New to loading-need advice 380 loading

[twice barrel]

Right now my loads for .380 ACP are 3.4gn Hodgdon Universal and Montana Gold 95gr JHP. I also loaded the same bullet over 3.2gn Win 231 but prefer the Universal loading.

 

[Oldgoat03]

I too load 380ACP on a Lee Classic 4 hole turret with the Lee Pro-disc powder measure. This is a great press and powder measure but for small charges for the 380 I could not get the small charge I needed. I foudn that charges less than 3.5gr (W231) were not consistent with the adjustable measure. There were no discs that were small enough either. SOLUTION: I ended up getting the Lee Micro Disc and it will drop small (sub 3 gr) charges consistently. Good luck!

OG03

 

[leadchucker]

The Lee Micro Disk is no longer available.

 

[GCBurner]

The micro disk seems to have been replaced by the micrometer adjustable charge bar.

 

[Coffeeguy]

I've had inconsistent results as well with the auto-disk setup when it comes to small charges, i.e. 3 grains or so. The adjustable style charge bar works very well, and saves a lot of time as well, not having to change out disks when switching powders or charge weights. This is where a good scale comes in handy.

I've been loading for 20-plus years, and recently started loading .380 for my wife's gun since I couldn't talk her into a 9mm. Dies were hard to come by with the recent panic-buying, but finally found some. I've used 9mm dies successfully, but with slight issues due to the expander die not reaching far enough down. 9mm cases also have a slight taper, but everything miked out okay and headspaced just fine, probably due to the brass springing out a little after being resized and, of course, after seating the bullets. Using the proper dies, especially the expander, makes it way easier!

 

[DanTheFarmer]

I use Bullseye for my 380 ACP because I've found a load the works well and I can use my Lee Pro Auto Disk. I like Titegroup but can't get small enough disks to work but with Bullseye and Power Pistol I can find appropriate disks.

Do some searching and reading on this issue as some people have come up with very clever solutions. I haven't tried it yet but one member has posted directions for drilling through the side of a disk and then screwing in a small bolt. The farther you screw it in, the smaller the volume of the powder hole in the disk. It sounds like a great idea, particularly since the Micro-Disk doesn't seem to be available any longer.

Good Luck.

Dan

 

[MikeS.]

I like and use 2.8grn of bullseye with a 95 grn cast bullet from MissouriBullet.