9mm Reloading Question
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Wombatz
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Simple answer is "yes". I have not done it, so wait for more replies, but the main thing is that you need to be a bit more careful about working up the load since it will have a bit more tension and thus more pressure.
It might also be a time where it would be worth "slugging" the barrel of the 9mm guns that you want to run these thru.
Edit to add: Also be careful when using "heavy for caliber" bullets. I was assuming that your .357 bullets are within the normal weight for 9mm bullets.
It might also be a time where it would be worth "slugging" the barrel of the 9mm guns that you want to run these thru.
Edit to add: Also be careful when using "heavy for caliber" bullets. I was assuming that your .357 bullets are within the normal weight for 9mm bullets.
.38spl, .357mag, and 9mm all have the same specs for bore and groves. The SAAMI spec calls for a grove of .355” in each.Probably the reason for .357” bullets had to do with the soft lead they were made of decades ago.
I’ve shot .357” X-treme 9mm bullets in several of my 9mm guns to see how they responded. There was no noticable difference, though I didn’t do any serious test of groupings at 50yds. I also regularly shoot .355” 9mm bullets in my .38 revolvers.
I’ve shot .357” X-treme 9mm bullets in several of my 9mm guns to see how they responded. There was no noticable difference, though I didn’t do any serious test of groupings at 50yds. I also regularly shoot .355” 9mm bullets in my .38 revolvers.
Wombatz
Member
This was a surprise to me, so I looked at the Wikipedia entry to 357 and 9×19mm Parabellum. They actually show the 357 to be tighter at the lands...
Land diameter8.82 mm (0.347 in) << 9mm
Land diameter.346 in (8.8 mm) << 375
The main thing to consider is that the finished bullet is generally .001 or .002 larger diameter for 38/357 compared to 9mm. But that is within the range to experiment with to see what your gun likes. And again, it does not hurt to "slug" the barrel to see if you have tight or a generous barrel size. That said, I have not bothered to slug any of mine.
And the bottom line is start low and watch for pressure signs.
Wombatz
Member
Oh, another thing to mention is what sort of bullets, as in, jacketed, plated, coated, etc. If lead then soft, hard, whatever.
I don't know that this will change any of the answers, but it might pull in some more stories from long time loaders on what seems to work well or work poorly.
I don't know that this will change any of the answers, but it might pull in some more stories from long time loaders on what seems to work well or work poorly.
I wouldn’t trust Wikipedia, when you can look it up at the source.
https://saami.org/wp-content/upload...rfire-Pistol-Revolver-Approved-12-13-2022.pdf
Jim Watson
Member
The key is the chamber, not the tube.
Loaded rounds should "plunk" freely with whatever diameter bullet.
Bullet "pinch" delaying its release from a case wedged into the chamber is a greater source of excessive pressure than swaging the bullet down to fit the rifling.
Loaded rounds should "plunk" freely with whatever diameter bullet.
Bullet "pinch" delaying its release from a case wedged into the chamber is a greater source of excessive pressure than swaging the bullet down to fit the rifling.
armoredman
Member
Soft lead powder coated should work - I shoot cast 9mm projos sized to .356 all the time. Jacketed, never tried it, usually save those for the 38.
Jim Watson
Member
I have an EGW that will not pass anything but a direct factory equivalent.
My Wilson and Lyman gauges are more agreeable.
243winxb
Member
Photos & info.
Measure your barrels throat & groove diameters.
Measure your barrels throat & groove diameters.
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gwpercle
Member
I cast several different bullets for use in 9mm Luger .
105 gr. SWC , 115 gr. RN , 120 gr TC , 124 gr. TC and 125 gr. RN
All are sized to .357" dia. and loaded in the 9mm Luger case .
I find them easier to load than the smaller .356" bullets .
The best functioning are the Lee 105 gr. SWC (it is more TC than SWC) and the Truncated Cone designs of any weight . I like the 120 and 124 gr TC best for the 9mm Luger .
The 105 gr. SWC (Lee 358-105-SWC ) makes into a nice Target Load , with 4.5 grs Bullseye .
Gary
105 gr. SWC , 115 gr. RN , 120 gr TC , 124 gr. TC and 125 gr. RN
All are sized to .357" dia. and loaded in the 9mm Luger case .
I find them easier to load than the smaller .356" bullets .
The best functioning are the Lee 105 gr. SWC (it is more TC than SWC) and the Truncated Cone designs of any weight . I like the 120 and 124 gr TC best for the 9mm Luger .
The 105 gr. SWC (Lee 358-105-SWC ) makes into a nice Target Load , with 4.5 grs Bullseye .
Gary
GeoDudeFlorida
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Short answer: Yes.
In some reloading measurements .002 is a great deal. Since .38 Spl/9MM bores are basically the same, you can generally get away with it.
Realize that a tight match chamber might cause issues, especially with fat walled cases. I tried it in a couple of 9MM guns to see how they would do in a pinch, but that's it.
500 coated 9MM bullets are pretty affordable.
GeoDudeFlorida
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With so little information to go on, all I could offer was, “Yup.”
We don’t know anything, really. Heavy .38 bullets and old 9mm pocket pistols aren’t always a good combination.
Of course, my wife’s CZ-75C is newer and it doesn’t like .357” cast 110gr.’ers. My Firestar will laserbeam those things.
In the 1980’s, I dabbled with 110 JHP 38 caliber bullets in a 380 ACP pistol (Beretta M84).
They loaded and shot reliably but the velocity was low for reliable expansion. The peak velocity of the 110 gr bullet was restricted by the bullet weight. Lighter bullets gave higher velocities which help promote expansion of the bullet.
Bullets designed for 38 Spl/357 Mag will perform ok in a 9x19 gun if the gun feeds the revolver bullets well. But you won’t get any better performance of the bullet in my opinion.
They loaded and shot reliably but the velocity was low for reliable expansion. The peak velocity of the 110 gr bullet was restricted by the bullet weight. Lighter bullets gave higher velocities which help promote expansion of the bullet.
Bullets designed for 38 Spl/357 Mag will perform ok in a 9x19 gun if the gun feeds the revolver bullets well. But you won’t get any better performance of the bullet in my opinion.
longdayjake
Member
I've personally loaded thousands of .357 bullets in my 9mms and I've shot them at max charges. It made no noticeable difference except in accuracy. The bigger the bullet the better they seemed to shoot.
I’ve been loading 357 bullets in 9mm for years.
Recently loaded some Rainier .357” 125 plated RN-FP in 9mm with 4 grains Bullseye. (Starting load for 9mm 124 JHP)
They shot very well in my carbine, but they had a little more pop than the same load with a .354” plated bullet.
POI was a little higher than the .354” bullets at 100 yards, indicating more pressure and velocity.
Be very careful with seating depth, pressure rises quickly.
Recently loaded some Rainier .357” 125 plated RN-FP in 9mm with 4 grains Bullseye. (Starting load for 9mm 124 JHP)
They shot very well in my carbine, but they had a little more pop than the same load with a .354” plated bullet.
POI was a little higher than the .354” bullets at 100 yards, indicating more pressure and velocity.
Be very careful with seating depth, pressure rises quickly.
Blue68f100
Member
My Sig 229 9mm has a 0.357" bore so 38/357 bullets works just fine. I do have to lookout for fat wall brass though. One of the reason I keep the RP brass separated out due to it's thinner wall.
243winxb
Member
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I tried with some 125 grain Gallant bullets meant for 357. They wouldn't chamber in any of my 9mm pistols. They mic at about 0.3585" though, so maybe an actual 0.357" sized version would have worked. I made a dummy round and tried to chamber it and the coating was scraped off and I had to really push to get it ejected. Later testing with just the barrel in hand confirmed that plan wasn't going to work.
Wombatz
Member
Reading the updates to this thread brings up an important note...
A "357" bullet might be .357 or maybe not. For jacketed the common size is .357". For cast bullets it is most common for them to be .358" but they may be offered in other variations to allow you to get better results for your gun.
I don't think we have heard from the OP on lead versus jacketed, so are mostly flying blind here.
I think the most important test to get from the above is that you really need to have a loading that will "plunk" well in your guns. You don't want to fire anything that needed to be forced into position.
A "357" bullet might be .357 or maybe not. For jacketed the common size is .357". For cast bullets it is most common for them to be .358" but they may be offered in other variations to allow you to get better results for your gun.
I don't think we have heard from the OP on lead versus jacketed, so are mostly flying blind here.
I think the most important test to get from the above is that you really need to have a loading that will "plunk" well in your guns. You don't want to fire anything that needed to be forced into position.
.308 Norma
Member
I have been determining bullet diameter by the groove diameter of the gun I'm reloading for. Plunk testing of course. The majority of my 9mm pistols can plunk/shoot .357" bullets but one old Norinco copy of a Tokerev needs bullets of .158"+. I cast a lot of Lee 358-125RF and normally run them at ,.356"-.357", and they work well in my 9mm and 38/357 guns...
