"in theory" this works right?

[suedenflames68]

I recently picked up a Sig p238 .380 pistol. I LOVE this little thing and want to shoot the snot of it, but I have no ammo. Im not stocked for 380 and dont like this feeling at all

Cant find any 380 dies for sale anywhere. I came up with 500xtp bullets and have primers and powder. I have .223 dies that i read (and looking at the books) should be able to resize the cases.
I have a 9mm die set that i think should be able to deal with seating/crimping the bullets and expanding the cases as long as there is enough adjustment. I guess the adjustment on those dies is the big thing for me to check.

Anyone doing this or done this. Any reason its a bad idea otherthan the "get the right tool" mentality? I much prefer having the correct tool for a job, but if a hammer is not available i will use a wrench to whack something...

Thanks in advance. I was about to just give it a try but figured Ide get a double check incase I was missing something.

James

[landrvrnut22]

I'm no expert, but I would guess the taper crimp in the 9mm die to not line up right for the shorter 380 case.

Same is probably true for belling the mouth, and possibly seating the bullet.

[jabeatty]

PM sent

[The German]

They Lee ones show available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Mag ... B000N8MUUM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jabeatty]

They Lee ones show available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Mag ... B000N8MUUM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

".380 Magnum" - I have to have some of that!

Btw, these dies are sold & shipped by Optics Planet - I'd check with them regarding availability prior to ordering.

[suedenflames68]

They Lee ones show available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Mag ... B000N8MUUM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

".380 Magnum" - I have to have some of that!

Btw, these dies are sold & shipped by Optics Planet - I'd check with them regarding availability prior to ordering.

Bummer. Out of stock. they said "usually" takes 4 to 5 weeks. Thanks for the tips though.

[jose45]

SF,got plenty of .380 I'd be glad to sell ya but you're a good way away.Bought some from a fellow member during the last dearth."Thanks Attila"'.Some way to get it to ya I'd be glad to get rid of a coupla 100.Anyway to get it to ya let me know?

[dl1911]

If you want to come up to Cleveland one evening or weekend afternoon when I don't have any matches, you're welcome to use my press and .380 dies. Hornady Progressive LnL with DIllon 3 die set and a RCBS expander. Would loan them out but two very cute women I know shoot .380 and never know when I'll need to load some for them. Dies are currently setup to use Berry 100gr RNFB bullets.

[suedenflames68]

If you want to come up to Cleveland one evening or weekend afternoon when I don't have any matches, you're welcome to use my press and .380 dies. Hornady Progressive LnL with DIllon 3 die set and a RCBS expander. Would loan them out but two very cute women I know shoot .380 and never know when I'll need to load some for them. Dies are currently setup to use Berry 100gr RNFB bullets.

That is INCREADIBLY nice of you to offer that! I think I got it to actually work though!

223 sizing die took the body down to .370(just below the seated bullet) - the mouth closed to .367 - the head of the case .372
factory round was .371, so we just have a little expansion left down at the base, but thats normal(at least from my experience).

I had to space the expander a little bit. Found a nut to put under the adjuster that fit with basically zero slop. Expanding was kinda touchy as its such a short bullet that just a little too far is WAY to far so I just BARELY expanded the mouth.

The seat/crimp die worked with adjustment.

FCD is completely maxed out. Measurement of case at the bullet it .371 (.370 just under it) and .3705 at the taper crimp.
The factory round actually had a slight bell in it still. It measured .371 at the bullet and .3715- .372 at the very end of the mouth. The sizing ring for the 9mm fcd didnt touch the case as far as I could tell....and I would have some serious problems, i think, if it did!

I did the "edge of the bench test" and pushed HARD.(I did this before and after the FCD) It didnt budge. I actually have a little bit of partical board in the hollow point now

So only difference i have from a factory pmc round to my pmc brass with an xtp bullet in it is:
-the taper crip is actually there a little bit now
-and the base of the case is a little expanded from previous firing

Same mesurements of the factory round and my reloaded one at the bullet and directly below the bullet so I THINK it seems OK...

This is going to be the first load Ive done where I actually have ALL the EXACT components in the recipe!... but not the correct dies

Anyone see any issues with my methods and measurements? Imput is sincerely appriciated.

[evan price]

Mak sure the reloaded round drops freely into and out of the chamber of your pistol. Remove the barrel from the gun, instant chamber gauge. Called "plunk test" because the round should drop in "plunk" with no resistance.

[techmike]

Brownells has .380 dies for sale, and in stock, as of 5/14/13 @ 0630. - LINK

[weakhand luke]

You need a name for your new wildcat cartridge.

[suedenflames68]

Mak sure the reloaded round drops freely into and out of the chamber of your pistol. Remove the barrel from the gun, instant chamber gauge. Called "plunk test" because the round should drop in "plunk" with no resistance.

Thank you, it does indeed pass that test. I just forgot to write that I tried it.

Thanks for the links and offer of ammo. I went ahead and ordered a set from midway along with a couple other little thing. They said its expected back in stock 6/7 so that won't be too bad of a wait. They had the fcd in stock so I have that coming.

I think I'll load up a few tonight to try out. I can't see why they wouldn't work. but having to lube the cases would be a pain when doing volume loading so at this point im really just doing it because i wanna follow through with it and i see no safety reason not to.

Wildcat name?...maybe 9mm klutz? Too hokey?

James

[dl1911]

I think I'll load up a few tonight to try out. I can't see why they wouldn't work. but having to lube the cases would be a pain when doing volume loading so at this point im really just doing it because i wanna follow through with it and i see no safety reason not to.

Wildcat name?...maybe 9mm klutz? Too hokey?

James

It's only a .380 so 9mm klutz/klunky light!

If you have problems, the offer stands. I know this weekend and possibly the next (Memorial Day Weekend) are busy with matches but first weekend of the month is usually very clear. Progressive press so could easily have a few hundred loaded in an hour or two. I also have Dillon's .380 case gauge for plunk tests as well.

[suedenflames68]

Back from the range! I fired 20 rounds of em and still have all 10 fingers and a whole gun

No issues whatso ever. I dont think I'll make many more like this though, mostly for lack of desire to lube my pistol cases. That and a guy at work came through for me and is trading me some white box 380 for some extra 9mm I have. The sig didnt really like the wwb ammo that well but its just blastin ammo.

Those 90gr xtp bullets fed really well into the chamber being very pointy in design. I think that is the issue with the winchesters in this gun with their large flat point they dont feed well. Had a couple stove pipes too, so may be lower pressure.( i believe that would be the cause)

I used the starting load from Hornady with w231 and compared to the wwb and pmc ammo it felt on par in terms of recoil. Accuracy seemed decent for what i think is about a 2" barrel...


Maybe someone can help me remember an article i read about bullet set back from repeated chambering. I chambered my dummy round a dozen times or better and ended up with .006 setback. From what i remember of the article this is pretty darn good. IIRC some of the ammo they tested was at .020 or .030 set back after repeated chambering. Add to that the very small amount of area the bullet has for grip on the case and I felt good enough about that measurement to feel comfortable shooting them.


Im not sure I'de recommend anyone to do this but it seems it worked fine for me. I just really wanted to follow the experiment through to the end. 20 rounds is, most likely, enough reloading till I get my correct dies. I will have to measure what the 380 die sizes a case to when it shows up. If I forget to post it, feel free to remind me if youre curious.
Or even better, If someone wants to take a measurement of a sized case for me that would be delightful!

Well, there's my 380 loading adventures till probably about mid june.

James