loading for the 380 auto

[5R milspec]

Ok I just bought a sig P238 ( lady ) for the wife.she felt it was the felling pistol to her hand.for the first few rounds we will run a factory bullet of some sort.

but for me I will be reloading for this little pistol.I did a search .and came up with what I think is nothing.so I wanted to post to see what you guys had to say.she will be useing the little Sig P238 for shooting and carry.so any if not all loads are welcome.

I am set up to load for my 9mm and like HP38 for the powder choice.I know that the win 231 is the same.so loads with either powder will most likely be used or tried.the weight of the bullet I think will be around 100gn.I have looked into loading a 124gn bullet to carry with.did some QL testing so I know it can be done.just woundering if any one is useing a BIG bullet.

thanks,John

 

[amamnn]

As I recall, the heaviest bullet for which I have seen load data in a .380 cartridge is 100 grains. This was in the Hornady manual. You might want to look in the reloading data section of the Hodgon website. I use my .380 mainly for plinking or pocket pistol matches and so look for a lighter bullet. However I just found a good deal on 95 gr. .355" bullets (blems) at Graf's and so bought 500. I will be using them mainly for plinking in my 9mm, but I will also try some in my .380 just to see what they do.

 

[bkhann]

I am loading Berry's Plated 380 100 gr
Load: 3.1 gr HP-38 @ C.O.L. .094 675 fps

My favorite:
Berry's Plated 380 100 gr
Load 3.8 gr Power Pistol @ C.O.L. .094 756 fps

Both are acceptable loads

 

[dacaur]

124gr bullets would be too long for .380 auto. In order to get the correct OAL, they would have to go too far into the case, which is bad....

You would be MUCH better off sticking with 100gr or less, especially since you are reloading for someone else.

IMO, like 147gr bullets in 9mm, if a heavier bullet worked, there would be load info for it. I wouldn't try it. I can tell you with 100% certainty if I were loading anything for my wife to shoot, I would stick to published loads, not loads someone posted on the internet......

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I just loaded up a few hundred for my girlfriend. I used a 95gr FMJ with 3.2gr of Bullseye with an OAL of 0.980.

Much more accurate and easier to control than the Winchester White Box I was shooting.

 

[5R milspec]

thanks guys for the replies.yeah I never thought of it that way.just thought of it as a great knock you down kind of load.

I looked at the Montana Gold bullets and the 95gn HP looked good.Only $115 for 1000 of them.so just under a $100 for 1000.this bullet should do great for shooting.I'll just buy her a good carry load.heck if the MG bullets are what people say they are she might just carry with them.from what I have read people say they are a little harder than a XTP.so they just might make it through a person a little more before opening up.who knows will have to see.

anymore have Ideas or info.all is welcome so bring it.

 

[Caveman4570]

Something to think about, In most states you can get yourself into real trouble loading your own ammo if its for conceal carry or protection. That would be fine to practice and get familure with but when your loaded to protect you really should be loaded with factry ammo. There are to many cases were people that were in there own right to protect them self found them self being sued by the crimminal or there family because they used homemade ammo.

 

[Scimmia]

There are to many cases were people that were in there own right to protect them self found them self being sued by the crimminal or there family because they used homemade ammo.

Where? People say this, but I've never seen anyone able to show an actual case where it happened.

 

[dacaur]

yea, Ive seen it all over the net too, but the one time I saw the question published in a mag, they basicaly said something along the lines of "I dont see how it could be a problem, I cant find anything about anyone getting in trouble"... wish I would have saved that mag..... I have it... somewhere in my hundreds of magazines....

Personally, I use factory carry ammo. Not out of any fear of legal retaliation, but rather only because I trust them to have done their homework on powder selection and charge, seating depth and crimping, etc more than I trust myself. or rather, more than I can afford, they spend thousands of dollars on testing to make sure its as good as it can be, and in the event I ever do have to use my gun in self defence, I dont want to spend the rest of my life wishing I had used factory ammo.....

 

[zxcvbob]

I use 95 grain cast bullets with 4.2 grains of Unique. This is a very snappy load. I also bought a bag of Remington 102 grain JHP's (Golden Saber?) a year ago but haven't gotten around to loading any.

 

[teedles915]

Berry's RN Unigue 100gr 3.9gr 0.975
Berry's RN Unique 100gr 4.1gr 0.975
Berry's RN Bullseye 100gr 2.8gr 0.975
Berry's RN Power Pistol 100gr 4gr 0.975

These are the loads I use the most in mine. I shoot a BG 380. My favorite is the first and last. The power pistol with 4 grains is a very accurate load for me but it is recoil heavy IMHO. The 3.9 Grains of Unigue seems to be the best load for overall, it is not recoil heavy and shoots pretty accurate

 

[mattamuskeet]

I found a load using Meister cast 100 gr flat points.

.37cc Power Pistol, CCI 500 primers, .890 OAL

In the Sig 238, 888 fps

.37cc PP should be around 4.2 grains. At any rate, not a maximum load.

In appearance, they look just like the Buffalo Bore loads.

 

[5R milspec]

hey thanks for the ideas and info.I too have looked into the 102gn remington bullet.I really like the looks of it,it just looks like it would do a good number on someone.

yeah I feel ya with the legal stuff,but really think a little outside the box a bit.what I mean is if you really have to pull out and shoot you reallly have that right to a point to do so.even like one other said ( read about somewhere )the law and CSI want be looking at the legal part so hard.what they will be looking into is to weather I really had a reason for shooting.now I am by no means saying I will carry with my hand loads.but cannot say to weather if I will remember to check all the time.I love to shoot and forget at times.we all can and will make a mistake.heck I have even took the wrong ammo to the range before ( that was a bad day ) I too have to remember that by no means I am going to be a hero.I will only protect my family and shoot to kill not wound the bad guy.

one more thing for thought ( food ) if they really wanted to keep a control on carry they would.for the most part they would not let people like Hornady sale their CD bullets ( reloadable ) to us but they do.to me this just doesn't add up to me.I can buy them but not reload them for CD ammo.if they didn't want me to they should not allow the makers of a good CD bullet to be sold to reloaders.this would stop all worries of making a BIGGER MORE HOTTER CD LOADED BULLET.better yet they wouldn't let the makers of CD bullets make them at all but they do.

for me if I can buy them to load myself I should be able to use them.if not band them for sale to us reloaders.then we would have to buy our CD ammo.then no one would have a reason to sue us if we shot some ones loved one.it has yet for any reason been a won case in court that I know of.

 

[AFK]

My load of choice for practice is 95 grain FMJ, 3.1 grains W231/HP-38, COL of .97 Easy to shoot and accurate from my Kahr P380. Your results may vary, so I would do a full work up on a load for YOUR gun. As for carry, I use Hornady Critical Defense. I don't know if carrying reloads would hurt me or not if I ever had to explain myself in court, but I feel there is no need to find out. By that logic, carrying Critical DEFENSE rounds couldn't hurt. It sounds dumb, but sometimes it's the dumb things that can change people's opinions on things.

 

[orthosophy]

95gr fmj
.970 OAL
4 gr Unique

I'm still testing loads for that one, my manual says I can try up to 4.2 gr. 4 grains still gives me as good a group as any purchased ammo, so I'll still be happy if it doesn't get any better.

 

[5R milspec]

hey thanks guys I really like the ideas " loads "matter of fact I just picked up over 100 cases from a trip to the range.so not haveing brass isn't an issue anymore.I will still by loaded ammo for it so she ( we ) can run it for the first time.

any one else have ideas to what I should try for a lady to shoot.