90305 Lee 2 Cavity Bullet Mold for 9mm Luger / 38 Super / 380 ACP 102 grains

[roysha]

Does anyone here use this bullet in their 380 Auto? If so, what is your preferred powder?

The 380 Auto is new to me, reloading wise, so any information from your personal experience is appreciated.

[rintinglen]

I can't help you with this particular boolit from personal experience, but Lyman #4 has data on p. 246 for this mold

2.7 start-max 3.1 grns. WW 231 loaded to .960 oal.
2.4 start-max 2..9 grns. Bullseye " "
2.1 start-max 2.4 grns. Titegroup "

I do load 380, but my boolits are either the 356-242, 92 grain or the Ranch dog 356-100rf (Lee TL356-95 RF). 231 has worked the best for me with those boolits..

[shooting on a shoestring]

I’ve settled on Accurate 35-100L for the LCP and Kimber Micro 380. One bit of information I’ve discovered is overall length is critical. Obviously the small case capacity means a small bit of change in seating depth causes a large change in pressure with the fast powders. But also feeding in these little critters is very dependent on cartridge over-all length. You can see in the pic the LCP prefers short and the Kimber prefers long.

312994

I throated my Kimber with a bushed 0.360” chucking reamer so it would chamber the COL I needed to get reliable feeding with that boolit. I could have used a round nosed boolit without throating but I really prefer some meplat and wanted to use that truncated cone. So just a few turns of the reamer and happiness appeared.

I have settled on a mil surp powder very similar to Accurate #5 and run full throttle loads to get good combustion. But Bullseye also works really good.

I’m also a fan of boolits that are near 100 grains for 380. Seems to be the best balance of shooting to the sights, penetration and recoil.

[frkelly74]

For my son in laws Bursa 380, I have used that boolit that you mention. 700X powder was what I used for propellant. The first attempt was successful. I powder coated some blue and some red and mixed them up. All sized at .356, No malfunctions in the frist 100+ rounds.

[Ed_Shot]

I use the Lee 356-102-1R (Lee Mold #90305) for 380 ACP. Mine drops at 103 gr. I load for a Bersa, LCP, Walther PPK and Colt Mustang and size .358 with COAL .980". I've settled on Unique 3.2 for this boolit. Perfect function and shoots as good as I can hold. I prefer the Lyman 356242 (90 gr.) for 380.

[FergusonTO35]

I use the Lee 356-102 over 2.9 grains Bullseye at .971 OAL in my LCP and Kimber Micro. In a strong pistol like the Glock 42 you can push it to Makarov level no problemo. If I get another .380 mold its probably going to be the Arsenal 358-100-TC.