Using 9mm bullets in .38 or .357?

T

TruthTellers

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I'm a big fan of Berry's bullets, they're an inexpensive way to shoot factory bullets and not deal with leading when I want to push the velocity into low end magnum territory like 1100 to 1200 fps.

So, one thing I'd like to try is their 124gr and 147gr hollow points for use in .38 Special. Like most of their bullets they require a taper crimp due to a lack of a groove or cannelure, so these 9mm bullets being taper crimping in .38 isn't much different than what standard Berry's .38 bullets would be.

Has anyone tried 9mm bullets before in .38 or .357 revolvers? Results? Worth trying or is it a dumpsterfire?
 
I'd expect "9mm" bullets to be .001"-.002" undersized for .38/.357, which wouldn't be great for accuracy, especially if your chamber mouths are any larger than the bore's groove diameter.
 
Berry's lists their 9mm bullets as having a diameter of .356". They list the .38/.357 bullets as having a diameter of .357". So you would be giving up .001" in bullet diameter. You would have to adjust your crimp, and possibly get an undersized expander stem.

Have you slugged your barrel?
 
I have used 9mm bullets in a Ruger Blackhawk conversion with 38/357 and 9mm cylinders. The gun has a 0.3577" groove diameter barrel. The 9mm handloads shot better than 38/357 factory ammo. For example, a Sierra 9mm .355 JHP shot 24 rounds into 1.40" at 25 yards from a Ransom Rest.

Don't let anyone tell you that undersize bullets won't shoot well!

Here's another reason. 9mm and 38/357 barrels have the same SAAMI barrel specs of a .355 + .004 groove diameter (a range of 0.355 to 0.359). The 9mm and 38/357 barrels I've slugged fall in the same range as one would expect given they have the same SAAMI specs.

https://saami.org/wp-content/upload...FP-and-R-Approved-2015-12-14-Posting-Copy.pdf

Your problem will be neck tension. I use a Lee undersize 38/357 die for sizing, and a 9mm expander for the case mouth to retain good neck tension.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
Berry's lists their 9mm bullets as having a diameter of .356". They list the .38/.357 bullets as having a diameter of .357". So you would be giving up .001" in bullet diameter. You would have to adjust your crimp, and possibly get an undersized expander stem.

Have you slugged your barrel?
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No, plan to tho.
 
I loaded a lot of 9mm plated bullets in 357 brass during the 2008 shortage.
A couple problems.
9mm round nose bullets are quite long in the nose, so to get them to fit the cylinder you have seat them deep and crimp on the nose.
Also bullet tension. I skipped the regular expander die and just flared the case mouth slightly with the Lee Universal expander.
Accuracy was excellent.
 
I played with 158 gr plated ranier bullets with lee factory crimp die. Never had very good accuracy from 357. Try the Armscore 125 gr JFP with a true canmelure. They are OK.
 
rc said:
I played with 158 gr plated ranier bullets with lee factory crimp die. Never had very good accuracy from 357. Try the Armscore 125 gr JFP with a true canmelure. They are OK.
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Appreciate the input, but this topic isn't about the performance of plated bullets, this is a question about 9mm bullets, plated or jacketed, for use in .38 and .357 handloads.

Personally, I prefer a cannalure or crimp groove for a revolver, but I have run taper crimp when needed and gotten acceptable results.
 
I had two Conan .357mag autos (original) that were compensated. Both shot 9mm bullets very, very well. Bagged, they would shoot 1.5” five shot groups at 35 yards with full power loads. Bullets will obturate to some degree and don’t go down the barrel the same diameter they came out of the box.
 
If you shoot a Colt revolver the .356 may be perfect, they seem to have tight bores unless they have changed in the past 20 years and I doubt it.
 
NoSecondBest said:
I had two Conan .357mag autos (original) that were compensated. Both shot 9mm bullets very, very well. Bagged, they would shoot 1.5” five shot groups at 35 yards with full power loads. Bullets will obturate to some degree and don’t go down the barrel the same diameter they came out of the box.
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I've heard and read that plated and jacketed bullets will "bump up" in the bore, but IDK how much they can bump up and if barrel length has any affect on that.

I do know that when I shot .3075" Speer bullets in my .327 revolver that has Ruger's oversize .314" throats and .310" groove dia they shot to POA. Dunno if they were keyholing, this was on steel, but the fact I hit the plate at 12 yards isn't bad.
 
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