.380 reloading project completed

[gmerkt]

Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I finished up my big .380 ACP project. Resulting in 885 finished rounds. Worked on in bits and pieces of time, loaded single stage.

The bigger part of the cartridges were loaded using CCI aluminum cases from Rocky Mountain Reloading. These were primed, unfired, pull-down cases from the factory. I had about 600 of those. These were mostly loaded with 95 gr. CCI FMJ bullets from the same source. 100 were loaded with Hornady 90 gr. XTP's. The rest were range brass accumulated over the summer. These were mostly loaded with Berry 100 gr. plated RN bullets. 43 were loaded with 75 gr. Sinterfire frangible bullets.

The little bag of dark cases were made using Norma brass, which I think was made in Hungary. The same black oxide finish may also be seen on some Browning pistol brass.

I've got three .380 pistols which will share these, but added to the .380 ammo I already had, I imagine that they will last beyond the rest of my lifetime.

During one of the Obama famines I seem to recall that .380 ACP ammo was very scarce on the store shelves. It could happen again. But that's how the reloader mind seems to work. Try to get ahead of the next crisis based on the last one.

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[gmerkt]

I feel so purposeless now that this project is finished.

 

[WillametteWill]

I feel so purposeless now that this project is finished.

I would move on to 25acp or perhaps some type of 32, maybe 38 S&W

 

[gmerkt]

I would move on to 25acp or perhaps some type of 32, maybe 38 S&W

No, .25 ACP is beyond the Pale. However, there was a time when I was silly enough to load .32 ACP. No more. I have a Smith & Wesson Model 33, that takes .38 S&W and I do load for it. But my rate of consumption with that revolver is fairly low so I don't load that often for it.

"Some type of .32" includes .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum, and I have one each of those. I fired some .32 S&W Long this year, but I've got lots and plenty already on hand so it's up to speed for now.

 

[WillametteWill]

Good on you for sticking with the project! You are correct, .380 ammo seemed to be made of gold there for a while.

 

[gmerkt]

I would move on to 25acp

One lot of gun junk that I bought had a .25 ACP bullet mold in it. I figured you'd need tweezers to do that work.

 

[nammac]

Agreed, .380 is the smallest cartridge/caliber that I reload. So, .380, .38 Special, .38 Super, .357, 9mm, 45 ACP and .45 LC.

For rifle, .223, 5.56 and .300 Blackout…

Plenty enough to keep an old guy busy.

 

[po18guy]

I feel so purposeless now that this project is finished.

What? No! You can spread them our and roll around in them. While no one is watching.
Hard to find and maybe out of print are the 85 gr. W-W Silvertips. I bought a few hundred long ago. I only need to sell a gun or two to afford a pound of a current gen powder that will move them along.

 

[gmerkt]

I only need to sell a gun or two to afford a pound of a current gen powder that will move them along.

A pound of Hodgdon Tite Group goes for $40. 2.9 into 7,000 grains = 2,413 charges = 1.65 cents per cartridge.

The bullets cost 11.8 cents apiece. The primed cases cost 13 cents apiece, so a finished round comes to about 26.45 cents. Making a box of 50 costing about $13.50. I think generic .380 in the store is around $19 or $20. So I'm not saving a fortune.

Previously, I've used some old Bullseye to load .380. Which was fine. But I like Tite Group for 9mm Para loads (not +P stuff or heavy bullets). So I use TG for both now.

 

[orygun]

One lot of gun junk that I bought had a .25 ACP bullet mold in it. I figured you'd need tweezers to do that work.

Damn near need tweezers to handle a complete 25 ACP cartridge!

 

[gmerkt]

I had a few .25 ACP pistols that I inherited from my pal Dave. I just sold the second of two Beretta 950's. What I have left is a Jimenez JA25. It's a gun worth so little that there isn't much point in getting rid of it. It works fine, for now. I have part of a box of ammo left from two that I bought for test firing purposes. They are expensive for what they are, about $20 something a box, and not carried in all gun stores.

 

[orygun]

I had a few .25 ACP pistols that I inherited from my pal Dave. I just sold the second of two Beretta 950's. What I have left is a Jimenez JA25. It's a gun worth so little that there isn't much point in getting rid of it. It works fine, for now. I have part of a box of ammo left from two that I bought for test firing purposes. They are expensive for what they are, about $20 something a box, and not carried in all gun stores.

Yeah, I know!
This Little Italian isn't worth much and the ammo I have for it came from the classifieds here, as I've not seen it on any shelf forever.

 

[equin68]

I would move on to 25acp or perhaps some type of 32, maybe 38 S&W

Would love to see your efforts go towards 32 acp

 

[gmerkt]

This Little Italian isn't worth much and the ammo I have for it came from the classifieds here, as I've not seen it on any shelf forever.

The two boxes I bought within the past year, one was Privi Partizan, the other was Aguila. The Aguila had a bit more snap than the Privi. I think I bought one at Cabela's, and the other one came from Midway. I remember that Sportsman's Warehouse didn't carry it when I asked about it.

Before I got Dave's guns last year, I hadn't owned a .25 ACP since 1967. Which was the first and last up until then. It was a Mauser Model 1910 made between 1919-21. It came from a shady, "unlicensed dealer" in my hometown. Who would sell to underaged buyers if they would pay enough. Yes, he had a swap shop store and all, I guess things like that used to slip between the cracks. The price tag said $52.50, which was a lot of money in 1967 when I was 17 years old. Anyway, I never fired it but traded it off to a friend. Later, he took it on a shooting trip we were on and the gun broke on the first shot.

 

[po18guy]

Yeah, I know!
This Little Italian isn't worth much and the ammo I have for it came from the classifieds here, as I've not seen it on any shelf forever.

View attachment 2190252

The Armi Galesi design spawned many imitators, both in Europe and here. AFAIK, the Sterling 300 and 302 were the only all-steel copies. Maybe a few Spaniards. Federal Department of Irony: The banned European guns were all steel. Post GCA'68, most domestic copies were made of zinc. Way to go, feds!

 

[orygun]

Before I got Dave's guns last year, I hadn't owned a .25 ACP since 1967. Which was the first and last up until then. It was a Mauser Model 1910 made between 1919-21. It came from a shady, "unlicensed dealer" in my hometown. Who would sell to underaged buyers if they would pay enough. Yes, he had a swap shop store and all, I guess things like that used to slip between the cracks. The price tag said $52.50, which was a lot of money in 1967 when I was 17 years old. Anyway, I never fired it but traded it off to a friend. Later, he took it on a shooting trip we were on and the gun broke on the first shot.

Long, long ago in a place far, far from here (well not really, it was SE Portland) I ended up with my first pocket 25 ACP. I hadn't paid much attention prior, but once I saw the serial number had been ground off, I got rid of it Pronto!
It took almost 40 years before I tripped over another 25. Not very common guns or caliber.

 

[TNThomas]

Nice work! What .380acp guns are you feeding? I don't have a .380, but I have a full set of dies/adapter/plate for a Dillon press so now they are more on my radar. My current little weird round is cast hollow points for the 9x18 mak.

 

[gmerkt]

What .380acp guns are you feeding?

Beretta 85F, CZ83, and Walther PD380 (that I haven't picked up yet).

 

[gmerkt]

the Sterling 300 and 302

I got a few of those from Dave. Three 22's and one .25. Yes, they were all steel construction. The downside was, the firing pin was die cast and was a weak link. They came in blued steel and stainless.

Oh, and one .380 which was a different design, I think it was called a Mark II 400. It was steel but fairly crude.

 

[TNThomas]

Beretta 85F, CZ83, and Walther PD380 (that I haven't picked up yet).

I'm about big fan of the CZ82/83, great guns. I picked up a beater CZ82 during covid and it has a fantastic trigger. Not the same for the Polish P64, that thing is like lifting cinder blocks with your trigger finger.