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Post by reloader22 on Jan 17, 2022 16:25:11 GMT -5
I finally got around to buying a set of dies for this caliber. Been saving brass for 3-4 years now after the wife acquired her .380. I am using 2.8 gr of bullseye, 100 gr berry's plated RNFP, CCI 500 primers. I could not get my powder thrower to throw charges consistently at these low doses and I basically have to throw it light a trickle it up. Additionally, the cases are almost flush with the top of my loading tray. So it has been very inefficient to load in quantity so far. I will still do it though cause any reloading is fun and I am slowly seeing factory ammo show up but at $46 a box of 50 rd FMJ', I ain't paying that! Before Wally World stopped selling pistol ammo, I think I was paying $65 for a 200 rd Win White box. Bought 3 of em way back and have been saving the brass.
Can't imagine loading something smaller like 25 or 32 ACP.
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Post by billc on Jan 18, 2022 18:05:47 GMT -5
I've got the stuff to do 9mm, 380, and 32 S&W short. I have not loaded any for the reasons you noted, but I will when my stocks get low. I use a RCBS Chargemaster and find that it is less trouble to just use the trickle function for the whole powder charge.
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Post by reloader22 on Jan 18, 2022 21:38:37 GMT -5
I've loaded thousands of 9mm and they are cake! Amazing what a 50% reduction of powder and a slightly shorter case can do to production when using a single stage set up. Luckily .380 is not a high volume food in this household. BUT there is a way, a slow way, to keep ammo flowing during this time of no cheap ammo.
We keep shooting and loading. Powder and projectiles are "easy" right now but primers are not. Glad to have an "adequate" amount during this time. If I were 25 yrs old, "adequate" might have a different meaning. Tough out there right now.
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Post by billc on Jan 19, 2022 22:40:37 GMT -5
9's are not terrible, but I like 40 S&W and 45 ACP for easy loading, especially with a Dillon progressive. 40, 45, 357, 38 on a single stage press makes for an enjoyable afternoon too
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Post by reloader22 on Jan 29, 2022 17:39:38 GMT -5
Just finished my 250 round batch
$0.015 per shot in powder
$0.14 per head
$0.04 per primer (old cost from old stock(
15 1/2 cents a round $7.75 per box of 50. Saw some last week at $46 per 50 rds of FMJ's at a gun shop.
I will take it! Could do about $0.06 better per shot if I had bought the bullets in a 1000 rd bulk pack. Under $5.00 a box possible,
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Post by dannoboone on Jan 30, 2022 11:37:10 GMT -5
Additionally, the cases are almost flush with the top of my loading tray. So it has been very inefficient to load in quantity so far. Back in the '60's when my thrifty Dad began reloading, he made his own loading trays from scrap 2x4's and 2x6's. He marked out for spacing and set his bench drill up for needed depths. Same could be done for those short .380 cases. |
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Post by reloader22 on Jan 30, 2022 13:55:09 GMT -5
I got a guy at work lined up to make me a tray on a CNC. Had the same thought as you. Thanks.
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Post by billc on Jan 30, 2022 22:05:07 GMT -5
Just finished my 250 round batch $0.015 per shot in powder $0.14 per head $0.04 per primer (old cost from old stock( 15 1/2 cents a round $7.75 per box of 50. Saw some last week at $46 per 50 rds of FMJ's at a gun shop. I will take it! Could do about $0.06 better per shot if I had bought the bullets in a 1000 rd bulk pack. Under $5.00 a box possible, When I started reloading in the mid-70's, if I recall correctly, I could load 308 Win for about 6 to 8 cents per. Price of reloading has gone up over the years lol. |
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Post by sourdough44 on Apr 28, 2022 4:11:14 GMT -5
I know powders can be scarce, but Win-231/HP-38 is a top 380 powder.
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