Hello everyone,
I'm new to reloading so I thought the best place to start would be with a Lee Classic aka the whack a mole. I got a 38 special loader used but it was missing the priming rod/Capper. I went to the Lee website to look for replacement parts, also decided to get the dipper and load data for 357 magnum since I had to place an order anyway.
While I was going through the replacement parts I happened to notice something very interesting. As I'm sure you all know the 38 loader can be used to load 357 and vice versa. I was also interested in the 9mm loader as well and low and behold roughly 90% of the parts for the 38/357 are also used in the 9mm Lee Loader.
Everything but the main body die and the decapping chamber are exactly the same between 9mm and 38! Lose a part of one kit and you can use the same part from another. Lee had the 9mm body for sale as a replacement part, until I made the mistake of emailing them to make sure I was correct in my assumption. They took it down once they realized anyone with a 38 or 357 loader could basically buy the 9mm body and load 9mm as well.
I deprimed a piece of 9mm brass with the 38 decap chamber and it worked too so you could literally just swap the body and load 9mm as well. This revelation got me to thinking and I wanted to get some advice.
Since most of the parts are the same between 38/357 and 9mm I'm thinking most of the parts would be the same in the discontinued 380 auto Lee Classic as well.
Is there anyway to resize brass without a press, or are the dimensions close enough to reload 380 with the 38/357 body? They're both straight walled so it wouldn't be like using the 9mm loader to load 380. I've heard of people reloading 380 with the 9mm loader and it working out fine. I have a copy of the 380 charge table, if I order the .3 cc dipper and can find a way to resize the brass I believe I could load 380 auto as well. I've heard that 380 could be resized on a normal 38 reloading die but I don't know how true that is.
I would really like to get the 380 Lee Classic just for kicks but unfortunately Lee doesn't make it anymore. I found one on ebay but the bid went up to almost $100 and at that point I could get a hand press and 380 dies for the same price.
I don't plan to do this as a regular thing I'm more or less wondering if it can be done in an emergency shtf situation.
I do plan on getting a press and dies which is why I decided against getting a 9mm Loader in addition to my 38/357 loader. I found someone willing to sell me the 9mm body but figured im better off putting the money into a press. I just can't help but wonder if something like this couldn't be pulled off it was absolutely necessary.