380 ACP gas checks

[ddredd99]

Are gas checks required for this caliber of pistol? Does anyone out there have any experience with the 380?

Thanks!

[GARD72977]

I load for a couple 380 s. No gas checks needed. I have good luck with RCBS 90gr bullet. I Hitek coated them but I'm sure lube would work just as well.

My girlfriend has a 1911 Browning that she manages to limp wrist every other shot and a S&W sheild. The Browning is really accurrate to about 20yds and the sheild is very respectable. I was surprised how well the Little 380 shoots.

[ddredd99]

I was going to try the Lee 125 grain mold. I will just power coat them and see how it goes. Thanks!

[Dan Cash]

I am loading for a pair of Colts and a Bersa in .380. To answer your question, no, gas checks are not needed for this cartridge. My load consists of the Accurate Mold Co. http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=35-098S-D.png. over 4.3 grains of Unique. My bullets are lubed with a soft beeswax/neetsfoot oil lube and do not lead. Bullets are shot as cast at .358 diameter.

[gwpercle]

I have reloaded cast boolits for a Walther PPK in 380 auto for about 25 years now and my Sister-in-law's SIG P238 for two or three years .
Gas checks are not required . With cast boolits even the highest velocities are under 1,000 fps, my threshold for gas checks .

If you have trouble with the longer 125 grain mould feeding , try the shorter 356-102-1R or the Lee 358-105-SWC ...
I have had surprisingly good results with the Lee 358-105-SWC in both 380 auto and 9 mm Luger . This boolit is more a truncated cone and feeds like it was made for semi-auto's . I size them .357 .

Got any questions ?... ask away
Gary

[rking22]

You don’t say what gun or what Lee 125, but I was unable to get the 125 rf Lee to work in my Beretta 84. Seated to a plunkable oal it started giving the cases a “fat belly “ as the bullet went too deep. Too fat to plunk before short enough! The Lee 95rf is very like the 100gr Ranch Dog that works very well in lots of 380s.

[one-eyed fat man]

This Lyman 356632 mould, part of a pile of reloading stuff I bought, was a lucky find. 100 grain truncated cone, over 4.2 grains of Unique works nicely in my .380's. It is a bit snappy in the Kel-Tec P3AT and the 1910 Browning. It is very tolerable in a Llama Especial and comfortable in the CZ-83. Runs around 1080 fps and great accuracy without leading. The Lee 356-102-1R is a pretty good shooting bullet too, but the Lyman truncated cone feeds every bit as well and I feel it is more effective. A .357 sizing die barely kisses them and they are lubed with Alox.

You might want to back off half a grain to start.

Yes, I know Unique is dirty and smokes, but it also works very well in .45 ACP and I load LOTS of that.

258729

[GONRA]

GONRA uses IDEAL U358242 95 gn. cast boolits for a variety of locked breech and blowback European and US .380 ACP caliber auto pistols.

[John Wayne]

I'd like to start casting for my .380 also so I am finding this info very helpful. Thanks men!

[DukeInFlorida]

A 35 caliber gas check will snap right onto the back of any plain base .355 sized (9mm and 380 auto) bullet.
IF you wanted to try it

[n.h.schmidt]

38/9mm Plain Base gas checks will fit right on. Works with normal molds. In the past I made a great many of these and sold them. Do you need them for 380? Almost always no. They may control leading with some barrels .
n.h.schmidt

[dkf]

I don't use gas checks for .380acp. All my .380 molds are PB but I would like it if some were GC for .357sig. The Lee 95 RF is a good bullet for .380 and it does not break the bank, mine drops .358".

[fcvan]

I somehow collected more 380 molds because I 'just had to try it.' Started with the Lee 356-102 1R, then the 358-105 SWC. Later sill, I picked up the 356-95 RF. All shoot well from my 380s, 9MM, 357 SIG, and 38/357.

Before I started powder coating, I got some plain based gas check makers. The only things I checked were 357 SIG and 9mm carbine test loads. After PC, I haven't needed plain based gas checks, not even .223/5.56 at 2450 FPS.