Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading The .380 thread

Being as how people are asking absolutely stupid prices for .380 ammo these days, I bought some dies and components and have been loading them up.

My load of choice is a 100 grain, 22 BNH hardcast flat point bullet over 5 grains of AA#5 with a standard small pistol primer. It's a bit on the warm side so I put a Galloway Precision 13 lb. recoil spring in my LCP Max to cushion them a bit. They *pop* a bit more than commercial .380 ammo, but not enough to worry about, in my opinion,...and their accuracy seems to be on par with about anything I've shot through the little pistol.

Anybody else loading the .380?

90-95 grain XTP or MBC 18 Bnh cast. 3.1 grains Red Dot, CCI primer. A lot snappier than factory in my PPK. Even snappier than 4.8 grains #5 with the same bullets

105 gr coated lead FP - 2.9 gr Titegroup - 970 FPS

100 gr plated FMJ - 3.2 gr Unique - 824 FPS

100 gr plated FMJ - 3.6 gr Unique - 916 FPS

100 gr plated FMJ -3.0 gr Titegroup - 918 FPS

100 gr plated FMJ - 3.3 gr Universal - 830 FPS

90 gr. Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator - 3.2 gr Titegroup - 940 FPS

All above loads fired from Ruger LCP

90 gr Hornady XTP over Win 231 (don't recall the amount but it was .1 gr under max) with S&B primers in whatever cases I have in hand.

Shoot them through a handful of pistols from ~100 years ago until the present. The loads function well, or at least as well as any factory load, in all of them.

95 gr Bayou coated, 3.0 gr TiteGroup in an original model LCP, could use more. I've also use Power Pistol with the same bullet, I think 4.0 gr but wouldn't swear to it.

Both function the little beast perfectly.

In my .380 practice loads I found good old Bullseye to give me the best accuracy under a 100 gr. FMJ at 800 fps.
My defense loads are factory.

Lehigh 68 gr Extreme Defense and 3.6 gr Titegroup is working well.

I don't have .380 now,but when I did, I loaded on a single stage press. Best thing I ever bought was a shell holder extender. It slips on the ram like any shell holder,but is about an inch long. Sure saves on fingers.

I'd sure like to find one of those old Llama .380's that looked like a small version of a 1911

I think Browning is making a little 1911 looking 380 now. Or they're importing it from somebody.

I could like one of those too, there are several Llamas and Stars on GunBroker starting below $300 plus Colts and Browning's for somewhat more.

Looks like average price is about $400

You might want to check out a Baby Rock.

https://www.armscor.com/firearms-list/gi-standard-cs-baby-rock-380acp-7rd

There are a lot of comparable 380's out there. I had a mini Llama 30+years ago . As always ,wish I would not have sold it back to the guy who I bought it from. More nostalgia than anything. Presently, I have an old Interarms Starfire and a SIG Subcompact P320, both in 9mm

While you have to load some on the high end of the loads. Try loading some on the low end of what your gun will run with. They are a lot more fun to play with. By the way Winchester 231 works pretty good

I've been reloading for a Glock 42 using Power Pistol.

These are the two loads I use:

Sierra 9mm 90 gr Sports Master (#8100), 4.0 gr. P.P., CCI #500 primers

Hornady 9mm 90 gr XTP (#35500), 4.7 gr. P.P., CCI #500 primers

I have a Colt Government 380, got a set of stag grips, made by Eagle grips, I shoot it well. Call it my Mini Longmire gun!

Love playing with my LCPc.
Anyone who downplays the .380 needs to go out and have some fun with one.
Haven't reloaded for it yet, but factory ammo is running low around here.

Kimber Micro is very 1911-ish. Very nice running pistol.

I load for my Browning 1911-380 with either 95 gr. JHP or cast RN bullets. I use HP-38.

My Sig Sauer P238 is very 1911 like. Have the components but have not loaded for it as of yet.