Not all 9mm jacketed/plated bullets are sized the same

[LiveLife]

I am using KKM and Lone Wolf 40-9 conversion barrels in my Glock 22/23/27.

When I slugged the barrels, they ran .355"-.356" groove-to-groove.

 

[Walkalong]

Well, you will be comparing bullets which will be often only be different in diameter by less than .001.

 

[LiveLife]

I got the minus gauge (they did not have the plus gauge in stock) - https://www.zoro.com/vermont-gage-pin-gage-minus-0451-in-black-911245100/i/G3510577/

It's Vermont Gage .451 - Class ZZ Pin Gage Black Guard
Part Number 911245100

The Vermont Gage .400 - Class ZZ Pin Gage Black Guard (Part Number 911240000) arrived.

The pin gage was measured with Frankford Arsenal dial calipers with eyes closed/open and light to medium thumb pressure was applied on the wheel. Readings were consistently very slightly less (just on the other side of the line) than 0.400" both at thicker part of the calipers and the tip.

 

[LiveLife]

The Vermont Gage .355 + Class ZZ Pin Gage Black Guard (Part Number 911135500) arrived.

The pin gage was measured with Frankford Arsenal dial calipers with eyes closed/open and light to medium thumb pressure was applied on the wheel. Readings were consistently very slightly more (just on the other side of the line) than 0.355" both at thicker part of the calipers and the tip.

The FA dial calipers is a new unit I bought last year to replace the dial calipers I bought 25 years ago from MidwayUSA. The old unit had a lot of play and was not consistent and accurate as the digital calipers I bought from Harbor Freight. The FA dial calipers is tight yet smooth without play and I find myself reaching for it more than the digital HF calipers.

Maybe quality control at Frankford Arsenal improved after Smith & Wesson bought Battenfeld Technologies in 2014? http://www.btibrands.com/brands/frankford/

With the calipers verified by .355"+, .400"- and .451"- pin gages, I feel more comfortable about my measurements I post on THR threads, similar to Ohaus 10-10 beam scales and FA DS-750/Gemini-20 digital scales verified with Ohaus ASTM Class 6 stainless steel check weights.

 

[thomas15]

Very interesting thread. At my level of marksmanship I really haven't paid that much attention to .001 bullet measurements but as I progress in this pursuit I'm now beginning to pay attention. I have a harbor freight 1" mic and have been measuring my bullets and just my impression is that for my S&W 929 revolver in 9mm it likes .356 in JHP and .357 in coated. The OP measurements are useful in that I'm tempted to try RMR but this confirms that their diameter is .355 as advertised so I'm not hopeful.

It also confirms that my measurements of the Hornady HAP 125g at .356 I checked my +\- $20.00 mic using standards at work and it is accurate.

 

[LiveLife]

Picked up some Remington 124 gr FMJ and adding to the list:

Jacketed bullets:

Hornady 115 gr HAP - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
Hornady 125 gr HAP - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Precision Delta 124 gr JHP - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Remington 124 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at .355")
RMR 115 gr FMJ/124 gr JHP - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
Winchester 115 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Zero 115 gr FMJ - 0.356" (Advertised at 0.355")

Plated bullets:

Berry's 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Hunting Shack Munitions 115/124 gr RN - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.355")
Rainier 115/124 gr RN - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
RMR 115 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.356")
RMR 124 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.3565")
Speer 124 gr Gold Dot HP - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
Speer 115/124 gr TMJ - 0.3555" (Box indicated 0.355")
X-Treme 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Maybe quality control at Frankford Arsenal improved after Smith & Wesson bought Battenfeld Technologies in 2014? http://www.btibrands.com/brands/frankford/

I missed that one. Thought the Potterfield family still owned them. Thx

 

[LiveLife]

Somehow Power Bond/Accura Outdoors plated bullets got left off the list:


Jacketed bullets:

Hornady 115 gr HAP - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
Hornady 125 gr HAP - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Precision Delta 124 gr JHP - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Remington 124 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at .355")
RMR 115 gr FMJ/124 gr JHP - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
Winchester 115 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Zero 115 gr FMJ - 0.356" (Advertised at 0.355")


Plated bullets:

Berry's 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Hunting Shack Munitions 115/124 gr RN - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.355")
Power Bond 115 gr RN - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Power Bond 124 gr RN - 0.356" (Advertised at 0.355")
Rainier 115/124 gr RN - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
RMR 115 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.356")
RMR 124 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.3565")
Speer 124 gr Gold Dot HP - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
Speer 115/124 gr TMJ - 0.3555" (Box indicated 0.355")
X-Treme 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")

 

[LiveLife]

Adding RMR's new in-house made 124 gr FMJ and JHP bullets.


Jacketed bullets:

Hornady 115 gr HAP - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
Hornady 125 gr HAP - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Precision Delta 124 gr JHP - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Remington 124 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at .355")
RMR in-house 115/124 gr FMJ - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
RMR in-house 124 gr JHP - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Winchester 115 gr FMJ - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Zero 115 gr FMJ - 0.356" (Advertised at 0.355")


Plated bullets:

Berry's 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.356")
Hunting Shack Munitions 115/124 gr RN - 0.356" (Box indicated 0.355")
Power Bond 115 gr RN - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")
Power Bond 124 gr RN - 0.356" (Advertised at 0.355")
Rainier 115/124 gr RN - 0.355" (Box indicated 0.355")
RMR 115 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.356")
RMR 124 gr Hardcore Match RN thick plated - 0.3565" (Advertised at 0.3565")
Speer 124 gr Gold Dot HP - 0.3555" (Advertised at 0.355")
Speer 115/124 gr TMJ - 0.3555" (Box indicated 0.355")
X-Treme 115/124 gr RN regular/thick plated - 0.355" (Advertised at 0.355")

 

[MAXM]

In my experience, larger diameter bullets improve accuracy in many 9 mm semiauto pistols, especially if european-made. .3565 - .357" plated bullets are often much better than .355 - .356" ones.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, there are many 9MM barrels with grooves over .355.

 

[hdwhit]

I noticed that nobody mentioned Magnus Bullet Company bullets. Anyone familiar with them?

 

[Walkalong]

I shot a bunch of them back in the day when I could buy them at gun shows here. They worked just fine, about like other commercial cast bullets I used.