Is .380 (7.65mm) Pistol a NP bore or P bore?

[Udhey Sidhu]

Dear Forum Members,

I had a conversation with a person at a gathering, who apparently seemed quite polished on gun-owning laws in India, and he was of the stern view that .380 Pistol (7.65 mm) falls under the Prohibited Bore Category, whereas all this while I was under the impression that it is NP Bore, and was myself looking to acquire one..however, it was not a good idea to debate with someone in a first meeting at a social gathering...but his confidence did raise the doubt in my mind..so I though what better place to ask than IFB Forum.

Please do share the information.

Thanks & Regards,
Udhey Sidhu

[TwoRivers]

First off, .380 and 7.65mm (.32) are not one and the same. Second, both .380 ACP (pistol), and .32 ACP, and .32 S&W Long (revolver) are NPB.
However, .380 revolver, a.k.a. .380/200, a.k.a. .38 S&W, the old British service round, is PB, since still in service with government agencies in India. In memory of the Raj, who didn't like to see cartridges used by the government in the hand of restive subjects.

[Udhey Sidhu]

Thanks 'Two Rivers', I did mean .380 ACP, just got misled about 7.65mm by the same person, but I'm delighted to read that .380 ACP is NP!! Thanks again..
Cheers!

[dr.jayakumar]

friend i too thought .380 was PB.but we had discussed this earlier in our forum,can't remember.but the availability of the catridges is in question,you don't get much ammunation for .380 down south,i don't know about north.kindly check on it and decide.

[The Doc]

.380 acp / 9mm(short) ammo is available in Chandigarh/Punjab , expensive though.

best,
Rp.

[Amit357]

Uday,there are 3 calibers referred to as 380s up here please do cross check
1.9mm X 19-----the 9 MM Para,Luger,also know as the 9 mm firing the sten round------------ P. BORE,this at times is confused by some people as the 380 ACP/
2.9mm X 18-----------,the Russian version also know as the 9 mm Makrov,( am not very sure about the spellings),this also is know as the 380
3 9mm X 17 or the 380 ACP,this is know as the Chotta 9mm or the 9 mm Short,
So please do check up with your licensing guys with what they would agree to endorse on your A L

[xl_target]

Looks like your friend is confusing some of the different cartridges out there.

Here is a list of some of the pistol cartridges out there. You can see how it is easy to get confused with the bewildering array of calibers and names out there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_handgun_cartridges

Even though the bullet diameter is similar, I have only heard .380 ACP referred to as a 380. I have never heard 9mm Luger or 9mm Makarov being referred to as .380

[Udhey Sidhu]

Thanks everyone.

Dr. Jayakumar - The .380 ACP ammo is available in Punjab, my friend owns a .380 ACP and he bought ammo a few months back, but its expensive, each cartridge hovers between Rs. 185-225. Don't know if someone in Chandigarh has stock of it.

Amit Veerji - I was talking about 9mm Chhota only thats what confused me about .380 and 7.62mm, coz the cartridge mentions 9MM on the shell-caps the one's from S&B make..! I guess I should not take too many people seriously..specially when they are a few drinks down!

xl_target - Thanks for the information..its quite helpful..but u are a one lucky man in US..who can buy most of the metals we wish were legal in India!!

Cheers!!

[Amit357]

Looks like your friend is confusing some of the different cartridges out there.

Here is a list of some of the pistol cartridges out there. You can see how it is easy to get confused with the bewildering array of calibers and names out there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_handgun_cartridges

Even though the bullet diameter is similar, I have only heard .380 ACP referred to as a 380. I have never heard 9mm Luger or 9mm Makarov being referred to as .380

Hi XL,i wasnt confusing Uday,its only that he is from my part of the country and understands the slangs,we have a lot of Hanky PANKIES going in the name of various N.P Bores,from 380s to 30 cals in rifles and pistols,so was just trying to explain it to him from our local parleys