Converting my 627 to shoot 9mm

[colt_saa]

Curious , so to those who have had a 9mm cylinder made for their 627 ( or other revolver), What was total cost?
As an alternative, could a 929 cylinder be fit?

While my cylinder does chamber and fire the 9MM Luger cartridge, it is chambered for the 9x23 Winchester. Since moon-clipped revolvers firing rimless cartridges head-space on the moon-clip, all the shorter cartridges in that family will also chamber and fire. These include 9x23 Winchester, 38SUPER, 38ACP, 356TSW, 9x21, 9MM Luger, 380ACP and others that do not come to mind at the moment.

Total cost depends on if you are doing this as a conversion or as a convertible.

Total cost also varies based on which of the gunsmiths you choose to do the job

Either way you have the cost of cutting the eight new chambers in the cylinder plus making sure the machining for the 9mm/38Super clips is redone.

That machine shop labor cost is always increasing. These days it is $275 from Pinnacle. I am not sure what TK charges

If you want to create a convertible there is the cost of a second cylinder. That varies based on where you get it from, so that is hard to say. You might get lucky on eBay or GB (I have many times) or you might pay full retail on the part from Smith and Wesson, one of the parts suppliers or your favorite gun shop.

When my conversion was done the total cost with a new cylinder was around $200, but this revolver is now over a decade old

 

[colt_saa]

Curious , so to those who have had a 9mm cylinder made for their 627 ( or other revolver), What was total cost?

This is the first convertible Smith and Wesson that I owned.

A Model 34 with a bobbed hammer and a second 22LR cylinder rechambered for 22 Magnum. I think that this whole thing including the revolver was only about $225, but that was a long time ago

However I have done many conversions over the years

I have all of my Smith and Wesson Model 940s re-chambered for the 38 Super cartridge

Then there is the 310/610 family of revolvers that I have lengthened the chambers to accept the 10MM Magnum cartridge.

Then there are all the auto-loader conversions

 

[Tanners Owner]

Quick update. The mainspring screw was indeed the culprit for my light primer strikes yesterday. Shot it today after my IDPA match, ran fine with no issues.

Actually ran it in one of the stages after the match & it was smooth transitioning between targets and very minimal recoil.

Am glad I did this conversion. Some day soon, I'll try the other calibers Coltsaa mentions.

 

[captainwayne]

627 conversion to 9mm

With moon clips only, or will any of these cartridges seat in the chamber without them?

From my looking into the same project Pinnacle's website says that once they convert the cylinder it cannot be used for 38sp/357mag without the potential issues mentioned above. T&K says when they do the conversion cylinder you can.
Must be a machining difference

 

[Jim Watson]

Or in the detailed warning from TK about what ammo to use.

I have thought about having a J frame converted to 9mm, but the cost will buy a lot of .38 econoball and even more .358" bullets for reloading.

 

[colt_saa]

From my looking into the same project Pinnacle's website says that once they convert the cylinder it cannot be used for 38sp/357mag without the potential issues mentioned above. T&K says when they do the conversion cylinder you can.
Must be a machining difference

Once you convert a 357 Magnum cylinder to fire the rimless 9MM family of cartridges IT SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR 357 MAGNUM AT ALL

I am surprised that TK is telling you otherwise

While firing 357 Magnum in a cylinder converted for the 9MM family of cartridges will not cause catastrophic failure of the firearm, if you are a hand loader you will not be pleased with the piece of brass that gets extracted from your firearm.

Additionally, using 357 Magnum or 38 Special +P or +P+ ammunition the possibility of a case splitting is greatly increased

 

[colt_saa]

I have thought about having a J frame converted to 9mm, but the cost will buy a lot of .38 econoball and even more .358" bullets for reloading.

I do not think any of us did these conversions with the idea that we were going to save money on ammunition.

I know that I did not.

My goal with the Model 627 was to have a revolver that could shoot 9x23 Winchester. It gave me 357 Magnum power with MUCH, much faster reloads

With the Model 940s my goal was to be able to fire the more powerful 38 SUPER cartridge.

My goals with many of the other conversions was simply because I wanted something different and it was possible

 

[captainwayne]

T & K website and pricing distinctly say that when they convert the cylinder to shoot 9mm you still can shoot 38 and 357 magnum with our without moonclips.
I'm thinking some of you more experienced guys can figure it out!

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I think post #26 colt_saa said it best, but in answer to your post captainwayne- you can! Once! Right?

You see. You can drop 8 38 short Colts in a 8 shot 929 cylinder- I have.
You cannot drop 8 9mm in a 627 cylinder(unless the cylinder is machined). You need like less than a .25"??? I haven't measured but I've also tried this. But they won't go in. Because the 9mm is tapered and all 38s(357mag,38spl, 38long+short Colts ARE straight walled. So imagine if you will.

Shooting 357 mags out of a converted cylinder will balloon the lower part of the case. Or can crack the case...

T & K website and pricing distinctly say that when they convert the cylinder to shoot 9mm you still can shoot 38 and 357 magnum with our without moonclips.
I'm thinking some of you more experienced guys can figure it out!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Lou_the_welder]

My solution to shooting 9mm in a 627/327 cylinders: 38 short Colts with 9mm bullets.!
I've loaded .355,.356 and .357s on moonclips just for the 627/327 8 shooters.
Lotsa fun..starline brass. Winchester primers WSP. 115gr(9mm .355), 124gr (9mm .355 or .356) or 125gr (38 cal. .357dia). Basically left over stuff from bullets I already reload. Very economical.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Tanners Owner]

Pics as requested. Apologies for delay

Pics show the 9mm cylinder installed with the original 357 cylinder on the side. Moon clipped 38s & 9mm also shown.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Wouldn't it make sense to buy a 9mm revolver?

 

[Tanners Owner]

Wouldn't it make sense to buy a 9mm revolver?

In my case no. The conversion while not cheap, was less than a 929. Also, there are some attributes of the 929 I don't like- namely length of barrel, titanium cylinder.

Besides I have no more room in my safes for another gun.... & no more room in the house for another safe & she who must be obeyed is ok with gunsmithing expenses but not keen on a new gun expense

 

[WC145]

Wouldn't it make sense to buy a 9mm revolver?

When I had my 360J converted this resurgence in factory built 9mm revolvers hadn't happened yet and I wanted lightweight 9mm snubby, something that still hasn't been made by any of the factories. My gun weighs about 13oz empty, the next closest in weight is the Ruger LCR 9mm at 17oz, the others out there - S&W 940, Ruger SP101, Taurus 905 - all weighed around 22oz. The only way to get what I wanted was to have it made.

 

[Vindic8]

While my cylinder does chamber and fire the 9MM Luger cartridge, it is chambered for the 9x23 Winchester. Since moon-clipped revolvers firing rimless cartridges head-space on the moon-clip, all the shorter cartridges in that family will also chamber and fire. These include 9x23 Winchester, 38SUPER, 38ACP, 356TSW, 9x21, 9MM Luger, 380ACP and others that do not come to mind at the moment.

Total cost depends on if you are doing this as a conversion or as a convertible.

Total cost also varies based on which of the gunsmiths you choose to do the job

Either way you have the cost of cutting the eight new chambers in the cylinder plus making sure the machining for the 9mm/38Super clips is redone.

That machine shop labor cost is always increasing. These days it is $275 from Pinnacle. I am not sure what TK charges

If you want to create a convertible there is the cost of a second cylinder. That varies based on where you get it from, so that is hard to say. You might get lucky on eBay or GB (I have many times) or you might pay full retail on the part from Smith and Wesson, one of the parts suppliers or your favorite gun shop.

When my conversion was done the total cost with a new cylinder was around $200, but this revolver is now over a decade old

I had a 627 cylinder re-honed for 9mm. All of the 929 moonclips I buy are slightly too big. Is the moonclip cut on the 929 slightly bigger then the 627?

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I had a 627 cylinder re-honed for 9mm. All of the 929 moonclips I buy are slightly too big. Is the moonclip cut on the 929 slightly bigger then the 627?

The 929 cylinder is flat. And it could have that rounded edge on the moonclip. The rounds headspace this way using the clips.
The 627 cylinder is cut in about . 035" ,but the standard 929 moonclips wont fit because of the cut made for the moonclips.
You might be able to get away with flattening the edges off with a grinder. Just a bit....
If there isnt a moonclip manufacturer that makes one specifically for this conversion.

The moonclips for the 627 are flat on the edges and the 929 are rounded.

 

[JimCunn]

I have three 12.5oz 637-2 J-frames converted by TK to 9×19 with titanium .357 Mag cylinders. They will chamber and fire .357 Mag - but I won't.

 

[Ignatz]

Check, but I was told the the moon clips from The Revolver Supply Co. for the 929 would fit in your 627.
I went through this a while back and didn't go thru with the conversion.
I wanted exactly what you got, but never intended to shoot 9mm thru it. Instead, I was shooting Colt Short resized to 9mm using .358" bullets. These Colt Short resized to 9mm would drop right in your cylinder, using the 38spl moonclip. The shop I sent the cylinder to, would not resize the cylinder holes without opening up the back portion for the common moonclip. Someone reached out to me about the moonclips from the Revolver Supply Co.
This was a year or maybe two ago, so I'm not sure about these moonclips.

 

[colt_saa]

I had a 627 cylinder re-honed for 9mm. All of the 929 moonclips I buy are slightly too big. Is the moonclip cut on the 929 slightly bigger then the 627?

I have never purchased a moon clip that was specifically manufactured for the 929. All of my moon clips were purchased a decade ago when all that existed was the 38 Super Model 627s from 2002

If the 929 moon clips are different than the 627 38 Super clips that could be an issue

Were only the chambers re-cut?
Or was it re-cut for the moon clips as well?
Who performed the work?
Did they have a 929 moon clip on hand to work from?

Now I have to dig out cylinders and moon clips

 

[colt_saa]

The 38 Super moon clips that I bought a decade ago are absolutely smaller that the 627 357 Magnum and the 929 9MM moon clips

In the first image the 38 Super moon clip is the one on the right with the circular inner dimension

In the second image the 38 Super moon clip is on top of the 357 Magnum moon clip. You can see that the nice black 357 Magnum clip's arms(fingers?) extend out farther than the 38 Super arms

Neither of my 9x23 Winchester re-chambered 627 cylinder look like it had been re-cut for moon clips, the dimensions look just like all of my 357 magnum moon clips