cast bullet for .380?

[Bosshaug]

I would like to start casting for .380, and I was thinking that the Lee 356-102-1R (2-cavity mold #90305) would be a good bullet.
I saw that Lee only offers this bullet in the 2-cavity, and not the 6-cavity. I contacted Lee to see if they will be offering this bullet in the 6-cavity version, and this is their reply:

Unfortunately at this time we do not plan on producing the 6 cavity version of the 356-102-1R mold. We have not had enough demand for the 6 cavity version to warrant producing it just yet. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

I have been using the 100 gr HBRN Berry plated bullet for the .380, but since I cast for just about everything else, I wanted to include the .380.

Maybe if enough folks asked Lee for the 6-cavity version, they would offer it.
Any thoughts?

[Boolseye]

You're right–it's a great boolit for .380. I size it to .356, tumble lube or pan lube, load it over just about anything and get great accuracy, no leading. It also shoots good in 9mm, sized to .358 over 7.2 grains of #7. I'm OK with my 2-cav, for now...perhaps you can drum up enough interest to sway the powers that be....

[Ranch Dog]

From the bucket full of 380 Autos I've examined, they need a .358 bullet. The 1R helps to provide reliable feed but it provides nothing in self defense terminal effectiveness. Lee might not see the demand for a 6-cavity mold but I have. I sell a TL358-100-RF in the Lee 6-cavity blocks.

It uses an optimum tangent ogive radius for dependable feed and a 72% meplat for terminal performance.

[Bret4207]

I strongly recommend you go with Ranch Dogs 380 mould. I thought I had the ultimate in an NEI I picked up, but the RD looks twice as good! The 380 is a decent killer with a FN boolit at 850+ fps. In fact on vermin up to 35-40 pounds it's pretty impressive for a "mouse gun". I wouldn't want to face down an angry Jersey Bull with a 380, but I wouldn't toss it aside in favor of a rock either!

[Doble Troble]

I've used the Lee 105 gr SWC with success in a Ruger LCP. It comes as a 6-place. I size to 358. I'm not sure about the terminal ballistics, but am sure it's on my list of things not to be shot with.

[Boolseye]

From the bucket full of 380 Autos I've examined, they need a .358 bullet.

not my .380. .358s bulge the cases too much and .356 shot just fine (Walther PK380)

[30CAL-TEXAN]

I got some leading in my Pk380 when I tired the 102 sized to .356 but it does great at .358. Every barrel and mold are different though.

Ranch Dog, is that a TCP in the picture?

The TCP we just got has the tightest chamber I have ever dealt with. If that boolit fits in there I'm sold.

[Shuz]

I would like to start casting for .380, and I was thinking that the Lee 356-102-1R (2-cavity mold #90305) would be a good bullet.
I saw that Lee only offers this bullet in the 2-cavity, and not the 6-cavity. I contacted Lee to see if they will be offering this bullet in the 6-cavity version, and this is their reply:

Unfortunately at this time we do not plan on producing the 6 cavity version of the 356-102-1R mold. We have not had enough demand for the 6 cavity version to warrant producing it just yet. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

I have been using the 100 gr HBRN Berry plated bullet for the .380, but since I cast for just about everything else, I wanted to include the .380.

Maybe if enough folks asked Lee for the 6-cavity version, they would offer it.
Any thoughts?

The Lee 356-102-1R sized to .356, works very well in my Ruger LCP and my AMT Back-up . So far, because of my limited shooting of these .380 pip-squeaks, I've been satisfied with just a 2C mould. If I shot more rounds of .380 ACP's, I'd spring for the Ranch Dog 6 banger as long as the design feeds as well as the aforementioned Lee 102.
I actually "sort of" hollow point the Lee 102 by sizing with a "Beagle made" top punch that has a 1/4" tit on it.

[bobthenailer]

I haved a few 380 over the years and still owen two . the lee 102 rn and currently the saeco #380 95 gr rn have worked fine for me in all of mine and a few friends 380 pistols . I also have sized all bullets to .357 dia .

[Glen]

Ranch Dog -- that is one good lookin' .380 bullet!

[HollowPoint]

I bought one of the Lee two cavity molds you eluded to a while back. These little round nosed pills shot just fine and cycled reliably in my little plastic 380.

I'll second what's been stated about the terminal performance of the flat-pointed slugs though.

In trying to find a happy medium, I hollow pointed one of the cavities on my mold with a cramer-style hollow point pin that makes a shallow Cup-Point hollow point cavity. On top of that I can now apply a Synthetic Bullet Tip that gives my bullet the profile of the original round nose while giving it the performance more of a hollow point.

Since it's a shallow Cup-Point rather than a true hollow point, I'd say the terminal ballistics is somewhere between the performance of the round nose and the flat nose cast bullets mentioned above. I haven't done any formal testing to see what type of expansion and penetration I'm getting. My comment about performance after this alteration is just based on assumption at this point.

I figured next time I'm out coyote hunting I'll fire a few rounds into a downed cactus then extract the bullet for a look-see. This is how I checked the performance of my 45 hollow points.


HollowPoint

[Centaur 1]

Ranch Dog, is that a TCP in the picture?

The TCP we just got has the tightest chamber I have ever dealt with. If that boolit fits in there I'm sold.

I have the RD mold and I have loaded for four different pistols. Two of them have tight chambers and all I had to do was seat the boolit a little deeper. Standard c.o.l. is .938" which is a good fit in my Ruger lcp and a friends Bersa. I tried a s&w bodyguard and a Walther pk380 and the ogive contacts the rifling, so I shortened the length to .880" and Michael at Ranch Dog supplied me with data for the shorter length. I use Unique and the max charge dropped from 4.2 grains to 3.7 grains. This isn't a big deal because I have no interest in beating up my little gun with max charges. I've settled on using 3.0 grains of Unique, every gun I've tried it in likes the load.

Another great use is to load it in a 9mm which helps to conserve lead. I load the 9mm with 5.0 grains of Unique and a c.o.l. of 1.0". I use this load in a 9mm AR-15 and a Glock 26, and I've never had problems with lead in the barrel.

Oh, I almost forgot. This boolit also works great in .38 special. It kicks a whole lot less than a 158 grain boolit and it groups as good. I store my boolits in large peanut butter jars so I can keep a visual inventory. I keep a jar each of boolits as cast, .358", and .356".

[dragonrider]

This is the one I use most,
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=117608

but now I am eyeballin that Ranch Dog mold. May have to get one of those.

[deltaenterprizes]

Buy 2 double cavity molds and use them at the same time, Pour into one, while it is cooling pour into the other, while it is cooling cut the sprue on the first one and refill and so on until pot is empty and you have a nice pile of boolits!
That pot will empty quickly and the pile will grow quickly also.

[Ghugly]

I would like to start casting for .380, and I was thinking that the Lee 356-102-1R (2-cavity mold #90305) would be a good bullet.
I saw that Lee only offers this bullet in the 2-cavity, and not the 6-cavity. I contacted Lee to see if they will be offering this bullet in the 6-cavity version, and this is their reply:

Unfortunately at this time we do not plan on producing the 6 cavity version of the 356-102-1R mold. We have not had enough demand for the 6 cavity version to warrant producing it just yet. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

I have been using the 100 gr HBRN Berry plated bullet for the .380, but since I cast for just about everything else, I wanted to include the .380.

Maybe if enough folks asked Lee for the 6-cavity version, they would offer it.
Any thoughts?

I tumble lube the Lee and load it for 3 different .380's and one 9mm and it works great in them all. I would love a 6 cavity mould. I just don't understand the logic in offering a 6 cavity for a 310gr .44 but only a 2 cavity for a .380. In my experience the little semi-autos just eat up boolits.

[paul edward]

The barrel of my PK380 slugged at .3566.

Have not yet ordered a mold, but have been thinking about the Lee 356-102-1R.

Figured I would first try them without sizing and go from there based on range results.

What diameter boolits are these molds producing?

[fecmech]

I hemmed and hawwed and finally bought Ranch Dogs 100 gr RNFP mold. Great mold, bullets drop easily and feed and function great in my Keltec and a friends Ruger LCP. I've run about 300rds through my Keltec so far with no hiccups. Here's about 15 minutes worth of boolits. They drop at .359 from the mold

[Boolseye]

What diameter boolits are these molds producing?

Mine drop at .358 or just a little more.

[warf73]

Are you all using bullseye for your powder with the ranch dog boolit?

[Alstep]

What is the lead alloy mix you guys are using for the .380?