380 make shift reloading dies

[KY DAN]

I do not want to buy dies if I don't like my new ppk 380, I am going to use the following die set up 1st 223 Full length sizer 2nd a 38 spl expander 3rd 9mm setter die 4th is a mystery.

What can be done to crimp I have a lee factory crimp for 9mm and 38 spl.

 

[ballman6711]

Why not get a cheap die set, and if you don't like it you can sell or trade the dies for something else.

chris

 

[KY DAN]

Why not get a cheap die set, and if you don't like it you can sell or trade the dies for something else.

chris

I just don't want to trade or buy unnecessary stuff at this moment. Not a cheap skate just someone not invested in the round. If the PPK will not run cast or reliably it will get the boot.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Just break down & pick up a lee factory crimp die for around $20.

 

[ballman6711]

Midway has the Lee crimp die for about $16 right now with free shipping over $49.

Lee also advertises a 9mm/38 super/380 acp die. Just saw it on Graf's but it's out of stock.

Looking at Hodgdon's site shows the 9mm and 380acp to use the same .355 jacketed or .356 lead bullet diameter. So a 9mm crimp die may work if you can run it down far enough.

chris

 

[FROGO207]

When reloading 9MM if I miss a 380 brass there is no pressure when I size. This tells me 9MM dies or 223 that are tapered will not work well. Sounds like you are setting yourself up for feeding problems with a round that already has troubles with feeding and bullet setback when using propperly designed dies. Just my observations.

 

[edwardware]

I do not want to buy dies if I don't like my new ppk 380. . .

For this purpose, a very smart man invented pre-loaded ammunition. They even put it in cute little cardboard boxes for you.

Also, keep a copy of the SAAMI manual handy, and you'll never again have to wonder why 9mm dies are not .380ACP dies.

 

[Walkalong]

It doesn't work well, trust me I tried it, then next I bought an inexpensive die set to start in case I didn't like it, had issues, ended up buying an RCBS set that fixed the issues, stopped reloading it for decades, but now have a .380 again.

 

[jmorris]

If the PPK will not run cast or reliably it will get the boot.

Seems like a predetermined outcome using a bunch of dies not intended or designed to reload the round.

Order some of this, and do your testing.

https://magtechammunition.com/products/ammunition/380-auto-95gr-lrn/

That will keep you from figuring out what to do with the leftover bullets, powder and casting mold when the PPK chokes on the .223/9x19and who knows what .380 ammunition.

 

[doubleh]

Reloading is a very poor place to experiment with makeshift equipment. I wouldn't want to be close to anyone shooting what their efforts produced.

 

[murf]

380 acp is popular now. if you don't like the ppk, get a bersa thunder, or a glock 42, or a lcp, or a .....

i would just go and buy the die set and get into the 380 acp cartridge.

the 9mm case is thicker, is tapered and is longer than the 380. your quest is going to be long and difficult.

luck,

murf

 

[mdi]

I'd suggest getting a Lee three die set (about $30 at Titan) and if you don't like the gun, sell the dies with the gun as an "added value" package. Just add $30 to the price you ask for the gun. You could probably get closer to a workable hand load with a 9mm Lee Loader than the ".223/38 Special/9mm/??" set up...

Don't understand the .223 F/L sizer part of your question...

 

[Dudedog]

One thing to be aware of is that 380 brass is all over the place thickness wise. (or at least it seems so to me)
So something that gives good neck tension with one kind of brass might not work with another, and bullet setback is bad news.
A set of .380 dies is the price of a couple boxes of ammo or a halfway decent dinner, I would say buy some.

 

[Walkalong]

One thing to be aware of is that 380 brass is all over the place thickness wise. (or at least it seems so to me)

Mine sure is, lots of headstamps and case wall thickness varies greatly. Of course we could always buy 1K or more of a single brand, but it's just plinker ammo and "range" brass or "mixed" once fired is cheap.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

40 years back a friend and I tried using 9mm dies to load 380. Didn't take long to learn the error of our way. Bought a set of Lee dies, and our problems disappeared, like a bad dream in the night.

 

[FROGO207]

Some years ago I bought out another reloaders supplies for 380 when he sold his. My dies are Lyman and have worked perfectly. If I had purchased new it probably would have been a set of Lee dies.

Also in the spirit of things around here you can use 380 dies to make 9MM ammo but it takes a lot more pressure to size down that extra and really works the case mouth when expanding it. The ammo would feed and fire but was not as accurate as when using my Lee 9MM ones.

 

[markr6754]

According to Hornady site (and my personal experience) the only difference between the 380ACP die set and the 9mm die set is the sizing die. The expander is the same die, the seating die is the same die, the taper crimp die (if bought separately) is the same size. I have both die sets. Naturally, since the case lengths are different you need to reset your dies when changing calibers.

380 Size 046519, Exp 044144, Seat 044517, Taper 044170
9mm. Size 046516, Exp 044144, Seat 044517, Taper 044170

 

[Toprudder]

In my opinion, a 38spl expander will expand too much. 38/357 bullets are .357, 9mm and 380 are .355.

 

[kmw1954]

I was able to pick up a Lee carbide 3 die set from a forum member a few years ago for $20.00 shipped. they work perfectly and I now have 4 380 pistols.

Just this week on one of the forums I seen someone else offering a set of 380 dies for sale.