9mm in .38/.357?

[Cpl Nobbs]

I recently started reloading. a friend gave me a couple of part boxes of 9mm.

(Griers Hardcast 9mm 115.g CN Size .356 and Bear Creek 9mm Truncated Cone Flatpoint 125.g .356)

I have been told both that I can and can't load these into .38/.357 (I don't have a 9mm)

I am thinking of just using them as cheap plinking ammo, midrange charge. is this doable and safe?

Cpl Nobby Nobbs

 

[mc223]

Should not be a problem, however leading will likely be an issue, along with poor accuracy. I would not get in the habit of shooting the smaller bullets as hot gas will be trying to pass the bullet due to poor obturation and may cause some erosion of the barrel. Light powder charges will tend to exagerate the effect.

 

[Jim Watson]

I doubt "erosion of the barrel" would be a serious problem with a couple of partial boxes of 9mm bullets in a .38 revolver. Super Vel JHPs were a little undersize to get down the barrel easier and let them offer high velocities.

An undersize bullet is more likely to lead the bore than one that is groove diameter, cylinder throat diameter, or a little over either.

Your sizing die must bring the brass down and the expander plug not bring it back so much as to leave them loose in the case neck. When Ed Harris did a piece on 9mm bullets in .38s (and .38 bullets in 9mms) in American Rifleman, he said that was the worst problem, and had to have special order dies made up to get adequate bullet pull.

I shot some 120 gr 9mm Lyman truncated cones in .38 special once, looking for the absoulute minimum recoil for PPC. They didn't kick and they loaded fast for the 7 and 15 yard line (not accurate enough for 25 or 50) but for some reason they required a windage adjustment as well as elevation change from the 148 gr wadcutters I used at the longer yardages. That was too much to keep track of, so I quit messing with them.

 

[Ndenway]

I had approx 2k of the 115grlrn 9mil pills I aquired in a trade, I loaded them up with red dot and shot them in my model 36 jframe,

accuracy was fine, we were shooting spent 12ga hulls out to 15yards.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I'm using 122 grain truncated cone flat point 9mm bullets for my .38 Special loadings for my Marlin carbine, and they work great. This is for Cowboy Action Shooting. No more leading than normal and they feed very smoothly. On paper at 25 yards, 10 shots cut one ragged hole. I can't ask for more than that.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Cpl Nobbs]

thank you all gentleman, we're looking at about 300 rounds total. I just got a lee carbide factory crimping die for .38/.357 (mostly due to it's recomendation around here and The Fireing Line) would that affect loading these or should I still do that with the seating/crimping die?

I'll be using unique for the powder.

Cpl Nobbs