anyone reload .380 acp with accurate #5?

[chefrob1]

i just started working up a load for my G/F's walther PK380 and she took it out today (while i was at work of course) and she said it shot nice groups but was dirty, a bit smokey and had a little more "snap" than the 95gr. Win-white box. since i was not there it sounds like possibly there is some unburned powder but i can't tell since i wasn't there. i will say the targets she brought home were grouped pretty decent.

here are the vitals of the load:
bullet - Berry's plated RNHB
bullet weight - 100gr
powder - Accurate #5
powder weight - 3.5 gr
OAL- .945
primer - Fed SP

any thoughts or insight is welcomed...........

 

[keyston44]

I haven't use that combination. I've tried that bullet with 3.0gr of Accurate #2 with good results. My load now is the Lee LRN 102gr with 3.0gr of #2. I like having as much control of my loads as possable by casting my bullets.

Key

 

[5of7]

I have loaded 3.3 grs. of Unique behind the 95 gr. bullet and it worked fine, so I would think that AA5 would be fine also.

You might want to start a little lower and work up in 1/10 gr. increments though.

Here in a burn rate chart that shows AA5 to be a little faster in burn rate than Unique though.... 8)

http://www.egpworld.com/RELOADING/POWDERS/1/BURN_RATES.htm

 

[WIL TERRY]

I have loaded 3.3 grs. of Unique behind the 95 gr. bullet and it worked fine, so I would think that AA5 would be fine also.

You might want to start a little lower and work up in 1/10 gr. increments though.

Here in a burn rate chart that shows AA5 to be a little faster in burn rate than Unique though.... 8)

http://www.egpworld.com/RELOADING/POWDERS/1/BURN_RATES.htm

THE NEW HODGDON MANUAL shows AA5 [#41] to be ten notches down the burning rate chart slower than UNIQUE[#31]. That would be distinctly slower.

 

[5of7]

I have loaded 3.3 grs. of Unique behind the 95 gr. bullet and it worked fine, so I would think that AA5 would be fine also.

You might want to start a little lower and work up in 1/10 gr. increments though.

Here in a burn rate chart that shows AA5 to be a little faster in burn rate than Unique though.... 8)

http://www.egpworld.com/RELOADING/POWDERS/1/BURN_RATES.htm

THE NEW HODGDON MANUAL shows AA5 [#41] to be ten notches down the burning rate chart slower than UNIQUE[#31]. That would be distinctly slower.

DIFFERENT BURN RATE CHARTS will show differences in the position of the powders that they cover....that is nothing new.

A burn rate chart is only a reference source to use as a rough guide for a handloader in the event that he has no access to tested data for the powder/cartridge combination that he intends to use, it is NOT an absolute authority of burn rates since burn rates can change slightly when powders are used in different cartridges.

That is why I suggested that the OPer start a little low and work up his load. 8)

 

[chefrob1]

That is why I suggested that the OPer start a little low and work up his load. 8)

when i first researched load data (western powder included) the numbers were all over the place and it seemed much more difficult to come up with a starting load that i felt comfortable with being new to reloading....minimums from 3.0 to 4.3 and some higher. percentage wise that was a big differential so i settled on 3.5gr. i just looked at the load powder from Accurate and they now list Berry's bullets when before i could not find anything for plated so i just went with LRN loads. the new load from Western Powder for this bullet with No.5 is "100 (P) BERRY RNHB 4.3 - 5.1". i guess i am close so now i'm thinking 4.0 gr is the next increment. my question is, if there is unburnt powder and i add .5gr will this increase the amount of unburnt powder if there is any in the first place or will a little more will help with a more complete combustion?

 

[Jimbo357mag]

A little more pressure will help all the powder to burn and to produce less smoke/soot.

 

[5of7]

That is why I suggested that the OPer start a little low and work up his load. 8)

when i first researched load data (western powder included) the numbers were all over the place and it seemed much more difficult to come up with a starting load that i felt comfortable with being new to reloading....minimums from 3.0 to 4.3 and some higher. percentage wise that was a big differential so i settled on 3.5gr. i just looked at the load powder from Accurate and they now list Berry's bullets when before i could not find anything for plated so i just went with LRN loads. the new load from Western Powder for this bullet with No.5 is "100 (P) BERRY RNHB 4.3 - 5.1". i guess i am close so now i'm thinking 4.0 gr is the next increment. my question is, if there is unburnt powder and i add .5gr will this increase the amount of unburnt powder if there is any in the first place or will a little more will help with a more complete combustion?

In the case of the .380, it is a little tricky to load to the max and still stay within the safe range. This is a small capacity case and small increases in powder charges have a disproportionate affect on pressures.

Increasing the charge from 3.5 to 4 grains re[resents a 14% increase and could be a little dangerous. Another element of the equation is that most .380 pistols are small guns and not designed for containing high pressures.

In the .380 I would start low and work up in smaller increments, say 1/10 grain. Also shoot your loads over a chronograph and when you get to factory ballistics let it go at that. Chronographs are cheap now days and every serious handloader should have one. When I first started chronographing handloads back in '75 or so, it was a different story, but now they are cheap and much better. 8)

 

[chefrob1]

a crono has moved into the "next buy" slot for about the last 2months.........any good starters?

 

[chefrob1]

A little more pressure will help all the powder to burn and to produce less smoke/soot.

is it safer to add more powder or to shorten the OAL to make more pressure?

 

[gramps]

Shortening the OAL may effect the feeding characteristics, turning the gun into a jamomatic.
gramps

 

[5of7]

a crono has moved into the "next buy" slot for about the last 2months.........any good starters?

I have been using a Pact model 1 now for quite a while and it works for me. It is a little sensitive to the position of the sun, but other than that it is about as reliable as any that uses the passive system. 8)

 

[chefrob1]

Shortening the OAL may effect the feeding characteristics, turning the gun into a jamomatic.
gramps

i was thinking a 1/4 turn of the seating die at a time up to one full turn for 8 rounds each increment and then test that at the range.

 

[gramps]

I don't reload for the .380-yet ( too hard keeping track of the cases). Personally I would go with the published data for the OAL. It is easier ( safer?) to tweek the powder. IMO.
gramps

 

[chefrob1]

a crono has moved into the "next buy" slot for about the last 2months.........any good starters?

I have been using a Pact model 1 now for quite a while and it works for me. It is a little sensitive to the position of the sun, but other than that it is about as reliable as any that uses the passive system. 8)

i see mixed reveiws, some love it while some hate it..........kinda sounds like life.

 

[chefrob1]

I don't reload for the .380-yet ( too hard keeping track of the cases). Personally I would go with the published data for the OAL. It is easier ( safer?) to tweek the powder. IMO.
gramps

that was my first thought but i just wondered if OAL was another possibility that would work.

thx so far for everyone's input...........

 

[Jimbo357mag]

This from the Accurate online data. http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WP_LoadSpec_7-2-13.pdf

380 Auto
100gr Berry (plated) RNHB
Accurate #5 powder
4.3gr start --- 813fps ------ 5.1gr Max --- 952fps ------ 0.960 col

I have found the Accurate data to be very conservative. I would have no problem with the 'start' load for the 380 as long as the COL is correct. Try the start load (after all that is what it is for) and see how the gun runs. If you get too much un-burnt powder (#5 is a slow powder for the 380) you might have to go to a faster powder.

 

[chefrob1]

jimbo, like i said earlier, i could not find data for this exact bullet/powder combo when i first made these loads a while ago.......my g/f got the "itch" and just went out the other day when i was at work.......not that i can blame her! i'm not too far away from those numbers and she said her gun cycles and shoots well so i must be on the right track. i bought 2lbs of #5 since that's all i could find for the .380 4-5 months ago so i will have to make due for a while.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I recently bought a Pro Chrono Chronograph from Midway and could not be happier. It is easy to read from 10' away and I don't need the remote. Very sturdy. I mount it on an old camera tri-pod.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competition-electronics-prochrono-digital-chronograph

 

[chefrob1]

i was looking at that......good reviews.