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Thread: reloading 380?

  1. #41
    Boolit Master
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    Loaded tons of .380 ACP (95 gn cast, 90 gn MAX jacketed)
    over the DECADES for a variety of
    pre-WW2 European military pistols (need heavier powder charges!) etc.
    >>> Lyman-Ideal cast bullet U358242 was used in most of it. <<<

    Pretty sure its best to stick to these lighter bullet weights.
    >> GONRA would NEVER use heavier bullets in this caliber! <<

    BUT - if yer messing with Seecamps, can even use custom swaged
    (Corbin + GONRA tooling) 42 grain FMJ bullets - but that's another story.....

    Be sure to put Hi Quality .380 ACP dies, Starline brass, etc.
    on yer "future buy" list....

    Warm up yer lathe to make custom case mouth expanders, etc.

    HAVE PHUN GUYS!

  2. #42
    Boolit Buddy
    1I-Jack's Avatar
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    Case mouth expanding is a big problem for me. I can't get enough "flair" in the mouth and the bullets get shaved. If I try to go deeper with the expander I end up crushing the cases. Unfortunately, I don't have a lathe.

  3. #43
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I was trying to simplify my life a little by consolidating my ammo types, but then a friend from church offered me a nice shooter grade Remington Model 51 in 380. I had an old Hungarian FEG in the caliber but wasn’t shooting it. Now I’ve got to try to find my 380 dies.

    Froggie
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  4. #44
    Boolit Master
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    I've never owned a .380 but load it from time to time for f&f. My .380 set is an older RCBS with steel sizer and the decapper/expander in the cavernous "#2" die body. Recently one of my shooting buddies wanted a K of .380 practice ammo and a couple hundred JHPs, and I had just cast a bucket of the Lee 38-105-SWC and another of the 30-95-RF. The last time I'd loaded .380 was on a single station press in my pre-Dillon days. I set out to make my .380 process feel at home on a 550. I managed to find a powder-through die, and had a spare carbide .38/357 sizer. I set everything up, and used the steel sizer for a taper-crimp station. Everything worked great. It reminded me of cobbling up .38 S&Ws with a mix of dies, pan-lubed unsized Lee 150 gr SWCs and 356402s, 38 SPL brass and a tubing cutter. When you learn handloading from reading Grennell, Nonte, Keith, Skeeter et al, it doesn't phase you to skull out solving a problem with what you have on hand or can scrounge, and disregard the shrieks.
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  5. #45
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    atr's Avatar
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    years ago...the 1960's ..I had a very nice LLama .380 and I did load cast for it. I used a 125 gr RN cast with Bullseye. I had to work up the powder charge slowly but finally got it right and the 125 gr turned out to be a good shooter for the .380
    Death to every foe and traitor and hurrah, my boys, for freedom !

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1I-Jack View Post
    Case mouth expanding is a big problem for me. I can't get enough "flair" in the mouth and the bullets get shaved. If I try to go deeper with the expander I end up crushing the cases. Unfortunately, I don't have a lathe.
    I have had that problem. Caused by Federal stepped cases.
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  7. #47
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by LabGuy View Post
    I have had that problem. Caused by Federal stepped cases.
    I'll check my headstamps...any other "fix"?

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy
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    Every few years I reload several hundred .380's for my brothers Walther, usually using Berry's plated bullets and green dot. Saves him some money and a nice day at the reloading can be relaxing. Sorta like meditation.

  9. #49
    Boolit Master

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    I don't know why, but I have owned more than a few .380 ACP pistols. First was a Beretta 70S right before they were discontinued. A co-worker was gifted a 71 (22LR) I sold him mine so he could have the set. Many years later, I bought an FEG knock off of a Walther, didn't even dry fire it. The double action pull was rude, something like 18 pounds, single action was very crisp and light. I later learned the fix was replace the main spring with a Walther or clip a few coils to lighten the double action. As it was designed to be heavy, I left it alone.

    My Wife bought me a Taurus 738 TCP, tiny little thing. As we walked out of the store, she said hers was pink, thinking our youngest daughter might want to shoot it. After the first range day I was cleaning hers and mine, youngest daughter sees the pink one and said 'I'd shoot that.' My Wife and I had a good chuckle.

    When Glock came out with the G42 I bought a pair and tried to get sequential serial numbers, the Wife digs that sort of thing. I friend retired shotly after I did, and wanted one. As he was still in CA he couldn't purchase one as it was not on 'the list' even though he was a retired LEO and could not purchase the G42. Stupid CA rules. I bought a pair of G43 in 9mm, those were sequential, Wife was happy. I generally carry the G43 but still like loading and shooting .380 ACP.

    Back during the last stupid component crunch a lot of the ladies I worked with bought .380 pistols but couldn't find ammo. Brass was available but I can't sell ammo, stupid ITAR thing. A bacon cheeseburger from a local market magically appeared frequently, with fries. Sparkle Pink PC was quite a favorite, as was Barny Purple. Zombie green was more of a guy thing, I prefer basic black.

    .380 ACP is a fun shooter but I shoot more 9mm than anything. My Wife picked up 15K of 9mm brass, once fired. It seems that folks weren't into reloading and just let their brass lay. A couple of guys got wise and learned to reload at our house, then casting as well. Still, .380 is a fun range day, I just shoot more 9mm as it is my EDC.
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  10. #50
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1I-Jack View Post
    ...any other "fix"?
    Do you chamfer the case mouths?

  11. #51
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    For those with huge Yeti or Wookiee hands, like mine, try a Browning BDA, 13 rd double stack mag and it felt pretty good in my paws. Had to replace the recoil spring as the older one was quite tired and the pistol would string rounds vertically, reduced power handloads would tack drive on it though. Lots of fun, and pretty small. I want to get back shooting that caliber

  12. #52
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    1I-Jack, you could "cheap lathe" an expander for it out of even mild steel, that would last a long time and fix the belling issue. (I call chucking a piece of material like a 3/8" chunk of steel up in a hand drill & spinning it "cheap lathing" it, for obvious reasons. Just measure often enough that you don't over cut it.)

    Another option, see if Lee would sell you the neck expander from a Lee Classic Loader, in 9mm, 380, or 38 Spl / 357 Mag? I needed one and a member on here was very helpful and made one up nicely on their lathe, very usable and works well.

    Guessing that for temporary use you could 3d print one (Might not last too long), brass or aluminum stock should work well enough too.

  13. #53
    Boolit Buddy HumptyDumpty's Avatar
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    I have used 9mm dies before, and it can be made to work, but as others have pointed out, you will have some problems with the shell holder, due to the difference in case-head diameter, mostly while depriming. If you hold the case just right, it won't slip out of place. All of my dies are Lee.

  14. #54
    Boolit Master
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    A 223 shell holder is the same as 380 shell holder if you have one.

  15. #55
    Boolit Master hoodat's Avatar
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    380 brass is fairly gettable, and as a matter of fact I just got a bunch from member "owejia" the other day. Price was very reasonable, and having a bunch of them makes it not so important to crawl around looking for my empties. I probably have about a 60% retrieval rate.

    I load a lot of 380, and I've got hands like mittens. I guess ya get used to it. Maybe I oughta try guitar next. jd

  16. #56
    Boolit Master
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    I've been loading .380 for a little Ruger LCP for about five years now. For plinking and target I use a light charge of Bullseye pushing a .355 cast 115 grain boolet. Once I got the cartridge length right there were no feed problems and the reloads work in all the other pistols they have been tried in. I know a 115 grain boolet is heavy for a .380 but loading it over a light charge of pistol powder gives a slower push and less recoil compared to jacketed commercial ammo. I stocked up with plenty of .380 brass by brass ratting and purchases off the internet before the drought so I'm good for a while.

    Just checked Diamond K reloading and they have .380 brass available at around ten cents per case if anybody needs some. I've bought brass from them and they have never done me wrong.

  17. #57
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    I have an old RCBS 2C 90 gr mold. My little LCP spits them out just fine. Love the mold and the gun. I also have j-bullets to load for it. My little carry. I call it my point and click. Not for competition, but a good close encounter piece.
    One of my father's favorite statements: "If I say a chicken dips snuff, look under his wing for the snuffbox" How I was raised, who I am.

  18. #58
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by LabGuy View Post
    I have had that problem. Caused by Federal stepped cases.
    jus get an empty .308 or .3006 shell and insert it into the case and give it a lite tap to put a little flare on the case. Then after you seat the bullet, run the case into the crimp die very very lightly to iron out the flare.Have to be careful because these headspace on the case edge.
    So only till the edge has no flare but also no crimp.

  19. #59
    Boolit Buddy paul edward's Avatar
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    You can size in 38 Special or 223 sizing dies. Use 9mm Luger dies for expanding, case mouth belling and bullet seating. It will take a it of experimenting, but you might be able to use the 223 sizer for taper crimping. No sooner than you figure out how to do this, proper 380 dies will reappear on the market. Murphy is watching.

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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
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check