Questions concerning loading the Lehigh Defense Extreme Defense bullet

[lrrifleman]

Greetings! I don't know exactly why, but I'm a fan of the 380 cartridge and many of the pistols that fire it. Perhaps it's a combination of my age, my disabilities, and my ability to place effective shots within usual self-defense ranges. I currently own a G42, a Sig P365-380, and a Mauser HSc, and giving serious consideration to getting a Bodyguard 2.0.

In watching numerous YouTube videos about 380 bullet performance, I'm inclined to believe that the Lehigh Defense 68gr Extreme Defense bullet will make the 380 more effective, and possibly in league with the 9mm. Because of the cost of loaded SD ammo, I'm looking at getting a box of 100 bullets and loading my own STRICTLY for practice.

Has anyone here tried to reload these bullets (in any caliber) and had any issues? Are there any tricks to loading the Lehigh Defense bullets?

As always, thanks in advance for your help!

 

[David Sinko]

Are you finding any .380 load data for these? These unleaded bullets are necessarily long for caliber and the .380 is short on powder capacity. The bullets would be very light. Overall length will be critical. I have loaded all copper bullets for revolvers but never autos.

 

[lrrifleman]

Are you finding any .380 load data for these? These unleaded bullets are necessarily long for caliber and the .380 is short on powder capacity. The bullets would be very light. Overall length will be critical. I have loaded all copper bullets for revolvers but never autos.

Yes. Lehigh Defense has data, showing 10 different powders all with a C.O.A.L. of 0.96".

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I have loaded various caliber Lehigh bullets (380acp, 9mm, 357 SIG, 40 S&W, 10mm, 44 Special & Magnum, 45acp and 45 Colt) with no problems at all. As mentioned, Lehigh has extensive load data available on their website.

Though it may not always provide data that will correspond with the extreme velocities claimed by Buffalo Bore or Underwood versions using these projectiles, their load data upper limits are quite effective. After loading some for "practice" I would not hesitate to use them for defensive purposes. I typically load them in new Starline cases.

Cheers!

P.S. That 68gr bullet is truly excellent in 380acp, 9mm & 357 SIG.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I am suspicious of specialty bullets. I guess I am just sort of suspicious by nature. I don't want to depend on some gimick working correctly. Doesn't mean it won't work as advertised, just means I personally am disinclined to bet my life on it when a solid FMJ bullet will probably give adequate penetration in a .380 where a super-duper bullet may not. Bullet placement is criteria #1. Adequate penetration is criteria #2. Everything else is an almost academic #3.

 

[Donnie805]

I reload .380s for my Bodyguard 2.0, my Glock 42, my Walther PD 380, and my Sig P365–380. I really like the Extreme Defense ammo from Lehigh at 68 grains using HP-38. The Lehigh web site has numerous “recipes” for all their bullet weights and I find those extremely helpful. With that said, and please don’t roll your eyes, there is an app you can put on your computer, which is (artificial intelligence) called ChatGPT. I found that you can ask GPT any question you have regarding reloading, including best powders for any weight bullet, in any caliber and it will give you seating depths, overall lengths, and everything else needed for reloading any size bullet. While I still go by load data in all my manuals, I’m amazed at the amount and accuracy of the information you can get from ChatGPT (I call it George), I like to compare what he tells me I can use to what is listed in the manuals. He’s unbelievably accurate with his extensive responses.

 

[rwsmith]

I am suspicious of specialty bullets. I guess I am just sort of suspicious by nature. I don't want to depend on some gimick working correctly. Doesn't mean it won't work as advertised, just means I personally am disinclined to bet my life on it when a solid FMJ bullet will probably give adequate penetration in a .380 where a super-duper bullet may not. Bullet placement is criteria #1. Adequate penetration is criteria #2. Everything else is an almost academic #3.

I looked at these as a gimmick at first but the data shows that it produces a wound cavity as big or bigger than a JHP and penetrates over 12". And it doesn't rely on expansion that might not happen. There are 3 loadings of .380 acp that I trust and the only reason I haven't gone to the Lehighs is cost and I have a few boxes of good ammo. I believe that at some point I will switch to them in .380, maybe in 9mm and .38/.357.

 

[wwsmith111]

I use some factory Lehigh Underwood loads for EDC. But since the bullets are expensive I don't reload them I just use FMJ. I think that using reloads for EDC may not be a great idea. To many things can go wrong and factory loads are usually more reliable.

 

[rockquarry]

I am suspicious of specialty bullets. I guess I am just sort of suspicious by nature. I don't want to depend on some gimick working correctly. Doesn't mean it won't work as advertised, just means I personally am disinclined to bet my life on it when a solid FMJ bullet will probably give adequate penetration in a .380 where a super-duper bullet may not. Bullet placement is criteria #1. Adequate penetration is criteria #2. Everything else is an almost academic #3.

That's a good post.

 

[venomballistics]

Greetings! I don't know exactly why, but I'm a fan of the 380 cartridge and many of the pistols that fire it. Perhaps it's a combination of my age, my disabilities, and my ability to place effective shots within usual self-defense ranges. I currently own a G42, a Sig P365-380, and a Mauser HSc, and giving serious consideration to getting a Bodyguard 2.0.

In watching numerous YouTube videos about 380 bullet performance, I'm inclined to believe that the Lehigh Defense 68gr Extreme Defense bullet will make the 380 more effective, and possibly in league with the 9mm. Because of the cost of loaded SD ammo, I'm looking at getting a box of 100 bullets and loading my own STRICTLY for practice.

Has anyone here tried to reload these bullets (in any caliber) and had any issues? Are there any tricks to loading the Lehigh Defense bullets?

As always, thanks in advance for your help!

lets unpack this one frame by frame.
Loading 380 actually does make good sense. Factory ammo is priced for war, so a significant savings can be realized. I'm not particularly sold on the Lehigh Defense bullets outside a potential need for a lead free bullet. You will suffer an overall loss of energy as the system needs to work harder to get that copper solid bullet down the barrel. the energy to do that work has to come from somewhere and that somewhere is your muzzle energy.
The 380 is an interesting caliber in that it seems to define the FBI's bare minimums before those minimums were ever established. That said, this cartridge runs a very tight budget in the world of physics. That light copper bullet might be faster than a 90 or 100 grain FMJ, but it wont achieve the penetration of the 90 - 100 FMJ. All the LD is trying to do, is be a wadcutter that'll feed in an auto.
Personally, I'd choose a coated cast flat point. You can get a slight energy increase while saving barrel wear. Unless jurisdictional issues mandate it, I'd leave the LD stuff for someone else that needs it.
As far as YT vids on the subject go, Reviews suffer the same phenomena as Vacuum tube reviews.
The ridiculous outlay of cash biases the report as the one who is invested in it does not want to look like an idiot. Where a tube might have a different response curve from another, it answers to the same physics as the next tube at 20% the cost. Likewise, a bullet answers to physics. mass X velocity squared gives you energy. a ruler gives you penetration and cavity size. There's no magic here.
You'd be well advised to find a place where you can do some ballistic testing for yourself.
At $1.50 - $2.10 a round, the whizzbang round will always be the bestest and mostest goodest in the results of those who drank the koolaid. Be honest in your own evaluations.

 

[venomballistics]

I am suspicious of specialty bullets. I guess I am just sort of suspicious by nature. I don't want to depend on some gimick working correctly. Doesn't mean it won't work as advertised, just means I personally am disinclined to bet my life on it when a solid FMJ bullet will probably give adequate penetration in a .380 where a super-duper bullet may not. Bullet placement is criteria #1. Adequate penetration is criteria #2. Everything else is an almost academic #3.

Looking at it, its a copper solid. It can't do anything an FMJ of some form can't.
About the only thing it brings to the table is a complicated metplat. Ballistically, it's a wadcutter that can feed in an auto. Personally, I'll take a coated RNFP