I.P. standardizes the European 9 mm Browning court designation, while Federal and Speer current product material show the cartridge's continuing split between compact defensive loads and range-training ammunition.
Current manufacturer listings group 380 Auto loads mainly by training versus defensive use, bullet construction, and grain weight rather than by separate cartridge designations.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Metal Jacket training loads | Range and target-shooting ammunition | Federal lists 95-grain Full Metal Jacket 380 Auto loads in American Eagle and Champion Training product lines. |
| Jacketed Hollow Point defensive loads | Self-defense ammunition | Federal's 380 Auto page lists HST, Hydra-Shok, Hydra-Shok Deep, Punch, and other hollow-point defensive loads in 85-, 90-, and 99-grain weights. |
| Speer Gold Dot and Lawman loads | Defensive and training ammunition | Speer identifies 90-grain Gold Dot defensive loads and a 95-grain Lawman training load within its 380 Auto coverage. Sources: The Best 380 Auto Ammo For Training & Defense - Speer |
Federal lists 380 Auto among handgun ammunition calibers, and Speer describes the cartridge as intended for blowback pistols.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Handgun/pistol platform | The catalog does not currently have a Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless record, so the broad handgun/pistol page is the available catalog target for the cartridge's documented handgun-caliber relationship. Sources: Shop By Caliber | Handgun | Federal, The Best 380 Auto Ammo For Training & Defense - Speer |
The same cartridge appears under different standards names: SAAMI uses 380 Automatic / 380 Auto, while C.I.P. publishes the European 9 mm Browning court tabulation and lists 380 ACP and 380 Auto(matic) as alternative names. Current commercial pages show the cartridge as a compact handgun round with both FMJ training loads and hollow-point defensive loads.
C.I.P. lists 17.33 mm maximum case length and 25.00 mm maximum overall length; SAAMI lists a .680 in case length and .910-.984 in overall length range.
Sources: 9 mm Browning court TAB. IV; ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022 Centerfire Pistol & Revolver Ammunition.
SAAMI lists 21,500 psi maximum average pressure for 380 Automatic, while C.I.P. lists 1350 bar Pmax for 9 mm Browning court.
Sources: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022 Centerfire Pistol & Revolver Ammunition; 9 mm Browning court TAB. IV.
Federal lists 70-, 85-, 90-, 95-, and 99-grain 380 Auto products across target-shooting and self-defense uses; Speer describes common 85- to 95-grain loads around 950 to 1,100 fps.
Sources: Shop products in 380 Auto today | Federal Premium; The Best 380 Auto Ammo For Training & Defense - Speer.
Speer and American Rifleman tie the Browning-designed cartridge to Colt's Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless pistol chambered in .380 ACP.
Sources: The Best 380 Auto Ammo For Training & Defense - Speer, I Have This Old Gun: Colt Military 1908 Pocket Hammerless
SAAMI's centerfire pistol and revolver standard lists the 380 Automatic cartridge drawing as originally issued on May 29, 1979.
Sources: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022 Centerfire Pistol & Revolver Ammunition
C.I.P.'s 9 mm Browning court tabulation lists a September 8, 2023 revision and identifies 380 ACP / 380 Auto(matic) among the cartridge's alternative names.
Sources: 9 mm Browning court TAB. IV
