9mm and .380 bullets again

[tacotime]

I'm sure its been covered before, but what's the difference between 9mm and .380 FMJ bullets if both are .356?

So can I use in the 9mm the 100 grain FMJ bullets like Berry's marked for .380?

Thanks.

[Erich]

Sure . . . but you want to make sure that you've got good load data that takes OAL and depth of seating into account. If you can't find any data for that bullet with the .380, you might call Berry's.

[tacotime]

Thanks Erich.

[max]

Sometimes the light bulllets will not cycle the slide on some guns. Depends on the gun and the load. I tend to stay away from them.

[Erich]

That issue wouldn't arise with the 100-grainers in the .380, though.

[max]

Erich is right, I read it backwards.

[JeepinSoldier]

.380 Auto and 9mm P are .355

Berry's may be .356 because most are plated soft lead.

The Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 8th Edition, has loads for both .380 and 9mm P with the 100 grain FMJ. You should have no problem with this load data and Berry's plated. Like any load, begin at the starting load and work up.

What powder are you using?

[tacotime]

Using 231, but Bullseye and Unique are available.

As for light bullets, I have loaded the 90 grain Hornady XTP and it is the most accurate so far in this gun, and has not failed to cycle at normal loadings. That same bullet is also listed for the .380 in the Hornady manual.

The idea was for a small varmint round, not for the house.

I guess I have no reason not to try the 100 gr. for plinking and small varmints. Choices in raw bullets were slim in 9mm on the shelf but they had several big boxes of these marked 380 on the label... leading to the question.

Kicking around lead bullets but I always end up with leaded bores, in spite of the efforts to avoid it.

[JeepinSoldier]

The manual I quoted above lists 4.5 grains starting load and 5.3 grains max load with Win 231 for the Hornady 100 grain FMJ in the 9mm P.

Berry's plated should be similar. Keep plated bullets to lower velocities then actual FMJ as they act more like lead bullets.

Begin at the Starting load and work up cautiously as you are using a different component than specified. Good luck!

[Don 73]

Didn't the Illinois State Police use a 95gr JSP for a time in their model 39s?

[Erich]

Where's Mas when we need him? He's a remarkable historian of who issued what, when.

That sounds right to me, Don, but I'd have to dig out my Dean Grennell books to track down where I remember reading it - and I'm at work and they're at home.

[Don 73]

Originally Posted by Erich

Where's Mas when we need him? He's a remarkable historian of who issued what, when.

That sounds right to me, Don, but I'd have to dig out my Dean Grennell books to track down where I remember reading it - and I'm at work and they're at home.

I remember reading about it in my Dad's Police Product News Magazine when I was (much) younger and the 9 was just becoming popular.

[Erich]

1908, Don? Dang - you look good for your age!

Playing around on the web, I can see a whole lot of info discussing ISP's carrying of 115-gr +P+ ammo, and a couple discussion threads mentioning the round you bring up. So, our recollections are not totally off!

And then there's this thread right here on Big Blue . . .

IL State Police Winchester Q4032 100 gr FMJ

[Don 73]

Originally Posted by Erich

1908, Don? Dang - you look good for your age!

Playing around on the web, I can see a whole lot of info discussing ISP's carrying of 115-gr +P+ ammo, and a couple discussion threads mentioning the round you bring up. So, our recollections are not totally off!

And then there's this thread right here on Big Blue . . .

IL State Police Winchester Q4032 100 gr FMJ

I think the 115 gr / 115gr +P+ is pretty much the "standard" round for the 9mm, but lately as improvements are made, heavier grain bullets are coming into favor ... they just got a bad rap with the early 147gr 'subsonic' loads