Need .380 Cartridge OAL Info

[Gearhead Jim]

Recently I got a pair of Glock 42's, fired off a bunch of factory ammo to get them running right, and have now started reloading .380 on my Dillon 650.

My first reload bullets were Extreme 100 plated 100 gr RN-FP. The same bullet in reloads from Freedom Munitions were .950 OAL, so I just duplicated that and they functioned normally. But not very accurate even with minimum crimp and moderate velocity. So I've bought a bunch of other bullets to try and am wondering what OAL you folks have been using. Here's my choices:

Berry's 100 gr RN plated, both flat base and hollow base, have the same very round nose profile and should be the same OAL.

Rainier 100 gr RN plated are slightly less rounded and probably should be just a little longer.

Armscor 95 gr jacketed have a rather pointed RN and will need to be loaded pretty long to "crimp" before the taper.

Precision Delta 95 gr jacketed RN-FP are similar to the Extreme bullet but the nose is a bit longer, so they will need to be be loaded a bit longer than the Extreme.

If you have been loading any of these bullets and can tell me what OAL you are using, I'd appreciate that.
Thanks!

 

[jwrowland77]

I always start at max then work my way shorter while performing the plunk test.

I'm running some 120gr TC using .970 that function great and a the most accurate load I have for my .380.

 

[kcofohio]

For the Berry's 100 gr., I use the data that Western Powder posted. .960" OAL.

 

[Rule3]

Perhaps some late night reading.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=760659&highlight=loading+glock+42

 

[Artofgolf]

Hey Gearhead Jim, we worked-up a few for the Wharf Rat (aka Glock 42) awhile back.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=202331&d=1409772172

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=204992&d=1416008022

The Berry's HBRN has been a great performer in the G42 because the bullet design & longer length allows a slightly shorter OAL without a corresponding pressure increase.
If you're not aware, the G42 needs a slightly higher charge to cycle the slide well. Do a careful work-up & I'm sure you'll fall in love with it

 

[Zendude]

My Hornady manual has 0.980 OAL for 100 gr RN jacketed bullets.

 

[joneb]

I seat the Extreme plated RN-FP at .945-.950".

 

[wlkjr]

I'm a huge fan of the Bayou 105g coated bullet. These don't require as much powder as a plated bullet would and work great in a G42.

 

[Henry45]

Plunk test.... but mine usually come into the .960-.970 range on my Beretta and Sig.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Thanks for all the replies. I did a search for reloading 380, read all 4 of the threads and all the links that worked.

Here are the numbers I've found so far-

Berry's 100 gr plated RN (FB or HB same length): .960 - .977 (I tried a dozen at .962 and they worked ok)

Xtreme 100 gr plated RNFP: .945 - .955 (I've been using .950, like Freedom Munitions factory)

Rainier 100 gr plated RN: ? (nose is slightly more pointed than Berry's, I tried a dozen at .978 and they worked ok)

Armscor 95 gr FMJ RN: ? (Nose is much more pointed than most 380, more like 9mm. I tried a dozen at .995 and they worked ok but barely fit into the G42 magazine)

Precision Delta FMJ RNFP: ? (I tried a dozen at .970 and they worked ok)

The "I tried a dozen at xxx" lengths were obtained by seating the other brands using the same seating adjustment that gives me .950 with the Extremes, so you can see that changing the bullet profile changes the OAL a lot without changing the die setting. Those lengths were not something that I'm endorsing, just an initial experiment.


EDIT:
All of those rounds passed the plunk test in both of my G42 barrels and a Dillon case gauge, one Berry's and the Rainier didn't pass plunk in the tighter L.E. Wilson case gauge but that seems to be because of case resizing tolerances, not the bullets or the OAL.

If anyone has OAL suggestions on those last three, I'd be pleased.
I can guess and compare, but nothing beats someone else making the mistakes first!

 

[Gearhead Jim]

(Bump)

 

[jwrowland77]

If they worked, and all passed the plunk test, then run them and shoot the workups using those OALs. Nothing beats using your own chamber to find out the OAL.

 

[lckdnldd]

It has been my experience that there are many variables when working up a load such as powder, seating depth etc. Having said that my preferred .380 auto target load in my LCP is Xtreme 100gr plated RNFP over HP-38 using max charge weight from Hodgdon's Data . I worked the COL down from 0.975 in small increments. I got the best results at 0.945. It is a very accurate load in my LCP out to 10 yards but looses a lot of that accuracy at 15.

 

[mstreddy]

Jim,
The G42 likes the loads a little hotter than other 380s. I settled on loading the Xtreme and Berry's at .955". What I found is that I had to bump up the charge a little on both Win231 and Promo to get reliable cycling on my G42. My buddy is using Red Dot at similar charge weights.
From the Loading for the G42 threads, note that both ArtOfGolf and I got some pretty decent accuracy out of our Wharf Rats.

One thing, I don't apply any crimp beyond closing up the flare to my 380 (or any other AL) loads.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Thanks for the comments.

I tried the Xtreme 100 plated with 3.4 gr WW231 at .950, fed & functioned great, chronos about 830 fps which exactly duplicates the recoil of my factory Gold Dots. Accuracy at 25 yds was pretty poor- I can shoot 4" ten shot groups (supported) with factory Gold Dots but only about 7-8" with the Xtreme. And I happened to find one Xtreme that weighed 115 grs instead of 100, looked identical except for being very slightly longer. That would have been a serious overload. So I'm looking for something more accurate, hoping to find one of the other 5 selections which will close up the groups.

I don 't really crimp the loads, just enough to remove the flare.

 

[wlkjr]

Thanks for the comments.

I tried the Xtreme 100 plated with 3.4 gr WW231 at .950, fed & functioned great, chronos about 830 fps which exactly duplicates the recoil of my factory Gold Dots. Accuracy at 25 yds was pretty poor- I can shoot 4" ten shot groups (supported) with factory Gold Dots but only about 7-8" with the Xtreme. And I happened to find one Xtreme that weighed 115 grs instead of 100, looked identical except for being very slightly longer. That would have been a serious overload. So I'm looking for something more accurate, hoping to find one of the other 5 selections which will close up the groups.

I don 't really crimp the loads, just enough to remove the flare.

I only needed 3.1 grains of 231 for the G42

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Yes, I started out with 3.2 gr 231 and the 100 gr plated bullet, it cycled the gun normally but I wanted a little more velocity/recoil so they would feel identical to my carry load. 3.4 gr it did it exactly, using my chronograph and an online recoil calculator. My hand agrees, still a very soft load in the G42.