Quoted:
I carry an LCP in my back pocket more often than I probably should (rather than a "real" gun) around the farm. I took a shot at a copperhead with a hornady SD load and just missed over the snakes head. This got me thinking that a mag of snake shot would be handy. But it's apparently not available commercially that I can find. I have a Dillon 550 and plan on adding a 380 ACP conversion kit/dies soon. Is there a way I can make my own 380 ACP shot shells?
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I have made fully functional shot loads for 9mm from 223 cases.
I form them from 300 blk cases with split necks.
You cut cases a little longer than a loaded 9mm round. (Case and bullet measured together for length)
The neck you form simulates the bullet in a normal round so your shotshell will feed.
After cutting to length you
must anneal the case, then form the shoulder. I use a 32 H&R FL sizing die for this.
Annealing is not hard and you probably have almost everything you need if your handy and have normal handyman tools.
See link for more about low cost annealing.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/Low-budget-Annealing/42-439440/
Then trim to length, deburr and chamfer.
I don't have my notes in front of me so don't remember the powder I used or the charge.
But you are on your own and have to work up carefully to find a load that will work the slide.
You have to make wads. One to put over the powder charge and the other to hold the shot in the case.
I use cardboard from a 12 pack of beer.
Wads cut with a cut off (223) case that is sharpened by deburring tool Sharpened inside and out).
Hammer the case into the cardboard over the end grain of a block of wood.
After placing powder charge in case insert first wad (1/4 inch dowel) and press it down.
Insert all the shot the case will hold, press down on shot with dowel, will hold a couple more pieces of shot.
Then place wad on top of shot and press down with dowel. Wad should be slightly below end of case.
Adjust amount of shot as needed.
I use #8 shot.
Now the reason you
must anneal.
Crimp the end of the case over the wad by rounding over the end of the case. I use a 45 ACP seating die with a round nose seater.
Don't try to roll over the case mouth in one pass, I find 3 passes better. Adjust die down a little for each pass.
So run all of your rounds, adjust die down, repeat.
You should end up with a very smooth rounded over case mouth that will feed like a dream.
If you try to do it in one step you will crumple the case BTDT. All that work for nothing if case crumples.
45 ACP shotshells are good, 9mm shotshell are just barely useful, so if your going to make 380 shotshells just know you won't be putting out much shot.
I will post more tonight if there's interest.