Reloading the .380

[Wis-Harpo]

I was looking at the back row of powder bottles today, and found some old Herco ( No Date on canister), Unique ( 7-7-98), Green Dot ( 7-15-92), Long Shot ( I know is about 2 years old), WST ( also about 2 years old). The WST and Long Shot were intended for 12 Gauge pattern testing on a 30 inch circle at 40 yards. The Herco was for 12 gauge loading ??? who knows when . I opened the older canisters and no odd smells, didn't check for degradation yet. But I will develop loads with W231, Red Dot, along with the Titegroup I have already loaded. I will take the Herco to the range I shoot at and see if anyone wants to take a chance with it. The Green Dot will be checked out and used in my shotgun. I guess loading my 45 acp spoiled me with all of the load data out there.

 

[Seymour380]

I was looking at the back row of powder bottles today, and found some old Herco ( No Date on canister), Unique ( 7-7-98), Green Dot ( 7-15-92), Long Shot ( I know is about 2 years old), WST ( also about 2 years old). The WST and Long Shot were intended for 12 Gauge pattern testing on a 30 inch circle at 40 yards. The Herco was for 12 gauge loading ??? who knows when . I opened the older canisters and no odd smells, didn't check for degradation yet. But I will develop loads with W231, Red Dot, along with the Titegroup I have already loaded. I will take the Herco to the range I shoot at and see if anyone wants to take a chance with it. The Green Dot will be checked out and used in my shotgun. I guess loading my 45 acp spoiled me with all of the load data out there.

Good luck with the test loads Wis-Harpo. Please let us know what you come up with for Red Dot. I tried the older, hotter data at one point and ended up with bulged wasted brass on anything over 2.5 grs. for 90 -100 gr. loads. That includes tests in a Browning BDA, Colt Pony, Kimber Micro, and two .380 Makarovs (don't own these any more). Maybe it's the shooter, or I got a hot 8# keg of Red Dot back when nothing else was on the shelf in 2014.

 

[buck460XVR]

For Hornady 95 grain FMJ bullets it showed 2.7 to 3.2 grain loads for low and high powder charges.

Does Hornady even make a 95 grainer for .380? I've only ever seen 90 and 100 gr. I also wouldn't be afraid to use the Unique. Many of my .380 loads are made with it.

 

[Dudedog]

Dudedog, very helpful list of loadings with speed and PSI values. THANKS

Your Welcome!
Glad to help.

The old Alliant data has loads for Herco in .380, 9mm, .45 and carts as well



I haven't used Herco in pistol rounds but I it is in the burn speed range I like for 9mm, should make good full power .380 and work in .45 as well.
I would give it a try before I gave it away. Powder is kind of scare right now.
(but can be found unlike primers)

 

[Alex G]

Not to hijack the thread, but just picked up a Ruger LCP Max in 380 and am planning on loading for it. (Currently load 9mm, 40 S&W, 357 SIG, 38/357 Mag, 30-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, so what's one more caliber in the list haha)
Picked up some 95gr FMJ-RN from Rocky Mountain Reloading, and a 4-die set of Lee dies. The brass I already have on hand, and for powder I plan on using CFE-Pistol as that is my main go-to powder these days for most of my pistol rounds. Also want to try some AA#5 which I use in 9mm.

Loading procedure will be as follows:

1. Deprime and Size brass using the Lee APP (Brass lubed with lanolin/Iso-HEET)
2. Bulge Bust on Lee APP since the brass was not fired by me previously
3. Expand and Flare case mouths on my Redding Big Boss 2, and prime at the bottom of the stroke
4. Charge powder using a loading block method and my Redding 3BR powder measure
5. Seat/crimp to remove flare using the Lee seater die and the Redding BB2.

Any tips/tricks to be aware of when loading 380 that haven't been mentioned above? Eventually if we shoot enough of it I will probably get the caliber conversion for the XL750, but until then single stage loading it is just fine. Thanks yall, and feel free to chime in!

 

[Bfh_auto]

I was looking at the back row of powder bottles today, and found some old Herco ( No Date on canister), Unique ( 7-7-98), Green Dot ( 7-15-92), Long Shot ( I know is about 2 years old), WST ( also about 2 years old). The WST and Long Shot were intended for 12 Gauge pattern testing on a 30 inch circle at 40 yards. The Herco was for 12 gauge loading ??? who knows when . I opened the older canisters and no odd smells, didn't check for degradation yet. But I will develop loads with W231, Red Dot, along with the Titegroup I have already loaded. I will take the Herco to the range I shoot at and see if anyone wants to take a chance with it. The Green Dot will be checked out and used in my shotgun. I guess loading my 45 acp spoiled me with all of the load data out there.

You have some pretty good powders to choose from.
I like the Dot powders.
I'm not a fan of titegroup. But I haven't used it in a small cartridge like the 380.

 

[Dudedog]

Any tips/tricks to be aware of when loading 380 that haven't been mentioned above?

Watch your neck tension-check for bullet set back. I have found .380 brass seems to vary quite a bit in thickness.
So if your using mixed brass make sure your neck tension is good on all of it.

 

[Alex G]

Watch your neck tension-check for bullet set back. I have found .380 brass seems to vary quite a bit in thickness.
So if your using mixed brass make sure your neck tension is good on all of it.

Good to know! Will make sure to test for that when starting. Thank you!

 

[Dudedog]

My quick test is just to "tap" the loaded rounds bullet on a small piece of 2X4 I keep by my bench.
Taps should be firm.
Measure OAL, give a couple taps, measure again.
Really bad ones if you ever get any you will be able to see with out the after measure

 

[Zendude]

Watch your neck tension-check for bullet set back. I have found .380 brass seems to vary quite a bit in thickness.
So if your using mixed brass make sure your neck tension is good on all of it.

I have also had issues with neck tension on some brands of 380 brass. A Lee undersized sizing die fixed it, but it sure makes the cartridge have a funny hourglass shape.

 

[five.five-six]

I really like AA#2 for 380, meters great in small charges.
For full power 380 stuff CFE-P has worked well for me.

Tell me more, I've been working up an new load for my P380 EDC and haven't found anything I liked yet. I'm using Sierra 90 gn JHP and bullsey and 231 haven't been great. I love the way AA#2 meters

Watch your neck tension-check for bullet set back. I have found .380 brass seems to vary quite a bit in thickness.
So if your using mixed brass make sure your neck tension is good on all of it.

That might explain the poor SD and ES results I have been getting.

 

[FROGO207]

Good luck with the test loads Wis-Harpo. Please let us know what you come up with for Red Dot. I tried the older, hotter data at one point and ended up with bulged wasted brass on anything over 2.5 grs. for 90 -100 gr. loads. That includes tests in a Browning BDA, Colt Pony, Kimber Micro, and two .380 Makarovs (don't own these any more). Maybe it's the shooter, or I got a hot 8# keg of Red Dot back when nothing else was on the shelf in 2014.

Some years ago I ended up buying three 8# kegs of Promo for cheap handgun loads. The older data always had Red Dot data for handguns and Promo can be swapped equivalent if used by weight. Never used it in 380 yet though but now I might just try as I still have over 2 kegs left.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Does Hornady even make a 95 grainer for .380? I've only ever seen 90 and 100 gr. I also wouldn't be afraid to use the Unique. Many of my .380 loads are made with it.

They do make a 95gr, but don't advertise it for 380. It's labeled for 9mm, but I have loaded them in 380 and they work fine. Armscor makes a factory 380 load with them.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Do separate cases by head stamp!
Old W-W USA. Is thinnest. Hornady 90gr XTP won’t give adequate neck tension.

My Lee 90gr TL-LFN powder coated sized .356 shoot phenomenal over 3.2 gr of HP38. My Lee 6-cavity molds rain good bullets.

.380 doesn’t react well to hot rodding. Frame battering, slide cracking, brass chewing are just some ot the issues.
Accuracy with adequate ejection is the goal. It is, what it is...

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

I use VV N320 with Hornady XTP or Lehigh monoliths. Cases come out so clean ya might need to see the dimple on the primer to realize they've been shot!