9 mm in a .38 Special?

[Shepherd boy]

A friend asked me a question the other day and I didn’t know what to tell him. Can a 9mm (.355) be loaded into .38 Special brass which takes a .357 slug? I told him I wouldn’t, but I’d ask around. Any advice?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

No!

 

[RegionRat]

See the model in the Ruger link. These things exist, but nobody will brag about the accuracy due to the poor diameter match.

Contrast this 9mm/38 Spcl. combination with the 45 Long Colt/45ACP which does work well. The biggest difference is due to the bullet diameter.

https://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkConvertible/models.html

This isn't the same as stuffing the wrong bullet in a 38 case or vise versa, but in general it doesn't perform well at all.

 

[AckleymanII]

Self defense is usually 9' and less.

I have shot many 124 speer gold dot 9mm in 38 specials, they worked very well, so did the 124g golden saber.

I suspect that from gun to gun, results are going to vary.

 

[Uncle Ed]

If the base of the 9mm bullet is kicked hard in the seat of the pants it should fill the bore when fired. Meaning loads from midrange to max should expand the 9mm bullets.

 

[Rsadams]

9mm is what , normally .355..... Berry's 9mm bullets are .356 and of course we know what 357 and 38spl are... I have heard of people doing it but I personally have never done it even though I used to load for all calibers...

 

[Uncle Ed]

If the base of the 9mm bullet is kicked hard in the seat of the pants it should fill the bore when fired. Meaning loads from midrange to max should expand the 9mm bullets.

Below a example with a .308 bullet being fired in a .312 bore.

 

[Hoser]

You can. Neck tension might be a little light and you might get some bullet pull upon recoil if you dont use enough crimp.

Accuracy might also be lackluster. Might.

I have shot lots and lots of 355 and 356 bullets out of my Smith 627 at steel targets. Accuracy was fine and everything worked as advertised.

 

[AckleymanII]

I started off using 9mm bullets in a Colt Python years ago, where bores on some pythons run .001 undersize. Then tried them in a Smith model 60 where they worked very well also. My Taurus 85 in 38 special is more accurate with all ammo over the Smith model 60. I run 124g Gold Dots in both with a hot load of AA#5 in the Smith model 60 and the Taurus 85, a non +P load near 1000 fps. About 10 years ago, you could find pulled Speer gold dots for $50 per thousand.

 

[biggun2869]

I knew an guy that has since passed that used to do it a lot. I'm talking 15-20 years ago. He bought those bullets cheap and they actually shot pretty well out to 50 yards or so. I'm talking minute of can leaning over the top of his shooting car. A late 70s or early 80s impala. He usually was shooting a 6 in model 19. I miss that old fellow!

 

[Fuj]

I had a Saeco 9mm 136 gr truncated mold. Excellent bullet
in my Mod 60 Smith. Trick was to use a high antimony alloy
for good expansion in the mold, then size it in a .357 greaser.
I've known guys that cast straight .355 then squeezed on a gas
check. Used these in an UZI. Those were the days !!

 

[Downhill]

I have fired 9mm 147 grain truncated lead bullets loaded to 38 +P velocity out of a Rossi 92 for lever action silhouette. Accuracy was not as good as 158 Lead round nose. Knocked the targets down just the same. Although hitting the rams was a lot tougher.

 

[PigButtons]

I use them all the time but get better results if I powder coat them first and then run them through a .357 sizing die. Accuracy is as good as can be and there is no leading of the barrel. Powder coating is not required to build safe ammo, just that they perform better in my guns.

 

[GLShooter]

Accuracy is not usually all that great but on the flip side we shoot 38 caliber lead in 9 MM's and get decent results in some pistols. .

Greg

 

[69mach]

i don’t buy .357 pistol bullets anymore. i just use 9mm .356 bullets. i’ve never noticed any loss in accuracy. i shoot a lot of powder coated cast bullets and they are normally not as pointed as the standard 115 and 124 gr stuff either though.

 

[cem]

Can? Sure. As noted neither the case nor the rifling is necessarily .357 specific though that's the way to bet. At need a hammer and punch can peen that is expand the rim enough to headspace a 9x19 cartridge in .38/.357 revolver. The practice of loading FMJ 130 grain bullets has actually been a fairly common way to meet Hague convention requirements with issue revolvers.

 

[DirtySteve]

I had a 38 super and a couple 9 mm 1911's.. I shot .355 bullets from both.. both would shoot 4" or less at 50 yards...
Edit these were Zero brand bullet.. Jacketed.