.380 acp questions

[sirgknight]

I want to start reloading for my Ruger LCP that I received for Christmas. I have a ton of components for my 9mm but it appears that most casters use a bullet weight of around 100 grains. I would like to use the 356-125 that I already have on hand. If this is possible then I have everything I need except for a few casings. Do any of you use a bullet this heavy? None of the load data that I have goes above 121gr (Lyman Cast Bullets). These reloads will be for plinking only. I also plan to use some 9mm (.355) 88gr HP bullets for protection. Any advice on this caliber is welcomed.

[Bonz]

I have read several articles that state bullets over 100gr for .380acp is not recommended due to bullet length. I load 100gr for plinking and I have 88gr and 95gr HP for PP.

[w5pv]

I use 102 grain LRN for .380 and 9mm with good results with both I use Titegroup and 700x in both.

[gefiltephish]

I just started working with 380. The internal taper in the cases dictates shallow seating, so that and your barrels chamber will limit how large a bullet you can use. If your chamber is not generous enough to allow the bullet to be seated long, you will likely be limited to 100gr or less. My wife's new Sig P238 does not allow for long cartridges. If you insist on deep seating, you will be rewarded with buckled brass and swaged bullet bases. I just received this mold (http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=35-090B-D.png) from Accurate, but have not had the opportunity to cast yet. Many people use the Lee 105swc for 380. I bought that mold and cast a few only to find it won't work in this gun.

[sirgknight]

After considerable more reading and searching, I have decided against a heavier bullet for this caliber. The 90-105 grains seems to be the most accepted bullet. Have any of you used the .380 bullets from the Missouri Bullet company? they have a 95 grain bullet that should make a good plinker, and load data is plentiful enough. I plan on shooting this little cuss just enough to get comfortable shooting it and 500 rounds will give me a good start. It will not be one of my "weekly" shooters, so I probably will not do my own casting for this caliber.

[Boolseye]

After considerable more reading I have definitely decided against a heavy bullet.
wise choice. Even 115 gr. fmjs bulge those little cases.

[dkf]

Better off sticking with the 100gr or lighter .380acp boolits. The LCP usually prefers the COAL to be below max by at least .010" for reliable functioning anyway. Might as well save some lead and get a mold that drops a lighter boolit.

I load 115gr XTPs in .380 and it bulges the case noticeably even with a long COAL.(they still chamber fine in my LCP though) You will end up swaging a cast boolit down if it is too long. Though a bevel base boolit gives you a little more wiggle room.

[Ed_Shot]

I reload for a family member's LCP and Colt Mustang and my Bersa 380. I size the Lee 356-102-1R (103 gr) and Lyman 356242 (90 gr) both sized to .358 and use OAL's spec'ed in Lyman's 4th Ed Handbook. Function and accuracy are great.

[rintinglen]

As long as the boolits are big enough (at least .356--.357 is better ) The Missouri boolits should work fine. I have loaded the 358-242 Lyman as cast 124+ grains in the 380 but do not recommend it. The POI is way far from the point of aim, even at 7 yards, from a Colt Pocketlite, Walther PPK/s, or LLama IIIA. I have not tried it from my Beretta 84. I ran into the same problem with the 32 Auto in my Tomcat. I have several 90-98 grain RN molds, but 10-12 inchs high and 5 or 6 left was the norm.

[Down South]

This what I use for my P238 and do well if the boolit is seated deep enough. There are 90 gr HP from a MiHec Mould. Any and all excess lube must also be removed.

[lonewolf5347]

I use 95 grain round nose for my 380 ruger LCP and my Walter PPK/S
Missouri bullet company
My charge is 2.7grains bulleye powder I yet to have any problems with both guns they shoot great

[Anonym]

I started casting the Lee RN bullet in 102gr (weighs 104gr with cowws) and the feed and shoot great out of my P238 unsized. Be glad to send you some to try if you would like. These are unsized and unlubed, but might get you started on seeing what works for your LCP.

[dkf]

I now see that you want to buy some boolits. SNS has coated .380 boolits for basically the same price. No smoke from the lube with coated. Though I wish more commercial cast bullets companies would offer bullets sized larger than .356".

http://www.snscasting.com/380/

[warf73]

If I was buying bullets for a 380acp it would be http://berrysmfg.com/product-i14470-c10-g8-b0-p0-380_Cal_100gr_FBRN_1000ct.aspx I see no reason not paying the extra $12~$14 more for plated bullet over lead. For the extra money spend you don't have to worry about leading your barrel or lube smoke (if thats an issue).


But thats me and I personly wouldn't pay for lead boolits when plated are only a few $$ per 1k count.

[sirgknight]

If I was buying bullets for a 380acp it would be http://berrysmfg.com/product-i14470-c10-g8-b0-p0-380_Cal_100gr_FBRN_1000ct.aspx I see no reason not paying the extra $12~$14 more for plated bullet over lead. For the extra money spend you don't have to worry about leading your barrel or lube smoke (if thats an issue).


But thats me and I personly wouldn't pay for lead boolits when plated are only a few $$ per 1k count.

I'll certainly take these thoughts under advisement. Food for thought: the exact reason I presented this thread for discussion. I try to keep myself constantly under the learning curve.

[leadman]

I have shoot the Lee 124gr TC in my OMC 380 and while they shot well point of aim and point of impact were far apart. With the lighter boolits this is not a problem.
www.bayoubullets.net also has Hi-Tek coated boolits that do not lead or smoke. Donnie is a great guy to deal with and is a member here.

[HiVelocity]

Swede Nelson, NOE, makes a really sweet 90 grain cast mold. I bought the HP version that drops at 88 grains with ACWW.

If you're lucky enough to get your hands on his HP mold, it comes with both sets of pins, HP and Plain base. Great mold.

HV

[rexherring]

Yes you could use them but every pistol will be different as to what it will function with. My Bersa Plus will feed anything I put in it. I have shot 125 RNFP, 105 SWC, 115FMJ, 90HP, 102RN, etc. and my pistol works well with all of them. 125 is heavy for the little .380 case and seating the bullet deep enough may cause chambering problems as well as increased pressure. Most of the little pistols seem to like the 90 grain loads better and can be fussy with SWC or hollow points.

[DRNurse1]

If I was buying bullets for a 380acp it would be http://berrysmfg.com/product-i14470-c10-g8-b0-p0-380_Cal_100gr_FBRN_1000ct.aspx I see no reason not paying the extra $12~$14 more for plated bullet over lead. For the extra money spend you don't have to worry about leading your barrel or lube smoke (if that's an issue).


But thats me and I personly wouldn't pay for lead boolits when plated are only a few $$ per 1k count.

+1: This is the course I follow as well. I do not cast for the 380ACP due to limited use and appreciate the advantages described for my limited use. I load for plinking with Berry 100 gr RN and personal protection with Berry 88 gr HP over Winchester 231 and these function in my Ruger LCP and Walther 380.

[Mbedwell1971]

I am casting some 80gr HP from a NOE mould. I have been very pleased with the results. I load them behind 3.5gr of HP38. I tested one in a 10" thick wet pack. It penetrated about 4" and expanded nicely. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/20/5a3u6u7y.jpg

[Mbedwell1971]

I am casting some 80gr HP from a NOE mould. I have been very pleased with the results. I load them behind 3.5gr of HP38. I tested one in a 10" thick wet pack. It penetrated about 4" and expanded nicely.

[Mbedwell1971]

Sorry for the duplicate post. Here is a photo of the expanded bullet. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/20/gase2e5u.jpg

[Mbedwell1971]

Sorry for the duplicate post. Here is a photo of the expanded bullet. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/20/gase2e5u.jpg

[sirgknight]

I am casting some 80gr HP from a NOE mould. I have been very pleased with the results. I load them behind 3.5gr of HP38. I tested one in a 10" thick wet pack. It penetrated about 4" and expanded nicely. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/20/5a3u6u7y.jpg

very nice. where do you find your load data?

[fcvan]

Glen, I don't think I've ever loaded a jacketed boolit in my .380 pistols. You know me, I cast everything I can :) Anyway, I've used the Lee 356-102 1R and the 358-105 SWC, both boolits sized to .358 over 3 grains of Bullseye. These have been fired through a Browning BDA, a Walther PPK, and FEG PA 63 (Walther PP clone) a Walther PK 380, a Ruger LCP, and a Taurus TCP 380. Performance has been consistent and I've not experienced any pressure issues. A few years ago I tried switching to Unique and my groups opened up considerably. After switching back to Bullseye everything tightened back up again. For the past 6 months, I've been powder coating everything with HF flat black including for the .380 ACP. I'm still sizing to .358 and am liking the reduced smoke.

[sirgknight]

Glen, I don't think I've ever loaded a jacketed boolit in my .380 pistols. You know me, I cast everything I can :) Anyway, I've used the Lee 356-102 1R and the 358-105 SWC, both boolits sized to .358 over 3 grains of Bullseye. These have been fired through a Browning BDA, a Walther PPK, and FEG PA 63 (Walther PP clone) a Walther PK 380, a Ruger LCP, and a Taurus TCP 380. Performance has been consistent and I've not experienced any pressure issues. A few years ago I tried switching to Unique and my groups opened up considerably. After switching back to Bullseye everything tightened back up again. For the past 6 months, I've been powder coating everything with HF flat black including for the .380 ACP. I'm still sizing to .358 and am liking the reduced smoke.

I placed an order with Dardas Cast Bullets for their 98 grain RN with a bevel base. The LCP won't get the action of my other calibers, so I probably will not cast for it. 500 bullets should give me enough rounds to find a good plinking load. The only other bullet I plan to load is a Speer 88 grain HP (.355) for carry purposes.

[fcvan]

Well, if you ever feel like another lead for boolits swap, you're on. That last lead I got from you was great. Take care and Merry Christmas!

[sirgknight]

thanks fcvan....likewise with the boolits. I loaded two more boxes of the 40 cal this week. Merry Christmas to you too!!!

[Mbedwell1971]

very nice. where do you find your load data?

I could not find the exact bullet in any of my manuals. The closest I could find was in the Modern Reloading Second Edition with a 90gr jacketed bullet. It referenced a starting load of 3.2 gr of HP 38. I started with 3gr and had a few that didn't cycle well. I moved it up to 3.2gn and was getting around 860fps. Gun cycled perfectly with limited recoil. I moved it up to 3.5gn and approached 900fps. I decided not to push it any further.

[sirgknight]

I could not find the exact bullet in any of my manuals. The closest I could find was in the Modern Reloading Second Edition with a 90gr jacketed bullet. It referenced a starting load of 3.2 gr of HP 38. I started with 3gr and had a few that didn't cycle well. I moved it up to 3.2gn and was getting around 860fps. Gun cycled perfectly with limited recoil. I moved it up to 3.5gn and approached 900fps. I decided not to push it any further.

Thanks....I have found a good bit of data on the 90 grain, and even the 88 gr from a Speer manual from the 1980's. The 80 grain is lightest bullet I've seen loaded for the .380. That's very nice looking work.

[Mbedwell1971]

Thanks. I am going to try powder coating next week. I have been reading some of the threads about that and it sounds interesting. I am not getting much leading with these, but I do some with my 9mm I have slugged my barrel on both my 9mm and my 380. Both bullets I am currently casting are oversized for their respective barrels, but I am still getting some leading with my 9mm. I am hoping that the PC will help with that.