380 used for 9mm 310 dies?

[connortn]

Can a set of 380 lyman 310 dies be used for loading 9mm? ...or 9mm used to load 380? If they do, I have a set of 45 long colt that I would trade someone for either of the two that might work in loading both 380 and 9mm. I've loaded about 200 rounds max with them so they're very good condition.

Tks....

[Shooter]

Should work fine. .380=9mm short.
9mm=9x19
.380=9x17

[6bg6ga]

I think there is a difference in diameter small difference yet a difference dispite the fact they call a .380 a 9 mm short.

They manufacture dies for both and if they were the same like the 40 cal and 9mm the die numbers would be the same.

I disagree as RCBS reloading dies 9mm PN is 20504 and their .380 is 20409 the reloading die PN for the RCBS 40 cal/10mm is 22115

[bobthenailer]

you will need a seperate die set for either there not interchangable.

[Freightman]

I thought the 9mm was a slightly tapered case and the 380 was straight.

[gbrown]

I don't know about the 310 tool, but on my dillon, I loaded 9mm, 380 and 38 super using the 9mm dies. All I did was buy a carbide sizing die for 380 and 38 super. I never had any issues with any of the cartridges. 380 is a 9X17, 9mm 9X19 & 38 super 9X23. I've since got a conversion set for each caliber, but I could pretty much interchange the dies. Small difference in 380 rim and 9mm/38 super rims. The shellplates for them are the 3 (380) and 5 (9mm & 38 super). Before I got the conversion sets, I used the 5 with the 380. It worked! To really get a definitive answer, call Rick Morrill at the 310 shop. On Castpics, references, 310 tool, links

[fcvan]

Yes, the overall length of .380 and 9mm are as you say, but that is where similarities end. The 9mm has a rim dia. of .394, the base above the rim is .391 which tapers to a case mouth diameter of .380. Overall length is .754 inches. The rim of the .380 ACP is .374 dia., the base above the rim is the same, and the case mouth is .373, overall length is .680 inches.

These two cases are hardly in the same category. The 9mm and .380 came out within a few short years of each other with the difference being the .380 was developed to shoot newer smokeless powder at roughly black powder pressures, and the 9mm was designed to be a high pressure player from the start. The .380 is not to the 9mm as the .38 is the .357 magnum.

The .380 ACP was referred to as a 9mm corto, 9mm kurz, or 9mm short by the Europeans. In actuality it is no such thing. Its kind of like the 45 Colt was never long or short. The Cavalry pistol was chambered in 45 caliber to meet the army specs and colt got the initial contract. It was more technically the '45 government' round and initially not available to civilians. The army also had a contract with S&W to produce the Schofield which shot a cartridge similar in dimension yet smaller. The Schofield loading could be fired in the 45 Cavalry pistol, but the larger rounds couldn't chamber in the Schofield. I read somewhere the actual designation of the cartridges were M1873 for the Colt (250-255 gr bullet over 40 grains of BP) and was later replaced by M1887 (200-230 gr bullet over 28 grains of BP) which could be fired in both pistols. THats the long and the short of it :)

[6bg6ga]

I don't know about the 310 tool, but on my dillon, I loaded 9mm, 380 and 38 super using the 9mm dies. All I did was buy a carbide sizing die for 380 and 38 super. I never had any issues with any of the cartridges. 380 is a 9X17, 9mm 9X19 & 38 super 9X23. I've since got a conversion set for each caliber, but I could pretty much interchange the dies. Small difference in 380 rim and 9mm/38 super rims. The shellplates for them are the 3 (380) and 5 (9mm & 38 super). Before I got the conversion sets, I used the 5 with the 380. It worked! To really get a definitive answer, call Rick Morrill at the 310 shop. On Castpics, references, 310 tool, links

I just tried to put a 9mm on a 380 case holder in my old Lyman turret press and it doesn't fit and will not fit. My .380's are measuring .369 and the 9mm measures .387 I seriously doubt that your Dillon's .380 plate will hold a 9 mm and if a .380 were put on a 9mm shellplate there would be way too much slop.

[Murphy]

Like many others, for decades I 'thought' the .380 was a short 9mm. Last year I discovered they're two totally different animals. About the only thing the share in common is boolit diameter. Even the shell holder is different.

Murphy

[gbrown]

I just tried to put a 9mm on a 380 case holder in my old Lyman turret press and it doesn't fit and will not fit. My .380's are measuring .369 and the 9mm measures .387 I seriously doubt that your Dillon's .380 plate will hold a 9 mm and if a .380 were put on a 9mm shellplate there would be way too much slop.

I will not argue with you, merely passing on my experience. Yes, with the SDB shellplate #5, there is some slop with the 380. However, loading slow and fitting cases into dies, the slop is eliminated. I am not a speed loader, a slow, deliberate loader, just as I cast and do many other things. To me, in this field, speed leads to error and error leads to problems, sometimes of catastrophic consequences. I did not say I used the #3 plate with 9mm, I used the #5 with 380.

[6bg6ga]

I think the purpose of this forum is to educate people on the proper way of doing things....in other words the correct dies and shellholders to reload correctly. I highly suggest the correct dies to reload the .380 and the 9mm instead of a cluster**ck way of doing it.

[I'll Make Mine]

One more on the "won't work" side -- a .380 is .017 smaller at the head than a 9mm Parabellum, and almost untapered (only about .001 taper compared to .011 or so taper to a thicker mouth in the 9 mm). A 9x19 case won't even enter most .380 sizing dies, and a 9x19 sizer won't do anything to a fired .380 case unless there's a pretty bad bulge from the feed ramp.

[connortn]

Thanks guys. I had always thought the 380 was a 9mm short also. Spent many hours studying the Speer reloading manual over the years and missed that. I guess I'll have to get both. Since I'm new here, where should I post about trading my 45LC dies for the 380 or 9mm? Don't want to mis-post anything.

[woody1]

The op asked, can they? Specifically he asked about Lyman 310 dies. Has anyone tried it? I have tried 9mm dies to load 380 and I think I wrote it up here somewhere. It didn't work but I don't recall why. Regards, Woody
PS - As to always using the correct dies....sometimes we have to improvise, adapt, and sometimes overcome.

[6bg6ga]

I did a google on the 310 tool and came up with a list of pistol calibers none of which was the 9mm or .380 Why on earth would someone want to use an anequated hand operated finger pinching hand blistering device like that anyway? .......Just get the right dies and some decent used reloading equipment so the rest of us can sleep at night.

[Fieldmaster]

Hello Connortn
I have a a spare 9mm reloading die for you real cheap or trade for a 9mm Mold please let me know we csn wok out something if you still need one

[connortn]

Fieldmaster... PM sent.

Tks.

[woody1]

I did a google on the 310 tool and came up with a list of pistol calibers none of which was the 9mm or .380 Why on earth would someone want to use an anequated hand operated finger pinching hand blistering device like that anyway? .......Just get the right dies and some decent used reloading equipment so the rest of us can sleep at night.

Huh? Actually 310 dies were available in both 9mm Luger and 380 Auto. Regards, Woody

[357shooter]

you will need a seperate die set for either there not interchangable.

Agree with this and the others that echo the thought. A 9mm case will not fit into my Dillon 380 shellplate.

[Shooter]

I did a google on the 310 tool and came up with a list of pistol calibers none of which was the 9mm or .380 Why on earth would someone want to use an anequated hand operated finger pinching hand blistering device like that anyway? .......Just get the right dies and some decent used reloading equipment so the rest of us can sleep at night.

Never used one, have you?
The 310 adpter die and shell holder are the same,17 and 12.

[Catshooter]

That the 380 & the 9mm share the same case adaptor I do not doubt.

But the 310 uses a "shell holder"? It does? I've loaded with the 310 for many years and have never seen or used a shell holder for one. Is this something I've missed? (wouldn't be the first!)


Cat

[Shooter]

Sorry Cat, I should have said "Priming chamber".

[Catshooter]

Ah, that makes sense.


Cat

[Pavogrande]

The 310 dies:
380 and 9mm use "small" handles.
380 and 9mm use the same handle adapter #17
380 and 9mm use the same priming chamber #12
380 and 9mm use the same decap chamber unless they are CMR resize die sets.
9mm uses #134 muzzle resizer and DA (seater)
380 uses #144 muzzle resizer and DA -
Likely newer dies will be marked 380 and 9mm for both the MR and DA -
Hope this lets the sleepless one get a full nights rest now
my ha-penny

[tengaugetx]

I have a Dillon 550 and the 380 cases are somewhat loose when used with the 9mm conversion. I have accidentally primed and loaded a 380 case with the 9mm set up but the cases usually won't stay in place when priming. That plus the 380 case requires way less force when sizing which is a givaway for having the wrong case in the press.
I hate to admit this but I am reasonably sure I have fired a 110gr .358 diameter bullet with a 9mm load in a 380 case through my Kimber. I only say this because I have picked up a 380 case in my empty 9mm brass.

[w5pv]

There is enough difference so you cannot load a 9mm Luger into a 380.The head size on the 380 is about .015 smaller than the 9mm Luger.I am trying to do this from memory so the figures may not be exact but the Lee # 4 shell holder is for the 380 and the #19 is for the 9mm.Safe shooting and a great day.