.380 auto Factory duplication

G19lover · 12-27-2009, 13:51

Does anyone know what the factory duplication load is for say 90 grain load?

My old lyman manual is so far out of date that is shows 2.9 bullseye as factory dup. I bet that has changed. I have seen people posting they have loaded upwards of 3.3 grains of bullseye with 98 grain bullets. I tried joining Ammoguide.com site but their credit card server is down.

Mainly I am looking for a bullseye load for shooting lead 98 round nose. I have loaded up to 3.1 grains and it was pretty responsive but I was cautious to go any further till I found some hard data stating max loads.

Brass Nazi · 12-27-2009, 13:56

It is impossible to determine the powder and charge that the factory uses.

In my experience Winchester 231/HP-38 is THE powder for .380. Try it and work your load up and you will probably be happy with the results. Although I have never used it, Bullseye would probably be a good choice as well.

G19lover · 12-27-2009, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brass Nazi

It is impossible to determine the powder and charge that the factory uses.

In my experience Winchester 231/HP-38 is THE powder for .380. Try it and work your load up and you will probably be happy with the results. Although I have never used it, Bullseye would probably be a good choice as well.

Thanks, I can pick up some HP38 next time I hit the gun store!

mnhogrider · 12-27-2009, 15:06

I use:

4.2 gr Power Pistol
3.0 gr Bullseye
3.8 gr Unique

All with 95 gr Zero JSPHB, Winchester WSP primers and various headstamped brass.

These are all starting load specs. from my Speer manual.

I use them with:

Ruger LCP
Browning BDA380
Bersa Thunder 380

I don't know how close they are to factory spec., but they all feed and shoot reliably and cycle the actions just fine.

What are you shooting them out of?

G19lover · 12-27-2009, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhogrider

I use:

4.2 gr Power Pistol
3.0 gr Bullseye
3.8 gr Unique

All with 95 gr Zero JSPHB, Winchester WSP primers and various headstamped brass.

These are all starting load specs. from my Speer manual.

I use them with:

Ruger LCP
Browning BDA380
Bersa Thunder 380

I don't know how close they are to factory spec., but they all feed and shoot reliably and cycle the actions just fine.

What are you shooting them out of?

Shooting it out of a Walther PK380, has a fairly light recoil spring.

VN350X10 · 12-27-2009, 23:10

I agree w/ Brass Nazi, 231/HP38 is the powder to use in a 380.
I use Win brass, Win primers & Win bullets with HP38, I believe my starting load was 3.1 gr. & load them to the min. length, they feed thru every .380 I've tried, Bersa, Ruger, PPK, Sterling(!) & various clones of older designs.
Load in batches of 5 rds. & try them, when you get to a load that works, add .1 gr & call it good, the extra .1 takes care of a dirty gun issue.
Just don't exceed your loading manual. You WILL produce better than factory ammo, as most factory .380 is not consistant lot-to-lot.

uncle albert

freakshow10mm · 12-28-2009, 07:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brass Nazi

In my experience Winchester 231/HP-38 is THE powder for .380.

Yup. I've tried a few other OTC powders in the .380 and have settled on W231/HP38 and it's one of the few OTC powders I use.

mnhogrider · 12-28-2009, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by G19lover

Shooting it out of a Walther PK380, has a fairly light recoil spring.

Nice! How do you like it? I would guess that the loads that I listed would cycle the action just fine. There's room to work them up if necessary.

I'm going to have to try some 231 as it seems to be the powder of choice.

I've also used Vihtavuori 3N37 and N320 in .380. They both work fine and meter great, but it's more expensive and didn't provide any improvements. I heard Vihtavuori powders are cleaner burning, but I didn't find it any different from any of the other powders I'm using.

Boxerglocker · 12-28-2009, 09:58

Does anyone have a proven load for a Berrys 100g RN bullet? To be used out of a Kel-Tec P3AT.

I'm going to start testing with some Titegroup today already have some test loads worked up. I'm loading incrementally from min to max of 2.6 - 3.0 at .980 OAL

I have some Power Pistol to try out too but wished I had logged on yesterday to check this thread out. I was in Eastern WA at the old Sportmans Warehouse now Wholesale Outfitters they had HP38 on the shelf along with various other powders.

freakshow10mm · 12-28-2009, 10:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxerglocker

Does anyone have a proven load for a Berrys 100g RN bullet? To be used out of a Kel-Tec P3AT.

3.2gr W231/HP38 set to .980.

Boxerglocker · 12-28-2009, 10:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakshow10mm

3.2gr W231/HP38 set to .980.

Thanks Freak, the mother in law is headed over from Eastern Wa later this week. I'll have her get me some HP38 before she comes over.

DanaT · 12-28-2009, 18:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhogrider

I use:

4.2 gr Power Pistol
3.0 gr Bullseye
3.8 gr Unique

All with 95 gr Zero JSPHB, Winchester WSP primers and various headstamped brass.

These are all starting load specs. from my Speer manual.

I use them with:

Ruger LCP
Browning BDA380
Bersa Thunder 380

I don't know how close they are to factory spec., but they all feed and shoot reliably and cycle the actions just fine.

What are you shooting them out of?

I ran the Unique load through Quickload and it seems like a mild load. QL estimated pressure at anout 14500psi and it estimates in a mouse gun about 100fps lower than factory ammo.

I have found quickload to pretty accurately predict most cartridges I have tried out (but I have not compared QL to 380 yet).

QL predicts the bullseye load to be about 12700psi and the PP load to be about 11800psi.

Those are pretty mild loads from what QL predicts.

-Dana

G19lover · 12-28-2009, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhogrider

Nice! How do you like it? I would guess that the loads that I listed would cycle the action just fine. There's room to work them up if necessary.

I'm going to have to try some 231 as it seems to be the powder of choice.

I've also used Vihtavuori 3N37 and N320 in .380. They both work fine and meter great, but it's more expensive and didn't provide any improvements. I heard Vihtavuori powders are cleaner burning, but I didn't find it any different from any of the other powders I'm using.

It's a nice pistol, easy and accurate to shoot so far. Only 300 rounds thru it. The barrel shows some scratching on the exterior where it slides thru the slide. Quite a few complaining about that but time will tell. Nice light pistol for cc compared to my glock, the Walther loaded is only 21 oz compared to the glock at 29. Its a single stack mag so limited to 8+1 but has a pretty good double action but no slide lock. Biggest complaint I have with it is you need a takedown tool to disassemble it. Poor design on that but kudos on the pistol in general.

G19lover · 12-28-2009, 20:41

I tried some unique at 3.5 grains with a 98 grain bullet, pretty light load and some fte's. Switched to bullseye at 3.1 grains and it became a pretty snappy load. Still seems softer than factory and I might bump it up to 3.3 and try it out. With both the unique and the bullseye I was getting some spit back from the gun, not sure if it was lead shearing for burnt powder? I don't think its powder as it should almost completely burn, I dont get any spit back with jacketed so I am leaning towards the lead bullet shearin. Any thoughts on this or experience with a lead round?

I have some issues feeding the unique thru my lyman powder measure to be reliable in weight chargings, bullseye is a much finer powder and seems much more reliable.

Guntrainer · 12-28-2009, 23:50

I load 3.1 gr Bullseye behind the 100 gr Berry HBRN. Many thousands with no problem.

mnhogrider · 12-29-2009, 09:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaT

I ran the Unique load through Quickload and it seems like a mild load. QL estimated pressure at anout 14500psi and it estimates in a mouse gun about 100fps lower than factory ammo.

I have found quickload to pretty accurately predict most cartridges I have tried out (but I have not compared QL to 380 yet).

QL predicts the bullseye load to be about 12700psi and the PP load to be about 11800psi.

Those are pretty mild loads from what QL predicts.

-Dana

Yeah, they are on the mild side. I like them that way just for target plinking. It cycles the actions OK. Less wear & tear on the guns too. I'll take my LCP and run 100 rounds through it at a time without my hand getting hammered.

mnhogrider · 12-29-2009, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by G19lover

It's a nice pistol, easy and accurate to shoot so far. Only 300 rounds thru it. The barrel shows some scratching on the exterior where it slides thru the slide. Quite a few complaining about that but time will tell. Nice light pistol for cc compared to my glock, the Walther loaded is only 21 oz compared to the glock at 29. Its a single stack mag so limited to 8+1 but has a pretty good double action but no slide lock. Biggest complaint I have with it is you need a takedown tool to disassemble it. Poor design on that but kudos on the pistol in general.

I've got a P22 and a P99. Both these have been excellent pistols. Interesting that the slide doesn't lock back on the P380 as it does on the P22. When I field strip the P22, I need a guide rod "extension" to put through the recoil spring to get it compressed when putting the slide back on.

I got a chance to shoot a Sig P238 at the range last week. Now THAT's a nice .380 also. Kinda like a mini 1911. I was impressed-very light recoil.

Brass Nazi · 12-29-2009, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakshow10mm

3.2gr W231/HP38 set to .980.

Word

Boxerglocker · 01-02-2010, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakshow10mm

3.2gr W231/HP38 set to .980.

I finally got to test this 100g Berrys RN load today out of my Kel-Tec P3AT and had awesome results, very accurate (Sub 2 inch groups of 5 rounds at 7 yards) and much cleaner than the 2.6, 2.8 and 3.0 TG loads I worked up with the same bullet.
The TG loads worked well too, but I'll be sticking with the HP-38.
Thanks again Freak.

G19lover · 01-23-2010, 06:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhogrider

I've got a P22 and a P99. Both these have been excellent pistols. Interesting that the slide doesn't lock back on the P380 as it does on the P22. When I field strip the P22, I need a guide rod "extension" to put through the recoil spring to get it compressed when putting the slide back on.

Just to clarify, the slide will lock back if the Mag is inserted but it does not have a mechanical lock for the slide. As for the spring, it is a pain if you don't use something to assist.
Addressing the scaring on the barrel, I pulled the slide off and deburred the inner corners of the slide hole where the barrel comes thru. Poor prep by walther on that one. It does no more scratching now. What irritates me is the product is a good one but they cheap out on the final step of manufacturing and it is always the one to cause the problems.

PS: 3.1 bullseye is where I have ended up on the load, using a 98gr lead round nose. No issues at all yet.