Favorite 380 load

[jaowens76]

My wife finally figured out what she likes in a pistol, both for range use and carry. (typical woman she wants 2 separate non-compatible things.) For concealment she wants an uber small pocket rocket. She really dug the TCP they had at the shop. So a TCP or LCP will most likely follow me home from my training next week in Topeka. (maybe one of each). So one battle won (actually multiple but that's another story) now I need a load for this mini blaster that I can use to work her up to defensive loads.

Any suggestions?

 

[bantam9]

LCP---100gr rmr plated and 3.0g W231

 

[Ironicaintit]

My go to load is 3.2 gr of Bullseye behind a 90gr XTP

 

[JimKirk]

I am loading Titegroup 3.2 grains with the Hornady 90 gr XTP in nickle plated brass in a Ruger LCP....

 

[papaairbear]

I have a Kahr P380 that is fond of RMR 90gr JHP's over 3.2gr 231 at .972" OAL. 1.25" groups at 7 yards with wrists rested on my range bag,

 

[rg1]

Factory Hornady Custom .380 ACP 90 gr. XTP for carry. To work up loads for practice I would load Accurate Arms #2 at 3.6 grains with CCI 500 primers and 90 gr. XTP bullets. At 3.6 grains, 3.7 is maximum, it closely matches the Hornady 90 XTP factory load. I can't tell the difference in recoil and they shoot to the same point of impact in my Sig .380's and also Bersa Thunder .380. The Hornady 90 XTP has a decent reputation for carry in .380 and seems to feed good in all .380's . Accurate Arms #2 is available at present but sometimes impossible to find. Last time it was off the shelves for almost 2 years. But a pound it'll will last forever and is the best by far of any of the few powders I've tested in .380. Other powders I've tested have given wide velocity variations but AA#2 gives top velocity and good accuracy and low extreme spreads. One pound would load close to 2000 rounds at 3.6 grains. Accurate Arms data available on-line.

 

[CZ9shooter]

XTPs and 4.8 gr of Power Pistol. You should be able to start down around 3.5 and work up to that.

3.5 wont cycle a G42, but it did work well in my Bersa. Most reports that I have come across state that LCPs and the like do fine with ight loads too.

 

[Sarge7402]

I'd get a box or two of winchester whitebox or remington green box Total Metal Point or Round Nose Jacked. Better a round that will go boom each time, cycle the action each time and be the standard load the weapon was designed around.

It should give her greater confidence in a shorter amount of time. Also a set of snap caps so she can practice trigger control and not damage the firing pin

 

[mahansm]

I'm partial to Montana Gold Bullet 95 grain FMJ over 2.8-3.0 grains of 231 with a Winchester small pistol primer. My wife's Sig P230s shoot very nicely at 2.8 grains.

 

[SARuger]

Ranier Lead Free 100g, 2.9g W231, LCP

 

[Muddydogs]

I'd get a box or two of winchester whitebox or remington green box Total Metal Point or Round Nose Jacked. Better a round that will go boom each time, cycle the action each time and be the standard load the weapon was designed around.

It should give her greater confidence in a shorter amount of time. Also a set of snap caps so she can practice trigger control and not damage the firing pin

Like factory rounds have never not went boom or cycled. Most good reloaders have way more confidence in there own loads then anything factory especially Winchester white box ammo.

I loaded Speer gold dots for defense purposes and a cast Lee .358 105 SWC with 2.8 grains of Unique for a practice plinking round.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I'd get a box or two of winchester whitebox or remington green box Total Metal Point or Round Nose Jacked. Better a round that will go boom each time, cycle the action each time and be the standard load the weapon was designed around.

It should give her greater confidence in a shorter amount of time. Also a set of snap caps so she can practice trigger control and not damage the firing pin

I know with 100% certainty, my brass have a flash hole, and the correct amount of powder.
It's been a loooong time, but I have seen factory rounds that were missing one or the other.
It's hearsay of course, on the internet no less...

 

[Curator]

Before you begin making reloads for your wife's LCP do a google search on "LCP Ka-booms." Not wishing to be either a fear-monger or an internet know-it-all, I have personally inspected three LCPs that have come apart with what appeared to be reasonable loads. One common denominator in the 3 ka-booms I investigated was mixed head-stamped brass. There is some variation in case mouth thickness between various brands of cases that can result in bullet set-back. Be careful and stay safe.

 

[GRIZ22]

My S&W BG380 has functioned 100% with the 7 or 8 different FMJ and JHP factory loads I've tried. Many 380s prefer a particular load in my experience. I carry the WW white box 95 gr flat point FMJ. Reliable feeding, penetration, and the flat point may help some.

I don't believe in rhino roller loads for a 380. If I want more velocity, I'll carry a 9mm parabellum.

 

[CZ9shooter]

Before you begin making reloads for your wife's LCP do a google search on "LCP Ka-booms." Not wishing to be either a fear-monger or an internet know-it-all, I have personally inspected three LCPs that have come apart with what appeared to be reasonable loads. One common denominator in the 3 ka-booms I investigated was mixed head-stamped brass. There is some variation in case mouth thickness between various brands of cases that can result in bullet set-back. Be careful and stay safe.

Good advice. However, I don't see how the 380 round, or the LCP in particular, warrant any special precautions. Avoiding bullet setback is ALWAYS a concern to reloaders, regardless of caliber or gun. Heck, even factory ammo can setback.

 

[Stumper]

3.1 grains of 231 under a 100 grain cast flat point for pleasant practice.(This is from the group buy that Rattlesnake Charlie honchoed a few years ago but the Ranchdog .380 bullet is similar) 3.4 grains of 231 for an almost full-throttle load.

 

[Dudedog]

I got the best velocity when loading on the high side using 4.1gr of CFE-P and a 90gr HP (couple flavor HPs so the OAL varies), 4.0gh with Xtreme 100 plated for heavy practice loads.
Fun load is 3gr of #2 with the 100.
Kahr P380 2.2.8" BBL Mixed range brass S+B SP
Grains: 95
Hi Vel: 870
Low Vel: 181
Ave Vel: 837.6
Ext Spread: 52
Std Dev: 20.3
380 H XTP 90gr 4.0 CFE-P .960
Velocity Power Factor Ft Lbs
818 72.72 134
870 78.3 151
823 71.01 135
840 72.18 141
837 75.33 140
vel PF F/lbs
This load was.gr under the max listed so you could bump it up a bit.

PS #2 is really small grains and works great for .380 size charges.

 

[HardBall]

The best load I came up with for a Beretta I used to have was 3.0gr Bullseye and Hornady's 100gr FMJ loaded to max COL. It was quite accurate and a full power load, for a .380, that is.

 

[Zendude]

Soft loads don't cycle very well in the 380s I've used. For practice, I use Xtreme 100 grain copper plated bullets. Start with 2.6 grains of Bullseye and work up til you get a load that cycles in your particular pistol. I think 3.1 grains is the limit with a 100 grain bullet.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Fiocchi Extrema 90 gr XTP HP. I have a Glock 42--a new one, which shouldn't be picky about ammo, but it was anyway until I tried the Fiocchi. 500 rounds fired with zero misfeeds. Supposedly, this round has a good balance between expansion and penetration (12-14+ inches in several tests, from a 3" barrel). The price is great, too.

For ballistics tests, see the following links:

http://shootingthebull.net/blog/final-results-of-the-380-acp-ammo-quest/

https://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2012/04/testing-fiocchi-extrema-380-auto-90.html


Good luck!

 

[mstreddy]

I'm loading 100 gr Berry's or Xtremes at .955" over 2.6-2.8 gr of Promo (Red Dot).