For 9mm: Is Barrel Slugging All That Necessary?

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nevadabob

nevadabob

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Had some 9mm 0.355 Ranier bullets and shot them through my S&W M&P full size. I was impressed with my results. Previously, after the barrel was slugged and the slug was professionally measured, I had only been using 0.357's from different manufacturers. The slug measured @ 0.356 so I purchased the 0.357's.
I can understand the science behind slugging, but I wasn't expecting good results with the 0.355's. Any thoughts?
 
The pressures generated by the 9mm will expand most bullets and deliver good accuracy.

To tell the truth, I have only slugged one barrel, my original Trapdoor rifle in 45-70 and it turned out even that was not necessary.
 
Depends on lube, harness, velocity, etc. Slightly oversized is going to be easiest to make work well without a lot of leading.
 
The plating (or for that matter plastic coated)will reduce if not completely eliminate the problem of leading. The bullet will expand some as well helping accuracy. The need for slugging the barrel and sizing to fit are most important with bare lead bullets. With those lube,sizing, and hardness/gas check are put into play to prevent leading. Also keeping the velocity below the point that the bullet strips the rifling off of it is important as well. With a jacketed bullet the fit can be somewhat loose and still be accurate as long as the bullet engages the rifling but velocity will often suffer.
 
No, barrel slugging isn't absolutely necessary. But I like (OCD "need") to know my guns and slugging and measuring just takes a few minutes so, why not? I shoot a lot of cast bullets and knowing the critical dimensions of my guns is very important. I like to shoot a 124 gr. LRNFP bullet in my 38s, 357s, and 9mm, if I wasn't able to properly fit the bullet to the gun, I'd be scrubbing lead out of the barrel and experiencing "shotgun pattern" groups. You mention 9mm? I have 3, 9mm pistols and all have a different groove diameter; .356"-358". The plated bullets I tried worked good in one 9mm, so-so to fair in another, and fouled the barrel in the other.

I believe jacket bullets work if slightly "undersized" because the hard jacket grips the rifling, won't skid like softer lead. I didn't care for the plated bullets I tried (possibly poor quality control and mebbe bullet skidding in the larger bores) and got better performance and accuracy with my cast bullets and if I wanted higher velocity I just went with jacketed...
 
With handguns, slugging is great if you are shooting lubed lead bullets to avoid heavily leading your barrel. That's about it unless you would like to be someone that slugs every firearm they have to confirm. Even "perfect" bullet fitment and "perfect" Brinell hardness will leave some lead in the barrel (sorry....not sorry, internet). As the OP noticed, the pressure worked against the base of the soft, plated bullet, expanded it, and the OP was impressed that they achieved "good results". We have no idea how good or what the results were other than satisfactory compared to the previous use of .357" dia. Plated/Jacketed/Polymer coated are really simple, unless there is a manufacturer's error and the diameters are incredibly off.
 
I recently started reloading coated 9mm and a friend who casts and coats sent me some samples of .356" and .357" SWC to try. From a bench the .357" were more accurate. I didn't slug the barrel but by process of elimination found a good shooting bullet. Not everyone has this option available to them.

Leading doesn't turn me away from an accurate bullet that's priced right. Leading isn't that big of deal to remove and I have shot some very accurate bullets that leaded the bore.
 
Why is slugging a pistol barrel considered such a chore or even a hardship? You are talking about 10 minutes to make sure you don't have a squirrely barrel. Even a non reloader should do it to avoid a mysteriously poor shooting gun.
 
Ireload2 said:
Why is slugging a pistol barrel considered such a chore or even a hardship? You are talking about 10 minutes to make sure you don't have a squirrely barrel. Even a non reloader should do it to avoid a mysteriously poor shooting gun.
Click to expand...
Some people just feel no need to spend their time performing unnecessary exercises, even the 10 minute ones.
 
There is no way to know that slugging a barrel is unnecessary especially if you have never done it and don't know any better.

I found tight spots in a rifle barrel with a banded front sight and banded sling swivel mount. That barrel shot only 3 shots out of 5 into a 24"X24" target at 100 yards. Those 3 shots made an 18" group
It is hardly an unnecessary use of 10 minutes.
If you cannot spare 10 minutes of analysis, discovery, thought and learning you might consider some less demanding activity.

ArchAngelCD said:
Some people just feel no need to spend their time performing unnecessary exercises, even the 10 minute ones.
Click to expand...
 
I don't consider it necessary until you shoot it for accuracy and leading problems. I own three 9mm's. One is very accurate and has very minimal leading with .356 bullets. The other two gave poor accuracy and leaded quickly with .356 bullets. Since the first is doing what I want it hasn't been slugged because I see no need. Slugging the other two showed both of them to have slightly over .356 bores. I need to find either a source for .357 bullets or a mold. I would prefer to just buy bullets of this size.
 
Dardas will supply .357" cast bullets in 9mm profiles.
BBI will supply .357" coated bullets in 9mm profiles.
Missouri lists one .357" 135 grain bullet under .38 Super, either cast and lubed or coated.
 
Jim Watson said:
Dardas will supply .357" cast bullets in 9mm profiles.
BBI will supply .357" coated bullets in 9mm profiles.
Missouri lists one .357" 135 grain bullet under .38 Super, either cast and lubed or coated.
Click to expand...
Missouri will size bullets however you want if you order enough. I have them size my Smallball to .358" for my .357" bore P226 and Beretta.
 
I checked out Dardas' website and his 500 count price seems reasonable. If all his bullets are as good as the picture of his 125 gr. 9mm looks they are excellent. I'm going to order next week and see how things work out in reducing my group size..
 
Another happy customer of Dardas bullets here.

FYI, Matt offers 9mm bullets in .356", .357", .358" and .359" sizing - http://www.dardascastbullets.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=dardas&Category_Code=9

And Dardas offers 5% THR discount with HIGHROAD promo code - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ring-a-5-discount-to-highroad-members.809743/

doubleh said:
I checked out Dardas' website and his 500 count price seems reasonable.
Click to expand...
There's additional discounts on 1000 and case quantities:

124 gr RN = $59/1000 with 5% THR discount
124 gr RN = $58.95/1000 on case quantity of 3700 for $229.60 with 5% THR discount

122 gr FP = $57.85/1000 with 5% THR discount
122 gr FP = $57.82/1000 on case quantity of 3700 for $225.20 with 5% THR discount
 
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