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Thread: reloading 380?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    reloading 380?

    I have a plethora of pistol caliber dies in the neighborhood of 380: 38 S&W, 38 Special/357, and 9mm, but of course no 380 set. Two different folks, including my brother-in-law who practiced with his and then realized store bought ain't out there no more. have asked me if I reloaded 380 acp. Horrible timing on their part. I checked and straight up 380 acp dies are classed unobtanium at this stage in the stampede. Wondering about whether the 38 S&W might be close enough, or maybe the 9mm. Any ideas from anyone faced with a similar situation? Rim diameter is an extra added attraction.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Looking at the reloading manuals you will find the case ahead of the rim for the .380 ACP is .374, the 9MM is .391 and the 38 S&W is .386". If you mean the 38 Special, the same location on the case is .379".

    But you will be using a bullet smaller in diameter than the 38 special and in a semi-auto, neck tension will likely be inadequate. Keep looking for the correct dies.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I have found you can resize .380 brass with a .38 Spcl die and use a 9MM die to seat and crimp.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Looks like the bullet diameter is .355, same as for 9mm. That's a start anyhow. It head spaces on the case mouth and that maybe kind of tricky.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    380 auto is its own particular beast, not like 40S&W and 10mm. might put a wanted posting is swapping an Sellin

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Give a 223 sizer a try for sizing

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
    Give a 223 sizer a try for sizing
    Huh, 223 does look pretty close. Case holder for 223 might work.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy BUFFALOW RED's Avatar
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    There's 3 different 9 mm's
    I have a set of dies marked 380/9mm
    I have shot the 9 x 17 in my 380
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by BUFFALOW RED View Post
    There's 3 different 9 mm's
    I have a set of dies marked 380/9mm
    I have shot the 9 x 17 in my 380
    9mm luger = 9mm nato = 9x19 (.355-.356 bullet diameter. Cases are the same, loads differ slightly with nato spec being 124 grain bullets vs 115)

    380 = 9mm kurz = 9x17 = 9mm browning short (.355-.356 bullet diameter. Different names, same caliber and loading)

    9x18 = 9mm makarov (uses a .365 bullet diameter)
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    JoeJames,

    A .223 case holder and a .380 case holder are one in the same from my experience (and research).

    RCBS Brand it's the #10
    LEE Brand it's the #4
    Hornady Brand it's the #16
    Redding Brand is also #10

    farmbif said it best. The .380 can be a beast to load for. It's a very thin walled cartridge and during the expanding operation I had the dickens of a time finding an expander that worked okay. I was about to give it up and as a final measure tried my Dillon 9mm expanding die. Success! The 9mm dies worked fine for expanding, seating and crimping. Good luck on your search.

    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The 380 is a short cartridge and setting the expander to deep can swell the body do to the internal taper in the case. Setting the dies up is a touchy operation.

    Handling the little case is a pain, it dosnt give a lot to hold on to. Powder charges are small making variation more critical.

    I loaded a few thousand 100 grn laser cast to duplicate the rem 102 grn golden sabers during the first ammo shortage. I did it on a 650 dillon with case feeder and the small cases handling wasnt an issue but had to make spacers for the feeder chute so they wouldnt bounce and feed upside down or plug it up. Also had to run the press "easier" so rotatopn didnt jar powder out of the case when starting and stopping. These loads hit to same point of aim in both my 380s. It feeds well in 5-6 different 380s its been tried in.

    It can be done and isnt a real big problem but a little more attention may be needed

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    JoeJames,

    Check your PM's sir.


    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    I load mine on a 223 sizer, 9mm expander and seating die. No issues in my Beretta 84 and a TCP. Used that setup since 2012 when I bought the 84 and could not get dies. I also load .357 dia 100 gr RD cast not the .355 stuff. Check that the larger bullets will chamber before loading a slew of them, plunk test.
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  14. #14
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    I guess I'm soon to have the same problem . I have recently got a replacement firing pin in a little 380 I have had from the early 80s & never considered loading for it until now .

  15. #15
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    The OP wrote, "......I checked and straight up 380 acp dies are classed unobtanium at this stage in the stampede....."

    Wait for the stampede to be over.

    Seriously, while components, dies and other items are in short supply now (we've been down this path before ) the best course of action may be to ride out the storm.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Petrol & Powder View Post
    The OP wrote, "......I checked and straight up 380 acp dies are classed unobtanium at this stage in the stampede....."

    Wait for the stampede to be over.

    Seriously, while components, dies and other items are in short supply now (we've been down this path before ) the best course of action may be to ride out the storm.
    I looked around and I do have a box of Hornady Critical Defense I bought shortly after the first 380 stampede. And I am debating on giving it to my brother-in-law. Seeing as how he blasted up his 380 ammo for practice, and then looked around and found "golly!" no one had any in stock I am a bit irritated. I thank y'all for your responses; put it down to my old age, but I had plumb forgotten that the 380 was basically 9mm short. I have the dies for 9mm Luger, but have never gotten around to reloading it. As you may recall Elmer Keith said it was one of the most difficult cartridges to load for.

    We will see - that might be good counseling from Petrol & Powder "to ride out the storm".
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  17. #17
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    Personally I wouldn't give the HCD ammo to him. No doubt he'll just blast it away too and hit you up for more. Had that happen to me with relatives and "friends" too many times in the past. Suggest you load some for him and tell him to pick up and save the brass to reload again or there won't be anymore.

    I also used a .223 FL die to size my 380 cases and finish loaded with 9mm dies before i got 380 dies.
    Larry Gibson

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  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master
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    As an adjunct to this topic, has anyone tried cutting off 223 cases to make 380s? I would assume it would be necessary to neck ream the made-over case, but other than that, would there be any reason it wouldn’t be a feasible method?

    You could full length size the 223s then cut them off a thousandth or two long so you could trim them all to headspace properly on their mouths. Then you would ream the inside of the necks, giving an additional advantage of a shelf to support the bullet base. Taper crimp the case mouth with a 9 mm Luger die set 2mm lower than for that case, and bingo! There’s your 380 round.

    A lot of work to get cases, especially since losing them when shooting a semiauto would be painful, but it should be do-able, right?

    Froggie
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  19. #19
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    These are my least favorite round to load out off everything I load! I cast the Lyman light and heavy RN and a 123gr. TC for them. I have found that if I open them up with a Lee 9mm expander and close them up with a Lyman 9mm taper crimp I get my best rounds. Some brass is thicker and requires a pass thru the Lee factory crimp die, only use the carbide ring on the bottom, not the crimp part of the die. My Springfield has a tight chamber and is fairly picky.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    I see used 380 brass on gunbroker for .05-. 10 each in quantity. Cutting off 223 would be a lot of work and internal case capacity would almost assuredly be less.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check