Help Wanted

[Guest CajunKen]

I need help reloading some .380 semi-auto. I have been reloading .38 sp for a couple of years, with no problems. I am trying to reload some .380 for my newly acquired Ruger LCP, and it's eating my lunch. Everything goes fine til I start seating the bullets, then I just can't get consistent results. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but I can't figure out what.

I live near Exit 317 off of I-40.

If there is anyone in the Crossville area that is proficient in reloading .380 Auto, I would greatly appreciate your coming to my house and showing me how to do it correctly. I will gladly pick you up and/ or pay you for your time.

If you are interested, please answer this e-mail or call me at 931-551-5030.

Thanks,

Ken

[R_Bert]

What kind of results are you getting ?

any pix ?

[LagerHead]

Yea, this might be something that can be solved just via a few question and answers over the forum. I was getting squirrelly results with my 9mm until I took the seating die out and started from scratch. Now everything is pretty consistently within .005".

[R_Bert]

.380 is a thin case, with a odd taper. I crunched cases left & right, until I started belling the mouth more. Then, I had to go to a Lee Factory crimp to get that right. Some of my cases look ugly (you can see the outline of the FMJ projectile through the thin wall), but they feed and fire reliably, and reasonably accurate.

[Guest CajunKen]

Maybe I was expecting too much. I was aiming for a COAL of 0.970 and for the most part staying within .005" of that. I kept pulling the seating die and starting from scratch, attempting to get it better. Some of my cases look ugly also. The crimp is not consistent either.

[R_Bert]

Maybe I was expecting too much. I was aiming for a COAL of 0.970 and for the most part staying within .005" of that. I kept pulling the seating die and starting from scratch, attempting to get it better. Some of my cases look ugly also. The crimp is not consistent either.

I pulled out a few hundred of mine, and did a random check. Most were withing .005", but a few outliers up to .010". I figured I could blame the projectile, so checked those. Nope, all within .001", mostly better (not bad for cheap stuff).

Assuming the dies are set up correctly, that leaves -

-Case lengths inconsistent

-trash/shavings/dirt

-inconsistent primer seating

-inconsistent ram pressure in seating and/or crimping

Sure enough, I just checked my stash of cases and found several that were .010" longer than the median.

for a test - do each stage as a batch, measure between batches

Lock down your setup, don't adjust again.

Go back and measure some cases and projectiles, find 10 -20 that are exactly same length (after deprime,sizing, expanding).

prime, measure, drop powder

seat, measure

crimp seperate step, measure

Take measurement notes on each step

[Guest CajunKen]

I pulled out a few hundred of mine, and did a random check. Most were withing .005", but a few outliers up to .010". I figured I could blame the projectile, so checked those. Nope, all within .001", mostly better (not bad for cheap stuff).

Assuming the dies are set up correctly, that leaves -

-Case lengths inconsistent

-trash/shavings/dirt

-inconsistent primer seating

-inconsistent ram pressure in seating and/or crimping

Sure enough, I just checked my stash of cases and found several that were .010" longer than the median.

for a test - do each stage as a batch, measure between batches

Lock down your setup, don't adjust again.

Go back and measure some cases and projectiles, find 10 -20 that are exactly same length (after deprime,sizing, expanding).

prime, measure, drop powder

seat, measure

crimp seperate step, measure

Take measurement notes on each step

Thanks R_Obert:

I will do as you suggest. I know my case lengths are inconsistent. I have a case trimmer on order.

I will post my progress, or lack thereof.

Ken

[Jonnin]

My 2 cents... you are wasting your time. Your loads are close enough -- the range on 380 is .94 to .97 and your loads are fine (should chamber, feed, and fire). If they chamber and fire, its good enough, the lcp is not a target pisol and no amount of super consistent identical loading is going to make it any more accurate with that trigger and short barrel. Trimming the cases just makes your reloading take that much more time to get identical results when you pull the trigger. If you were shooting a custom pistol for some sort of competitions, it may be worth it, or cooking your own self defense loads to some exacting spec, then maybe. Just make sure you are not making hot loads at a deep set depth, IE that your loads are safe, and let the minor variation go to save time.

[LngRngShtr]

I have seen folks shoot larger caliber ammo with those variances reliably and accurately.... OAL that close is fine and as long as they drop check in the chamber they will feed..

If you trim those casings you would be the first I have ever heard of trimming a .380 in 20+ years of reloading....not many folks trim pistol brass,..it just isn't worth it these days I only do it when I make obsolete brass for my Herters.

I did some testing on a .45 Gold Cup with a refitted bushing a 10mm with a Barsto Barrel and my S&W M52 none of them showed a measurable difference as to accuracy or reliability, if any of them would have it would be the M52 they have a "reputation" of finickyness

the joys of reloading,.. you can make yourself happy or equally crazy trying to control all the variables..

John

[Trekbike]

As others have said, I think you are trying too hard on controlling the OAL. If you're within 0.005" let it go. Forget trimming brass.

As long as the rounds check out okay in something like this you're good to go. Max Cartridge Gage 380 ACP

[Guest CajunKen]

Y'all have convinced me. I cancelled the order for the case trimmer and I'm going to shoot some this afternoon. If they work ok, I'll quit trying to improve further and start making up a bunch.

Many thanks to all who answered my request for help.

Ken

[Guest CajunKen]

I had made up 18 rounds ( 6 in each of 3 different headstamps ), and I went down to the Range that my son and I built on his property. All 18 fed, fired and ejected without a glitch.

Thanks again to you guys that helped me. You saved me a lot of time and effort, not to mention the cost of the Case Trimmer.

Ken

[R_Bert]

Glad you had fun!

Yeah, I did not intend to direct you toward a case trimmer (I don't trim .380ACP either), but just to help you understand where the variances were coming from. As Jonnin and others say, it is not worth the the effort to get too excited for small differences +/- .010".

[Guest CajunKen]

Glad you had fun!

Yeah, I did not intend to direct you toward a case trimmer (I don't trim .380ACP either), but just to help you understand where the variances were coming from. As Jonnin and others say, it is not worth the the effort to get too excited for small differences +/- .010".

I understand, and I appreciate your input.