Using 380acp .3565" 100gr Berry's in FEG PA63 Makarov

[AMT7]

Anyone tried this?

We are considering reloading with some modifications 1k of projectiles origionally intended for 380acp:
Pistol candidate is a VGC C&R factory / arsenal origional Hungarian FEG PA63 that shoots factory ammo very good.
We have tons of 9x19 Luger/ Para cases to turn down and a trimmer.
1k of Berry' hard cast copper plated 100gr .3565' dia projectiles we are not going to reload for .380acp.
Boolits for MAK are sold at .363" dia but like most other bulk cal we have purchased end up measuring a bit larger with liberal electro plating around .004" thick like our 9mm 115 gr same mfg'r measure & .356".

The 1% GM piston formula titanium/ aluminum frame on the FEG PA63 is rumored to eventually crack if shooting copious amounts of hot loaded (+P) heavier 95 grain. Some Russian ammo I have seen is loaded as advertised @ 89-93 gr. But some labeled as 95gr but only weighs out @ 92-93gr as its suspected (maybe?) to be marketed for these aluminum pistols. It IMHO is done either as intentional safety factor or just skimping but possibly poor quality control.
Is making a fixture for and base center drilling these down to 92gr going to work or is the diameter a real issue outside of below idea?

Then nylon powder coating & bake the .3565" 380 auto acp / 9mm Kurtz about 4 times and smash or resize as necessary using a bunch of colors we have not being used to get from .3565" to about .3635" close to advertised / published .363" dia for MAK.
At the current state of my reloading understanding doing a proper load workup & watching everything closely including barrel grooves would tell all.
Or someone might want to trade us...hummm post for another subforum.

 

[Calamity Jake]

Diameter is more a factor than weight for good accuracy, slug the bore to find out what diameter it is
then adjust bullet diameter with your powder coat for proper fit, .001-.002 over bore diameter will be
a good fit. Use proper bullet sizing equipment to achieve proper size.
2-3 grains in bullet weight won't make a difference.

 

[AMT7]

Agreed, however the difference here is about 10 ish grains from desired or what we consider a safe zone of about 89-92 ish grains so @ 100 we are in marginal territory. The pistol is now my middle young adult sons and he is particularly methodically careful with things and does not mind the extra weight removal. Just fixturing up an effective drill bushing setup will fall on me. He will do the slugging, coating and loadworkups with my oversight.
We also have one good used brand (green) press formerly used for lubesizing we can use for sizing and another identical one that just needs one inexpensive ram part we located already. Just need to find the die & some tips as we have never done sizing.

 

[AMT7]

The lubesizer presses we have are a pair of Lyman 4500 without heaters. Looked on Amazon quickly and only Lyman brand RCBS & Lee compatible die I found easily was .359" base die only which is close enough to perfect without nose die shaper half. Now I need to look nose shaper top punch # up...
Looks like Lymans only offering close is 311 punch suggested for 90gr 380auto casting mold as they really dont have MAK specific punch just 380auto & 9mm but it should work fine. They do have a good range of H&I base dies in .001" increments to .359" but jump from .360" to .363".

 

[Calamity Jake]

Any of the Lyman/ RCBS sizer dies can be lapped out to desired size, it takes a little work because there hardened.
As far as a top pinch goes if your bullet of choice is a round nose shape then any of the Lyman/Rcbs top punches
designed for the .380 RN bullet should work, 311 being one of them.
If you use a Lee push thru sizer then all is needed is a"C" or "O" frame loading press as the bullet is pushed thru
the sizer nose first, so no need for a top punch and there dies are easier to lap out.

 

[AMT7]

Thank you Calamity Jake again. That helps as we are unfamiliar with the Lee push through sizers but will look it up.

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