Does anyone load for .380 with cast bullets?

[Triggernosis]

I'm thinking about trying some lead bullets in my .380 but am scared of leading the barrel since the .380 is usually a bit "hot" compared to my typical .38 Spec. loads. What kind of (pre-cast) bullet should I be shopping for?

[rp85]

hello;

lyman 100 grain cast, min charge of red dot. no leading, accuracy is very good, recoil is very low and reloadng cost is very low. down side, does not shoot to point of aim like my ccw loads.

had good luck with min loads with this bullet using ww231/hp38.

major problem is getting a "slight" bell on the 380's case mouth. got to have the bell or your are going to shave lead. got to fiddle with expander die to get the amount bell right. we understand the problem so it only takes a little time now to get the right amount of case bell.

after seating bullet suggest moving tapper crimp die down until the case mouth is at .375".

another issue, old fat fingers and very small cases don't get along very well at time.

rp

[curator]

I reload .380ACP for my Colt Mustang with the Lee 115 grain round nose. I cast them from ACWW and size to .358. Using a medium charge of Unique I get excellent accuracy and no leading. The little boolits and tiny cases are a bit of a challenge for us fumblefingers but no where as tedious as .32ACP.

[tomf52]

Lee 105 SWC sized to .356 with a low charge of Bullseye shoot great in mine. Of course this bullet requires you cast your own as I never seen them offered at any retail site.

[superbee]

Lee 356-102-1R from ACWW. I tumble them twice with Alox and size to .356. Loaded with minimum charges of either Unique or Green Dot (from Lee manual), these loads have always cycled and fired from my Beretta F-84 with no leading. Very pleasant to shoot.

[L1A1Rocker]

IIRC, Miha has something for this application.

[Triggernosis]

Lee 356-102-1R from ACWW.

What's ACWW?

[bradh]

ACWW = Air Cooled Wheel Weight

[rintinglen]

I was fortunate enough to get one of Ranch Dog's 380 molds, it is a truncated cone 6 cavity TL that runs just about 98 grains with my alloy. I use that boolit over 3.2 grains of WW-231 with a COAL of .980 and it works great in either my PPKs or Berretta M84. ACWW IS air cooled wheel weights

[2wheelDuke]

I started with the Lee 102gr RN with a moderate charge of Bullseye behind it. I was using isotope core lead for my first several runs, but have moved on to range scrap.

I also got a Ranch Dog 100gr RNFP mold. The P3AT and a PPK don't mind them sized at .358, and I've never had any issues with them.

[captaint]

rintinglen - thanks for the load. I have that Ranch Dog mold also and have cast up about 200 boolits. Now, all I have to do is get a set of Hornady ND dies, and I'll be set. Been thinking about a load for a while. Thanks. Mikie

[Cherokee]

I have an old NEI 356109 mold, TC style @ 109 gr. Works great in my 380's.

[warf73]

I'm waiting on my conversion kit and dies from dillion then I'll be loading for the 380 also. I plan on using ww231 with the ranch dog boolit on top.
I would guess any mold the right size (.355~.357) from 85gr~115g would work out just fine if you can get the right OAL.

[reloader28]

Another Ranch Dog fan here.
I was shooting the Lee 358 125 and it shot very good with Bullseye. I quit using that when I got the RD 100gr. Drops at 103gr for me and shoots good with a hot load of Bullseye sized at 358.
Shooting this in 7 different 380's, about to be 8.

[Para Cassatt]

Leading shouldn't be an issue. I'm using a Speer swaged lead 125 gr. that leaves the barrel pretty clean out of my P238.

[JIMinPHX]

+1 on Lee 102gr RN over Bullseye. Results have been very good in every .380 that I tried them in.

[Recluse]

+1 on Lee 102gr RN over Bullseye. Results have been very good in every .380 that I tried them in.

Dittos from me as well. I really like that little Lee 102RN boolit. I lapped the mold out so that the boolits drop at around ~.3575. I size down to .356 for the .380ACP, and size to .357 for some light 9mm loads for my wife and the daughter.

I've got several thousand brass cases for the .380ACP and have 600 - 800 rounds loaded, but I don't shoot it very much. It's not much fun and as hard as brass is to come by for that caliber, I hate losing too much of it (or any of it).

The .380ACP stays primarily in my flight bag for my short day trips when I don't carry a larger gun. Nice little insurance policy that will get the job done if or when needed.

:coffee:

[Wayne Smith]

As a general principle you can use any load for a condom bullet from your loading manual - you do have a couple, don't you?? Your cast boolit creates less pressure than the condom loading because the lead slides down the barrel easier. If you get leading it won't be from velocity, it will be from lack of fit. You can shoot them through a .357Mag with out leading; you can shoot them through a .380 without leading.

This doesn't work when you get to high capacity rifle cases, but is generally true for most handgun loadings.

[Triggernosis]

.....As a general principle you can use any load for a condom bullet from your loading manual - you do have a couple, don't you??
Yessiree! Got two of them - Lee and Hornady. Need to get a Lyman next, it seems.

[JIMinPHX]

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is my favorite resource for cast boolit loading data. If you are planning to load more than 1 or 2 types of cast boolit recipes, it is really worth having.

[Charlie Horse]

I have a Lee 105 gn .358 swc 6 cavity mold on order for my Colt Mustang 380. I picked this mold because it has 6 cavities. It's the only 6 cavity Lee mold that looks like it would work in the 380.
Anyone use this mold? I'm going to size to .356 to start with.
If they don't work in the colt I have a couple of snubbies that could use this boolit.

[quilbilly]

I have a "two-holer" of this mold and use it in my Walther. Shoots fine and I also size to 356.

[whisler]

I use the Lee 105 SWC in 3 different .380 pistols. Works well sized to .357.

[Steve77]

I also use the Lee 102 with ACWW sized 356, Tumble Lubed with LLA over green dot. Cheap and accurate with no leading.

[Blammer]

NOE has a nice 88gr that works well in his 380, may want to PM or email him and see what he says.

[minmax]

Not to be critical of anyone here, as everyone always has good information. If you read Triggernosis post he is looking for pre-cast boolits.
When I first decided to switch lead for my .380's (Ruger LCP & a Russian Markov) I too bought pre-cast boolits. After lots of research from numerous loading manuals. I went with a light weight 9mm lead boolit that I bought from MidwayUSA. I did get the swelling of the case as stated above, but no lead shaving.I started boolit seating and taper crimping in two steps which took care of that. There was no signs of leading. Then again I did not load to "Max" load data listed in any of the manuals. I did purchased a Lee FCD (Lee Factory Crimp Die) which I have yet to try.As the guns are down in sunny El Paso, and I'm stuck up here in Snowy Michigan. Everyone says this way to go especially with pistols.

[bobthenailer]

I have used the Lee rn and currently the Saeco RN 380 boolet for over 20 years.
I have used these boolets in a Astra constible , two OMC Back Up's a Keltec and Kahr 380 pistols.

the same boolets have been shot in friends 380's such as Star , Colt and Walther pistols.

[w5pv]

Load mine with a 102 grain RN over 2.0 grains of Titegroup low recoil and good true shooting round.

[Rick Hodges]

I use the NEI rn mold, drops at 92gr. with my alloy. It feeds flawlessly from an OMC Backup and a Taurus TCL. Not loaded hot, midrange. There is some leading with the Taurus, but it is easily cleaned.

[Boolseye]

I load the Lee 356-102 or The Lee TL356-95 over 2.8 gr. BE for my TCP and Hi-Point.
I size to .358" for all my 9mm and .380 rounds. Never any leading.

[Garyshome]

Isn't that 125 gr boolit a bit heavy for a 380? I use the Lee 102 & size to 356.

[Boolseye]

Isn't that 125 gr boolit a bit heavy for a 380? I use the Lee 102 & size to 356.
Definitely! 115 gr. is considered max for .380, and they tend to bulge the case.

[reloader28]

Isn't that 125 gr boolit a bit heavy for a 380? I use the Lee 102 & size to 356.

A bit, but not bad. The Lyman book goes to 120gr and Lee has 124gr jacketed. The RCBS book lists 125gr.
Mine drops at 130gr and shoots excellent in several different .380's.
The going fad is heavy for caliber boolits, why not .380's?

[dkf]

I have been using the Lee 356-95 for .380. I recently manage to find a Lyman 356404 after over a year of looking so that is next to try. I also got a little heavier mold for .380 on the way. I'll get to shoot more once winter loosens its grip and the brass eating snow recedes.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Lee 105 SWC sized .356 with HP38 has worked very well, accurate and reliable function in a 1971 style Browning .380.

[JStory]

I found a box of 95 grain lrn at my local fun shop. They were from Bullets by Chance, check them online. You could also try Missouri Bullet Company, again online, or from X-treme Bullets. Prices all seem to be comparable, shipping is the biggest difference....good luck.

[Charlie Horse]

I was taking a chance, ordering the 6 cav 105gn Lee .358 swc. I wanted a 6 cavity mold. Seems like it should work.

[pworley1]

Lyman 356242