Reloading 9mm cases with 38 caliber bullets. Possible??

[harokyle]

hi does anyone know if you can reload 38 bullets in your 9mm cases and use them for a semi-auto pistol? I ask because where i buy them the 38 bullets are much cheaper than 9mm.

 

[sloughfoot]

No, you can't. That is why there are two separate calibers and bullets are made for each one.

Otherwise, they would just say 9mm/38 Special bullets for sale. As you know, they don't say that.

 

[indymadcaster]

YES you can! I do this for glocks and H&K up to .359 diam also in my 9mm baby eagle which is polygonal rifled I load reasonable loads but these are lead cast boolits.
can you do it with jacketed? yes and no with slower powders yes higher end loads with fast powder NO it Can be done just have to ask and learn
its all in your bore size I resize 8mmbullets .323 dia to shoot in a .317 bore rifle and it works too

 

[CampingJosh]

What are you asking? Is it possible? Is it safe? Is it effective?

If you're wanting to use the cheapest bullets you can in order to save money, many of the super-cheap bullets are made to loose tolerances.

9mm bullets should be .355 (jacketed) or .356 (lead).
.38 bullets should be .357 (jacketed) or .358 (lead).

In your super-cheap bullets, you may just find that you're already getting a mixture of the two calibers. I have found that when measuring some of my bullets.

DISCLAIMER: Do not believe anything I say. Verify everything in a published reloading manual.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Your bullet is bigger than your barrel. That's axiomatic. The .38 is about .002 bigger than the 9mm nominally. That's on the order of a hair's breadth. If you're worried about it, use a slower powder so your pressure doesn't go high, but it will go down the barrel. Just make sure you have a profile that will feed.

 

[Aszerigan]

I'm going to side with the "bad idea" camp on this one. Why take the chance?

They're made differently for a reason. Sure, you CAN put 12oz of water in an 11.5oz jar, if you don't mind cleaning up the mess.

 

[XtremeVel]

I wouldn't do it.

I would also shop around and find a new source where .38 cal bullets weren't so much cheaper than 9mm than this wouldn't even be a consideration.

 

[WLW]

You could (probably/maybe) but... I wouldn't especially jacketed. You could have pressure issues, and put a lot of additional wear on the rifling. I don't see prices being that much different between the two bullets to risk making a mistake.

 

[Cam]

I'm going to side with the "bad idea" camp on this one. Why take the chance?

They're made differently for a reason. Sure, you CAN put 12oz of water in an 11.5oz jar, if you don't mind cleaning up the mess.

This man speaks with wisdom. Buy 9mm bullets.

 

[Leo]

If you are talking cast bullets, you can run them through a .356 swaging die. I do not know how much cheaper the bullets are, it may take a long time to pay for the equipment if you do not already have it.

 

[indymadcaster]

Ok would you just go to the hottest load in the book? No can it be done Yes! Have I done it yes! you have to start slow and work up
it works in polygonal rifled barrels best as they are slightly oversize because of the design. its like reloading steel cases I have done it just to prove you can in a pinch. Reloading is science/art one can do a lot with a little thinking. example I have a mosin-nagant M91/30 that NEVER shot worth a poo....... one day i pushed an oiled .323 dia lead sinker thru it WOOhaaa
my Bore was .3175 no .310 or .312 will ever shoot well so I resized .323 bullets jacketed and cast lead to .3185 guess what...... shoots into a one inch group with nice lead wheelweight loads and the jacketed 180 grainers go into 1.5 in @ 100 with full power loads

 

[bulletbaron]

As Elmer Keith stated when Remington introduced the 8mm Remington Magnum round............

WHY???????????????

Just curious why anyone would consider such a concept!!!

 

[Lancem]

Because in my case, my Hi Power barrel slugs out at .357, if I load and shoot cast bullets at .355/.356 I'm going to have an real leading mess. Instead I load bullets sized .358 and all is well, the same size as I load for my .38 special who's barrel also slugs out at .357...

 

[Litlratt]

Because in my case, my Hi Power barrel slugs out at .357, if I load and shoot cast bullets at .355/.356 I'm going to have an real leading mess. Instead I load bullets sized .358 and all is well, the same size as I load for my .38 special who's barrel also slugs out at .357...

This information should have been included in the OP.

 

[Cat-Herder]

This information should have been included in the OP.

yep. Know what you are doing, way before you do it. As long as the bullet fits the barrel, and the weight of the bullet is appropriate for the caliber, go for it. but "can i load X bullets in Y caliber" questions are usually simply answered with a "NO"...

 

[Lancem]

This information should have been included in the OP.

??? I'm not the OP, just answering the question of why would someone do this...

 

[Litlratt]

??? I'm not the OP, just answering the question of why would someone do this...

My bad. I apologize.

 

[Lancem]

No problem it's all good

 

[Lancem]

i would not do it

Troll??

 

[dak109]

Troll??

Trying for 50?