380acp reloads?

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
I recently picked up a few hundred mixed range casings that I want to reload. I have never done 380s so I thought I would ask for some suggestions on loads and bullet types. I will load them on RCBS Carbide dies, I can use either Win 231, Unique or Bullseye. I have some CCI, Wolf and some others for primers. Looking for bullets now.

I will be shooting them out of a Ruger LCP and a Beretta 84.

Thank
WB

 

[loadedround]

Check out the Hodgdon website for some recommended loads for the powders you had mentioned. The 380 ACP is loaded basically the same way as any other semi auto cartrige. I would stronly suggest you buy one or two loading manuals and read up on loading pistol cartridges. Hodgdon website is www.hodgdon.com

 

[Iron Sight]

Watch for cases that have cannelures, Make sure that your overall length does not have the projectiles you are using interfering with the cannelure in the case. If it does interfere the case may crush during bullet/projectile seating.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

some of the cheapo brass has flash holes that are'nt centered well or are ragged. usually the cheap ammo - lots of that out there. keep an eye out for it.
IMO BEye is gonna do you better with cast slugs you may choose to load.
loading for my BDA cast slugs over RDot group tighter than any jacketed slug, just a 'moderate' load, nothing hot or 'weak', a middle of the road powder charge.
IIRC cast rn's weigh around 92-95 grs - all I've come across anyways.

oh yeah I should add that some shooters myself included for semi-autos after several fireings of brass will load it for 'shoot and scoot' and leave it laying. this is due to when brass gets the extractor cut, rim and head beat up it can cause chambering/feed/eject problems.
a trained eye can spot these cases vs 1ce fired easy enuff however.

 

[BADUNAME37]

Some of the cases are thick-walled down just a bit and the regular RCBS Expander was causing a bulge in the middle of the cases that have this thicker inside walls. RCBS sent me a new expander that does not go as deeply into the case, thus not ruining the case by creating a bulge in the middle.

For those that did have a bulge, I was able to "iron-them" to within specs using the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

 

[[email protected]]

I might be weary of using the wolf primers as i have had some loaded wolf ammo that would not fire in my p3at due to the primer being harder, I have tried the tula primers in it and they worked ok and some say wolf and tula are the same. just try before loading to make sure it will fire them

 

[GLOOB]

My Tulammo SPP's cups are much softer than CCI. I have to be very careful about how hard I seat them, because they flatten easily. I haven't tried Wolf.

 

[Clark]

My experience with the LCP is that 1100 fps is possible with the 90 gr Gold Dot and Power Pistol.

I don't know if that is a better self defense round than the lesser velocities possible with 115 gr JHP... ~900 fps.

I have no data of 115 gr JHP expansion vs velocity.