bedbugbilly
05-30-2018, 07:17 PM
Please excuse the posting of this in this section but I have read posts on this forum before about .380 with cast and various questions in regards to the variety of pistols and their "quirks". If the mods need to move it, please do so but I got no responses in the handgun section.
I have one of the new S & W Shield 380 EZ on hold at the LGS and will pick it up in a week or so when I'm down that way. It's been a while since I loaded any 380 ACP and wondered if anyone is loading cast for theirs and what their experiences have been?
I have mixed head stamp brass 1 X fired - not having time to cast for it I bought 1K of the hi tech coated 95 gr RN from one of our vendors on this site. Sized to .356".
I have been using Red Dot for many of my cartridges - 9mm, 38s, 45 Colt and several rifle cartridges and have a 8lb jug ov it so want to use that in the EZ as well.
I guess I'm looking for any advice or issues anyone has run in to on the EZ, if any. From what I'm reading, they pretty much eat anythning - just like my 9mm Shield.
My main questions probably revolves around the light recoil spring and the ease of racking the EZ. On my 9mm Shield, i had to up my charge by .2 grains over the load I was using in my Ruger SR9 due to the stiffer recoil spring of the Shield in order to get it to cycle good.
I'm not looking at using max nor even near max loads in the EZ - it is strictly going to be a "Plinker" and "Fun Gun" - not a "carry".
An old Lyman manual (I think #44) shows a starting load of 2.6 gr of RD and a maximum load of 3.0 grains of RD under a 92 grain cast RN. Overall length of .984"
I've read where many are using 2.7 gr of Red Dot under a 95 grain boolit with good luck in a number of different 380s. But, I'll still load up ten or so with different grain weights of powder to see which will function the best and give the best accuracy to of the pistol.
If anyone is loading for the EZ - any issues with OAL and feeding or which works better for you - a RN or something else? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. I had a Bersa CC at one time and it could be finicky with boolits - I was using pretty much the same boolit that I had cast our of the Lyman 358-242 mold in the lighter weight mold - 92 grainish. I had to shorten the OAL to get it to feed right.
Just wondering what any of you have found with the Shield 380 EZ as far as any quirks, etc. Or maybe, since it is fairly new on the market, not that many are reloading cast for it?
Thanks.
I have one of the new S & W Shield 380 EZ on hold at the LGS and will pick it up in a week or so when I'm down that way. It's been a while since I loaded any 380 ACP and wondered if anyone is loading cast for theirs and what their experiences have been?
I have mixed head stamp brass 1 X fired - not having time to cast for it I bought 1K of the hi tech coated 95 gr RN from one of our vendors on this site. Sized to .356".
I have been using Red Dot for many of my cartridges - 9mm, 38s, 45 Colt and several rifle cartridges and have a 8lb jug ov it so want to use that in the EZ as well.
I guess I'm looking for any advice or issues anyone has run in to on the EZ, if any. From what I'm reading, they pretty much eat anythning - just like my 9mm Shield.
My main questions probably revolves around the light recoil spring and the ease of racking the EZ. On my 9mm Shield, i had to up my charge by .2 grains over the load I was using in my Ruger SR9 due to the stiffer recoil spring of the Shield in order to get it to cycle good.
I'm not looking at using max nor even near max loads in the EZ - it is strictly going to be a "Plinker" and "Fun Gun" - not a "carry".
An old Lyman manual (I think #44) shows a starting load of 2.6 gr of RD and a maximum load of 3.0 grains of RD under a 92 grain cast RN. Overall length of .984"
I've read where many are using 2.7 gr of Red Dot under a 95 grain boolit with good luck in a number of different 380s. But, I'll still load up ten or so with different grain weights of powder to see which will function the best and give the best accuracy to of the pistol.
If anyone is loading for the EZ - any issues with OAL and feeding or which works better for you - a RN or something else? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. I had a Bersa CC at one time and it could be finicky with boolits - I was using pretty much the same boolit that I had cast our of the Lyman 358-242 mold in the lighter weight mold - 92 grainish. I had to shorten the OAL to get it to feed right.
Just wondering what any of you have found with the Shield 380 EZ as far as any quirks, etc. Or maybe, since it is fairly new on the market, not that many are reloading cast for it?
Thanks.