.357 bullets in a 9mm?

RHafleyJ · January 28, 2013, 10:34 PM

With only a .002" difference it seems feasible. Has anyone done this and if so what were the results?

Lemmon · January 28, 2013, 10:59 PM

I believe I saw in an old Speer, Hornady or Lyman reloading book that showed the use of 38 rather than 9mm bullet. These old books are the ones I got in the very early 70's when I started reloading but the load does exist. Sorry that I do not have them handy tonight. My wife just got home and she needs me to listen to her as she vents about her day at work. In fact she sees me typing this post.... gota go...

Lemmon from rural SC

Lemmon · January 28, 2013, 11:28 PM

Found it.... Hornady Vol II June 1973 version. Uses 38 caliber (.357" Dia.) 125 grain Hollow point. Powders used 230, Bullseye, P5066, Red Dot, Unique....
4 inch S&W Model 39.... Velocity from 900 to 1050 fps.... I prefer you get a copy of this old reloading manual to get the exact data to reload...My old Speer 9 did not have one..... I think my old spiral bound Lyman book may have a load also. Hope that helps you..

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina....

BigTex308 · January 29, 2013, 02:00 AM

Lemmon............

I'll have to look at my older manuals. I have a Speer and a Lyman from the 70s. It'd be interesting to see if they have loads for it.

Ike

chris in va · January 29, 2013, 02:09 AM

Lemmon...

If the book was from the 70's, I suspect it was comparing 9mm 355 bullets being used in a revolver meant for 357-38.

I think the OP is asking if 357's can be used in a semiauto 9mm.

I fielded this question a while back as I couldn't find 355's anywhere, but saw a pack of 125gr 357's on the shelf. Replies were mixed.

RHafleyJ · January 29, 2013, 10:16 AM

I have heard of it being done with good results as far as accuracy is concerned. 9mm bullets around here are like bigfoot and unicorns but .38 is readily available.

m&p45acp10+1 · January 29, 2013, 12:29 PM

I am not sure on jacketed bullets I would make a dummy round to see if it will chamber,and exract.

Lots of people use. 357 or. 358 cast bullets with great results, and no leading.

WIL TERRY · January 29, 2013, 12:35 PM

I HAVE SHOT UP tens of thousands of 38/357 lightweight bullets in 9MM PARABELLUM pistols. IF you'd care to check almost ALL European 9MM pstols have ID barrel diameters the same as our 38/357 american pistol barrels. The BR-HP I slugged the other day had a groove diameter of .3572".
The ONLY 9MM pistols barrels I've slugged that ran a consistent .355" have been the S&W pistols barrels from all their 9MM's from my first M39 50 years ago to all the others since. YEP, I have run many many 38 bullets through the S&W 9MM barrels also without a problem. MATTER OF FACT I have shot up thousands of the SPEER 38 CALIBER SWAGED LEAD 158grSWC BULLETS through my last M39 without a hitch. The latter M39 has not spent a day unloaded since 1971 when I got it in a trade.
And so it goes....

Lemmon · January 30, 2013, 08:57 PM

Chris in VA, please reread my 2nd post. ".... Hornady Vol II June 1973 (page 329) Uses 38 caliber (.357" Dia.) 125 grain Hollow point." Apparently at that time Hornady did not have a true 9mm 125 grain bullet. That data came straight from the book. The Vol II does have a number of .355 bullets for 9mm all under 125 grains. The Pistol used by them to develop the load was the S&W Model 39 which is a 9mm pistol.

Lemmon

January 28, 2013, 10:34 PM	#1
RHafleyJ Junior Member Join Date: January 2, 2013 Posts: 10	.357 bullets in a 9mm? With only a .002" difference it seems feasible. Has anyone done this and if so what were the results?

January 28, 2013, 11:28 PM	#3
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	Found it.... Hornady Vol II 1973 version Found it.... Hornady Vol II June 1973 version. Uses 38 caliber (.357" Dia.) 125 grain Hollow point. Powders used 230, Bullseye, P5066, Red Dot, Unique.... 4 inch S&W Model 39.... Velocity from 900 to 1050 fps.... I prefer you get a copy of this old reloading manual to get the exact data to reload...My old Speer 9 did not have one..... I think my old spiral bound Lyman book may have a load also. Hope that helps you.. Lemmon from Rural South Carolina....

January 29, 2013, 12:29 PM	#7
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I am not sure on jacketed bullets I would make a dummy round to see if it will chamber,and exract. Lots of people use. 357 or. 358 cast bullets with great results, and no leading. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 30, 2013, 08:57 PM	#9
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	Chris in Va...Hope this clears things up a little Chris in VA, please reread my 2nd post. ".... Hornady Vol II June 1973 (page 329) Uses 38 caliber (.357" Dia.) 125 grain Hollow point." Apparently at that time Hornady did not have a true 9mm 125 grain bullet. That data came straight from the book. The Vol II does have a number of .355 bullets for 9mm all under 125 grains. The Pistol used by them to develop the load was the S&W Model 39 which is a 9mm pistol. Lemmon

January 28, 2013, 10:59 PM	#2
Lemmon Senior Member Join Date: December 25, 2009 Location: Rural South Carolina Posts: 445	I believe I saw in an old Speer, Hornady or Lyman reloading book that showed the use of 38 rather than 9mm bullet. These old books are the ones I got in the very early 70's when I started reloading but the load does exist. Sorry that I do not have them handy tonight. My wife just got home and she needs me to listen to her as she vents about her day at work. In fact she sees me typing this post.... gota go... Lemmon from rural SC

January 29, 2013, 02:00 AM	#4
BigTex308 Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 259	Lemmon............ I'll have to look at my older manuals. I have a Speer and a Lyman from the 70s. It'd be interesting to see if they have loads for it. *Ike*

January 29, 2013, 02:09 AM	#5
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Lemmon... If the book was from the 70's, I suspect it was comparing 9mm 355 bullets being used in a revolver meant for 357-38. I think the OP is asking if 357's can be used in a semiauto 9mm. I fielded this question a while back as I couldn't find 355's anywhere, but saw a pack of 125gr 357's on the shelf. Replies were mixed.

January 29, 2013, 10:16 AM	#6
RHafleyJ Junior Member Join Date: January 2, 2013 Posts: 10	I have heard of it being done with good results as far as accuracy is concerned. 9mm bullets around here are like bigfoot and unicorns but .38 is readily available.

January 29, 2013, 12:35 PM	#8
WIL TERRY Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2000 Location: BLACK HILLS Posts: 1,322	I HAVE SHOT UP tens of thousands of 38/357 lightweight bullets in 9MM PARABELLUM pistols. IF you'd care to check almost ALL European 9MM pstols have ID barrel diameters the same as our 38/357 american pistol barrels. The BR-HP I slugged the other day had a groove diameter of .3572". The ONLY 9MM pistols barrels I've slugged that ran a consistent .355" have been the S&W pistols barrels from all their 9MM's from my first M39 50 years ago to all the others since. YEP, I have run many many 38 bullets through the S&W 9MM barrels also without a problem. MATTER OF FACT I have shot up thousands of the SPEER 38 CALIBER SWAGED LEAD 158grSWC BULLETS through my last M39 without a hitch. The latter M39 has not spent a day unloaded since 1971 when I got it in a trade. And so it goes....