Will a .380 ACP Penetrate Steel A36?

No — stops inside steel a36 (reaches 1 mm of a 6 mm barrier)
Penetration depth
1 mm (0.0″)
Impact velocity
290 m/s (951 fps)
Muzzle energy
261 J (192 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative .380 ACP load (6.2 g, FMJ, 290 m/s) reaches roughly 1 mm (0.0 inches) into steel a36. It loses its energy before defeating a typical barrier of this material.

About Steel A36

Mild structural steel plate (~6 mm); car bodies are far thinner (~1 mm).

.380 ACP against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Red Brick38 mm1.5″
Concrete20 mm0.8″
Tempered Glass8 mm0.3″
Steel AR5001 mm0.0″
Aluminum 60615 mm0.2″
See exactly what .380 ACP does to Steel A36 — open in the calculator →

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