[TN.Frank]

I'd like a $20 buck two cavity mold to start out with and Midway has two that I'm looking at. First one is an actual, .356" mold for the 380acp.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/55...old-356-102-1r-9mm-luger-38-super-380-acp-356-diameter-102-grain-1-ogive-radius
I know this'll probably work ok since it's designed for this cartridge.
Second one is a light weight, 105gr, .358" SWC designed for the 38spl, 357Mag,ect.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...-38-special-357-magnum-38-colt-new-police-358-diameter-105-grain-semi-wadcutter
I'm sure if I size it to .356" it'll work ok but do you think the SWC profile will work ok or will they end up loading long in the 380acp case? Thanks in advance.

 

[ColoCG]

I cast a lot of bullets for .380's with the Lee 102gr RN. all bullets fed and worked fine in Walther ppk and Ruger lcp.

You might run into feeding problems with the swc mold as well as the bullets would need to be sized down.

One will work the other might be iffy.
But it is your choice.

 

[TN.Frank]

You might run into feeding problems with the swc mold as well as the bullets would need to be sized down.

I always pick up a Lee Sizing die to run my lubed bullets through just to insure they're the right size and round. Sometimes the Lee mold blocks don't come together perfectly so you'll get a slightly out of round bullet, sizing takes care of that. So, I would be sizing them to .356" regardless of which bullet mold I got.
I still wish Lee made a little Truncated Cone, tumble lube bullet for the 380acp but I guess the 102gr Round Nose will have to do. Thanks.

 

[ColoCG]

Yeah it's too bad they don't make it in a TC. I just read the reveiws on the 105gr swc mold and some of the people said they used it in .380.

One guy said it worked fine in his Ruger LCP but wouldn't work in his SR9C. So who knows have you tried any swc in your .380?

 

[freakshow10mm]

The first one is similar to the RCBS 92gr mould I had a few years ago (holy crap they want $74 for that mould now!). It worked well in several guns. I've also read posts by others that use the 105 SWC mould in their .380 on the CB forum with good results. I've never tried it myself.

 

[vafish]

I really like the lee tumble lube molds for lower velocity rounds. No sizing needed.

But they only come in a 124 gr for 9mm size.

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[TN.Frank]

I went with the 102gr RN Lee mold. Figured I'd "play it safe" to start out with. If it were a cartridge that I'd have loaded before then I might have gotten more risky but this'll be my first time loading something so small. Before this ctg. 9x19mm was the smallest that I've loaded in a handgun round. Going to be fun picking up/finding all my brass at the range when I go shooting, hard enough to find 45acp stuff and that's huge compared to the little 380acp.
I hope the Hornady loading manual I ordered will have some decent lead bullet loads for the 380acp, my Speer and Lee have NOTHING and Lyman only lists 92gr and 121gr, not much help.

 

[ColoCG]

Sorry, bad news. The Hornady #8 manual only lists Hornady 90gr. HP-XTP and hornady 100gr FMJRN which I think they say is discontinued.

 

[TN.Frank]

Sorry, bad news. The Hornady #8 manual only lists Hornady 90gr. HP-XTP and hornady 100gr FMJRN which I think they say is discontinued.

Wow, wish I'd known that before I ordered the book. I guess I'll be pretty much on my own then. I'll see what load Lyman is using for the 92gr then start a couple tenths lower and see how it runs. Probably run a few over the Chrony too, I'd like at least 900fps out of a 102gr bullet in the 380acp. One nice thing, the PK380 is a locked breach gun so it'll stand up to hotter loads then a blow back gun. I'm surprised at how little loading data there really is for the 380acp being so popular now.

 

[ColoCG]

I think most of the newer .380's out ther now are locked breech especially the small ones. I know my Ruger LCP is.