Looking to reload for .380 Revolver - noob questions

[svt-40]

Where can I find a mould for the healed .375 bullets?
Can I make brass by trimming both .357 mag and 38 spcl?
What brand of trimmer would you recommend?
I was going to buy Lee anniv. kit and their dies. Is that a good choice? I need about 50-100 rounds per day at the range, will the kit suffice or do I need something higher level?
Where can I find load data?

Questions to Ontarians: who has good prices on the components I need? Brass, primers, powder, bullets? Higginson?

 

[tiriaq]

Donnelly suggests .38Sp. trimmed to .700", and heeling bullets by turning them. That would be OK for a small amount of ammunition, not for 50-100 a day. He suggests the round is simiilar to .38 Short Colt. Maybe there is amould for that round.
How many days are you going to shoot? If it is occasionally, most any single acting press would work. I use a little Lee Turret for handgun rounds, somewhat faster than a simple press.
Higginson's is a good source for supplies.
Hollowbased bullets might be an option. A proper mould may be a bit hard to find.

 

[svt-40]

I will go once a week for quite a while, meaning that over a week I have to manufacture that quantity.
Do you mean, turning bullets in a lathe? Whoa, that's hi tech... I am thinking of making a die for sizing a heal if moulding won't be possible.

 

[prosper]

Could always have a custom mould made. Lee will do this for you, but it'll be around $200 IIRC

 

[David K]

.... Are we talking the 380 ACP round here ? ... is so, a shortened 9mm "case" is what's needed for brass, not 38/357 Mag. .... David K.

 

[contact148]

as for powder i found bullseye to work my 380's the best my ppk likes hot loades while my browning will feed anything over min load

Brass while its hard to find up here check ebay buy 1000 at a time

my 380 brass takes a pounding lasts only like 3-5 loads

primers i use winchester small pistol at 26.00 per thousand

bullets i bought 2 k from marstar 110 grain i think, fmj

 

[tiriaq]

svt-40 is talking about the antique .380 revolver round. Not .380 as in autopistol.
There is no reason why a die could not be used to swage a heel on an existing bullet.

 

[BEARMAN]

Are you sure it is a special .380 cartridge or is it a WEBLEY or ENFIELD revolver which uses a .380 cartridge which is basicly a .38 S&W cartridge with a heavy bullet. Maybe more info is needed for us to be informed enough to help you.

 

[Garand]

And the type of pistol that you are shooting? Purchase a good quality reloading press like RCBS, after 20 years their warranty is still honored.

 

[svt-40]

Special .380, not British

 

[green]

There is:
1)380ACP
2)380Enfield/38S&W
3)and 380 Revolver which svt is inquiring about. Cases can be made by trimming 38SPL.

 

[svt-40]

Okay, I am almost set. Found a company that sells the .380 long dies and have everything ready to go with Lee for a 6 cavity mold. Before I order the die, I have a question: do I need a special die to set the true .375" bullets in trimmed 38 spcl brass or will any 38 calibre die work? The price difference is like $70 to $30 and I am not sure I want to spend extra 40 bucks for nothing.

 

[tiriaq]

The problem might be not so much seating as crimping.

 

[svt-40]

Do I absolutely must to crimp the heeled bullets? (pardon my English, don't know how to ask better )
I thought, that a 38 spcl case should be snug fit with the heel .355 in diameter.

 

[tiriaq]

I suppose it all depends on the fit, and whether the bullets will creep under recoil. Crimping can help uniform ignition, too. A Lee Factory Crimp type die would give the sort of crimp needed, a regular roll or taper crimping die wouldn't work, with the full diameter bullet. I would try seating the bullets with a standard .38SP die, and see how the cartridges work.

 

[Stevo]

Moved to Reloading.

 

[svt-40]

Look what's arrived!