Using 9mm bullets in .357mag

A guy at a local shop told me to use 9mm bullets in my revolver when I asked to buy .357 bullets and they didn't have any. I just walked out. I don't talk to that person when I am in the shop anymore. I'm sure it works and I'm sure if I really needed to make ammo I would, but it was a half ass lazy suggestion on his part. We are not in the wilds of Africa and have to make do.
 
there are at least 2 convertibles that i know of that are 9mm/38spcl /357 - they use 357 barrels, but different cylinders- one's the ruger bkackhawk, the other the astra police
 
Do you guys actually know that 9mm bullets are inaccurate in a 357, or are you just going by theory--.002" smaller = inaccuracy?
Pistol powder is fast so burning that I wouldn't be surprised if the bullet would be perfectly enlarged to fit the bore, before the bullet got to the barrel, in a 357 revolver.
 
I have used some 9mm bullets in my S&W 586 with very good results.
In miking the 9mm's and the 357's, I found only about .0015" difference, so tried the 9mm''s out.
They worked just fine, so am using these for a light, accurate, "play" load.
These 9mm bullets are plated, not jacketed, so, as H4831 suggested, they are probably obturating to fill the bore.
147 grains, pushed by 9.0 grains of old W473. Burns so clean that you think the barrel was just cleaned.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
actually CAST bullets in 9mm come out typically to 356, so it's not so off as you would think
 
A lot of years ago I used to borrow a Bitish military shooting book, from the PG library.
The timing in the book was prior to WW1 and they did a tremendous amount of experimenting with the .303 and Lee Enfields.
They wanted to know what the effects of shortening the barrel would be. So they kept cutting the barrel shorter, and shorter and shorter, until, as they put it, the nose of the FMJ military bullet extended past the end of the cut off barrel!
When they examined the caught bullet, they were astounded to see the part of the bullet that had extended past the end of the barrel, was expanded in size!
Proof, they said, that when a cartridge is fired, the base of the bullet starts to move before the nose does.
And this was with military cartridges and FMJ bullets.
 
When you walk into Fulton's at Bisley, on the right, just inside the door, is a framed set of 303 bullets. They are the bullets from a test of shorter and shorter barrels (hacksaw).

The very short barrel tests blew the bullt bases open. They look like the mushroomed from the bottom.

So yes, a soft bullet at pistol pressure will probably be expanded to tightly fill the barrel.
 
I have four 686 guns and have used 9mm jacketed bullets in all of them. In my experience the larger the bullet 147 grains worked better for me.

Graydog
 
Powderfinger61 said:
"I have used some 9mm bullets in my S&W 586 with very good results."


Everything is accurate @ 6 ft

I wouldnt even waste my time using a 9mm in my SW 686
Click to expand...

Your choice!
You sound quite sarcastic, quoting 6 feet as the range. :confused:
I shoot these bullets right out to 50 meters, and can stay on a 4 liter can at that range.
Eagleye
 
well i've shot 700 rounds of 150-155gr (what i assume are .38/.357 bullets) in my 9mm loads with little issue, accept for the odd FTFeed.

i bought what i thought was 147gr 9mm, but didn't feel like fixing the issue so i decided to try them in the glock. worked fine like i said.

then again, i use wooden bullets when i run out of lead. just shot a batch of 9mm made from 3/8" dowel. worked some what ok.
 
Spawn-Inc said:
well i've shot 700 rounds of 150-155gr (what i assume are .38/.357 bullets) in my 9mm loads with little issue, accept for the odd FTFeed.

i bought what i thought was 147gr 9mm, but didn't feel like fixing the issue so i decided to try them in the glock. worked fine like i said.

then again, i use wooden bullets when i run out of lead. just shot a batch of 9mm made from 3/8" dowel. worked some what ok.
Click to expand...

wooden boolets??? do tell more!!! (loading, max range, accuracy, etc)
 
Keep in mind that when dealing with a revolver, you have two areas that potentially squeeze the bullet down in size. The cylinder throat, the forcing cone leading to the barrel itself.

While I would not ordinarily buy .355 diameter bullets for use in a .38 Spec revolver, I wouldn't be shy about trying them.

I loaded 100 125gr jacketed 9mm bullets in .38 Special cases for use in my old model 10 to calibrate poppers when I didn't have a 9mm. In that gun (1950's vintage) it worked fine and accuracy out to 20 meters was 3-4 inches.
 
H4831 said:
Do you guys actually know that 9mm bullets are inaccurate in a 357, or are you just going by theory--.002" smaller = inaccuracy?
Pistol powder is fast so burning that I wouldn't be surprised if the bullet would be perfectly enlarged to fit the bore, before the bullet got to the barrel, in a 357 revolver.
Click to expand...

Are we talking jacketed bullets or cast???
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom