.380 Reloaders?

[titan14]

Experienced .380 reloaders.....what grain bullet do you use? And what powder? And how many grains of said powder?

Thanks in advance guys!

[leroy]

Experienced .380 reloaders.....what grain bullet do you use? And what powder? And how many grains of said powder?

Thanks in advance guys!

Titan:__________

Got the same problem. Here is what i'm thinking. I have the 90 grain hornady slugs, WW231 (which we use lots of), primers; just no brass:

90 GR. HDY JHP Winchester 231 .355" .955" 3.2 grains 917 13,900 CUP -------- 3.5 grains 957 15,400 CUP

For jacketed solids; i intend to try this:

95 GR. SPR FMJ Hodgdon Titegroup .355" .970" 2.7 grains 796 10,600 CUP ------3.2 grains 953 15,600 CUP

Aint got the bullets and brass for this one yet.

Here's where it came from: Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com

Kind regards,

LEROY

[Guest canebreaker]

Just starting into reloading .380 for daughter-in-law.

Using the Lee die chart. Lee 102 gr. lead bullet, wheel weights.

3.2 gr. accurate #2. Waiting for a reply on the 400 that I've reloaded for her.

Can't find brass? Send me a PM with cal. you need and phone number. I'll be working range sunday 1 to 4:30. Will ship after I receive your check.

[titan14]

Bump...LOL

[titan14]

again...

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I loaded about 300 last year or maybe the year before. In three batches of 100, testing a few out of each batch before making the next batch.

3.2 gr W231, 90gr Hornady XTP JHP, Federal standard small pistol primers.

All the rounds I tested went bang and fed-ejected fine. They had enough power to get all the way to the paper and punch a hole in it, and none of em blew up the gun.

Me and leroy discussed it here a year ago or whatever. My only problem was that I couldn't get a tight enough crimp to make me completely happy. May have been a slightly out of spec crimp die, or perhaps more likely my batch of XTP 90 gr bullets measured on the small side.

It takes skill to take an accurate micrometer measurement. I ain't got no skill, but had measured 124 gr 9mm XTP bullets at exactly .355 and my 90 gr XTP measured smaller than .355.

Except for the crimp issue, that load of 3.2 gr W231 behind a 90 gr XTP HP seemed to work fine. Even with the crimp issue they worked fine, but I didn't want to load any more until fixing the issue. The ones I made seem safe enough for target practice.

Possibly try a new batch of bullets. I don't shoot many .380 and haven't got around to messing with it again. Was kinda frustrating to spend that much time on it and not get "near perfect" results.

[Jonnin]

I was using jacketed ball rounds, 100 gr, with accurate #2 3.2 grains of that. I was having trouble with the powder; too little powder is difficult to measure, so I am swapping to #5 once the #2 is gone just to make it easier to control.

[Westwindmike]

I shoot the Lee 102gr lead, cast out of straight wheelweights, water quenched. I use Accurate #5. Can't recall the amount right now, but it's a nice plinking/practice load. Functions perfectly in my Bersa.

[leroy]

Noticed the thread picked up again. Have been loading 3.9 grains of 231 (...look in the latest Speer Reloading manual...) with both jacketed (....hornady 90 grain jhp and speer 95 grain solid...) and hard cast round nose bullets (....missouri bullet...). They shoot just fine in my sig 238. I was pleasantly suprized at how the lead round nose bullets fed.

None of these loads gave any trouble.

Hope this helps.

leroy

[titan14]

Thanks guys!!! I knew some one would have some good info.

Has anyone tried bullseye? or green dot?

Im looking at 3.1 grains of bullseye with 100 grain plated round noses.

looks like 2.9 grains of green dot.

[ttocswob]

I use 3.2 g bullseye w/ 100g cast ww bullets in my 9x18 Makarov (similar to .380 slightly larger and hotter) Fairly snappy in my P64 and CZ-82, but functions well.

No load data in front of me but, you might want to work up to that (your suggested 3.1 g) load - especially if in a mousegun. JMO

Edited May 18, 2011 by ttocswob
clarity

[Jonnin]

I use 3.2 g bullseye w/ 100g cast ww bullets in my 9x18 Makarov (similar to .380 slightly larger and hotter) Fairly snappy in my P64 and CZ-82, but functions well.

No load data in front of me but, you might want to work up to that load - especially if in a mousegun. JMO

Be very careful here. Mak is capable of reaching low-end 9mm loads due to the rugged construction of those guns, and their mid-range is hot for a 380. There is plenty of room for overlap between the two calibers (similar bullet weights and overlapped performance) but do not try to work up a 380 to match a hot makarov loading, esp if using a less rugged 380. The load mentioned is very reasonable for a 380; the warning is just that you should not try to use 9x18 load data for the 380 "in general" esp the higher end. IIRC you can poke 4.5 grains of bullseye into a hot makarov load, 4.0 is a starting load, meaning 3.2 is a nice light load that will do for both calibers.

[ttocswob]

Let me clarify- I am NOT suggesting my Mak load for .380, just suggesting that titan14 may want to start with less than his idea of 3.1g bullseye!

And I certainly won't put 4.5 g bullseye in my Mak's!

JMO, YMMV!

(And I edited my previous post to clarify)

Edited May 18, 2011 by ttocswob

[dlm37015]

i have a mac in 380 i load 100 grain plated speer tmj and tite group