380 Reloading Issues

R

roughneck9725

Inactive
I am new here, so hello everyone. I am also fairly new to reloading, although my father sold reloaded ammo online before he passed years ago.

Anyway, to my post. So far I have reloaded 300 Blackout (the reason I got started, they are pricey new), 45, 40, and 380. I have been using plated bullets for both the 45 and 380 to make target rounds. I also used CCI primers in both, along with Universal powder. The 45 works fine, but the 380s not so much! I have had multiple misfires (primers are dented, but if I pull the trigger again they fire the second time), along with several "light" loads. The last one did not even clear the barrel and I had to take it home and push it out with a guide rod. I originally was shooting these out of a SIG P290RS, which I read had a habit of striking the primer light, which some primers don't like. I traded it and got a SIG P239, which I like, but the problem remained.

Here is what I found out. The Universal powder has large flakes, which do not feed well through either my Hornady powder feed or my Lyman auto-disc powder feed. Unless I weigh each and every charge, ones that are light could sneak through. I took apart the last 60 or so 380s I had and reloaded them with Hodgdon Titegroup. I shot every one of those with zero hiccups, although I did notice Titegroup kicks pretty good (I loaded in the middle of the load manuals charge data, trying to stay away from max pressures). I did a bunch of testing and weighing using both the auto-disc and Hornady powder feeds with this powder, and it was within .1 grains almost every time, with one in maybe 20 being .2 grains off. No light loads at all, and it fed very well. The Titegroup is a much smaller grain. Not sure about the issue with the primers, maybe I got a bad box or two, not sure. They worked fine in my 40, no problems at all, and the large pistol primers were fine in my 45. I have switched mostly over to Winchester, and will probably go with them for small pistol in the future.

Bottom line, I learned something the somewhat hard way. I see some other people on these forums have had similar issues with 380. I am glad I can learn from others here to. Glad to be here.
 
Has your 380 had any trigger work, springs ect?
I've been using CCI primers for years and the only time I've had any issues was because of above. Try some Federal primers, they're softer. And Titegroup has preformed quite well in my 380
 
CCI in my experience have also barely dimpled with my hammer fired .380 m&p. Its going to be that way with other primers, probably, that tiny little hammer and weak spring just arent up to the demand.

I use accurate 5. not the best possible load, probably, but it takes 5 grains to max out the case, and it makes a double charge absolutely impossible. Using a faster powder with a 2.3 charge weight bothers me. For that matter, I'm not sure how I could set my measure up for a tiny little load of ball powder.

#5 fills the case, gives good pressure, and with a 100 grain bullet is certain to make the pistol function properly.

This darned thing isn't so easy, is it? I never would have guessed that it would be quirkier and harder to work with than other pistol cartridges.
 
Some 380s are picky, I had one ( a Walther PPK )
( I now carry a Colt Mustang ( its not picky))

Some do not like hollow points until you run about 200 rounds through them
or polish the feed ramp

Most do not like a light or heavy load
( the Walther only liked jacketed bullets )
A heavy load will usually tear up the plastic guns
the owners manual will tell you- NO +P AMMO

380 is a straight walled case, so some have trouble with cases
that are short, so check them
( does not fire on first hit but will on a second hit of firing pin )
( I have noticed this most on striker guns more than hammer fired guns )

The 380s I load for work best with a 90 or 95gr bullet
with Win.321 or HP38 powder
( I load for 4 380s )
 
I use Titegroup, and even though you have a small window with it, it's worked great with Xtreme 100gr RNFP. I've used Win and CCI primers with no problems. This is out of a Bersa, Ruger (2) and Colt .380 Gov't. Did I mention I like .380's?

I've come to use N310 also, which is very clean burning, just costs a bit more, but for the amount of powder I'm using, It's gonna last a long long time.

BTW, those powders have worked well with the Adjustable Charge bar, the auto disc and really really well out of the Lee Auto-Drum. Doesn't seem to matter that the loads are very small.
 
I didnt think to check case length for being too short, just too long. Something to think about. Again, I have nothing against the CCI primers, they work fine in my 40, and the large pistol work great in my 45. Just the 380s give me fits. I ordered another 500 plated bullets to make up another batch (my friends buy them off me to plink), so I will see how the next group work out. I will double check case length.
 
A couple of questions for the OP: How's the cartridge fit in the 380 acp case gauge, appear normal? Is the crimp too tight?
 
I just ran a box of my most recent loads, think it was 4.8 #5, and I finally have a working round. Absolutely the heaviest I have tried, and I think I'm maxed. My pistol is pretty sharp and angular, and yes, it was a bit of a jab. Not may people are going to like it.
 
First off, by sell I mean they buy the supplies (or pay me for mine) and I give them the finished product as they don't reload. I don't make profit or try to, and it's just guys I work with. I understand the vagaries of the law on this as (as stated earlier on) my father sold online in large quantities. However, thanks for looking out.

As for the seating, the bullets sat fine. I was using plated 100 grain, which fed find and had no issues at all. I did give them a light to medium crimp, enough to ensure the bullets wouldnt try and creep out of the shell while firing. I have not experienced that, but I have read others who say they have.

With the Titegroup, it's interesting because it takes very little to get the job done. 2.6 grains only fills part of the case, but it kicks pretty good (and leaves some soot on the shells, so I dont want to go heavier). The accuracy at 2.6 is surprisingly good, so I dont intend to go any heavier. I just ordered 500 more rounds, so as soon as they get here I will load up all I have. Range time coming up!
 
I use Winchester primers and mostly bullseye for my wife's Sig p238. Have never had any problems.
 
CCI make the hardest primers in my experience, Winchester = a bit softer, Federal = the softest of all. Too, Sigs tend to exhibit light firing pin strikes...enough to do the job but, when compared to other makers, all of my Sigs (4) show lighter strikes. (Sig P290, P226 Mk25, P220, & 1911 RCS)

I sent my P290 back for light firing pin strikes and Sig did some work with it in that regard. It's 100% reliable now, with Federal and Winchester primers, but I don't have any experience with current production CCI.

In my shop, I've elected to use only Federal primers in all of my Sigs and in all 9mm & .380 loads in general...a nod to the light firing pin fall with the Sigs. It's worked well in that regard.

As to your choice of powder, Universal, in very small charges as required by the .380 may be a difficult problem to solve. For the .380 (as well as other small charge calibers like .32 long etc.), I use Win 231 or HP38. Both (actually they're the same powder with a different label), are ball powders and will measure with extreme accuracy down to grain and a half loads in my Dillons and an ancient RCBS Uniflow. Can't say how they'd meter with a Lee fixed chamber type of measure tho. Another good choice for your .380 might be WST which is also a ball type powder, formulated for ease and accuracy of measuring.

HTH's and yes, Sigs in general do exhibit light firing pin strikes. Rod
 
I do clean the pockets every time. I use a small screwdriver to clean out the crap, and I recently acquired a sonic cleaner, which I have been using to clean my gun parts. I was toying with using it to clean the brass as well, although so far I just use a tumbler with walnut media. I already considered the seating issue with the primers and was very careful about it. Made no difference.

I read in other forums about Sig's tendency to have light strikes, which is why I traded my P290RS (didnt want any reliability issues when it came down to a life or death situation). The P239 has only had one misfire so far, out of hundreds of rounds fired, so I am happy with it. It is a little short for my hands, so I dont carry it as often as I did the P290, but I have taken to carrying my FNX40, which is dead reliable and for which I have loaded up some hollow point rounds which shoot great.

Thanks for all the input guys, thats why I joined the forum.
 
I had a Taurus TCP 380 that would light strike primers.
I switched to Federal primers just for that gun.

I have a Beretta 84, Bersa 380, and a LCP. None of those are fussy.
But the TCP is. Federal primers I got 100% ignition.

Wana have some real fun with your hammer fired 380's?

Try some Tula spp's. Yikes it was like every 3rd round would fail to fire.
Used them all up in my striker fired 9's.
 
Even back in the 70's and 80's I found CCI primers to be very prone to not going bang when using in a gun with light springs. In such guns I always got the to fire the next time around but never thought of them as something I would use for anything except the range for that very reason.:rolleyes:
 
OP,

I am confused. This thread is a about 380's and the pistols you mention are both 9mm. Or does Sig also make 380 versions I don't know about.


I originally was shooting these out of a SIG P290RS, which I read had a habit of striking the primer light, which some primers don't like. I traded it and got a SIG P239, which I like, but the problem remained.
Click to expand...

I am using CCI primers with my 290RS with no problems so far.

Have a great day!
James
 
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