9MM & 380 auto Bullets

Bullet weights are lighter for the .380 than for the 9mm Luger and the bullet profile is slightly different too. BUT, in these hard times if you have bullets you can give them a try and see if they work. I would make a dummy round or two and drop the round into the barrel and be sure the ogive doesn't hit the rifling and the bullet seats completely before I load up live ammo.

Which bullets do you have and are thinking of using?

You need to provided more info. What gun, bullet, powder?

Yes you can but some of the heaver 9mm bullets are too long for the 380, they take up to much space in the smaller 380 case causing pressure issues and can cause feeding issues because they bulge the 380 case where it starts to taper. If you have some 90 to 115 ish grain 9mm bullets you will probably be all right, something like 124 grainer's could cause problems. As always start low and work up your load being aware of the above issues. I load cast lead 105 grain SWC's in my 380, 9mm and 38 without any problems.

whether or not you can find data for the bullet should be a good hint

You can, but easily only to about 115gn. There is a fair amount of data from Lyman and Hornady.

Not sure if you ever make it into St. Charles but Grafs out here has plenty of .380 100gr plated bullets. $10 a hundred I believe.

They use the same diameter bullet. 115gr. is the heaviest bullet one would use in a .380 and this would be rare. Usually in the 90-100gr. range. Profile of the bullet would be determined by what profile your .380 will reliable feed. All the major reloading sources will have the particular details you will need for a safe load. Good luck

My daughter & niece like lighter bullets in the .380

Both my daughter & niece had the same reaction to the more severe muzzle rise with heavier bullets in the .380. They liked lighter bullets. You may get the same reaction out of your daughter.

If you wanna go heavy in .380, 115-gr is about it. I load them for my BDA, but it's no pocket gun.

There are 380s and there are 380s.

Some of mine can do no more than mouse gun performance, while others can exceed 357 mag of the same barrel length.

There are three levels of handloading published here and there for 45 Colt, 45/70, and 32-20.

I have my own 3 levels for 380, 223, and 30-30.

I load .380 weight bullets in 9mm, but I don't typically go heavier than 100 gr. for the .380. Heavier bullets don't profile very well in the .380 and usually require the bullet be seated deeper in the .380 case, thus driving pressures up. And it doesn't take a whole lot of seating depth to have a significant impact on a tiny .380 case.
Be safe and load what the books have out lined for you as being fitting for .380 or 9mm, and you'll avoid problems.
GS

I agree with Clark & that is why I asked for more info.

LBEE said:

Thanks guys for your help on reloading the 380 auto, I got lucky Sunday Morning & found some Winchester 380 auto at Wally World for 3.5 Cents each, I cant load them for that so I bought my Daughter 3 Boxes of 100
which should last her awhile. LBEE

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you found .380 ammo for $1.75 per 50 round box?

If you are interested I have 350 Montana Gold .380 95 gr FMJ bullets I could spare. Montana Gold sells them (out of stock right now) for $140 per 1000 and I would offer them for the same price, plus postage. That's $49 for the 350 pieces plus postage $5.80 in a flat rate box. It's not a lot of bullets but I really don't need them at the time if you're interested. Let me know.

I think he meant 35 cents each. That is about going rate for them.

I shoot 124 Gr. Cast lead round nose sized to .358 in my Hi-point .380. Works great!

LBEE said:

I paid $35 for 100 Rounds for the 380 Bullets.

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LOL, that's 35 cents a round, not 3.5 cents a round. At only 3.5 cents a round I would want to buy a truck load!! (along with everyone else on this forum)

I know you said you can't load them at that price but I know I can and for a lot less. You paid 35 cents a round and I can load them right now for 14.4 cents a round. You paid $35/100 and my loads would cost $14.39/100 to make. (well below half the price)

It would depends on if he had brass. When I first got a 380 people wanted add much for once fired brass add I could by load ammo for. I still don't have very much brass for it.

I was paying $12 per 50 Magtech.

Since we're talking .380 ACP; I will be loading this round for the first time for a doctor that goes to my church. I have a mould that I am in on a group buy for (~95gr HP) that will be coming later this year. I lube and size bullets for my .38 Special and .357 Magnum loads, but the smallest bullet sizing die I have is .357". Anybody load cast bullets in .380 ACP? I know the bore is supposed to be .355", and you typically use lead bullets .001" larger, but do you think .357" diameter bullets will chamber? Thanks.

Don

Group but on molds? That would be a great idea. I wish there was people around me that share my interest but most just think I'm crazy. I can't even talk people into a group buy on primers. They would rather but them 100 at a time.

Anyhow yes .357 would fit my 380 I had as long as it isn't to deep in the brass. The MBC .356 115gn I have are .3575".

kingmt said:

It would depends on if he had brass. When I first got a 380 people wanted add much for once fired brass add I could by load ammo for. I still don't have very much brass for it.

I was paying $12 per 50 Magtech.

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OK, even if he has to buy brass the price is $16.99/100 for Starline. That would bring the price up from 14.4 cents a round to 31 cents a round, but that's only the first time you load and if you amortize the cost over 10 loadings the price would be 16.1 cents a round. So, instead of $14.40/100 rounds the cost would be $16.10/100 rounds, still nowhere near the $35/100 he paid.

Group but on molds? That would be a great idea. I wish there was people around me that share my interest but most just think I'm crazy. I can't even talk people into a group buy on primers. They would rather but them 100 at a time.

Anyhow yes .357 would fit my 380 I had as long as it isn't to deep in the brass. The MBC .356 115gn I have are .3575".

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Thanks, kingmt, I'll try sizing them to .357" when the mould comes in. Stop over to the cast boolits website sometime, they are constantly running group buys on custom moulds. There is a guy there named Miha who is from Europe, and he produces beautiful moulds out of brass. This will be my 4th mould from him. Yes, you are right about the lack of interest with most shooters about creating your own bullets. It's not like it's rocket science, but so many are afraid to take the plunge.

Don