I'm STILL engaged in trying to get my new reloading room set up, so I haven't been able to do any reloading for a while, and won't until I get it set up right. But one of the things that will be my first priorities when I git-r-done, is working up loads for my little Taurus TP M-738. I have the Ranch Dog 100 gr. RNFP (mostly FP) and I plan to get one of the relatively new 95 gr. Lee 6-cavs in RNFP. I've come to really LIKE this little gun. It has a pretty controllable trigger, is very accurate and reliable, and best of all, it shoots to the sights. Here in SE Ga., where T-shirt weather is common, it's pretty hard to carry anything bigger comfortably and all the time, and in most situations, the priority is to just HAVE a gun of whatever type you CAN carry 100% of the time.
With bad guys coming in all shapes and sizes, including the extra large "gorilla" type, I'm anticipating casting hard for sufficient penetration no matter what size they may come in, and I really like the FP's for their ability to poke larger holes in rattlesnakes' heads. I killed 4 this past year, and highly suspect the episode with them is not over. I don't kill them unless they're close to homes, but the population seems to have increased, for whatever reasons, and I take them out when they're close to kids at play, etc. where people often might not notice them until it's too late. Snakebite is ALWAYS serious, even if they don't kill you, and will almost surely cause on-going problems for years after a bite.
I'm new to reloading the .380 specifically, and I know the small case poses considerations that might not be quite as weighty in larger cases. Who has loaded the .380 and can provide info and tips that might help, like which powders tend to produce best accuracy, velocity and overall good functioning, especially with regard to the little mini-autos in this caliber that are so popular today. I know the little guns CAN prove a bit more finicky than the larger models, just because the spring tensions and timing of the cycle is more critical. I also know that crimping as a separate and final step can be critical for 100% functioning with any auto. Other than these little tidbits, which will always be a part of the little beasts that can be so useful, what can you contribute from your experience?
Good, accurate, fast and accurate powders is a chief concern for me due to the uses I have for it.