380 in a .38?

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johnica

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I sold my P3AT and I just found a new White box of .380's. My instinct tells me no, but could I shoot the 380's from my .38spl Airweight? (Same bullet diameter right?)
I could see there being build-up in the cylinder where the .38 case would be, so I would have to clean that before going back to .38's. Would the bullet 'bounce around' in the cyliner and hit the 'ridge' before making it to the barrel?
Would it be any different using a steel j-frame (not an airweight)?
Thanks all...
 
There'd be nothing keeping the cartridges from moving forward. That is why on all auto chambered revolvers, you have moon clips. A .38, unless modified would not have moon clips and thus this would be a very bad and dumb thing to try.
 
Actually I think some of the .45acp autos can work without a moon clip.

But why would you want to do what you are proposing? .38 special is probably a little more potent and also cheaper than .380acp. I'm also not sure that the diameter bullet is the same between .380acp and .38 special.

Whatever you're thinking about doing just stop it.
 
Ahh! And if the gun cylinder is not cut for moonclips than they cannot be used?
Its all becoming clear now:rolleyes:
I may have pondered that all night-all I have to do is come to the pro's!
Thanks
 
Those .45 ACP revolvers that function without full moon clips still have a chamber that has the case headspace on the mouth just like an autoloader. The clips are used only for extraction, not for headspacing or holding the cartridge in place so the firing pin can reach the primer. The .380 uses a smaller diameter bullet than the .38 Special; .355" vs .357".
Although this could be made to work, there is no reason for it. You're taking a cartridge with less power than a .38 Special and reducing it even more by firing it in a weapon with a barrel gap which will bleed off even more power. Not worth the effort even if you could make it work.
Why not simply sell the ammo or trade it for a box of .38 Special?
 
Ahh! And if the gun cylinder is not cut for moonclips than they cannot be used?
Its all becoming clear now
I may have pondered that all night-all I have to do is come to the pro's!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Simply put, don't use a cartridge in a gun it wasn't made for.
 
What ever happened to the MEdusa? I have an old flier from teh original company and was concidering sending in my 686 back then for the modification. Never did, kind of wish I had though.
 
I'm not sure. I've heard that there were issues with it, and I've heard that it just never took off. I don't really know the real story, but on paper, it looks like a killer idea. I'd love to have one, if only for the ingenuity involved.
 
I think it likely that the short .380 cartridge is simply going to drop inside the chamber until stopped by the shoulder and therefore could not be struck by the firing pin. But no matter - you should never shoot the WRONG ammunition in any firearm.
 
You could have the 9mm cylinder of a convertable 357/9mm blackhawk set up for moon clips. That would work I think. (Not sure though, as I'm nowhere near a book with chamber/cartrige dimensions to verify)
 
Empty cartridges are removed from a Blackhawk cylinder by the means of an ejection rod that pass thru the cylinder down the center of the spent case and pushes it from the chamber...one round at a time.
A double action revolver using moon clips has an extractor star that pushes against the clip and extracts all cartridges at the same time.
 
Uhm no.

Bad idea.


.380ACP (9x17) is a .355" diameter bullet whereas the .38 spl is a .357" so there isnt going to to be a good gas seal. The case diameters are different (.380 is tapered as well) so the case will expand decreasing pressures. Lack of a rim will lead to the cartridge to sink into the cylinder. The 380 also run a little hotter, if it could achieve maximum pressures it would exceed the +P rating on the .38 spl and be potentially dangerous.

There is a reason people stamp the name of the cartridge to be used on a gun you can't just stick anything that fits in there. I'm sure Darwin has claimed quite a few people for doing that.
 
a friend has a S+W 9m/m revolver that does not use moon clips but has "teeth" in the cylinder that grab the cartridge to eject the spent cases, I'm not sure of the model number but made for only a short time, pretty neat gun.
 
a friend has a S+W 9m/m revolver that does not use moon clips but has "teeth" in the cylinder that grab the cartridge to eject the spent cases, I'm not sure of the model number but made for only a short time, pretty neat gun.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a Model 547.
 
.380 ACP can be fired in a .38 Special revolver, but only if the gun is pointed straight up. So you just have to persuade the bad guy to fly over you at low altitude.

Jim
 
In my young and stupider days (now I am older and stupid) I tried .380ACP in a .38 by
(a) using rings of copper wire to fill the extractor grooves to keep the casings from falling all the way into the chamber, and, alternate method,
(b) cutting mylar plastic sheeting into moon clips.
It can be done but I would do it again only if I absolutely needed to shoot a .38 and only had .380 ammo.

I have also pulled a stunt shootng .32ACP in an M1 carbine.

Both .380ACP in a .38 and .32ACP in an M1 carbine are more work than the unspectacular results are worth.
 
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