380acp oal ?

[area51]

Can't find the oal on 380 acp using 100 grain plated round nose flat point.

Anyone loading these ? Lyman 49th edition had 95fmj at .900 oal and 115 jacketed at .956 but can't find the fp.

Want to use 3.2 grains of w231 and 2.8 grains bullseye to try some out.

Thanks

 

[LightningMan]

Gererally if I can't find an OAL given, I start with the max which is .984 and then see if that will chamber, if it won't you will have to seat deeper till they do, because not all bullets have the same ogive. Then go and try a few before making up a bunch.
LM

 

[rfwobbly]

LM told you right.

0.984 is the SAAMI max OAL if you expect to use the cartridge in a magazine. The barrel-to-bullet fit may dictate a smaller maximum, which is gun and bullet dependent and no one here can tell you that. The minimum OAL is set by the load recipe you are using. Everything between those 2 limits is fair game.

In a revolver, the OAL is set by the crimp groove, but an auto pistol uses no such crimp groove to guide you. So you simply have to load some "dummy cartridges" (no powder/ no primer) and see how they feed. Start at 0.980". If they get hung up in the mag or feed ramp, then shorten by 0.010" to 0.970" and try again.

One nice thing about taper crimp is that you can shorten the OAL by simply running long cartridges through the seating process again.

 

[hovercat]

Load an empty sized case without a primer to .984 and try it. Reduce the OAL until it ejects without sticking and there are no marks of the rifling on the bullet. That is the max OAL for that bullet only in that firearm only. There may be a bulge because some 380 cases have an inside taper. No problem if it is slight enough for easy chambering. If not, you will not be able to use that bullet with that brand cases.

Your load is over max. I would start with 2.0 grains and work up.

Max OAL for the wife's Sig P238 using the Lee 102grain round nose cast lead is .925. .960 sticks the bullet into the rifling, preventing the slide from going fully forward.

 

[JerkandFlinch]

380ACP load

I've been loading 100grn plated RNFP, 2.8grn W231, 0.953 OAL. My note says the load is weak but my P238 has fired 400 without a problem.

 

[LiveLife]

Like with any caliber bullet, you should use the barrel drop test to determine the max OAL/COL of the cartridge and function check by feeding/chambering from the magazine to determine the working OAL/COL.

For 100 gr X-Treme RNFP plated bullet, although slightly longer length passed the barrel drop test, 0.939" is the working OAL/COL that fed and chambered reliably from the magazine for Taurus 738 TCP.

For the powder work up, I referenced Hodgdon and Lyman #49. With the 100 gr bullet being seated deeper due to the FP bullet nose and shorter 0.939" OAL/COL, I used 2.8 gr as the start charge and tested 2.9 and 3.0 gr. All the loads reliably cycled the slide and produced very acceptable accuracy at 7 yards.

Hodgdon load data referenced - http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

100 gr Hornady FMJ W231/HP-38 OAL .980" Start 2.9 gr (819 fps) 13,800 CUP - Max 3.1 gr (843 fps) 15,400 CUP

The TCP is BUG to my wife's G27 and she really likes the 2.9/3.0 gr loads. BTW, factory JHP we use is Winchester 95 gr PDX1 Defender Bonded JHP.

 

[area51]

I've been loading 100grn plated RNFP, 2.8grn W231, 0.953 OAL. My note says the load is weak but my P238 has fired 400 without a problem.

I'll try that in my 230. If I could only get my Lee auto disk measure to throw 2.8 I am using #30 disk and I am getting a constant 3.2 using w231


Well, I ended up doing some test loads with 2.8 BE which meters like a charm in my # 30 disk. The 2.8 , 2.9 and 3.0 test loads were done using my trusted #55...

BTW, factory JHP we use is Winchester 95 gr PDX1 Defender Bonded JHP.

Thanks for the info, bds.

 

[gamestalker]

The easiest method of finding the correct oal is to take your barrel out and use it to find max, which is the longest oal that will fit you magazine and chamber (plunk test), then decrease as necessary to reliably cycle, and provide enough neck tension.

I rarely ever even reference published oal's, I use my barrels. This is one of the advantages of reloading our own, we can customize our loads to function best in our firearms.

GS

 

[LiveLife]

The easiest method of finding the correct oal is to take your barrel out and use it to find max, which is the longest oal that will fit you magazine and chamber (plunk test), then decrease as necessary to reliably cycle, and provide enough neck tension.

I rarely ever even reference published oal's, I use my barrels. This is one of the advantages of reloading our own, we can customize our loads to function best in our firearms.

I agree as using OAL/COL listed on published load data won't ensure the finished rounds will reliably feed/chamber in all the pistols/barrels. We must test the bullets in the pistols/barrel we use to determine the best "working OAL/COL" that works for reliability and optimal accuracy.

BTW, factory JHP we use is Winchester 95 gr PDX1 Defender Bonded JHP.

Thanks for the info, bds.

The PDX1 is the latest version of the "Black Talon" line from Winchester.

I used Hydra-Shok/Ranger-T before and migrated to Gold Dot/Golden Saber for our HD/SD ammunition as bulk bullets (projectiles) are available to reload comparable practice range ammo but with 380Auto, reliable feeding/chambering and consistent expansion/higher velocities were the focus (I use 95 gr Montana Gold JHP and X-Treme 100 gr RNFP plated bullets for practice ammo with good results).

The PDX1's rounded nose profile reliably feeds/chambers in the TCP known for some feeding/chambering issues and this review indicates PDX1 with high muzzle velocities with consistent expansion through denim/gelatin without cavity being clogged - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv7ChS7DurE

 

[area51]

update... 3.0 w231 oal .950 worked out terrific on the 230 and a colt mustang

all within 3" at 7 yards if I took my time... those mustangs are out of this world ! I have the the 380 bug.. looking for a Beretta 84fs now...

 

[LiveLife]

Great! I love happy endings.