380ACP day at the range
- Thread starter Ganderite
- Start date
Before I started the latest re-loading binge for the 380, I was shooting ammo I loaded 20 or 30 years ago with 95 gr lead RN bullets. I don't recall owing that mold, so I guess I bought them.
I just finished shooting them a week ago. They worked just fine. Load was a mild dose of 7625. All the guns cycled just fine and accuracy was good. If I could buy these bullets today for less than the CamPros, I would be happy to use them.
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I have heard that. I find the 32 version quite snappy. My wife does not like it. Too much recoil. So the 380 version must be nasty. I don't have one. They are more rare.
The PPK/s is bigger and heavier than a regular PPK, and I find it has more recoil than I like.
I have both 380 and 32 ppk's. The 380 is definitely a snappier round in these little guns. - dan
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Greater Vancouver, BC
I cranked out 200 rounds of 380ACP ammo on my Dillon. Did not take very long. I used the Campro 95 gr plated RN bullet over 3.6 gr of 231. It averages about 950 fps. A perfect load.
BUT, they are loaded a tad too long and hang up in some mags. I can’t seat them any deeper, because the crimp shears thru the plating.
What to do? Shoot it all and reload the brass properly.
So I did something I have wanted to do for some time. I bundled up most of my 380 pistols and shot them all in one session with the same ammo.
This allowed me to make comparisons and firm up my scattered opinions of the past.
My general impressions, shooting at 10 yards:
The little AMT Back-Up has poor sights and will never be a target pistol.
But it is a nice pocket pistol for someone who needs one. I shot two of them. One was reliable – one was not. Some ammo tinkering might help it. It was the only gun that did not function perfectly. Recoil was unpleasant.
The Browning 1955 (the 380 version of the 1910) has no sights. It is a sleek pocket pistol.
Each time I shoot one of these I find the group is surprisingly good for a gun with no sights.
The Colt 1908 is a sleek pistol that feels very good in the hand. I find it shoots better than average, each time I shoot it.
One of my favourite pistols.
The HK4 is one of the first 380s I ever bought. It came with the 22 barrel and mag, too.
It feels excellent in the hand and always shoots a tight group.
The Walther PP works well enough, but for some reason it seems to accentuate the felt recoil in the hand.
The smaller, PPK/s also seems to accentuate the felt recoil.
The Llama is a miniature 1911, as is the Star Super S. They feel great in the hand, shoot well and are a bargain.
Cheap to buy. The Llama is a blowback, whereas the Star is a recoil operated locked breach. Of all the guns in this test, the Stars were the only non-blowback actions. Too bad, because the locked action has much less felt recoil.
Why do you only have 22 .380s?
I recently acquired 2,000 lead Mak bullets on a trade for some primers. I guess I had better do some loading. The steel framed Mak is a very nice gun to shoot. Slightly more power than a 380, when both are loaded to the max.
I will also try these bullets for making 38 S&W plinker ammo. I shoot more 38 S&W than Mak.
I will also try these bullets for making 38 S&W plinker ammo. I shoot more 38 S&W than Mak.
I never said that. What I said was "I bundled up most of my 380 pistols and shot them all in one session with the same ammo."
