Load .380 without the proper dies?

[ddixie884]

Anyone ever load .380acp with other dies? what other dies can be used to size neck expand and seat bullets? There are several .45 rounds that can be used with some substitute dies. How about this. Will it work?

[racepres]

I Know that I have, but it was some time ago.. thinking some combo of 38 SPL and 9mm...Maybe... I generally just go for it.. and check for Effect

[Battis]

Try 9mm dies. The bullets are the same diameter.

[rking22]

A 223 or 222 size die is the right size for the body, 9mm is larger. I use a 9mm to flare, I think, it’s been a while. May have used a 38 special to size and decap, then seat and remove the crimp with the 223. Not certain that was the sequence, it’s been about 6 or 8 years since I loaded any.

[rintinglen]

Use The 223 sizer to decap and resize LUBED cases. Use the 9mm expander die to bell the case. Seat the boolit with the 9 mm seater die. Then remove the flare by removing the decapping stem from the 223 die and partially lowering the die until you get the case mouth down to .373-.374 inches.

Sometimes you get lucky and the 9 MM seater die will remove enough of the bell to let you make shootable ammo without the hassle of the fourth step.

[Kraschenbirn]

Rintinglen has it right. Once upon a time, I acquired an old Mauser HSC (G.I. bring-back?) that I had no intention of keeping and used the same procedure with a 7 TCU sizer die and .38 Super expander and seater dies.

Bill

[Mk42gunner]

This is precisely why I used to hunt through every "$5 Orphan die" box I found at gun shows.

It is surprising what you can make work for low volume loading.

Robert