Sometimes very surprising things happen when you test ammunition to evaluate its ability to deliver energy into what may be a threatening human or animal target. Occasionally, performance falls short of expectations. But in other cases — such as this one involving Liberty Ammunition’s .380 Civil Defense round — results go well beyond what you’d expect from .380 self-defense ammo.

Clay Block Testing vs. Ballistic Gelatin for Ammo Reviews   

For my ballistic testing, I use 25-pound blocks of moist modeling clay measuring 8 by 10 inches — easily sourced from Hobby Lobby. If you’ve never read one of my ammo reviews before, you might wonder why I favor clay over ballistic gelatin. The answer lies in both practicality and performance.

Limitations of Ballistic Gelatin in Self-Defense Ammo Testing  

No matter what medium is used— be it clay, gelatin or wet newspaper — none accurately replicate a living human body. Each has its pros and cons. Let’s start with the most commonly accepted standard: ballistic gelatin.

While widely used by law enforcement and premium self-defense ammo manufacturers, gelatin lacks human complexity. It contains no muscle, bone, cartilage or organs. It also requires refrigerated storage at 39 degrees and density testing prior to use. It’s also expensive.

Ultimately, all test mediums, whether gelatin or otherwise, can only assess bullet expansion and penetration within their own consistent material. This allows for side-by-side comparison of calibers or projectile designs , though it does have its limitations.

Advantages of Modeling Clay

Modeling clay, on the other hand, offers several advantages, especially for non-gelatin ammo testing. It’s far more affordable (just $20 for a 25-pound block), readily available and requires no special storage other than keeping it at room temperature. It shouldn’t be allowed to freeze or overheat, but that’s easy enough to manage. Cleanup is simple, and clay delivers visible, photogenic evidence of a bullet’s destructive path. By contrast, ballistic gelatin is far messier to work with.

The Problem With Newspaper Testing

The old-school method of using bundled, wet newspapers as a test medium has largely faded from use — and for good reason. First, it’s hard to find enough full-size newspapers to construct a proper bundle. Second, soaking and packing them is a tedious, messy task. Third, extracting the spent bullet is difficult. Finally, you don’t get a clearly visible, permanent bullet path to study or photograph.

Liberty Civil Defense: A New Class of High-Velocity Handgun Ammo

I’ve been a fan of Liberty Ammunition for several years, and for good reason— its quality control is second to none. Each round is visually inspected by hand during packaging. Any cartridge that doesn’t meet its high standards is immediately rejected, and the issue that caused the deviation is corrected before production continues.

Liberty Ammunition Product Lines

The Civil Defense line is Liberty’s flagship offering among four specialized product lines that also include .223 and .300 Blackout rifle calibers. The other three are:

  • Overwatch: Features a heavier, two-piece projectile and a blackened cartridge case with greater penetration than the original Civil Defense round
  • Ultra-Light: A lightweight self-defense round using aluminum/stainless steel cases to reduce carry weight
  • Steel Plate & Range: A 9mm competition load with a 100-grain frangible bullet, ideal for steel-target training

The Civil Defense, Overwatch and Ultra-Light lines are all engineered for rapid threat-stopping performance in the hands of law-abiding citizens and law enforcement — ideally with just a single, well-placed shot.

How Liberty Achieves High Velocity

Across calibers, Liberty Ammunition’s self-defense loads consistently achieve far greater velocity than traditional cartridges using standard-weight bullets. These high-velocity handgun ammo offerings use lightweight projectiles, and their impact is intensified by large-caliber hollow-points.

Depending on the caliber and barrel length, Liberty’s pistol rounds can reach speeds between 1,500 and 2,400 feet per second. In my testing with moist modeling clay, every shot has produced massive internal cavities, a clear visual indicator of the intense energy these rounds unleash on contact.

Liberty .380 Civil Defense Load Specs and Performance

The .380 Civil Defense load is the smallest self-defense pistol round currently offered by Liberty Ammunition, yet its performance is anything but small. Sharing identical ballistics with Liberty’s .38 Special Civil Defense load, this round is built around a 50-grain .380 bullet — a solid copper projectile that is nickel-plated for both appearance and reliability. The case itself is also nickel-plated, giving both the Civil Defense and Ultra-Light brands a distinctive, high-visibility look while enhancing smooth function in semi-automatic platforms.

What sets this round apart from conventional .380 self-defense ammo is its speed and energy. The 50-grain projectile clocks in at a muzzle velocity of 1,500 feet per second — far exceeding standard .380 loads. It generates 250 foot-pounds of energy, making it one of the most potent options in its class.

Because Liberty achieves this energy boost through velocity rather than bullet weight, shooters enjoy a range of benefits from this lightweight self-defense round, including:

  • 18 to 26 percent less felt recoil than standard .380 loads
  • 48 to 50 percent more velocity
  • 25 to 27 percent more kinetic energy
  • A significantly reduced risk of over-penetration

This performance translates to better stopping power while improving shot control, especially important in compact firearms often carried for personal defense. Even with a slightly louder muzzle blast, the .380 Civil Defense round offers excellent shootability. After all, if you can’t accurately control your handgun under stress, no amount of energy will make up for poor shot placement. This round answers the common question, “Is .380 good for self-defense?” with a resounding yes — when it’s Liberty’s Civil Defense load.

Hands-On Liberty .380 Ammo Test: Clay Block Results

For my ballistic test, I used the recently reviewed the EAA Corp. Girsan MC 14T X .380 — a medium-sized pistol known for its exceptional accuracy and innovative design. The gun features a 5-inch tip-up barrel, allowing you to load the first round or clear a chamber without ever manipulating the slide. It’s a great platform to evaluate the performance of a high-velocity .380 self-defense round like Liberty Civil Defense.

My neighbor Luke generously allowed me to conduct the test on his property just across the street, saving me a good hour of travel time ahead of the Easter holiday. Both he and his father, John, ended up being keen observers and helpful critics during the test.

I set up a 25-pound modeling clay block on a plastic table and took a seated firing position about 15 feet back. I loaded a single Liberty Civil Defense .380 round, featuring the 50-grain nickel-plated solid copper bullet, into the tip-up barrel and secured it into battery. With the hammer cocked, I fired the Girsan in single-action mode.

Liberty .380 Civil Defense Test Results

The result was immediate and dramatic. The round struck dead center and sent fragments of modeling clay flying back toward me — a telltale sign of high energy transfer and velocity. That visual feedback alone hinted that this 50 grain .380 bullet hit with real authority.

When I cut open the block along the entry point, I found a 3-inch-wide cavity that extended roughly 6 inches deep — excellent performance for a .380 round. I also noticed sharp copper slivers embedded throughout the wound path. At first glance, I didn’t see an exit wound. But when John peered into the block, he spotted something I missed: a smooth, 1-inch-wide tunnel extending all the way to the rear.

Sure enough, the bullet had continued traveling — its fragmented remnants carving a curved channel through the block and exiting in fine slivers. My initial sectioning had missed this. To fully expose the complete path, I had to gently open the block with a knife. The main energy dump produced the large initial cavity, but enough momentum remained to push fragments another 7-plus inches, leaving a trail of copper pieces along the way.

This real-world .380 terminal ballistics performance far exceeded expectations. The Liberty Civil Defense .380 didn’t just perform — it impressed. It’s a clear standout among compact .380 self-defense ammo options.

Is Liberty .380 the Best Ammo for Concealed Carry?    

In my view, Liberty Ammunition’s .380 Civil Defense load is a standout performer and a truly stellar lightweight self-defense round. It delivers energy and penetration on par with a .38 Special, yet offers reduced recoil and improved shootability. When paired with a precision firearm like the Girsan MC 14T X, this load becomes a formidable option for daily carry.

Whether you’re just starting out with concealed carry or looking to enhance your personal protection setup, this high velocity .380 review leads to one clear conclusion: Liberty’s .380 Civil Defense is among the best .380 ammo for concealed carry. It’s fast, reliable, easy to control and confidence-inspiring when it matters most.

Sources
EAA Corp.: EAACorp.com
Liberty Ammo: LibertyAmmo.com

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is .380 ACP good for self-defense? Is it enough to stop an attack?
Yes, especially when using high-performance rounds like Liberty’s Civil Defense load. In testing, it delivered energy and penetration comparable to the .38 Special and outperformed most standard .380 loads in both velocity and kinetic energy.

For more context, see how .380 stacks up in real-world comparisons:

What is the difference between Liberty Ultra-Light and Civil Defense 9mm ammunition?
Both Liberty Ultra-Light and Civil Defense 9mm +P rounds use the same 50-grain nickel-plated copper hollow-point projectile, delivering a muzzle velocity of 2,040 feet per second and 462 foot-pounds of energy. The key difference lies in the cartridge case design.

The Liberty Ultra-Light 9mm uses a two-piece case that combines a nickel alloy shell with an aluminum base. This construction significantly reduces weight, making it ideal for those who prioritize a lighter carry setup without sacrificing performance.

In contrast, the Civil Defense 9mm round features a more traditional nickel-plated brass case. While slightly heavier, it delivers identical ballistic performance to the Ultra-Light version.

For those interested in an alternative Liberty round, check out Liberty’s Overwatch 9mm ammunition, which features a two-piece projectile and a blackened case.