best .380acp cases

[Mohavedog]

I have a question for those of you that reload a lot of .380acp. What brand of cases have you found to be the best/least troublesome to reload? I have come into several thousand empty cases that I want to keep only about 500 for personal reloading as I can't live long enough to use em all. Headstamps are mostly WW, R-P, Federal and several other domestic and foreign brands. I would like some info on which ones are the best to keep. Thanks a bunch.

[JimB..]

I don’t know, so I’d apply the same logic I do to 9mm, basically keep Win, RP and Fed, scrap the rest.

[stubshaft]

Keep the nickel and dump the brass cases.

[FergusonTO35]

Fiocchi are excellent, and cost less than the others. The loaded ammo is hotter than domestic stuff too.

[kir_kenix]

I toss some of the foreign stuff I dont recognize. They can vary wildly in every dimension and will stop up the dillon occasionally.

Everything else I load up with minimal sorting. Watch though, some of the lengths are quite a bit different...especially hornady.

[higgins]

I've loaded just about every popular domestic and imported brand and they all load easily with jacketed bullets and fire with no function problems in my gun. I can't pick a favorite or best.

[35remington]

Make sure they have a properly sized extractor groove cut. See domestic brands for a good example of such. Some foreign ammo does not.

[onelight]

I've loaded just about every popular domestic and imported brand and they all load easily with jacketed bullets and fire with no function problems in my gun. I can't pick a favorite or best.
Me to , all brands of case but mainly Hi-Tek coated or the Lee 105 grain swc

[bob208]

free and boxer primed.

[BigAlofPa.]

I load them all too. My fave is nickel in all calibers. Just because i like how it looks lol.

[str8wal]

Keep the nickel and dump the brass cases.

I do the opposite. Different strokes.......

[35remington]

Nickel cases in my experience do not last as long as the brass ones.

[RED BEAR]

I keep everything. I do separate before loading all the odd ball stuff is loaded together.

[Ed_Shot]

I closely inspect all .380 brass and load all that pass inspection. Haven't had any specific problem with any particular head stamp.

[georgerkahn]

I would, if it were me, measure the lengths of your brass, and sort by this criteria more than maker or headstamp. I view it imperative to have all cases the same length when loading this diminutive case, and having them all the same sure saves a lot of time and effort. Note, too, I have gotten once-fired cases that were quite short -- another reason to check lengths.
Good luck!
geo

[bedbugbilly]

My supply is mixed head stamp range brass and they all load just fine with my lead loads - and if there is nickel mixed in, I don't care - load 'em till they split and toss 'em. As I load (on my Lee turret press) I inspect and if i spot something, toss 'em in a can and they work well for making powder scoops and other things - knock the primer out and use a round head screw through the and they make great drawer pulls.

[kmw1954]

Another right here that loads it all. Sort by head stamp to preserve some sort of consistency. I right now am only loading Xtreme 100gr plated in the 380 so there is no deviation from changing bullets from brand to brand.

I will suggest this though, you mention sorting and keeping only 500 cases. I'd keep all of it and the reason being is that no matter where I go I always seem to have a 20% loss rate on this brass. Don't ask me where it goes because I don't have a clue. It just evaporates or something!

[str8wal]

I'd keep all of it and the reason being is that no matter where I go I always seem to have a 20% loss rate on this brass. Don't ask me where it goes because I don't have a clue. It just evaporates or something!

I have the same problem but in my case it is because it lands in front of the firing line at the range and the RO's tend to frown upon folks retrieving brass from the no man's land.

[onelight]

I would, if it were me, measure the lengths of your brass, and sort by this criteria more than maker or headstamp. I view it imperative to have all cases the same length when loading this diminutive case, and having them all the same sure saves a lot of time and effort. Note, too, I have gotten once-fired cases that were quite short -- another reason to check lengths.
Good luck!
geo
This is one of the situations where I really like the Lee factory crimp die where precision takes a back seat to function it works great with range brass mix of case lengths none of my 380s are target or hunting guns.

[Bigslug]

Reloaded a nice bunch of random headstamp brass in the XL650 with no notable issues. Didn't really give it a great deal of contemplation as "50 Yard Pocket Pistol Bullseye Match" is not a game I have much interest in.

Best advice i could give you would be to weigh a handful of each headstamp and keep whatever has the least variation. You might also gently knock out some primers and see which appears to hold them in tighter, then check to see if they have nice round flash holes or if they look like they were punched with a dull awl.

[Murphy]

I guess it was just my luck, but the .380 Auto has been the biggest reloading challenge in my nearly 40 years of reloading. Resizing and all went well, it was belling the cases that turned out to be a major pain for me. I tried belling dies from several manufacturers and would wind up with a bulge just about where the bullet base would be. I had a few that would barely chamber. Finally I went a LEE Universal Expander and that worked fine. I also found that my Dillon 9mm expander die would work also.

In answer to your question, I read a ton of threads on 380 Auto brass looking for answers. It's hard to beat Win, RP, PMC or Fed. My particular 380 (A Kahr) was ammunition sensitive and prone to jamming. After a lot of reading about people replacing extractors or modifying them, I discovered the answer to my particular gun. As 35remington stated above in his post "properly sized extractor groove cut", and measure the case rim thickness. I would personally just remove the slide for cleaning and see what brand(s) seem to slip into the extractor groove with ease. Perhaps load 15-20 each and see if they cycle properly. I started with a KelTec P3AT and swapped out for the Kahr. I had already figured out the problems mentioned above before buying a Kahr. I've not had a single bobble with the Kahr new out of the box.

Best of luck finding what works best for you.

Murphy

[Mohavedog]

Thanks or all the responses. A lot of good info to consider that I hadn't thought about, especially the high probability of loss at the range. I'm a brass hoarder by affliction so will probably keep it all,lol. Thanks again, Dog

[Blazenet]

I've always been a fan of Remington

[6bg6ga]

I setup for 380's with the RCBS dies I have I seat the bullet and barely use any crimp on that die. I have installed a 9mm taper crimp die after the seating/crimp die and crimp it enough to stop any bullet movement when you apply pressure on the case and bullet. My additional taper crimp die totally eliminates the wrinkles I was getting in the cases before. Everything feeds and shoots as it should.

I now use every 380 case I can get my hands on and don't depend on any specific brass.

[35remington]

Some 380 brass and factory ammo is so incorrect that one cannot help but fear for the extractor.

[Bmi48219]

I collect a lot of 380 brass but surprisingly I like the PPU the best. I have close to a 800 cases now, should hold me for a long time. Length is consistent, a full diameter rim and tight primer pockets. Cleans up well too. No problems with reloads in my 380 EZ.

[35remington]

Put a questionable case alongside a Winchester, for instance, and compare extractor groove cuts. If it is noticeably smaller.....not good.

[35remington]

When the case is pressed against the breech, see if the questionable cases strike the extractor nose at the front of the extractor cut. Many do. This is why the extractor cut needs to be correctly dimensioned.

The extractor is not designed to take violent slamming on firing.