380 Loading data with Clays

[StevenDale]

I just purchased a 238 Sig and am about to start loading for a 380 for the first time. I have a few pounds of Clays powder and am interested in trying it in the 380 as well as the 38 special and 9mm. Does anyone know a good source for reloading data for clays powder in pistol calibers? It seems to be in short supply, especially for the 380.

 

[kingmt]

What bullet are you using? I will check my data when I get home tonight.

 

[rcmodel]

reloading data for clays powder in pistol calibers? It seems to be in short supply, especially for the 380.

There might be a good reason for that.

I just checked Hodgdons manual, as well as Hornady & Speer, and Clays is not one of the powders they list for the .380 ACP.

If it was the slightly slower Universal Clays, it would be a different story.

rc

 

[kingmt]

There might be a good reason for that.
rc

There might be but it seems to fall in between Bullseye & Red Dot which I load both behind a 115gr LRN which I really like.

I would suggest working very careful with it though based on both BE & RD both show no pressure signs until they are over max.

My load for the TCP is 1.2gr-1.8gr(MAX) of RD behind a 115gr LRN. This works for me but I don't know how it may work for anyone else. 2gr is the max for BE with the same load.

I said I really like those loads but I don't suggest them & plan on moving on to something else myself because I think this load could be very easy to mess up on. It is imposable to tell the differences between 1.2gr & 2gr(over max) of RD.

Good luck with your load.

Post bullet size & I'll see if I have data when I get home.

 

[Steve H]

If you are loading for .380 make sure you have a good pair of tweezers............the empty cases are a pain.

 

[gacajun]

I shoot cowboy action and use Clays for 38 special. I use 3.0 grains for both 125 gr TC bullets and 158 RNFP bullets. You can load a little lower but I've had some problems with the 158 gr bullets at anything lower than 2.6 gr.

 

[StevenDale]

Kingmt

I am currently looking at 90 and 95 grain.

 

[kingmt]

I am currently looking at 90 and 95 grain.

Lead or jacketed? It also depends on what gun your using it in. That's why I list I'm using a TCP when listing my data because the same ammo safe in most guns isn't in mine.

I couldn't find anything for Clays but in my burn chart I show it falls in the middle of Red Dot & Bullseye so if it were me I would start with RD data on the low side & work up no more then .2gr at a time & as soon as I got the action to work & there was no pressure signs before I got there that would be my load.

My data shows 90JHP @.96"COL 3.1gr RD Max @14300 940 FPS

It does not say if that is 14300 psi or something else though.

Again I say this is what "I" would do. Red Dot makes for some comfortable shoots but If you like to play it safe I would stay with something slower then Bullseye & even it is a bit fast.

 

[kingmt]

I also wanted to add when I work up a load I only load 2 at a time one in the chamber & one in the mag. I have never had one blow up but I don't want my finger wrapped around a mag full if the case gave out at the feed ramp. Just thoughts.

 

[hvactech]

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[kingmt]

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Am I missing something?

 

[joneb]

There might be a good reason for that.

I would guess it has something to do with the density and burn rate of clays ? Hodgdon has published data for 32 acp with Clays and it had the lowest velocity and highest pressure of the four powders listed.

Do you have other pistol powders on hand ?
Hp-38 or W231 Would a good choice with all bullet types for the 380 acp.

 

[StevenDale]

As i said in my original post it will be used in a 238 Sig and the bullets are jacketed.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I just pulled up quickload and worked some loads up for clays with an 90 grn JHP.

Get a different powder. Unique is my favorite for 380.

In Quickload clays looks very spikey in terms of pressure. Just a 1/10's of a grain you go from ok to problems. It is just too fast for such a small case.

Without going into the load, a max load of clays, if you suffer 4/100's of an inch of setback you raise the pressure almost 400 lbs. 1/10th of a grain excess is good for 1200 lbs of pressure. Basically things go from ok to oh cr** too quickly with Clays.

 

[rcmodel]

when I work up a load I only load 2 at a time one in the chamber & one in the mag.

I would suggest you load the chamber and then take the mag out when testing hot or unknown loads.

Then if you blow a case, the shrapnel has a free exit down the mag well.

If there is a mag in the gun, it doesn't.

The rounds in the magazine are not the danger, it's the mag itself blocking the gas from freely escaping.

rc

 

[kingmt]

I would suggest you load the chamber and then take the mag out when testing hot or unknown loads.

rc

I agree 100% but I'm talking about working a load "up". As soon as I get a load to function I do a few shoots with this load to see if it is dependable & checking for pressure signs. After it looks like it will work I start looking for the max load just so I know how close it is to my working load. Until I know how close max is to my working load I only load it 2 at a time for checking function.

 

[RidgwayCO]

IMHO, I would never use Clays with jacketed bullets. With lead bullets in the .380 Auto, I like nice, soft, 800 fps loads that deposit the brass in a small pile at my 5 o'clock.

With this goal in mind, I've done some load development with Clays in the .380 Auto using 95gr LRN bullets. 2.1gr of Clays loaded to a COL of 0.950" with CCI 500 SP primers in mixed-headstamp brass resulted in 802 fps with an extreme spread of 52 fps and standard deviation of 16 fps (for 30 rounds tested). The BIG problem with Clays is you have to watch the powder drop like a hawk. It tended to bridge in my Lee Pro Auto Disk measure using the .32cc cavity.

So Clays is an OK powder for this usage, but not nearly as good as Accurate #2 or VihtaVuori N310. YMMV (and probably will...).