.38 Special or 9mm?

[GetA2J]

I have a couple thousand lead bullets that I was told were 9mm.
I weighed several of them and they pretty consistantly weighed in at 152 Gr.
I could not find a load recipe for 9mm 152 Gr but I did find some for .38spl with 148gr and 158gr bullets So I split the powder difference and loaded fifty rounds.
I went to the range today and shot some and the fifth bullet always came unseated and extended out the front of the cylinder.
So this evening I double checked the diameter of the bullets and the recomended measurments of the two calibers.
.38spl bullets are typically .357 or .358 and the case is listed in my Hornady handbook as .379
9mm bullets have a typical diameter of .355 and the case according to my Hornady HB is .380
So if these bullets pretty much uniformely measure .355 diameter but weigh in at 152gr should I be loading them into a low powder 9mm or a .38spl and maybe tighten my crimping die a little?

 

[Broom_jm]

If they measure .355", they were meant for 9mm, not 38 or 357. I'm not sure what shape they are, but you could probably use them with data for 147gr cast bullets, but back off a couple of tenths for both starting and max loads. You may also be able to shave a little off from them, to reduce the weight? I'm not sure that is really necessary, though. One of the cast boolit guys should be able to answer those questions more authoritatively.

 

[Nayls47]

Load them for a 9mm. Handloads.com has a loads for 153 & 158 gr cast loads.

 

[GetA2J]

Thanks guys.
Figures I just paid membership at ammoguide.com for those loads not included in my Hornady HB.
I guess now, I'm in the market for some .38 bullets. Hee hee

 

[billybob44]

.38 Super Bullets..

Well, for the bad news-Neither .38Spl. or 9MM.
These bullets were cast for a .38 Super (Auto) load.
Normal cast diameter for .38/.357 is .358" (Jacketed diameter .357")
Normal cast diameter for 9MM is .356" (Jacketed diameter .355")

As said, back off your charge as listed for a 147gr. 9MM load+try it??
They PROBABLY will NOT be an accurate load+PROBABLY WILL lead the barrel on your 9MM.

I cast a 124gr. RN 9MM bullet in a Lee 6 gang mold, and size to .357" with Jakes Red for the lube. I like to run these at 1000-1050fps. in my CZ's+Glocks. With these specs they are accurate+produce VERY little lead in the barrels.

You may try these in your 9MM, but I'm fairly certain that you WILL have poor accuracy+and LEAD at the breech end of your barrel.-The bullets are just too small diameter to work well in a 9MM barrel.

I have heard of reloaders in this situation that have coated undersized bullets with Lee Alox to help with these problems-this creates a "Messy" bullet that WILL smoke a lot when fired.

BEST CASE=Find someone who shoots .38 Super cast loads+make them a DEAL...Bill.