Need 380 load for 90gr LRN

[Rmeju]

I have a bunch of 90gr LRN that I need to load up.

This is strictly short range plinking ammo for a beginner. There is no special reason it needs to go any certain velocity. The only requirements are:

1. It shoots straight(ish) to ~50ft
2. Cycles the action
3. Is a safe load

I'll be using Win SP primers. I have the following powders available, in order of preference that I'd like to use them

-700x
-Win 231
-Bullseye
-N340

I'm looking for a safe load with a corresponding OAL to go with it, and was told this was where I could find the experts! Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Rmeju

[Curly James]

Try 2.8 grains of WW 231 behind the 90 grain boolit. Nice soft target load that doesn't fling brass into the next county. It works great in my Ruger LCP and a Walther PPKS.

I seat the bullet out far enough that it will feed from the magazine and ensure that it will chamber reliably. I have found a great deal of difference in chamber specs for several .380 autos over the past few months.

[Rmeju]

Thanks Curley,

FWIW, the gun is a Sig P230


Rmeju

[dannyabear]

Curly nailed it; I have gone down to 2.6 grains in my LCP and it works perfectly

[GabbyM]

I shot 3.0 gr of Bullseye from my AMT Backup for years. Which is the max listed laod but recoil was much less than any factory ammo I fired through it.

[mtgrs737]

I use 2.6 grs. of Bullseye behind a 99gr. Lee LRN in my LCP and it shoots and functions great. A soft shooting load and clean.

[Calehedron]

I use 3gr of Bullseye behind 90-100gr lead RNs with an OAL of .980 in my wifes Bersa Thunder .380

[Rocky Raab]

The only .380 data I can find for 700X is with jacketed bullets, but between 2.6 and 2.8 ought to be just fine with your bullet. Can't help on OAL but I load an RNL bullet for my Makarov and simply seat it to the very start of the nose ogive.

[Rmeju]

Thank you much, gents.

I'm going to try the 700x load posted by Rocky Raab and see how it goes (since this is the powder I'd most like to use).

I have a ton of Bullseye, so I'm going to to keep those loads in mind as well!

Rmeju

[Sniper Chief]

My son-in-law and I shoot a Llama .380 (1911 Frame style) and a Bersa .380 both with a semi-wad cutter Lee mold that is supposed to cast a 105 grain, but in actuality cast more like a 100 grain of pure wheel weight. If I remember I am throwing 3.5 grains of Unique (shoot lots of Unique in .380, .38 special, .357 mag, .45 Cold, .45 ACP and .44 Mag. and love the powder.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Double check any load data you get anywhere against the manuals. This load cycles extremely well, the boolit is NOT sized, is lubed with Lee Lube Alox and will shoot off hand with either gun into two inches at 25 - 30 yards. We shoot this load LOTS at old .12 gauge hulls down at the farm pond where we hunt doves.

We can usually line with 10 or 12 and we race from each end to see who can get to the middle first. Nice, accurate and fun to shoot.

Good Luck - Sniper Chief

[dogbert41]

I'm just going out now to try the Lee 102 1R Round nose wheel weight lubed with la/jpw (love that smell) loaded with 231 @ 2.5, 2.7, and 2.9 grains to try and find a nice mild plinker round that won't throw the brass into the next county- a problem with the LCP.

My goal is to find the one that does not lead, or at least not much, cycles reliably, and will be low pressure enough to where my brass lasts forever. I happen to be a great fan of reduced loads.


The 2.5 of 231 had no problem cycling. No problem leading either, and were my favorite of the bunch. I could shoot these Lee 102 1R Round nose all day long! I might try even lightening the load some more, but I'm not sure how much lower my Dillon will drop.

I filled a couple of gallon jugs with sand and put them in a box. I then put my targets on the box. After my shooting, I emptied the jugs through a strainer and collected all my bullets back. Poured the sand back in my bucket to use again.

It's funky to collect my led like I collect my brass now. Some kind of bug...

[jimb16]

I use 2.6 of Bullseye for my Colt Gov., my Baby Luger and my Keltec. It works well in all three.
No problems with cycling in any of them.

[zxcvbob]

I really like Unique in .380; I use 4.2 grains with 95 grain cast bullets. That's a max load and Unique is a high-performing powder in .380, so a little unpleasant to shoot. (These will eventually be a SD load, and the Keltec has a 2.6" barrel and it needs all the help it can get)

I also load 3.0 grains of International with the same bullets for a little less recoil.

I bought some 102 grain Remington hollow point j-bullets but haven't tried them yet.