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5/7/2015 2:40:01 AM EDT
I bought a batch of jacket bullets intending to use them for my 357.  The question presented itself - can I also them for my 9mm?

A while back, I slugged my 9mm barrel using a lead bullet.  IIRC, it measured 0.356" diameter.  I've never slugged the 357's bore.

I've never actually measured the jacketed bullets but I believe they are 0.357" diameter.



Both bores have a SAAMI spec of 0.355" diameter groove diameter.


ETA - 357 Magnum
5/7/2015 3:26:56 AM EDT
[#1]
Magnum or Sig?
5/7/2015 6:43:04 AM EDT
[#2]
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa
5/7/2015 9:14:44 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote History
Quoted:
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa
View Quote


This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
5/7/2015 9:19:01 AM EDT
[#4]
I have loaded 9mm bullets into my 38 and 357 reloads a lot.  

I have never done it with 357/38 into 9mm reloads.  The bullets are not really designed for feedramps of most 9mm pistols.

5/7/2015 10:01:21 AM EDT
[#5]
Worst part about loading 38/357 bullets in 9 MM is the bullet profile may not feed to well in semi auto.  If you had 130 grain Round nose commonly loaded in 38 Special I doubt you could tell any difference in accuracy to a .355 bullet.
5/7/2015 10:05:20 AM EDT
[#6]

Quote History
Quoted:
This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
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Quoted:



Quoted:

Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa




This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355

 
5/7/2015 10:24:12 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Quoted:
10mm case, but yes .355  
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa


This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355  


10mm is a longer case the 357 Sig is just a necked down 40SW
357, 10, 40
5/7/2015 10:27:25 AM EDT
[#8]

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Quoted:



10mm case, but yes .355  
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Quoted:



Quoted:


Quoted:

Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa




This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355  
That's 9x25 Dillon

 
5/7/2015 11:06:54 AM EDT
[#9]
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Quoted:
That's 9x25 Dillon  
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa


This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355  
That's 9x25 Dillon  


I have accidentally run several 357 Sig cases through my Dillon 650XL when reloading 40S&W and the resulting cartridge fails the case gauge.   Nominally 357 Sig case is 0.015 inches longer than a 40S&W case.  When you blow the neck out that grows another hundredth or two longer.  357 Sig uses a small pistol primer 10mm Auto uses large pistol primer.  My guess is current production 357 Sig brass comes off the same machine that makes 40S&W brass but the case is trimmed longer and run through and extra tapering die or two to form the neck and shoulder.
5/7/2015 3:35:44 PM EDT
[#10]
I was referring to 357 Magnum, not 357 Sig.
5/7/2015 3:44:32 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Quoted:


10mm is a longer case the 357 Sig is just a necked down 40SW
357, 10, 40
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/357SIG_ammo.jpg
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa


This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355  


10mm is a longer case the 357 Sig is just a necked down 40SW
357, 10, 40
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/357SIG_ammo.jpg


Simply necking down a .40 S&W case would result in a case that is shorter than is the .357 SIG.


5/7/2015 4:48:18 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote History
Quoted:


Simply necking down a .40 S&W case would result in a case that is shorter than is the .357 SIG.


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Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Many articles going back 30 or more years published by the NRA say yes the sizes are similar enough you can use bullets designed for 9mm in 38/357 loads and vice versa


This.... .357 Sig is a 9mm bullet crammed into a 40SW case.
10mm case, but yes .355  


10mm is a longer case the 357 Sig is just a necked down 40SW
357, 10, 40
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/357SIG_ammo.jpg


Simply necking down a .40 S&W case would result in a case that is shorter than is the .357 SIG.




I am not saying neck down a case just stating the 357 Sig - 40SW is akin to the 243Win - 308Win or 30-06 - 25-06/270Win
5/7/2015 4:55:24 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote History
Quoted:
I was referring to 357 Magnum, not 357 Sig.
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LOL

And here we are arguing about 357 Sig.

IMHO I would not load 357 Magnum bullet in 9mm.  357 Magnum is 0.357 diameter for jacketed bullets, 9mm is 0.355 diameter for jacketed bullets.  Yes it's only 0.002 inch.  I don't think it would blow up your handgun, but it will raise chamber pressures swagging that larger bullet into the tighter barrel.  If you're pushing the pressure and velocity up near the max and then using this slightly oversize bullet you might give you problems.  ... and it might not.

Do you have a lot of them to use up?  I would simple save them or sell them to a buddy that can use them in a 38/357 and buy some 9mm bullets.  YMMV
5/7/2015 7:32:09 PM EDT
[#14]
It's just an academic question at this point.  I was wondering if anyone had experience doing it and whether that experience was favorable,... or not.

I knew a guy who fired 357 lead bullets in his Beretta barrel because they gave good accuracy and were cheap.  These are jacketed, so I thought to ask before doing.

There no need, just a desire.
5/7/2015 8:41:07 PM EDT
[#15]
You should be just fine with the .357 bullets in the 9mm.  The following is from: http://www.schuemann.com/Portals/0/Documentation/Schuemann%20Instruction%20manual.pdf

"(8) Barrel Groove, Land, and Recommended Bullet Diameter
Barrels will have the following groove and land diameters. For optimum accuracy, lead
bullets should be 0.002 or 0.003 inch larger than groove diameter; copper jacketed bullets
should be 0.001 or 0.002 inch larger than groove diameter.
.355 caliber: groove diameter = 0.3550 inch, land diameter = 0.3460 inch.
.400 caliber: groove diameter = 0.4000 inch, land diameter = 0.3910 inch.
.450 caliber: groove diameter = 0.4500 inch, land diameter = 0.4420 inch."
5/7/2015 10:58:00 PM EDT
[#16]
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You should be just fine with the .357 bullets in the 9mm.  The following is from: http://www.schuemann.com/Portals/0/Documentation/Schuemann%20Instruction%20manual.pdf

"(8) Barrel Groove, Land, and Recommended Bullet Diameter
Barrels will have the following groove and land diameters. For optimum accuracy, lead
bullets should be 0.002 or 0.003 inch larger than groove diameter; copper jacketed bullets
should be 0.001 or 0.002 inch larger than groove diameter.
.355 caliber: groove diameter = 0.3550 inch, land diameter = 0.3460 inch.
.400 caliber: groove diameter = 0.4000 inch, land diameter = 0.3910 inch.
.450 caliber: groove diameter = 0.4500 inch, land diameter = 0.4420 inch."
View Quote


That's great info and very encouraging.  I may load a couple (as in 2) with light to middle weight powder charges and see if they feed and function.
5/8/2015 12:13:43 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote History
Quoted:
I was referring to 357 Magnum, not 357 Sig.
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I would caution you........
When I was in college I had a Lee Loader in .38 special. I found a box of Speer 9mmJHP at a flea market for $1 and thought I had won the lottery.
I loaded fifty rounds and headed to the range.

First shot was a pop and that old Model 10 heavy barrel locked up tight. Couldn't even open the cylinder....the bullet was stuck, part way in the forcing cone, part way in the cylinder.

Seems bullets made for semi auto calibers often don't have the little crimping grove that helps keep the bullet in the case while the powder is burning.
The primer popped......but simply blew the bullet into the forcing cone before ignition.

5/8/2015 3:13:07 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote History
Quoted:

I would caution you........
When I was in college I had a Lee Loader in .38 special. I found a box of Speer 9mmJHP at a flea market for $1 and thought I had won the lottery.
I loaded fifty rounds and headed to the range.

First shot was a pop and that old Model 10 heavy barrel locked up tight. Couldn't even open the cylinder....the bullet was stuck, part way in the forcing cone, part way in the cylinder.

Seems bullets made for semi auto calibers often don't have the little crimping grove that helps keep the bullet in the case while the powder is burning.
The primer popped......but simply blew the bullet into the forcing cone before ignition.

View Quote View All Quotes
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Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I was referring to 357 Magnum, not 357 Sig.

I would caution you........
When I was in college I had a Lee Loader in .38 special. I found a box of Speer 9mmJHP at a flea market for $1 and thought I had won the lottery.
I loaded fifty rounds and headed to the range.

First shot was a pop and that old Model 10 heavy barrel locked up tight. Couldn't even open the cylinder....the bullet was stuck, part way in the forcing cone, part way in the cylinder.

Seems bullets made for semi auto calibers often don't have the little crimping grove that helps keep the bullet in the case while the powder is burning.
The primer popped......but simply blew the bullet into the forcing cone before ignition.



I'm not sure what to make of this info given my situation.  I have a semi-auto 9mm not a revolver and the bullets I'm asking about are 357 with a cannelure, not smooth-sided 9mm.  

Still, thank you for the words of caution and the good intentions behind them
5/8/2015 3:15:15 PM EDT
[#19]
I've been thinking about the various replies and have sort of reached this perspective - why bother?  I should just buy some 9 mm jacketed bullets.


If there were no 9mm available, I could consider using 357, but why do that now?


Thanks, guys.