does anyone serously load 380 acp???

[m657]

I did years ago about 1000. It was a miserable project rife with glitches & tiny errors.

I don't intend to do it again, even with all the gear to do such.

But the factory ammo is SO dang expensive!!!

 

[colt_saa]

Lots of people do. I have a 380ACP setup.

I am even set up to load 25ACP

 

[Cyrano]

I reloaded a lot when I had a Colt Mustang. Now I only have a Llama 380 and have leftover ammo for it. I cast my own bullets, too. I didn't find it any more difficult to reload than any other auto pistol round. I did find, however, that the short bullet was prone to seating canted which did not help accuracy. I got a set of Hornady dies, with the 'drop through' seating die which remedied that.

I also load 32 ACP and 25 ACP, with my cast bullets, so I guess I'm used to it. When H&G was making moulds, I always thought the ultimate in something would be one of their 10 cavity moulds for the 25 ACP.

 

[Hyperion]

I load .380 for my wife's gun. It reloads just like any other similar cartridge. I load it on a Dillon 650.

 

[Vortec MAX]

Since a box of it costs as much as a box of 45 ACP... yes, I reload it.

Mike

 

[rwsmith]

If I shot .380.....

......I'd load .380. Just can't afford to do it any other way.

 

[scooter123]

I find that 380 is even cheaper to reload for than 38 special. The bullets cost less because less lead is used to make them and the powder charges are smaller because less powder is needed. As for assembling the rounds, it's not any more difficult that any other semi auto and the do require less effort at the press than something like a 45 ACP.

The only difficulty is with the powders available. I would really like to use 3N37 because it's been very clean shooting for me in 38 special but there isn't any available data for this powder in this caliber. So, I am stuck using CFE Pistol which is extremely sludgy at low operating pressures and leaves my pistol a mess. BTW, my Sig P290 requires top of the chart loads for reliable function and I've found that using Accurate #5 just doesn't provide enough energy for reliable ejection. So, I use CFE Pistol because it's the ONLY powder I've found that provides for reliable ejection.

 

[Ballistic147]

I set up to load .380 and it's way cheaper than buying it. It's also very easy to load.

 

[Forrest r]

The 380acp is on of my favorite cartridges to reload. 9mm's on the left and 380acp's on the right.



I shoot around 1,000 380acp cases turned into bullets a year. They make excellent hp's for the 357. Darn things are a hoot in the 10" bbl'd contender with full house loads of either 2400 or mp-300.

 

[Rule3]

I have been loading it for years and years.

What is the question or major problem? No real difference than 9mm loading other than the brass is a bit thinner and shorter,

About as "seriously" as I get about anything

 

[DEG]

I don't understand what was miserable about it. I load 380s and they are about the easiest to load since you don't have much brass being forced into a sizer ring.

They are also dirt cheap to reload compared to buying the cheapest factory rounds. Even if I never picked up my brass, I could still reload cheaper than factory.

 

[iouri]

I load 380 just fine (even 32 acp and 25 acp lol). 7.62x25 (Tokarev) & 357 Sig are much more troublesome, since you should pretty much treat them as rifle cartridges

 

[dannyabear]

I find that 380 is even cheaper to reload for than 38 special. The bullets cost less because less lead is used to make them and the powder charges are smaller because less powder is needed. As for assembling the rounds, it's not any more difficult that any other semi auto and the do require less effort at the press than something like a 45 ACP.

The only difficulty is with the powders available. I would really like to use 3N37 because it's been very clean shooting for me in 38 special but there isn't any available data for this powder in this caliber. So, I am stuck using CFE Pistol which is extremely sludgy at low operating pressures and leaves my pistol a mess. BTW, my Sig P290 requires top of the chart loads for reliable function and I've found that using Accurate #5 just doesn't provide enough energy for reliable ejection. So, I use CFE Pistol because it's the ONLY powder I've found that provides for reliable ejection.

W231 and Power Pistol work great in 380

 

[Rule3]

The biggest problem is not reloading it's finding your brass after it goes into some other time zone!!

 

[gen3guy]

I use small amounts of fast burning powders for the .380. Measuring the powder consistently can be tricky. Aside from that very minor headache, if you shoot a lot of .380, why wouldn't you want to reload it? I don't see how it is any more difficult than any other small caliber.

 

[kbm6893]

I haven't yet but I plan to since I just bought a Bodyguard .380. I don't see myself shooting it in bulk since it's not all that pleasant but after buying a box of Winchester white box for 19 bucks I'm sure gonna start. I fired 100 rounds of it and only came home with 93 cases. I was pissed I lost those 7.

9MM is a breeze for me. What's so hard about .380?

 

[scooter123]

W231 and Power Pistol work great in 380

I wasn't kidding when I stated my P290 requires a maximum energy load for reliable ejection. One of the reasons why I purchased the P290 was because it's a DA only semi with a very revolver like trigger stroke. Meant I could reduce the workload on my 19-3 for DA practice. Problem was that out of the box the reliability of the P290 was just awful with Remington UMC and American Eagle jacketed RN. In fact the ONLY load that proved to be reliable was a Hornady SD load featuring their XTP bullet. First off I thought that it might need a truncated cone profile to feed reliably. However after purchasing several boxes of XTP bullets and loading with Accurate # 5 and Unique I didn't find any improvement in reliability. Close observation with a maximum charge of AA #5 revealed that the issue wasn't feed related, it was weak ejection. So weak that in about 1 in 7 rounds the case would end up jammed in the port and in about 1 in 25 round the case would actually eject straight up, flip a full rotation, then fall back into the breech opening and get loaded into the chamber with the extractor behind the case. Then because I had some CFE Pistol in my spare powder stash I decided to see if Hodgdon had data for the CFE in 380 and they did. Using a maximum charge with either a Berry's 100 grain plated or a 90 grain XTP produced 100% perfect function, for well over 800 rounds now. Fact is I'll be loading another 200 tonight or tomorrow. The problem is that CFE Pistol at only 20L psi is just plain NASTY. It leaves a foul, oily looking, black residue in my pistol in just 100 rounds downrange.

So, yeah I would love an alternate. However look at the data for 231 and the maximum velocity with the XTP is 957 fps, while CFE Pistol will produce 1010 fps. While one wouldn't think that just 50 fps. wouldn't really matter, in the case with my P290 it does seem to matter. Since 3N37 was originally developed for the 22 LR I have a hunch it would be great for hte 380 and I know in 38 special it's a good clean shooting powder. Unfortunately Vihtavouri doesn't have any data for the 3N37 in this caliber and I just not willing to go "exploring". If I should happen on a pound of Power Pistol I might give that a try, because the data Alliant lists for Power Pistol is darned close to what Hodgdon has listed for CFE Pistol.

PS; it's just a hunch but I believe the reason my P290 is so power sensitive is that the slide is just too heavy for the energy produced by the 380. Originally the P290 was designed as a 9mm parabellum and the 380 version is sort of an afterthought. While the 380 slide has some lightening cuts I suspect it's not quite enough. Someday I just might take the slide into the machine shop at work and do a bit of careful milling to reduce the weight of the slide by a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce. Because while it's rather small with a short sight radius the trigger is weighted the same as my 19-3 and with a good smooth trigger stroke it feels nearly as smooth as my model 19. It's just plain fun to shoot and even with my "hot" loads the recoil is extremely mild, almost like a 22.

 

[BC38]

The 380acp is on of my favorite cartridges to reload. 9mm's on the left and 380acp's on the right.



I shoot around 1,000 380acp cases turned into bullets a year. They make excellent hp's for the 357. Darn things are a hoot in the 10" bbl'd contender with full house loads of either 2400 or mp-300.

If that ain't serious enough for ya' then I don't know what it would take to be serious enough

But SERIOUSLY, how could anyone who has a 380 to feed and any interest in reloading NOT be serious about reloading for it?

The commercial ammo for it is more expensive than 9mm or 38 special, and reloads are about 1/3 the cost of the commercial stuff.

If you own a 380 you OUGHT to seriously consider reloading for it.

 

[shovelwrench]

As a reloader, there is ONLY ONE caliber I DON'T reload for......

They aren't THAT scarce yet.... 22

 

[38SPL HV]

I reloaded them many years ago - got rid of the 380 Beretta I had, over 30 yrs ago. Used WW 231 and 95 gr FMJs. Pay attention to case length and trim when needed. Fun caliber.

 

[SMSgt]

Why would you unseriously reload the .380?

 

[Rule3]

32 ACP is as low as I go

The only little trick in loading the small cases (which are thin) is just do not be in a real hurry. Make sure the dies are lined up perfect cause if they are a bit off center it is real easy to crush the brass, Mostly in resizing. Other than that no real issue.

I like HP38 the best for the 380

 

[forestswin]

The 380acp is on of my favorite cartridges to reload. 9mm's on the left and 380acp's on the right.



I shoot around 1,000 380acp cases turned into bullets a year. They make excellent hp's for the 357. Darn things are a hoot in the 10" bbl'd contender with full house loads of either 2400 or mp-300.

Aahhhh, Double reload! You had me confused

 

[lhump1961]

Same response as most others...sure I do. 231 or PP at the top end of the data seems to work well. My Smith PPK/S likes my loads better than factory but I think my handloads in all calibers are better than factory.

 

[rwsmith]

The 380acp is on of my favorite cartridges to reload. 9mm's on the left and 380acp's on the right.



I shoot around 1,000 380acp cases turned into bullets a year. They make excellent hp's for the 357. Darn things are a hoot in the 10" bbl'd contender with full house loads of either 2400 or mp-300.

Those look more like .38s or maybe .357s? Are those the right pictures?

I don't know why .380 would be a pain to load. They don't look one heck of lot different from 9mm.

 

[sarg1c]

I load a lot of .380, 9mm and .38Spc. Not much difference but don't use as much powder.Why not load it.

 

[10mm_Shooter]

I cast a little 78g LRN for my little Mauser in .32 acp, I load 1.7 grains of 231/hp38 in it. Little bitty case, hard to find the brass on the ground.

 

[feelinlucky]

New 380 ammo is a bit pricey. There is plenty of 380 brass laying around at the ranges. Given those two things it's one of the rounds that is most worthwhile to reload.

I don't see anyone mentioning it anywhere here, but the only real hassle with loading 380 is accurately metering powder. That's a little tedious. At a max powder charge of around three or four grains, a tenth of a grain error can become significant. A good accurate consistent powder dropping system like the Lee Auto Drum, and a good metering powder like 231 is a must.

 

[m657]

that photo confuses me; what I think I see isn't what I think I read in the post;

and all these warm fuzzies for reloading the 380.....who would have guessed?

I had loaded both cast and FMJ, something around 95~100 grains IIRC; tedious, many recurring errors both on the press & on the line;

I have managed to finally get my 9mm routine buffed out enough to make it thru a whole match on reloads without any out-of-spec issues!!!!

Maybe will give it another effort this season.
However, "no brass" "no slugs" and "nearly no powder" for the caliber.

We'll see.

 

[H Richard]

I have loaded the Bayou powder coated bullets, and use W231. are cheap to reload. I don't shoot too many of them, but the reloads shoot as well as and to the same POI as factory so make great practice ammo.