Quick Question: being cheap, .380 with 9mm die

cfullgraf said:
That would probably work fine but would make Rube Goldberg proud.

380 ACP uses the same shell holder as the 223 Remington anyway so if you load 223 Rem, you already have a shell holder.

Any 9mm expander plug will do the expanding duties fine as long as it can be adjusted to reach the shorter case. Ditto with a seating die, a 9mm die with the seating plug adjusted down for the short case should seat the bullet just fine. Taper crimping is a bit of an issue. I suppose using the lower part of a 223 Rem sizing die might work fine for removing the case mouth bell. Depending what the person has on hand, another crimp die from a different 38/9mm cartridge may be able to be adjusted taper crimp a 380 round.

For me, personally, I do not like to constantly adjust dies back and forth between two settings so I buy another set of dies. Cheaper in the long run in time if you will continue loading the cartridge.

I guess it depends on how loud you want the hinges on your change purse to squeak.

P.S. I regularly load lots of 380 ACP. It is one of my carry pistols and I like to practice frequently. I have one Dillon SDB dedicated to 380 ACP.
Click to expand...
I have all the above tools!!! exactly what I’m looking for. Love a Good Hack!

I have a Dillon SDB for .45 ACP and absolutely love it, bought a conversation kit for .357 from a member. My local reloading shop has a SDB in .357 & one in .38 priced at 10 years ago prices $379. If I didn’t already have a ,357 kit I would probably get another SDB. But seriously considering a Dillon 550
 
Mark_Mark said:
did you know about .223 sizing die on a .380!?!?! I know you old timers sometimes speak in code, for safety. And most things goes over my head.
Click to expand...
I just think it’s really weird to go out and buy a rimfire reloading kit and .22LR tracers for a $500 revolver that can’t hit a bus at 12ft then go totally cheap on reloading dies for .380ACP. Doesn’t have to make sense but I did give my best advice in the beginning: go buy dies or take what someone is willing to give you but use the right tools for the job and don’t try to cluge something together. Made sense to me.
 
Mark_Mark said:
I have a Dillon SDB for .45 ACP and absolutely love it, bought a conversation kit for .357 from a member. My local reloading shop has a SDB in .357 & one in .38 priced at 10 years ago prices $379. If I didn’t already have a ,357 kit I would probably get another SDB. But seriously considering a Dillon 550
Click to expand...

For certain applications, I love my SDB's. I have three, one for 45 ACP, one for 9x19 and one for 380 ACP. I change cartridges by changing presses on the bench.

I have a change kit for 38 Special but the 38 Special case is too tall to get a visual check on the powder charge. I've decided to use a more conventional progressive press for loading 38 Special now as I can get a check on the powder charge.

Along with my experience with then Dillon SDB presses, I've become to prefer progressive presses that use standard 7/8-14 dies. I have a Dillon BL550 for cartridges that I do not a high volume for as well as a Hornady L-N-L and an RCBS Pro2000.
 
A friend who is retired and plays with buying and selling reloading stuff just said last week most of the reloading guys are cheaper then cheap.
I'm on the other side of the spectrum.
If I need it I buy it.
For what I load a lot of I have two or three sets of dies for each caliber.
And calibers like 38/357
44spl/44mag
I have two or three dies set up for each caliber.
Plus a crimp die set up for each die set.
I'm just getting into 380acp.
Looked for a used set of dies and just bought a new set dies.
I'll pick up another set of dies and an extra crimp die.
If something goes wrong I want to keep going and fix the problem later.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
I just think it’s really weird to go out and buy a rimfire reloading kit and .22LR tracers for a $500 revolver that can’t hit a bus at 12ft then go totally cheap on reloading dies for .380ACP. Doesn’t have to make sense but I did give my best advice in the beginning: go buy dies or take what someone is willing to give you but use the right tools for the job and don’t try to cluge something together. Made sense to me.
Click to expand...
Doing a trade with a member for a set of Lee 380 dies. But!!! definitely will try my .223 & 9mm dies for S+Giggles
 
Dimensions are wrong. 9mm is tapered. 380 is straight. Yes you can seat a bullet and crimp it but you’re not resizing anything and the cases will likely either not feed well or not feed at all. The bigger risk is that they partially feed and then lock up which is sometimes a pain and a bit dangerous to get loose.
 
One time, a long time ago, I really, really bent a stem in my .380 sizing die. Don't ask! I pulled the die and got my 9mm set out, so I could change out the de-prime stem - same, same stem both sets. Somewhere in the shuffle, I screwed the pooch and ended up with the 9mm sizing die in place. Well, all of a sudden, it was really easy to size .380, and all went well up until I came to the bullet seating station. When I picked up a finished round, the bullet just easily pushed right on down into the case. That's because the .380 is smaller in diameter than a 9mm and the case wasn't being re-sized at all. o_O

Marking on some dies is not the best, or at least not easily seen by these eyes. I figured it all out after a while and plenty of butt scratching and got on with the process. I do keep several extra stems in my parts now. :):):)

Hope this helps answer your question.
 
WestKentucky said:
Most of our wives just don’t see what kind of catch they have. Good for you that you have successfully shown her your supremacy over us mere mortals.
Click to expand...
It’s not easy being a Alpha Male. got to look good, have conversations party skills, do the wink thing, fishing skills have to show your a hunter and gather…. and change diapers too.

WestKentucky said:
Dimensions are wrong. 9mm is tapered. 380 is straight. Yes you can seat a bullet and crimp it but you’re not resizing anything and the cases will likely either not feed well or not feed at all. The bigger risk is that they partially feed and then lock up which is sometimes a pain and a bit dangerous to get loose.
Click to expand...
I know I know!!! I got a real Lee Set on the way! lol

Yankee1986 said:
Just casual observation from a new guy around here, but Mark_Mark you make it pretty easy for them.
Click to expand...
Don’t ask about the 3 new primer factory

BTW: Two major factors came one line as we speak
 
NMexJim said:
One time, a long time ago, I really, really bent a stem in my .380 sizing die. Don't ask! I pulled the die and got my 9mm set out, so I could change out the de-prime stem - same, same stem both sets. Somewhere in the shuffle, I screwed the pooch and ended up with the 9mm sizing die in place. Well, all of a sudden, it was really easy to size .380, and all went well up until I came to the bullet seating station. When I picked up a finished round, the bullet just easily pushed right on down into the case. That's because the .380 is smaller in diameter than a 9mm and the case wasn't being re-sized at all. o_O

Marking on some dies is not the best, or at least not easily seen by these eyes. I figured it all out after a while and plenty of butt scratching and got on with the process. I do keep several extra stems in my parts now. :):):)

Hope this helps answer your question.
Click to expand...
Thanks!!! 9mm is tapered

but have you tried .223 to size 380!?!?! very interesting!

always wonder if JMB’s 380 ACP could have been the parent case of the .223 Remington??? just thinking
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
  • Locked
9mm neck expansion die for 380?
Replies
4
Views
409
Hooda Thunkit
Hooda Thunkit
J
  • Locked
Hornady 9mm die set
Replies
6
Views
578
Nomad
N
R
  • Locked
Load 9mm Luger with 380 dies
Replies
11
Views
6K
FROGO207
FROGO207
BigMacMI
  • Locked
Are all Lee Bullet Seat dies the same?
Replies
20
Views
1K
Wreck-n-Crew
Wreck-n-Crew
C
  • Locked
Seating Dies Only
Replies
20
Views
551
LiveLife
LiveLife
Back
Top