reloading for the taurus 380 tcp

[original]

has anyone been reloading for this gun?  i did not set out to reload for this but since i can not find any ammo just figured reloading was the way to go?  i am just looking for something to get some time at the rage with it and will just buy the carry ammo.  the only bullets i can find local are the hard cast.   seems like all the online shops list the 9mm as .355 and the 380 also as .355, are they one in the same?  could i use the 9mm in a lighter grain?  thanks. 

[dieselman]

Yes they are both .355 dia. and the lighter 9mm bullets will do just fine 95gr or less have worked good for me. The 9mm has a fatter case head with a tapered case. The .380 has the same case head as the .223 Win with a straight wall. If you can not find .380 brass cut down some .223 mil brass it's all over the place and is cheap most of the time. Good luck. 

[original]

thanks.  there are not too many reloding places near me to get any good info from.   i will just try to grab some lighter 9mm's and try them. thanks for the 223 brass tip, nice to know.  i have a bunch of 380 brass picked up from the range.  since i got the tumbler for christmas i just pick up whatever is at the range and throw it in a box.   thanks again. 

[gary0529]

I reload for my Taurus .380 and use both cast(my own-95gr round nose and "store bought" lead and jacketed in 92 to 115 gr. variations.
All shoot fine. You may need to "play" with the right for you charges of powder as I have loaded for both plinking/playing with lighter loads and a bit stouter loadings with jacketed hollow points for business.

No problems with any of it to date.
That little gun is pleasant to shoot and I like the trigger-easy to keep groupings at 7 yards all in the center 3 inches and that is as good as my old eyes can do  

Gary

edited because I transposed 308 for 380  ooops!

[original]

has anyone had any problems with the rounds getting jammed in their TCP?  i loaded up a few dummy rounds with with the hornady 9mm 90 grain jhp and it seems like they get jammed in on an angle when they are coming up from the clip and it is normally the last round.  i would load the handload last and a fact fmj so there was only two rounds  the fmj fired and the handload would jam.  if i put fmj handload fmj and handload the middle handload cycles fine.  i seated the bullet pretty close to the factory ones?  any help would be input would be great.   thanks

[GH1]

I've relaoded for my Kel-Tec & Bersa 380's with good results.  Not the same guns I know, but I thought I'd share my experience anyway.  The best results were with 95 gr cast roundnose, .356 diameter.  I can't remember the manufacturer. I also tried a 100 gr truncated cone because they were a little bit cheaper.  They fed with no problem in the Bersa but the K-T had the occasional jam, possibly due to profile or perhaps OAL.  Since you're looking to reload for the range, as I do, I'd recommend using cast bullets in a roundnose profile.  I've used Bullseye and AA#2 with good results, but I prefer the AA#2 becasue it seems to meter a little bit more consistantly for me.
GH1