9mm bullets in 38 special reloaded ammo

[coyn]

So my wife just bought a new 38 special yesterday. Being the reloader, I already placed an order for the dies. Now i'm looking for bullets. From what i've read is the diameter of the 9mm is only .002" different which, to me, is very negligable. I already have a few thousand of the bullets in the link below. Has anyone used these in a reloaded 38 special bullet? Would/do they work decently?
Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL356-124-TC 9mm Luger 38 Super 380 ACP (356

 

[billybob44]

Will lead your barrel..

So my wife just bought a new 38 special yesterday. Being the reloader, I already placed an order for the dies. Now i'm looking for bullets. From what i've read is the diameter of the 9mm is only .001" different which, to me, is very negligable. I already have a few thousand of the bullets in the link below. Has anyone used these in a reloaded 38 special bullet? Would/do they work decently?
Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL356-124-TC 9mm Luger 38 Super 380 ACP (356

If, and ONLY IF, you can get good case neck tension, those bullets will load.

With that said, expect heavy barrel leading..If these bullets drop at .356" out of the mold, then they will be .002" smaller than the .358" diameter that your .38Spl. will shoot best.

I would doubt that you could get a good gas seal, and this will lead your barrel heavily.

If I were you, I would either hold back these bullets, or trade them off for some .358" cast bullets..YMMV...Bill.

 

[coyn]

Yeah, I load these in my 9mm so I have them laying around waiting to be reloaded for that. Just thought I might try a few in the 38 to see how they do.

 

[ghostdncr]

I did this years ago when in a situation similar to yours (a new .357 and nothing in the way of bullets but 147gr lead TC's) and it worked out just fine. I loaded them to medium .38 Special velocities with no ill side effects.

 

[coyn]

how was the accuracy?

 

[sloughfoot]

I wonder why they bother to make 38 Special bullets and 9mm bullets if they are interchangeable?

The answer is they are not interchangeable.

Since neck tension is .001, a bullet .002 too small won't be held by the 38 case. Conversely, a 38 bullet is too big to fit into the 9mm case.

Just buy the correct bullet and don't look back.

 

[gunbunnies]

Not a regular practice but 9mm in a 38 special will work just fine, it's the other way around that you will have pressure issues...

put a dozen of them on a caliper and I'll bet they will run close to .357 all the way to .354 in diameter...

Jacketed has less give... lead not soo much...

 

[Classic]

If you are loading ammunition then .002 in. is significant for many component dimensions.

 

[coyn]

Not a regular practice but 9mm in a 38 special will work just fine, it's the other way around that you will have pressure issues...

put a dozen of them on a caliper and I'll bet they will run close to .357 all the way to .354 in diameter...

That's what I kind of figured too. I'm going to measure a handful and see what they measure at.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

buy the proper components. Reloading is no place to take shortcuts.

 

[sbcman]

So my wife just bought a new 38 special yesterday. Being the reloader, I already placed an order for the dies. Now i'm looking for bullets. From what i've read is the diameter of the 9mm is only .002" different which, to me, is very negligable. I already have a few thousand of the bullets in the link below. Has anyone used these in a reloaded 38 special bullet? Would/do they work decently?
Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold TL356-124-TC 9mm Luger 38 Super 380 ACP (356

Good advice here back and forth, I'll just throw my in.

I have the exact same mold and for fun one day, loaded some 38 with those bullets. They ran great through my 686. No leading, no decrease in accuracy, nothing. I think they'll do just fine for ya. If not, just go to .358. Won't hurt to try

 

[coyn]

Good advice here back and forth, I'll just throw my in.

I have the exact same mold and for fun one day, loaded some 38 with those bullets. They ran great through my 686. No leading, no decrease in accuracy, nothing. I think they'll do just fine for ya. If not, just go to .358. Won't hurt to try

That's what I figured. I'm going to buy some plated 38spl bullets but thought I would try this too. It's good to hear that other people have had success.

 

[PGRChaplain]

You'll shoot your eye out! Hard to find a good reason to make a load like that. Sometimes primers will make a big change in a load.