9mm question

[Super Sneaky Steve]

This should be an easy question for you guys. I've been loading 115gr 9mm luger bullets and I was thinking of buying a 380 auto.

Just to simplify my life as much as possible if I switched to 100grain bullets could I use them for both 9mm Luger and 380 auto?

 

[rcmodel]

It might be better to use the 115 grain bullets in the .380.

100 grain is getting really light and short for some 9mm pistols to work as intended, or shoot where the sights are looking.

On the other hand.
The .380 was designed to use a 90 - 95 grain bullet, and it might work best with them.

It's not really that big a deal to stock the proper bullet for each caliber though.

rc

 

[gamestalker]

I don't know how much this helps, but I load a 90 gr. XTP for 9mm and it cycles and shoots very well. So far the 90 gr. XTP has worked well in my Taurus PT111 and a Beretta 92 FS. HS6 is the powder I'm using with it, velocity is up around 1500 fps..

 

[gordy]

Gamestalker,
I used hornady xtp 45acp,230 grain bullets in my muzzle loader. I had the speed up there. Around 1500fps. I had bad results.
I talked to hornady about what I was doing and they told me that the 45acp xtp bullet was made to only go so fast. Around 1050 fps at its fastest,
I switched to 45 long xtp and I got much better results.
You may be pushing that little bullet to fast. I use that bullet in my 380 and love the results I get with it.
I am pushing it around 1000fps and hornady told my that I am close to the bullets top speed.
One paper they may look fine but in a SD use you may be pushing it to fast.
If you call honady they will tell you if you are doing this or not.
As one reloader to another, Just trying to help.

 

[Twmaster]

Steve,

I've been in your situation. I doubt the 115 grain pills will work in your 380. I could not get 115s to seat into the 380 case without bulging. One of the loading books even mentions case bulge with 115 grain pills. The bulge will not hurt anything as long as the cartridge will chamber. Most of what I loaded would not chamber.

I got my hands on a bunch of 100 grain jacketed flat nose pills intended for the 380. Loaded them for my 9MM carbine. They are, IMHO, terrific in that carbine. Very accurate even out to 200 yards.

Also, like gamestalker, I've loaded Hornady 90 grain XTPs in my 9MM with -very- good results. They shot very consistently. Of the 5 test loads I made up and shot last weekend I hit the plate on the 200 yard stand will all 5 rounds.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I see so many reloaders wanting to buy only one of this or one of that and I just can't figure it out. We reload to produce a lot of ammo for practice and fun and we reload to produce accurate ammo. Why in the world do some reloaders want to use 1 bullet or 1 powder for several applications that really aren't compatible? Is it really all that complicated to buy 2 bullets?

No offense meant, just curious...

 

[thorn-]

Simply put: 100gr bullet is not a good choice for 9mm.

thorn

 

[Twmaster]

Simply put: 100gr bullet is not a good choice for 9mm.

thorn

If you are going to make a statement like that at least have the courtesy of explaining why. Otherwise is sounds like you are talking down to others.

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I see so many reloaders wanting to buy only one of this or one of that and I just can't figure it out. We reload to produce a lot of ammo for practice and fun and we reload to produce accurate ammo. Why in the world do some reloaders want to use 1 bullet or 1 powder for several applications that really aren't compatible? Is it really all that complicated to buy 2 bullets?

Well as every reloader knows, it takes a lot of time to do this. I've only got a single stage press too.

Reloading special hunting or self defence ammo is fun in small batches, but I just want to crank out a lot of cheap practice rounds and that stops being fun after a few hundred.

2 boxes in't a lot more than 1, but I've already got a bunch of ammo and my house is starting to look more like a bullet factory.

I wasn't able to find 115grain .380 data. Can anyone link to something reliable?

 

[rcmodel]

Lyman #49 manual has 90, 95, & 115 Jacketed, and 90 & 120 grain lead .380 ACP data.

It also has 90, 95, 115, 125, & 147 jacketed, and 90, 120, & 147 lead 9mm data.

You really need to get a copy if you reload.

rc

 

[56hawk]

What 9mm is this for? Some can be sensitive to bullet seating depth and might not feed 100 grain bullets.

As other people have said loading 115 grain bullets in a 380 will bulge the cases. My Beretta will shoot them, but none of my other 380s will. I loaded a bunch before I realized this, and just ran them back through the sizing die to get rid of the bulge.

 

[Frank V]

I have used 100gr bullets with good results in the 9mm for varmints. I wouldn't even use handloads for defense, but for varmints & practice they are great.
Frank

 

[Walkalong]

I have reloaded the old Remington 88 Gr JHP in 9MM (still have some), but it isn't really a great choice for an all around 9MM bullet. Some people have reloaded 100, or even 115 Gr bullets in .380, but it is not a good choice for .380. You should really consider using two different bullets. It only takes a couple of minutes to change dies and run more rounds off. It won't be any slower by more than the time it takes to change dies.

The "I need data" posts confuse me somewhat. There is a ton of good reloading data online at the various powder makers/sellers websites. The Lyman manual is inexpensive and has an absolute ton of info that you can use from now on. There are other good manuals as well. Get one. They are useful for much more than just raw data.

I understand questions about online or reloading book data.

 

[Jim Watson]

Lyman has 115 gr .380 data in print, I don't know of a www source.

I knew a bunch of guys who thrilled at blowing 80-90 grain bullets out of a 9mm P at high velocity, so it will physically work.