I'm starting to like the .380 round, thought maybe I would give it a try since it cost about 18 dollars a box for blazer brass. I currently load 9 mm and .357 sig out of my 650, looks like I will need a conversion kit and some dies.

How many are also doing this cartridge? any help would be great.

Thanks

I load for two LCP's and my P238. Of course the P238 is the most pleasant to shoot, but LCPs have their place.

My plinking rounds are 90 grain plated RN. The more carry type are Gold Dot bullets.

My favorite powder for the 380 is Win 231(HP-38). One will see it mentioned again & again in the reloading manuals.

I have loaded a shit load of that on the 550.
Can be painful on setting bullet on that case,when you got fat fingers

I have been loading 380 brass for a long time now. I have two different loads.

(1) a near min. load for my blowback 380 handguns. It makes shooting them much more comfortable.

(2) a full factory equivalent load for my locked breech 380 handguns.


I load either 95gr RN FMJ, or plated 100gr RN bullets. They both work just fine for me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GT-40DOC,

I bought a P232 when the wife and i were dating. While dating i only shot it a few times expecting it to be my summer carry.

Since getting married I've shot it a lot more with the wife.

I really did like that gun and wish they were still being produce.

I have load a lot of rounds, its a great round to shoot.

Colt .380 Gov't, Bersa Thunder .380, and two Sig P238's. Since I don't shoot a lot of .380 ammo I choose one load that performs well in them all. I prefer Hornady 90 gr. XTP-hp with AA#2 powder at near maximum from Accurate's web site using CCI 500 primers. My AA#2 load shoots the same as factory Hornady 90 XTP. I load on single stage presses and prefer Hornady's .380 die set with the sliding alignment sleeve seating die. Takes the tiny bullets from your finger and guides it into the case. I also have an RCBS set that's excellent. Don't know how the Hornady seater would work in progressive press? I usually carry with Hornady Custom .380 or American Gunner 380. My 90gr.XTP handload shoot to same point of impact as factory and makes things simpler than various bullets and weight for plinking and another for carry.

Have loaded hundreds of .380 with a 95 gr. FMJ and a medium amount of Universal.

PC

I don't shoot my 380's a lot, the most reloading for them I do is my 380 shotshells, I use on snakes.

My least favorite round to reload. It's not bad if you on a AP where you don't have to handle the small cases. But on a SS it's a pain. Then you dealing with a charge weight that may only have a spread of 0.3gr. Not much room for error. Othe4r than that it loads just like any other cartridge.

I just got a Beretta 84, and looking at the cost of .380, am starting to think about reloading. What sort of equipment investment am I looking at? If I shoot 100-200 rounds per month, then I'd like to know how cost effective it would be.

I also have 5 kids, so a setup that is massively labor intensive is kind of out of the question.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ_Boston:
I just got a Beretta 84, and looking at the cost of .380, am starting to think about reloading. What sort of equipment investment am I looking at? If I shoot 100-200 rounds per month, then I'd like to know how cost effective it would be.

I also have 5 kids, so a setup that is massively labor intensive is kind of out of the question.

See the stickys above.

My 380's are about $6.50 a box of 50 to reload.
Bullets are cheap to ship vs 45's and the availability is 100% for me - I have a Pico and a Walther 380 and both are fun to shoot if the ammo is the right price - Using the Lee 380 - 4 die set -

380 Is expensive ammo compared to other service rounds. If you shoot one enough to justify a 650 setup, then you'll pay for it in short order. Me, I am not a fan of pocket guns in sub service caliber. My floor is 9mm & the ammo is cheaper too, though the cost to reload is almost identical.

I bought the conversion for my 550 and have loaded probably 1500 rds so far. With free range brass and plated bullets, it's FAR cheaper practice ammo than most factory .380 ammo. So you recoup the conversion cost quickly.

Myself and two friends have G-42's. Allows for a lot of shooting fairly cheap. Unlike my old Walther PPK/s the G-42 has been 100% reliable so far. Can't say the same for the Walther.

I have bought a conversion kit and .380 dies for my 650. 1000 pieces of once fired brass, and 1000 plated boolits.

Will post in a few days how it went.

I have several .380 pistols including a newly purchased SIG 238HD. I just finished running off 250 rounds for it. I find it very easy to load for and much cheaper to shoot than buying ammo. Mine seems to like heavier bullets so I go with the Berry's 100 grain RN-HB plated. I also go with coated bullets from time to time in this caliber.

I didn't set out to load a lot of .380, but I ended up shooting frequently with my G42, so it does save a good bit over buying factory ammo. Once in a while I'll shoot the P232, LCP, and Beretta 84BB, so it helps with those too.

My order from TJ Conevera's came in, 1000 JHP's and 1000 processed brass. This brass looks good, and so do the boolits.

Loaded up 50 95gr JHP's with 3.1gr of HP-38 and went to the range to see how my two .380's liked them. It was a success! All rounds functioned, and shot well through my Sig P232, and Ruger LCP.

I had no problems loading those little pills, guess my fingers are not as fat as mah belly!

I have always struggled with my Sig P232 and ammo.
It really prefers Federal Hydroshoks (the originals) and chokes frequently on others. I am convinced that it is OAL. What was your OAL when you load the .380 for the Sig P232?
95g JHP bullet, I was using 231 if I recall as a powder.....