.......just tell me NO and let's move on.....

[W.E.G.]

Sell the .355's and buy .357's

 

[Jim Watson]

Not in my case. I had a flaring die that did no expansion at all, still no real neck tension.

 

[Switup]

CRIMP IT and go

What he said

 

[kidneyboy]

I have a huge, huge huge amount of 147 grain .355 JHP bullets, with cannelure. They are de-milled Speer Gold Dot G2s.

I'm pondering the idea of loading them in 38 Specials. As you can see, I've discovered that there is insufficient neck tension due to being a .355 bullet going into a .357 resized case. The bullet was able to be set back using hand pressure on the side of my wood bench....

What if I ran just the top of my fully resized 38 batch of brass (after being full length resized in the .38 die), then run the whole batch of .38 brass through a 9mm die, but only say about .375" down from the mouth? This would get the neck tension right. I also would likely switch the powder funnel/expander over to the 9mm one probably.....I'd play that part by ear....

These would remain light to medium .38 special velocities.

Any thoughts, or is this a bad, bad idea?

My main reason for wanting to do this is....im not loving these bullets in 9mm whatsoever. No matter what OAL, they have FTF issues and im just tired of tinkering with them in 9mm.
View attachment 1134044

Tinkering is fun but, No.
Having all the bullets is probably enough reason to get a 9mm revolver.....

 

[cfullgraf]

Not in my case. I had a flaring die that did no expansion at all, still no real neck tension.

Yes, dies can be at opposite ends of the tolerance range.

 

[alfsauve]

My understanding neck tension is for cartridges that head space on their mouth. e.g., 9mm, .45ACP. But ones that head space on their rim, such as .38/.357, simply use roll crimping hold the bullet in place.

 

[Shooterbob]

Idk I would rather have neck tension correct than rely on crimp. Over crimp will deform brass resulting in a loose bullet fit

 

[captain awesome]

Size with a 9mm sizer. Use 9mm expander. Seat with 9mm seater, and crimp with a roll crimp if that still doesn't cut it. The LEE collet die is a good suggestion. Done and done

 

[Akula69]

If you decide not to go the .38 route, I would love to talk with you about buying those G2's off your hands....

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Just use a Lee FCD. That will fix the neck tension without having to roll crimp.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Sell them and buy the proper bullets.

 

[Riomouse911]

Give it a whirl, you may just put together some effective small game or even SD rounds with the Gold Dot bullets you have.

## Not quite the same, but:..I load 146 gr RN coated lead bullets that are advertised for 9mm use. They shoot very well in my revolvers, and like the FMJ shown above, the profile makes them a breeze to reload during a stage using speedloaders.

However, I specifically order them sized .358 for my .38/.357 falling plate match loads. (Eggleston offers them sized and at .356, .357 and .358). I have tried .355 bullets a time or two but I never got them to work well for me.

https://www.egglestonmunitions.com/...N-for-500-Count/p/163350070/category=10873433

Good luck experimenting!

Stay safe.

 

[lordpaxman]

No, I won’t tell you no. Sounds like a fine plan, I’m interested in how it turns out.

My main reason for wanting to do this is....im not loving these bullets in 9mm whatsoever. No matter what OAL, they have FTF issues and im just tired of tinkering with them in 9mm.

I’m even more interested in what the heck is the FTF issue - I have 147 factory Speer gold dots here and they run fine. In fact they’re in my carry gun.

 

[jmorris]

How can I get more neck tension through the "right" crimp?

Well, you can’t. If you crimp enough to deform the bullet (swage it smaller by squeezing the case around it) the softer lead will stay at the smaller diameter, while the case springs back. Making it a loss as far as neck tension, not a gain at all. However, if you roll crimp into a cannelure enough, you can spin the bullet in the case with your fingers (zero neck tension) and it still won’t fall out because the rim is holding on to a smaller diameter in the bullet.

If you do it to bullets that don’t have a cannelure, you can even see where the brass displaces the bullet. It is this displacement and subsequent smaller OD that cause retention, not case neck tension.



Makes it a lot easier to see how more crimp, even if it’s a net loss of case neck tension can still retain the bullet. Only down side is that it generally wrecks accuracy as well….

 

[Shooterbob]

A couple coats of powder coat will increase diameter I believe enough to get a good hold on them bullets.

 

[AJC1]

A couple coats of powder coat will increase diameter I believe enough to get a good hold on them bullets.

For the purpose of growth, one coat gains me .002 and that's a thin one that leaves good bullet definition and sharp swc edges. I do believe it would negatively effect performance of terminal ballistics on a SD bullet so I would not consider them for SD after.

 

[Palladan44]

No, I won’t tell you no. Sounds like a fine plan, I’m interested in how it turns out.

I’m even more interested in what the heck is the FTF issue - I have 147 factory Speer gold dots here and they run fine. In fact they’re in my carry gun.

They run fine in my Glocks, as you could probably imagine. But not so well in my Kahr K9...... let me just say, it doesn't take much to annoy me. I like 9mm ammo to run reliably in both firearms I shoot regularly (G19, K9). I honestly don't care for 147s in 9mms in General, I prefer 124s

 

[PapaG]

Roll crimp in the cannelure and don't obsess about it. Might not be accurate but will go bang,

 

[Palladan44]

Roll crimp in the cannelure and don't obsess about it. Might not be accurate but will go bang,

Obsess? No....More like paying attention to details. Kind of important in this hobby.

 

[PWC]

Yep, experimenting is a fun part of reloading.

Paper patching is another form of reloading rabbit hole.

 

[mdi]

Sell the .355's and buy .357's

Yep. I'm sure someone would take those 9mm bullets off your hands and some may trade you for some 38/357 bullets. (I have often been blessed for "paying it forward")...

If I had no other bullets for my 38/357s and no way to get more, I might try undersize bullets. But I have several hundred .357" jacketed bullets, about 400 cast bullets, and 4, 38 cal. bullet molds and 3/4 ton of lead...

 

[fxvr5]

Might not be accurate but will go bang,

That can be said about any bullet.

Why might they not be accurate?

 

[jmorris]

Obsess? No....More like paying attention to details. Kind of important in this hobby.

That’s the thing about this hobby, there is no right and wrong many times just different wants and needs.

I have fallen on both sides, often. If your just blasting balloons in a pond with SMG’s, even if the accuracy of the projectile is compromised, that doesn’t change the smiles on faces. If I am trying to get a revolver to shoot small at 50 yards or more, I get much more particular but that’s a change of expectations and money spent.

 

[PapaG]

That can be said about any bullet.

Why might they not be accurate?

Underside by two or three thousandths.

 

[PapaG]

Obsess? No....More like paying attention to details. Kind of important in this hobby.

Wasn't being nasty. I have wasted too much time second guessing myself. That's after carefully checking and double checking data.