Light 9mm REVOLVER ONLY reloads?

Walkalong said:

I was doing a how low can you go test that I documented here, saw one bullet leaving the barrel and bouncing off the top of the chrono at seven yards

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• Never that slow, but I've had some revolver loads around 600fps you could visibly see the bullet go downrange. It's a giggle.

• If I already owned a 38Spcl or 357M revolver, I'm not sure I would waste money on a 9x19 cylinder. You can do all the powderpuff loads you want with the 38. However, Ruger does (or did) make a 38/9mm convertible revolver. I've shot them and the accuracy was OK. But obviously you're splitting your allegiance between 0.355" and .0357", and something somewhere has to loose.

lordpaxman said:

Technically they have to meet a PF, but most level I/II don’t chrono.

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Yes but back then the 45 acp and moon clips could compete with the other revolvers and the PF was only 125, thus the 2.8 grains of clays & 230 going 550 fps. It was stupid but it still took them a long time to change the rules and put them into different classes.

I haven't seen how low I can go with 9mm in my revolver yet. I'm only down to 3gr of TiteGroup under 147gr plated bullet.

jmorris said:

A 230 grain bullet ~ 550 fps, you could often see the bullet in flight. The joke back then was that, "the rules don't say the bullet has to go through the (cardboard) target..."

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Actually in both PPC and Bullseye competition the rules do state exactly that. The bullet must pass all the way through the target and backer.

Was not aware that there were revolvers chambered for 9mm Luger, although it is no surprise. So a few related questions........if memory serves, rounds for revolvers use a tighter roll crimp? Does the same taper crimp used for autos still work?

So if a guy had one with .355 barrel, would it be as easy as a cylinder swap to go back and forth between 9mm and 357 Sig?

Walkalong said:

That’s where I would start, or Competition or N-310. Mouse fart loads out of 9MM brass in a revolver should be as easy as falling off a log.

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Yeah there's not really any excessive case capacity like with almost any other common revolver cartridges.
Even 3gr of nitro100nf fills the case around half way.

Howa 9700 said:

if memory serves, rounds for revolvers use a tighter roll crimp? Does the same taper crimp used for autos still work?

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Yes.

Not sure I have seen a 9mm 357 Sig one but I have a 9mm/357mag one myself. They also have 45 colt/45 auto but I already have a few 625's.

Giving this a bit more thought and if the 9mm version of one of these can handle +P or +P+ pressures, then you would already be in low end 357 Sig velocities still using 9mm cases. No need for the Sig option. And it occurs to me that is also the case with autos in 9mm. If they can handle the pressure, no need for the Sig. It's the same bullet.

Many of the 9mm revolvers use moon clips so you can reload with a roll crimp if you like. Just understand that they probably will seat too far in the chamber in semi-autos or in revolvers without using moon clips.

And it might be a good time to remind that SAMMI specs on 9mm Luger and .38spl/.357 magnum call for the same bore and grove. Ideally you slug your bore and develop loads with the diameter that works best. In practice some (many?) of us use .355 and .357 diameter bullets interchangeably in our 9mm and .37/.357s.

9mmepiphany said:

It was my understanding that you should base your choice of bullet diameter on that of the cylinder throats

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Perhaps I should have said, "slug your barrel." I guess I threw out the word bore as a generic word, sorry about that.

However, I'd guess many (most?) of us will never slug the barrel be it the bore or the throat or... We can, which is what I did, experiment with different diameters and see which give us the best result. In my case I wanted something in a velocity that results in a 120-130 power factor and gave tight groups. I've tried different weights and different diameters, .355" and .357", and at various velocities within my desired PF range. What my bore or throat actually are is sort of mute. I'm lucky in that my 686, 929, G17 and P320, work well with the same weight and velocity bullet.

Alfsauve beat me to it. SAMMI specs for land and groove dia in 9mm, .38sp, and .357 mag are identical. There is no fall off in accuracy when shooting 9mm.

I've converted three 637-2 Airweight J-frames to 9mm by lightening them up with a titanium .357Mag cylinder reamed for 9x19 and moonclips. I usually shoot 147 gr standard pressure, but they will handle +P OK. Recoil does attract your attention in a 12 ounce gun though.

TTv2 said:

Titegroup is fine, I have lots of that. I'll probably try out some 700x as well, that powder always seems to shoot well for me in revolvers, but is pretty low on the velocity end, which is exactly what I want.

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700X works very well in 9mm I was using it pretty much exclusively until the last 3 years with it being unobtainable now. I was using 700X in 9mm , 38 super , 38 special, 40 S&W and 45 auto it is a very versatile powder. I am now using Bullseye, Silhouette and W244 .

9mmepiphany said:

Perhaps I misunderstood earlier explanations.
It was my understanding that you should base your choice of bullet diameter on that of the cylinder throats

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True, you check the bore, groove and throat dimensions before choosing a lead bullet or starting load development for very close to maximum pressure using jacketed or solid bullets.

However, while any competent machinist can ream the throat of a cylinder, regulating and uniforming throat dimensions, an undersized groove is difficult to recut and an oversized groove and bore will require even more work. None of the above are game enders but any one is a game changer.

That’s probably why most people just go with the averages and assume the throats, groove and bore are close enough. I ended up getting the throats of every Ruger Blackhawk I ever bought recut so they would be close to each other. Ruger just didn’t plan for people to use his guns with lead I guess.

jmorris said:

I haven't but I used to load 45 acp to 125pf for revolvers for SSR in the old days.

A 230 grain bullet ~ 550 fps, you could often see the bullet in flight. The joke back then was that, "the rules don't say the bullet has to go through the (cardboard) target..."

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I did that, too. When IDPA increased the power factor for clip guns I was glad I had not bought one of the small bore revolvers in 9mm, .38 Super, or .40 to get a handier gun.

9mmepiphany said:

I've had that argument with an SO before. It is sort of cool to see a bullet stuck in the cardboard

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Anecdote Alert:
A club member was well known for his light loads, maybe even sub-minor at local shoots where he wouldn't be chronographed.
Once he shot a "dressed" target and his bullet was found hanging in the fabric on the back side.
Again his shot passed through the target but hit the one behind it over the furring strip it was stapled to. We found that bullet on the floor at the foot of the target stand.

I have heard shooters to say they brought along some heavier loads for knockdown steel.

I been wanting to load some light loads for my Pit bull 9mm. Im thinking about a 100 grain bullet with 3.5 grains of Bullseye.