reloading 380 auto

[texasjim]

sorry to keep kicking a sleeping dog guy's but I am still trying to find out if any of you have noticed the inside step i.e. neck reaming with federal american eagle brass the case neck thickness at the rim is about .010 and you can see a distinct step about 3/16 of an inch inside the case and the tickness goes to about .020 am I the only one who has run across this? thanks for listening and or reply's jim

 

[Cajun CB]

It is on several brands.

I had to taper my expander to avoid mashing the brass to get around this.

 

[Texas1911]

Most brass expands in thickness as you get towards the rim.

.380 just happens to be a very short case, so you'll run into a problem with it sometimes.

 

[texasjim]

380 brass

texas1911 and cajun cb thanks for your reply I had just never run into this on any brass before was and may still reduce my expander plug tip a little to prevent said problem I have just been reloading them without flair and they seem to be ok with the bullets I'm using jim

 

[Texas1911]

Cool deal.

Any of those tiny case or necked pistol cartridges are a pain to deal with. Seating the bullets on a .223 or .204 is like threading a needle sometimes. I refuse to reload 5.7 FN as it has to be frustrating.

 

[medalguy]

Wonder why 9mm doesn't have the step? Hardly any difference in the length of the brass. Same with 9mm Makarov brass.

 

[Wolfwood]

luger isnt necked...
im speaking out fo my ass, really casue i havent started reloading yet.
so experts, how close am i?

 

[medalguy]

Well .380 isn't necked either. It's basically just a shorter case than 9x19 by a few thousandths, but the same diameter.

 

[Texas1911]

Wonder why 9mm doesn't have the step? Hardly any difference in the length of the brass. Same with 9mm Makarov brass.

.380 is 2mm shorter, it's 9x17.

9mm Makarov is 9x18, so it's 1mm shorter.

Keep in mind that .380 is not designed by the same person. The 9x19 Luger is a German military cartridge designed for the Luger pistol. It was originally chambered in a necked chambering, but was upsized for wounding purposes.

The .380 was designed off of the 9x19 by John M. Browning, and was designed for compact handguns.

That may account for the change in the brass. The .380 could have been designed for a loosely supported chamber, whereas the 9x19 is fully supported in the Luger.

 

[Cajun CB]

380 Vs. 9 MM Case

The 380 case is not the same diameter as the 9mm. The 380 is .373 while the 9mm is .380. The base of the 380 is .374 while the 9 is .394. A 9mm will not fit into a 380 shell holder.

I don't no why that step is in SOME cases.

 

[Texas1911]

The 380 case is not the same diameter as the 9mm. The 380 is .373 while the 9mm is .380. The base of the 380 is .374 while the 9 is .394. A 9mm will not fit into a 380 shell holder.

I don't no why that step is in SOME cases.

.380 will fire in a 9mm though. Back when .380 was alot cheaper, people used to do that damn near every week at the range.

"But it says 9mm on the box!"

 

[junkyguns]

380 and 9x18 will fire in a 9x19 it isn't a good practice and is barely safe or accurate ! I have made that mistake before after buying a box of ammo at the range my baby eagle kept jamming up I finally looked atthe ammo after firing 10 or so rounds found it to be 9x18 makorov ammo pissed me off but they gave me two boxes of factory 9x19 ammo for the hassle

 

[junkyguns]

Cool deal.

Any of those tiny case or necked pistol cartridges are a pain to deal with. Seating the bullets on a .223 or .204 is like threading a needle sometimes. I refuse to reload 5.7 FN as it has to be frustrating.

texas1911 I hear ya try the 17 remington then you will just love the 20 cal bullets ,it seems like your handleing rice !