9x19mm wheelguns

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PreserveFreedom

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Ok, I know that some of you here have owned them in the past. WHat can you tell me about them? How dependable were they? Do they make the cylinder any shorter than their 38/357 counterparts? I know that convertibles such as the Ruger Blackhawk will retain full cylinder length, but what about guns like the SP101? Is there a size difference between the 9x19mm and the 38/357 models? How is accuracy compared to other snubbies? If you owned one, did it require moon clips? If not, how were shells extracted? What was your main reason for choosing this caliber? Anything else you wanna add?
 
I'd like to say that I should kick my own arse for not buying an SP-101 in 9mm when I had a chance! I haven't seen one in a long time in the local shops. I'd love to have one. Maybe some day...

R6
 
I have an old gun rag that details the Smith 9mm made for the French - the gun that doesn't require moon clips. Apparently the ballistics are better than you would get from any 38 +P load with a lot more controlability than you would get from .357 magnum. The 9mm Luger works very well in revolvers. It just doesn't offer the flexibility you get in a .357 (from really mild .38's to really hot .357's) so that's probably why it's not so popular. Personally I would like a 9mm revolver some day.

With the SP101 I'm pretty sure the cylinder is the same length in the 9mm as in the .357. I know I've seen 9mm SP101's offered in Shotgun News but I think they always had the ~2" barrel. They would definately require moon clips. So what?
 
I'm still butting my head against the wall for trading in the S&W 547 I owned for a short time in the mid-80s. A virtual clone of the Model 13, with a modified extractor to pull out the rimless 9mm's, the 547 functioned as well as any Mod 10 or 13 I ever fired. The cyclinder was the same length as in these others, which actually, due to the short 9mm cartridge, gave the powder a tad more burn time before the cylinder gap was reached.

At the moment I have a line on an SP101, which I'll snap up in a heartbeat if I can. It will require moon-clips if I want easy extraction, but I can live nicely with that. Gotta love 9mm in a wheelie. :D
 
They have the same cylinder length. They are the same size as their .38 counterparts. I can't tell you whether the j-frame has the std .38 j-frame or the .357 j+-frame (probably the former, given that the 9 j-frames were released before the .357s). Regarding dependability, I've never had a problem but I've heard of problems arising from bent moon clips and protruding +P primers.

I have a S&W 940. It does not require moon clips to shoot (headspaces on the case mouth) but they are needed if you want the cartridges to eject. (Moon clips are cheap and readily available from Brownells and other sources.) I believe that the only DA 9mm revo that did not require moon clips to eject is the S&W 547, which had a pretty neat extractor setup. (This is the model to which glockdoc refers.)

My 940's accuracy is exactly comparable to other snubbies. I have to say, I saw no use for these 9x19 revos when they first came out. However, after years of schlepping .38 snubs and .357 snubs, I finally noticed that the 9x19 appears to be more efficient from this type of revolver. From a 2" (revo) bbl, the velocity for a given load is usually only slightly less than it is from a 4" (semiauto) bbl. (Remember the difference in how revo and semiauto bbls are measured, and you'll note they're almost the same length - but for the bbl/cyl gap.)

Eventually, I got tired of the flash of .357 powder burning outside the snubby bbl, and thought I'd go with a 9mm. Admittedly, the 9 doesn't give you the range of bullet weights a .357 does, but when was the last time you fired a 180-grainer out of a snubnose? (I have, btw, and it wasn't pleasant!) I'm presently debating whether 115 gr +P hps or 147 gr Ranger hps are a better carry load (leaning toward the heavier bullet out of the small pistola), but I'm confident the either one is fine. I really feel the 9x19 gives the best efficiency of the available j-frame cartridges.

Regarding recoil: the 9x19 is (as is to be expected) a little snappier out of the short bbl than is a .38 bullet of similar weight - about like a .357 of similar weight. There is no question in my mind that a heavier-bulleted .357 cartridge out of a snub produces significantly more recoil than does a heavier 9x19 cartridge. And 9x19 blasting ammo is so dang cheap for practice (although no cartridge provides the pleasant shooting experience of a 148 gr .38 wadcutter - all the 9s are moderately snappy to shoot).
 
Nice post, Erich!

I, too, have the 940 and it is a pleasure to shoot and carry. Much more so than the 357 Magnum 640 that I also owned. The 357 produces mostly extra muzzle flash while the 9mm really zips on outa there.

Also, the extra weight and size of the 640 is noticeable.

The only thing I would add is that the 547 was a K frame, not a J frame, in case you didn't know. So it was the same size as a Model 19 357 Magnum, not a pocket pistol, at least not my pocket! :p
 
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How does one quickly reload a 547 or any of the S&W's that don't need moon clips? Were any speed-loaders ever made for this model?
 
Hi Croyance,

You DO use moon clips on the S&Ws. It's just that you don't HAVE TO since the chambers are cut so they ctgs headspace properly. However, if you are not using clips the fastest reload is NY style. :p
 
Big G,

I'm pretty certain that on the S&W Model 547s, which have a special extractor, you CANNOT use moon clips.

The 940s yes, moon clips. The 547s, no.
 
Mike's right about the Model 547 not allowing moon clips. My 547 had a counterbored cylinder, which would preclude the use of clips. HKS makes their model 547 speedloader for this snazzy 6-shot revolver.
 
Saw a 547 for sale at GunsAmerica yesterday.
Had 940; sorry I sold it; some of the moon clips bent too easily, however.
 
After looking for the better part of a year, I found a like new model 547 square butt, 4" barrel K frame a few months ago, and it's one sweet shooting revolver!

The velocity gain over my 3.25" barrel Taurus autoloader is between 50 and 100 fps, with the heavier bullet loads gaining the most.

Mine shoots a little low, which I'm attempting to fix with heavier bullets in my reloads. The 147gr bullets I tried recently, were pretty much right on target at 50 feet.

I love the heavy barrel on the 547 which balances perfectly in my hands, and this baby can shoot more accuractly than I can aim!

However, speed loading is not something I would attempt with mine, as the extraction fingers protrude into the chamber mouths ever so slightly (weak extractor spring?). I just press the extractor star all the way in, and squeeze the extractor rod at the front of the cylinder with two fingers to hold it in place as I reload.

I like this gun so much, that I'd buy another in a heartbeat! :D

Bill Adair
 
Have any of you done any, or seen any,

chrono comparisons between J-frame 640s in 9mm and .38? I'm curious to see just how MUCH faster the 9mm is, given comparable bullet weights. Namely, 110/125/158gr .38s along with 115/124/147gr. 9mms.
 
VL, I have some printouts buried in a box in a closet somewhere from back in . . . I don't know, '90. If no one else here has some more easily available numbers (which would shock me), I can try to dig them out.
 
I love my S&W 547 4" it's a great shooter, but on occasion i have had trouble with the shells extracting when useing factory +p+ loads. This gun will be in the family for a long time..
 
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