95 grain LFP's in .380 acp

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PolarFBear

New member
Got a new Lee mold, six cavity, cheap. It cast a 95 grain wheel weight bullet. I 'thought" I had a recipe for a moderate load in .380 and cast about 600 bullets, sized and lubed. Now, can't find my recipe! I have searched Hornady, Winchester, Lyman, Speer, Hogdon and Lee. No luck. the best I can come up with is a 92 grainer. I use HP-38/W231 for these little loads. I am contemplating 2.7 grains under the 95 grain lead. I do not have ready access to a test range so it is tough to load 10, go shoot, and then load another 10 of a different batch. Also, since I have a good supply of these 95 grainers any suggestions on a 9 MM load? The .380's are earmarked for a Makarov chambered for .380 but the rounds may also find their way into a Walther PPK/S or Keltec P3AT. If the rounds are used as a 9MM load they could be in anything from Luger, P38, Baretta, S&W double stacks, even a Springfield 1911 9mm: --- but NEVER a Glock.
 
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Lyman book I have shows a 92gr LRN with 231 at 2.3 to 3.5gr and a 100gr LTC with 231 at 2.0 to 3.1gr. So somewhere between there should work.
 
TheGuyofSouthAmerica

Checked all my references Lee, Lyman, Speer, Nosler, Hornady, Winchester and Hogdon---no luck, nothing found. We will have to "experiment".
 
Why is that?

Is Hodgdon Clays to quick burning for 380 acp or smaller calibers for short Barrel?
I thought for short Barrels a quick burning powder is the favourite.
 
Not an expert

Not an expert. I just "punch" the books for an answer. I rely on the "professionals" to deliver the data. Like how you scavenge powder in Brazil. "Abrigado".
 
PolarFBear,

Have you served in the Military?

I wanted to see your experience in longevity with the Beretta 92 9mm pistol.
I just bought an Taurus PT 92 AFS and worried a bit about the aluminum Frame.
 
TheGuyofSouthAmerica

Yes, I had "some" military experience. USN was the last to get Beretta's afloat. Used the .45 acp's, red tagged with danger tags for the cracked frames and all. So, no Beretta experience until I bought my personal 92 F. I have never personally owned a Taurus 9 mm equivalent to a Beretta; but my brother did. He bought a well used one 30 years ago. He shot it a lot, his children shot it a lot and now the grandchildren are shooting it a lot. Never very well maintained and roughly handled. Never heard of it every having any problems. But they did always use factory or surplus ammo. Your Taurus should be equally as robust.
 
Yes, I had "some" military experience. USN was the last to get Beretta's afloat. Used the .45 acp's, red tagged with danger tags for the cracked frames and all
Click to expand...

So you say the Military Berettas had cracked Frame so they were to dangerous to use?
 
TheGuyofSouthAmerica

No, no, no! The "red-tagged" guns were all 1911 style .45 acp's. All at the end of their useful lives. Probably had some in the armory from WWI. The Beretta's were new but just coming into service aboard afloat units. Not a lot of call for side arms a thousand miles out to sea.
 
95 grain LFP w/HP38

I could never find a "published" load for my 95 grain lead flat nose bullets. So, I experimented. Using an interpolation from Lyman's 50th I started at 2.7 grains of HP38. Added in a few at 2.9 and another batch of 10 at 3.1 grains. I do not have a chronograph so I relied on "feel" and accuracy. Test gun was a Makarov chambered in .380; just in case it "blew up". They all shot OK. The 3.1's felt only a little under the feel of a factory FMJ round. My surprise was the best load for accuracy was the lowest charge at 2.7 grains. But all three weights gave acceptable accuracy for "field" work. Since it was accurate for me, and without beating up the gun, I'll load the remainder of my 500 cast bullets at 2.7 grains. Shoot safe, all.
 
HP 38 is about the powder velocity I can scavenge from shotshells for reloading.

It would be nice if there were some velocity data (Chronograph) for the 95 grain lead bullet or the 102 grain lead bullet in 380 Auto.

I decided to lay aside the "Feeling" (I used tho use that method before as well) and instead only relying on ft-lbs numbers calculated from my Chronograph. That should do it.
 
I probably should have mentioned for you before, DON'T load up a massive pile of "moderate" loads without testing at least a half box.

Mild loads in such a small charge, with a lighter than normal bullet will very likely result in poor function, as the round may not have the energy to completely cycle the slide.

I once had the only option of Winchester low recoil cartridges and got about a ten percent failure rate. You will almost certainly wind up using mad or near mad loads.
 
Briandg. The 2.7 gr HP38 functioned just fine in the Makarov. I have yet to test it in my Walther PPK/S. Except for the really skimpy front sight on the Mak it's a pretty good fire arm. Since the low load functioned I saw no reason to load the perfectly OK 3.1 grains. Why beat up the gun for just "paper punching".
 
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