I am new to this forum and this is my first post. It’s long and I hope it does not violate any forum rules. This was prepared in the event someone is seeking the same information or can offer advice towards the same goal. I have over 30 years of reloading experience, rifle & handgun, currently shoot for fun 2 days a week. about 100 to 200 rounds a week.
I have been researching 380 Auto ammunition for self-defense. While it appears, there are many favorites and tests showing different brands as “best or better” the Fiocchi 90 Gr Extrema, #380XTP25, stands out to me. I decided to try and duplicate a practice load using the same bullets and searched a number of forums on the web looking to see if anyone had already done this.
Unfortunately, I found no results but did run across discussions about the Fiocchi 380 Extrema round. Some of it a little confusing although I am astute enough to know that you do not trust all you read on the web… In one case I found one well known store on the web listing this round as a 95 Gr bullet. After contacting them they confirmed their mistake, should have been 90 grain. I questioned this because I have seen other posts about a 380 95 grain XTP but don’t believe Hornady ever made such an animal.
Then I ran across a discussion on this site about the 380 Extrema COL (cartridge overall length) which obviously has an impact on load pressure. I have purchased a box of the Fiocchi 90 Gr Extrema #380XTP25 and the COL is .973 which I have measured with two different calipers. However, the discussion on this site by two members in December 2014 (Mad Chemist and Jlr2267) stated a factory COL of .94 and .941. Since this is significantly different from what I see I am wondering if Fiocchi has kept the same label “Fiocchi Extrema 380 ACP 90 Grain Hornady XTP” but changed the actual specs. of the bullet. Anyone have any facts?
I contacted Fiocchi and the response was that the bullet has always been a 90 grain but the person responding said, “I’m not sure the COAL but I would suggest you get a box and try them”. So, I am in the dark about actual COL for this load over time, could have been shorter back in 2014??? Now, I did measure the Federal Hydra Shocks and they are .94. Hornady 8th edition reloading manual is showing .965 for the Hornady 90 Gr XTP bullet.
In my quest I decided to go with CFE Pistol since I have it and the Hornady 90 Gr XTP bullets on hand. In the process I shot up some other Factory 380’s just for comparison. Results are below. It looks like the Extrema’s closely match the second batch that I loaded with 3.9 Gr of CFE Pistol. The batch loaded with 3.8 and the first 3.9 gr of CFE Pistol were done in my garage at night, it was quite cold, and I was getting quite a bit of scale drift (electronic scale) which I kept correcting for. Probably led to the one low velocity in the first group of 3.9. The second group of 3.9 and 4.0 were loaded the following day when it was a little warmer.
For my loads I used the specs from the Hodgdon site for 90 GR HDY JHP, a COL of .970 on my loads and all were within the load range of 3.7 Gr to 4.2 Gr of CFE Pistol. Primers were CCI Small Pistol No. 500. These were fired thru a Sig P238, 2.7” barrel. I used the same brand of cases (R-P) for my reloads. I had one Hornady Critical Defense failure to feed, all others went without issue. The FF jammed, angled against the barrel hood. While I was not concentrating on accuracy, all went into a 4” target at about 20 feet. This is the first time I used the Sig, so I am happy with the results. I will be experimenting more around the 3.9 Gr in the future and plan to take a few to the Max listed 4.2. Since these loads were done one at a time with a powder trickler into the pan on an electronic scale I want to see how my Dillon 550 will do for this light of a load. I may end up needing to get a balance scale for these little guys.
In defense of my electronic scale, it is normally good to 100th of a grain and I use it for bench rest rifle, I can put 5 rounds in one hole at 100 Meters (110 yards, our club range was set up in anticipation of going metric) with a .163” spread using a 6Br. I’m one of those fanatic reloaders…when it comes to rifle. I just don’t usually load late at night in the cold of winter.
Oh, and this little Sig P238 HD shot like a dream. I am used to a PPK but this was just awesome!
Reloads shown below were verified in different reloading manuals or on the manufacturers’ website. You should verify them yourself before using and always start low for safety. Use this data at your own risk!
I have purchased a balance beam scale and want to try some additional loads of CFE Pistol around the 3.9 Grains (+/- 1/10th) and I also want to try some with the Dillon 550 (using Dillon Powder Measure) to see what kind of Velocity, SD and ES I can get.
I have been researching 380 Auto ammunition for self-defense. While it appears, there are many favorites and tests showing different brands as “best or better” the Fiocchi 90 Gr Extrema, #380XTP25, stands out to me. I decided to try and duplicate a practice load using the same bullets and searched a number of forums on the web looking to see if anyone had already done this.
Unfortunately, I found no results but did run across discussions about the Fiocchi 380 Extrema round. Some of it a little confusing although I am astute enough to know that you do not trust all you read on the web… In one case I found one well known store on the web listing this round as a 95 Gr bullet. After contacting them they confirmed their mistake, should have been 90 grain. I questioned this because I have seen other posts about a 380 95 grain XTP but don’t believe Hornady ever made such an animal.
Then I ran across a discussion on this site about the 380 Extrema COL (cartridge overall length) which obviously has an impact on load pressure. I have purchased a box of the Fiocchi 90 Gr Extrema #380XTP25 and the COL is .973 which I have measured with two different calipers. However, the discussion on this site by two members in December 2014 (Mad Chemist and Jlr2267) stated a factory COL of .94 and .941. Since this is significantly different from what I see I am wondering if Fiocchi has kept the same label “Fiocchi Extrema 380 ACP 90 Grain Hornady XTP” but changed the actual specs. of the bullet. Anyone have any facts?
I contacted Fiocchi and the response was that the bullet has always been a 90 grain but the person responding said, “I’m not sure the COAL but I would suggest you get a box and try them”. So, I am in the dark about actual COL for this load over time, could have been shorter back in 2014??? Now, I did measure the Federal Hydra Shocks and they are .94. Hornady 8th edition reloading manual is showing .965 for the Hornady 90 Gr XTP bullet.
In my quest I decided to go with CFE Pistol since I have it and the Hornady 90 Gr XTP bullets on hand. In the process I shot up some other Factory 380’s just for comparison. Results are below. It looks like the Extrema’s closely match the second batch that I loaded with 3.9 Gr of CFE Pistol. The batch loaded with 3.8 and the first 3.9 gr of CFE Pistol were done in my garage at night, it was quite cold, and I was getting quite a bit of scale drift (electronic scale) which I kept correcting for. Probably led to the one low velocity in the first group of 3.9. The second group of 3.9 and 4.0 were loaded the following day when it was a little warmer.
For my loads I used the specs from the Hodgdon site for 90 GR HDY JHP, a COL of .970 on my loads and all were within the load range of 3.7 Gr to 4.2 Gr of CFE Pistol. Primers were CCI Small Pistol No. 500. These were fired thru a Sig P238, 2.7” barrel. I used the same brand of cases (R-P) for my reloads. I had one Hornady Critical Defense failure to feed, all others went without issue. The FF jammed, angled against the barrel hood. While I was not concentrating on accuracy, all went into a 4” target at about 20 feet. This is the first time I used the Sig, so I am happy with the results. I will be experimenting more around the 3.9 Gr in the future and plan to take a few to the Max listed 4.2. Since these loads were done one at a time with a powder trickler into the pan on an electronic scale I want to see how my Dillon 550 will do for this light of a load. I may end up needing to get a balance scale for these little guys.
In defense of my electronic scale, it is normally good to 100th of a grain and I use it for bench rest rifle, I can put 5 rounds in one hole at 100 Meters (110 yards, our club range was set up in anticipation of going metric) with a .163” spread using a 6Br. I’m one of those fanatic reloaders…when it comes to rifle. I just don’t usually load late at night in the cold of winter.
Oh, and this little Sig P238 HD shot like a dream. I am used to a PPK but this was just awesome!
Reloads shown below were verified in different reloading manuals or on the manufacturers’ website. You should verify them yourself before using and always start low for safety. Use this data at your own risk!
I have purchased a balance beam scale and want to try some additional loads of CFE Pistol around the 3.9 Grains (+/- 1/10th) and I also want to try some with the Dillon 550 (using Dillon Powder Measure) to see what kind of Velocity, SD and ES I can get.
