stupid question time...

[rangerruck]

can you shoot 9 makarov through a 380 pistol, or vice versa? is there any smaller handgun ammo, smaller than 40 cal, that you can shoot more than 1 ammo with, if in a pinch to do so?

 

[raskolnikov_22]

No you can't shoot 9 Mak (9x18) in a .380 (9x17), because its 1mm longer and won't fit. I've *heard* of people shooting .380 in a 9mm Luger (9x19), just as I've *heard* of people shooting .40 in a 10mm, but it's definitely not recommended. Pistol cartridges such as these headspace at the neck, so the only thing holding a shorter cartridge in a longer chamber would be the extractor, which is always the weakest link in a pistol.
I think you can only shoot different cartridges in one gun safely with revolvers, such as .38 in a .357, .44 Special in a .44 Mag (but not vice versa), because they are held in place by their rims, regardless of length.

 

[rcmodel]

As already noted, a 9mm MAC won't even fit in a .380 chamber.
The .380 ACP case is .374" around and 680". long.

The 9mm MAK case is .392" around and .713" long.

The .380 ACP uses .355" dia bullets.
The 9mm MAK uses .364" dia bullets.

A .380 ACP would fit in a 9mm MAK chamber and fire, if the extractor held it close enough to the breach-face for the firing pin to reach it.

A 9mm MAK round will not even go in a .380 ACP chamber.

rc

 

[owlhoot]

However, if you have a MAK, you can get a .380 barrel for it at low cost. I believe the same magazine will work for either round in the MAK.

 

[chieftain]

Of the less than 40 calibers,

The most reliable is 38spl in 357magnums.

In fact I know a lot of 357magnums including police issue, that never saw a 357Magnum round.

Good luck

Fred

Stupid should hurt

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

A .380 ACP would fit in a 9mm MAK chamber and fire, if the extractor held it close enough to the breach-face for the firing pin to reach it.

As well, the .009" smaller bullet would rattle down the bore like a musket ball and be lucky to hit anything beyond a few feet. If you want to shoot .380 in a Makarov, you should get a barrel made for the purpose, if available. And if you can keep track of which cartridge went with which barrel, fine, otherwise you should probably use one at the exclusion of the other.