So I want to benefit from forum experience and knowledge on what to expect from rechambering a SW revolver to 9mm. Looks like Pinnacle is well thought of......but I lack knowledge on following questions:

1. Can I expect similar accuracy from the revolver moving from 38/357 to 9mm luger....whether fmj or hollow point factory loads..(regular or +p or +p+ 9mm)

2. Is barrel length a critical decison....I lean towards 5" then 4" then 6" but not sure if one length is preferred for the new caliber.

3. I am not competitive shooter and don't reload...just want for protection / conceal carry...in different caliber...non- semiauto...Will shoot factory ammo.

4. So are my expectations off in assuming this will be an accurate shooting and dependable conversion ...that one could bet the farm on ...if needed?

5. Any particular problems to expect?...

6. I read moon clips are not friendly to some ammo types like winchester....and I expect to have this modification done as well as rechambering

7. Finally, which s and w is best to modify....I will go buy one and convert it....so 686 or...???????

8. Also assume better to convert a smith than a Ruger gp100...

Thanks for any input....I have 638, 627 PC, 625-6 and Python and Marlin 1894C so am not giving up the regular calibers at all...just want more flexibility...

Any and all advice welcome...............thanks in advance...great forum

Why don't you purchase a 9mm revolver?

You are going to have issues with the groove diameter of the barrel. 9mm bullets are .002" smaller in diameter than .38/.357. That will definitely affect accuracy. You will be far better served buying a revolver chambered in 9mm Par. than dinking around with this conversion IMO.

Bruce

Lets see, in addition to being undersize, the 9mm bullet will have to transit half the length of a .357 case completely out of contact with steel before slamming into one side or the other of the small taper leading into the chamber throat. It’s very likely to enter the forcing cone tipped a bit and not concentric with the bore. Does that sound like a recipe for bullseye accuracy to you?

You already know that variations in 9 mm canalures and rim thickness mean some brands will be compatible with moon clips and others won’t be. You may not know that trying to extract 6 steel cases like Wolff 9 mms will just bend your ejector rod. That rules out benefiting from the least expensive 9mm cartridges. The next lowest price 9 mm, bulk pack Remington and Winchester FMJ have never grouped tight enough to suit me in any gun. Do you really think you can save enough on ammunition to make up for the cost of conversion?

Paying the collector’s premium for a 9mm Ruger Service Six, Speed Six, or SP 101, or a S&W 547 or 940 could get you a fixed sighted 9mm revolver, but not the adjustable sighted revolver you want. Adding adjustable sights to one of them would kill their collector’s value. The 547 is not moon clip compatible and slower than most revolvers reloading with speed loaders because after the speed loader is dropped the cartridges still have to be pushed in past the spring loaded ejector tabs.

Back when some 9mm ammo really was inexpensive I wanted a 9mm revolver to use it in matches. It just doesn’t make sense when you look at it critically.

What are you looking for from a 9mm round that you can't get from a 38 in one of your existing guns? Same size gun, so is it just the availability of moon clips with shorter cartridges? Because I think you can get many of the S&W 38s cut for moon clips, too, and you'd keep a barrel that's properly sized for the bullet being fired.

Years ago loaded some 9mm in a 38 case trying to come up with a light load, the. - .002 made it a useless venture, couldn't hit a barn door at 25 yards.

I would like to thank you guys for talking me out of a 9mm conversion of one of my J Frames. Well, actually I have a spare cylinder that I as going to have modified, but it still sounds like it would have been a waste of time, money, and little chips of otherwise fine stainless steel..

The K frame 547, the J frame 940, or one of the SP101 Rugers are all fine factory 9 mm revolvers. Let the factory engineers do the work for you .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I've carried a Pinnacle 9mm 360J pretty much daily for the last few years on duty as a BUG and off duty when something larger won't fit. These conversions work well and are worthwhile as long as you know what you want and have an idea what to expect going into it. Of course, there's lots of opinions out there from folks that don't have any actual experience with them, so anyone considering having their gun modified in such a way would do well to read the posts from people that own and use a rechambered 9mm revolver before making a decision.

I'll do my best to answer your questions based on my experience. Hope it helps.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Moving from .357 to 9mm in a revolver for defensive purposes makes absolutely no sense at all, you're taking a step down in power and versatility. Why?? Leave it alone and get something else if it pleases you. Don

For the life of me, I will never understand why someone would want a revolver chambered for a cartridge designed from the get-go to work in a self-loader. If you want a 9MM, there are LOTS of good pistols available that work as they were intended to.

Guess you've never experienced shooting a M25 or M625 with full moon clips when a rapid reload was required (competition or qualification). It will change your mind in a hurry.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

gettingready,
WC 145 provided very good responses to your questions. If you dearch this forum you will find a number of posts on conversions such as you are considering. I think you need to get a quote for the conversion and then decide if you want to proceed.

My revolvers include a number of factory built 9 mms like the S&W 547 and 940 and the Ruger Speed Six so even though I have considered converting a model 10 to 9 mm, I cannot justify the cost.

Does anyone make moon clips for .25acp for when I bore out my pre model 18 for this round?

That light blue text is unreadable, bud.

There was a thread on here just last week about a (I think) 340PD rechambered to 9mm. It was a beautiful piece of work, but the only real justification for it was the owner had access to plenty of 9mm ammo and he also wanted to carry the same round in his BUG and service weapon.

There was a link to the shop that did the work. Wasn't cheap and wasn't quick, but like most things you can have whatever you can pay for.

Is yellow better? I was trying to differentiate my answers from the OP's quotes


We discussed 9mm snubbies and my 360J in a similar thread not long ago. Keep in mind that, when looking at custom work, whether it be guns, cars, whatever, the only justification needed for any custom piece is that the owner wants it, regardless of what anyone else thinks about the practicality, need, or cost. If you've never had something modified to your specs and had it turn out exactly the way you wanted it to you might not get it.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

The .25 ACP should have enough rim to not require clips. That's how J. M. Browning designed it to headspace. There were revolvers chambered for this round just about as soon as it was introduced. Mostly odd little European things, but it's hardly an untried idea! Not that you shouldn't try it. Just don't do to be a "trendsetter"!

There are a number of threads on reworking J frame revolvers to chamber the 9x19 cartridge. A search will render a plethora of posts.

I have a Blackhawk convertible & deal with this all the time. If the 9mm ammo has an exposed base so that it slugs up in the barrel it'll be pretty accurate. Try something cheap like Blazer. Higher end ammo generally doesn't have an exposed base, and won't be so accurate.

BIG +1 here

I also have several S&Ws that have been converted to 9x23 Winchester. All of them are
more than combat accurate with any projectile from .355" through .358"

I can not comment on other brands of firearms. Never tried it.

Yes, I hand load.

And unless you're Jerry M, most of us can reload a 1911 even faster, & have at least 3 more rounds to boot. I have shot revolvers with moon clips using cartridges designed for autoloaders, honestly, I wasn't impressed. No sir, I'll stick to rimmed ctgs in revolvers. If I want to shoot rimless rds, there are many good autos to use them. My opinion only, worth what you paid for it............

In that case Sir, the time limit wasn't tight enough and you hadn't learned the equipment well enough. I'm no JM but I've used M-25s and M624s with moon clips enough that on every qualifying range where others were using semi-autos I was as fast as the fastest of them.

I'm primarily talking about LEO qualifications and sad to say most of them fall into the "hadn't learned the equipment well enough" category. I was both a firearms instructor and a competitive shooter and going back to my pre-academy days I always took firearms and the skills needed to shoot them more seriously than many other LE officers I ran into.

Guess the point I'm making (not to you, you're mind is made up) in general is that giving something a try and declaring it useless before you've learned it, let alone perfected it, is not a basis for advising others.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Good post, Dave. I can confirm what you're saying about folks that "hadn't learned the equipment well enough". When I've qual'd with my 360J I can reload as fast and sometimes faster than most of the others, especially those that are trying to reload their BUGs and off duty guns that they seldom practice with. Also, I can reload my gun with one hand if necessary without much difficulty, no slide to manipulate, magazine to seat, etc.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

Originator reply.

WOW what wonderful information, opinion and recommendations!!

Appreciate all the advise. I had tried many rechamber search's before posting but no luck...so will retry, especially with references provided. Thanks.

As to why, own some quality 9mm semi auto's.....but was trying to find non magazined option given gun reg's that may come....and long term ease of care

Could just stick with 38/357 but 9mm is cheaper and very plentiful and may get a lot cheaper.......of course by then new 9mm wheel guns may be on market, or 38 ammo come down in price......

Besides its another excuse to get another gun........

Seriously, all input is appreciated...I realize risks, cost, and possible outcomes better now.....

Regardless I will look more into 27's, 28's, and 686's......for standard caliber use

Big QUESTION NOW THEN ARE the new SST or PRO series Smith's preferable to a 27-2, 28-2, 686-4 or earlier..........

I am always looking for guns that are dependable and can be kept for use in the LONG RUN..30-50 years+++....for the kids and there after....

I kind of like 5 inchers which narrows the field..but hey are they really a power or accuracy improvement at distance over a 4".....probably not

Again thanks....what are great forum I have more confidence in expectations.

If I move forward, I will repost my learning....

A while back, IIRC, there was a forum member that had a cylinder for a 686 Pro Series or something similar rechambered to 9mm witb good results. Can't remember his handle, maybe Revolver King or something similar.

Also, since it sounds like money isn't an issue, if your interested in a larger frame gun with a 5" or so barrel, S&W made an L or N frame in .38 Super. It could accommodate a 9mm case with minimal work and is already cut for moonclips and
has a .355 bore. Horribly ugly grips, though. Something to look into.

ETA: Did some checking, they made both a 686 L frame and a 627 N frame in .38 Super.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

gettingready, I am thinking about doing the same thing, but haven't decided yet on exactly what revolver to do this one. I'm thinking towards an M 65 and getting an extra cylinder fitted with this option.

I can't leave these two statements alone:

There's a trick to this; when you place the speedloader in the cylinder you just push forward slightly and then release the rounds and they'll drop right in. Since the 9x19 rounds are so much shorter than .38/.357, I find they pop into the cylinder much easier.

Funny, that's not how the US Army thought in 1917 when they asked Colt and S&W to chamber revolvers in .45 ACP. Worked out pretty well, I seem to recall, with some pretty fine offshoots over the years, already mentioned. And I can tell you the 547 is one excellent revolver, the 940 as well. Since S&W seems to have no plans to make any revolvers in 9x19, the only option is to pay high prices for the above mentioned revolvers or make your own. 9x19 is a great cartridge; there is a lot of plus and minus discussion about it, but you simply cannot deny that it has held it's own for over a hundred years. Personally, I like the ability to have an auto and a revolver that fire the same cartridge for a lots of reasons, and the 9x19 is a great bridge gapper between .38 spl and .357 magnum. Of course, that's all JMHO.

If you get the conversion done gettingready, would like to hear your results. By the way, there is an outift called TK custom that also does the conversion, and I've been told by an experienced board member on conversions that they are pretty good too, you may want to look him up; Bullseye Smith is his handle and he's got lots of good pictures . Not sure if they have big price differences.

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