.380 Golden Saber question

[willymc]

I’d like to load some 102 gr. .380 auto Remington Golden Saber. Those seem to be available. I got some load recommendations, for the powder I’ll be using, from another thread here. I also did a search here on Remington Golden Saber. There seemed to be an issue of where the driving band should be in relation to the case mouth. Some said flush with the case mouth and some said well below flush. There also seemed to be an issue with the Lee factory crimp die. Something about crushing the driving band. I use the Dillon taper crimp die. I’ve had no problems loading 2.9 gr. of Bullseye behind Winchester 95 gr. FMJ using new Remington pre-primed brass. They function just fine in my Colt Mustang and my brothers Beretta. If I seat the GS to approx. factory OAL (.940-.945), using the Dillon taper crimp die, does anyone see a problem?

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I don't use Dillon but I've loaded beaucuop GS .380acp for my BDA and it's the best grouping slug I've tryed. I use Lee and never had a need for the factory crimp die seating to data length. I load Power Pistol myself which tightened groups over the BullsEye I was useing. avoid an over tight crimp.

 

[Walkalong]

I use Lee and never had a need for the factory crimp die

I might shed a tear.......

 

[willymc]

Marlin 45 carbine, Pardon my ignorance/lack of knowledge. I can tell an over crimp on my roll crimps on .38 and .357. How can you tell an over tight crimp on a taper crimp?

 

[rfwobbly]

• Use published data for 100gr jackets bullets. Alliant lists loads for 90gr with Bullseye, but nothing for 100gr. You'll want to find a published load in a manual or from an on-line powder manufacturer, not some hear-say off the internet.

• Bullseye seems fast for the job to me, but I can't find a published load to dispute the one you have. IMHO Win 231 might be better considering the increased weight of the bullet.

• I use nothing but plain taper dies on all my auto ammo and it works fine. Just make sure the finished case mouth diameter is .001 to.002" less than the SAAMI dimension shown in your manual, and that the finished round chambers all the way under its own weight.

• All the data I have here shows the OAL to be .980". With a jacketed bullet I wouldn't think the driving band location made a difference. Maybe on a lead bullet, but not so much on jacketed. What you'll want to do is make your first round a dummy or test round with no powder and no primer. That way you can safely try it in the gun and check it's feeding from the magazine. Then check the fit in the chamber, etc. Special bullets take special checking.


I hope you're recording all this in your notebook.

Hope this helps!

 

[Walkalong]

How can you tell an over tight crimp on a taper crimp?

Some folks measure their crimp diameter, but I just eyeball them, with a loupe.

Here is a link to some crimp pics. There are both light and heavy taper crimp pics in there, as well as some roll crimps.

I hope you're recording all this in your notebook.

Excellent advise.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

as said measure the case at the crimp and compare to the sammi specs for a loaded round. the .380 case thickens as it deepens so seating depth is critical. I've had good luck with the GS for my .380 'S-D' or 'H-D' loads.
did have some jacket seperations (actually just a few) useing stacked wet cardboard as a test medium.