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Reloading question: 9mm bullet in .38/.357?

beantownshootah
Another noobie question. [;)]

Any issues with using a 125 grain 9mm luger bullet (which nominally measures .355") in a .38/.357 revolver?

I'd assume this is no problem, so long as the load is otherwise OK.

How about loading them BACKWARDS to create a .38 wadcutter like round?
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • Zinderbloc
    I've loaded 9mm bullets in .38 cases on a few occasions. No problems with pressure and accuracy was decent.

    Two problems: If you use your .357 expander die to bell the case, the 9mm bullet often drops straight down and can't be crimped. I don't bother to bell the .38 cases and this helps.

    Sencond problem: It's harder to get a decent crimp with the undersized bullet, and 9mm bullets don't have a crimping groove.

    Otherwise, no problems. But DON'T load the bullets backwards. If you want wadcutters, buy wadcutters.
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  • dcs shooters
    The answer is right on [;)] It can be done with the bell mouth die set right and crimp tight.
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  • CS8161
    i used to load two 95 grain .355 bullets in a 357 case to make a duplex load...at 7 yards they would impact about two inches apart.
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  • Cornflk1
    Guess my question is: Why would you want to? There are several companys that sell hard cast bullets in several bullet weights for various calibers and they won't lead the barrel as long as you don't load REAL hot. You don't want to do that anyway, just that much more stress on your firearm.
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  • machine gun moran
    I used to load .38 Super FMJ (.356 dia) 130-grainers in the .38 Special with a fairly strong charge of Blue Dot that I had worked up. I ran the cases part way into a .38 Super sizer die to make sure of a snug fit. I crimped on the ogive. Accuracy was good.
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by Cornflk1
    Guess my question is: Why would you want to? There are several companys that sell hard cast bullets in several bullet weights for various calibers and they won't lead the barrel as long as you don't load REAL hot. You don't want to do that anyway, just that much more stress on your firearm.


    The reason why you might want to try this is if you like to reload .38s but happen to come across a good deal on 9mm bullets (which are sometimes cheaper).

    Or alternatively, if you like to reload 9mms, but in a "pinch" want to reload a few .38s.

    I've actually done a bit of searching on this question other than this post, and some have suggested increased leading by doing this, though it seems doubtful to me that it would make that much of a difference. I've also read that lots of modern 9mm guns have "oversized" .357 caliber barrels anyway.

    Anyway, thanks for the answers.

    Edit: In response to the answer below, I've also read that its possible to swage 9mm lead bullets to make them slightly fatter. Presumably this might help in shooting them from slightly oversized barrels.
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  • glabray
    We played around with this a number of years ago and found that accuracy was fairly decent in a new or nearly new condition barrel. With worn rifling the 9mms grouped a lot larger than .38s.
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