Curly James
07-12-2009, 10:14 PM
It's been a long time since I was this enamored with a small pocket pistol. Since 1985 I have carried a NAA 22 mag as my "always with me" pocket gun. Last year I purchased a Ruger LCP 380 and have since fired 1119 rounds of an assortment of factory, jacketed reloads and now cast boolits through this little gun.
A year ago I would have told you I would never reload for a .380 ACP. The recent run on ammo changed my mind about that. I have two if these guns to feed (one belongs to my wife) and sytyarted reloading simply to be able to practice with them. There is a definate learning curve to shooting proficiently with this small of a handgun and the only way to develop thise skills is by live fire practice.
I only thought finding a set of dies was bad the Lee mold was a trial in and of itself. Back ordered for 1 1/2 months from MidSouth. it arrived with the right box and stampings for a Lee 360 mold but dropped the same boolits they show specs for as being their 9mm Makarov mold. I returned the mold with an as cast boolit and one that I tried to size down to .356 dia. It took Lee another month to return the proper mold to me. That one drops them withing spec and they work very well when tumble lubed and loaded on top of 2.8 grains of WW 231.
I carry the LCP either on my ankle or in a pocket pretty much all the time and can make a headshot on a silhouette at 10 yards on demand. It has never FTF, FTF or any other FT whatever. I once went over 200 rounds without cleaning and it still continued to work. I know many here dislike the .380 as a defensive round, but a CorBon 90 grain HP makes 967 FPS (chronographed) from that little short barrel. I'm pretty sure that will leave a mark when it hits. I also subscribe to the three Ps, placement, penetration, and prayer. Pictured with it are a Corbon HP, the Lee cast boolit, and a reload using a 95 grain "j" word bullet.
A year ago I would have told you I would never reload for a .380 ACP. The recent run on ammo changed my mind about that. I have two if these guns to feed (one belongs to my wife) and sytyarted reloading simply to be able to practice with them. There is a definate learning curve to shooting proficiently with this small of a handgun and the only way to develop thise skills is by live fire practice.
I only thought finding a set of dies was bad the Lee mold was a trial in and of itself. Back ordered for 1 1/2 months from MidSouth. it arrived with the right box and stampings for a Lee 360 mold but dropped the same boolits they show specs for as being their 9mm Makarov mold. I returned the mold with an as cast boolit and one that I tried to size down to .356 dia. It took Lee another month to return the proper mold to me. That one drops them withing spec and they work very well when tumble lubed and loaded on top of 2.8 grains of WW 231.
I carry the LCP either on my ankle or in a pocket pretty much all the time and can make a headshot on a silhouette at 10 yards on demand. It has never FTF, FTF or any other FT whatever. I once went over 200 rounds without cleaning and it still continued to work. I know many here dislike the .380 as a defensive round, but a CorBon 90 grain HP makes 967 FPS (chronographed) from that little short barrel. I'm pretty sure that will leave a mark when it hits. I also subscribe to the three Ps, placement, penetration, and prayer. Pictured with it are a Corbon HP, the Lee cast boolit, and a reload using a 95 grain "j" word bullet.