Got My .380 setup cookin'

[benzuncle]

I ordered my .380 dies and 4-hole turret from Kempgunshop.com delivered priority mail for $58.00. After using the experience I gained from setting up the 45ACP, this was a piece of cake. I charged 12 rounds with the minimum recommended charge of 2.9gr. Remembering that my first 45ACP rounds almost bounced off the floor before hitting the target and wouldn't even eject the casing, I made 12 more charges at 3.1gr. All were great. No FTF's and no FTE's. I can't beleive how quick and easy the Lee Classic Turret Press is to setup.

[KimberPB]

Congrats! I will agree setting up and switching caliber on the lee turret press is quick and easy. Sounds like you are hooked! Now you can start playing with load workups and find what shots best in each pistol!

I'm not reloading .380 yet but what powder and bullets are you using?

[murph50]

I've been thinkin' about getting that Lee Classic Turret Press. I've heard nothing but good about them.
I've been using the single stage Rockchucker and it works great and I'm glad I learned on a single stage but --man --it is slow.
Glad to hear your Lee is workin' good and from what I hear--Kemps is the place to get it from

[benzuncle]

Congrats! I will agree setting up and switching caliber on the lee turret press is quick and easy. Sounds like you are hooked! Now you can start playing with load workups and find what shots best in each pistol!

I'm not reloading .380 yet but what powder and bullets are you using?

I'm using Hodgdon's HP-38. It's the same charge I am using in my 45ACP loads. I had looked in the Lee Modern Reloading and made a list of powder brands that would work for both rounds. As a beginner, I was trying for simplicity. I had initially wanted to you Win 231 because of what I had read while lurking hither and yon. Then I read an article that said HP-38 and Win 231 were identical. The guy even had a letter from Winchester or Hodgdon stating such. So...

I had someone drop about 1000 .380 casings in my lap asking only for a couple boxes of reloads. I'm gonna give him 200 rounds. Maybe he'll look around some more!

My first carry gun was a NAA Guardian 380. When I go to the range, I shoot 200 rounds. That's when I'm thankful for the weight difference between it and a Kel-Tec. (No offense folks.) The .380 has some snap to it. I'd rather my wife shoot the Sig P220 than the .380. But I really enjoy shooting it and as I still carry it often, I feel it's important to shoot it often.

[Red Hat]

I use my Lee classic turret more than my others now. I just set up another plate for 38 Super. Congratulations on getting another caliber up and running. You are an official reloader now!:o

[benzuncle]

Murph, one of the advantages to the Lee Classic Turret Press is that you can use it like a single stage loader. You can punch out the primers, you can prime the casings, you can charge with powder and seat the bullets and you can put the factory crimp on. Each of these (other than the charging and seating) can be done at your leisure. The Classic Turret Press is really a semi-progressive, taking 4 yanks on the handle to "build" a round, whereas a true progressive does it in one pull once you have it all up and running.

If and when you decide to purchase the Classic, check out kempfgunshop.com. They have it in a kit form that allows certain upgrades and because it's all on one screen, you can really see what the hell you are ordering. I originally bought it in 45ACP, upgraded the powder charge to the Pro Auto Disk (big-time worth it), added the Safety Prime System which works really good and does both small and large pistol primers, the Lee Safety Powder Scale, the Kinetic Bullet Puller and Dial Caliper. (The caliper is good to have but since purchasing the Dillon case gauges for 45ACP and .380ACP I hardly use it anymore. The caliper cannot tell you if your finished rounds will fit in the barrel of your firearm like the case gauge can. I bought those from Dillon for about $25 shipping included. I check every single round.)

Total cost for everything but the 2 Dillon Case Gauges: $230.75 plus another $99.95 for the Thumler UV-10 Brass Tumbler which works just great.

Cost per box of 50 45ACP (without having to buy the brass): $9.38 per box. If you have to buy brass it's about 19 cents per cartridge, bringing the cost of a 50-round box of 45ACP to $18.98. Not much saved there, but once you save your brass, that cuts the cost by a pile!

36 boxes, if you have your own brass, should cover the cost of the Classic Press and a Tumbler. Plus you still have that reloading hobby all the while.