9mm Revolver - other ammo options?

[Dump1567]

I just picked-up a nice S&W PC 986 chambered in 9mm. I know most of you guys that post here have been around and have a pretty solid knowledge base.

Not sure I'd ever do it, but I was assuming it would be safe to shoot .380 acp ammo through this gun (assuming the cases would fit on the moon clips)?

And what about .38 S&W? I have two old boxes and both ammo I've tried fit into the cylinder. Although the case rim thickness might not be thick enough for the firing pin to contact the primer?

Is their a 9mm AR type case so moon clips aren't needed? Or a good case to modify to make some?

Not sure I'll try any of this, but I like the options. Especially loading up a rimmed case.

Thanks.

 

[M29since14]

The “9mm AR” (I presume you mean Auto Rim?) was the 9mm Federal. Unfortunately, it’s no longer readily available, though you might find some lying around. Our very knowledgeable member Coltsaa recently pointed out that 9mm Federal brass turned from barstock is being made by someone, but who it was escapes me now. You could contact him directly for that info, if so inclined.

 

[mikld]

I saw a video made by "The Firearms Guy" about shooting 380 in a 9mm revolver. Got a lot of misfires and poor accuracy. IIRC he tried both clips and no clips...

FWIW; I have been reloading for quite a while and 9mm for about 20 years and have ever seen a 9mm Federal (rimmed). I picked up brass at ranges and purchased "once fired" brass but never a 9mm Federal case, nor any ammo in gun shops...

 

[Dump1567]

I found some 9mm Federal cases on-line. Looks like they want about $3.50 a case. No thanks. I wonder if .38 S&W cases loaded and crimped with a 9mm bullet would work?

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Why would you want to fire anything but 9mm in a 9mm revolver?

The "ammo shortage" just ain't THAT short, IMHO!

Cheers!

P.S. NO on 380acp, NO on 38 S&W. NO on 9mm Makarov.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

I guess you could but it is more a question of whether you should. Plus 9mm is a whole lot easier to find and cheaper than either 380 or 38 S&W. So why bother?

John

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You can always trade the .38 S&W ammo for 9mm ammo. I wish you lived near me because I would make that trade in a second! (I have 2 revolvers chambered in .38 S&W) I'm sure there will be someone near you who would love that trade because there is never much .38 S&W ammo around for sale. If I didn't reload those 2 revolvers would not be shot very much if at all.

Good luck.

 

[NJM15]

986 4"

I roll my own luckily i have loads of spp and tons of powder, and brass i can adjust loads to my specs and am happy with the .9mm rounds. wouldn't change a thing. the 986 puts them where i want

 

[gwpercle]

For rimmed 9mm Luger ammo you want 9mm Federal .
It was made for revolvers and didn't need any clips ... the only downside was old weak top break revolvers chambered in 38 S&W .
No matter how many warnings are put on a box ... you know someone somewhere is going to load up grandpa's old top break and blow off a body part and sue the company ... and win because it's never their fault ... Soooo like a good company , to protect the innocent ... they dropped the round .


Gary

 

[The Norseman]

9mm Revolver

Neat S&W Revolver in 9mm....I like.

Please tell more about it; model number, special features,
year(s) it was available, and anything about it.

Thank you.

My short barrels; not rare 637 38spl and scarce 696 44spl.

 

[Dump1567]

Neat S&W Revolver in 9mm....I like.

Please tell more about it; model number, special features,
year(s) it was available, and anything about it.

Thank you.

My short barrels; not rare 637 38spl and scarce 696 44spl.

Current production. But like all S&W's, it will probably go bye, bye, after a few years.

Model 986 | Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson Performance Center 986 9MM with Jerry Miculek - YouTube

 

[The Norseman]

Seven Shot

Thank you so much for the information. I should’ve
looked at S&W first, but I just figured it was no longer
made.

I see by the Specs it’s a Performance Center S&W,
which I like. It’s a 7 shot too.

Thank you again. I will have to keep an eye out
for one. I’ve been leaning towards getting
a S&W MP Shield Plus, but I will wait now.

 

[glenwolde]

Just as the 9mm Federal was discontinued when it was discovered it chambered in .38 S&W guns, so too is .38 S&W brass probably the best parent case for making 9mm Rimmed, I would think. Some have also done it with .38 Special but if you look at case dimensions the .38 S&W is a better choice. If you can find brass.

I've never done it though. I don't have a 9mm revolver other than a Blackhawk convertible which has no benefit with rimmed ammo. I did make rimmed .380 out of .38 Special brass for the little Taurus revolver. I did have some bullet pull issues but once I got those resolved it worked fine. But the .380 is not just a shorter 9mm. The 9mm is bit wider at the bass.

If I was going to try it I'd ...

Size a .38 S&W case in 9mm Luger dies.

Trim it to length.

See if they fit the chamber and the revolver functions. Prime one and see if it fires and what sort of firing pin impression you're getting.

Load it with the lightest listed load with cheap bullets. Lead is great if it chambers.

Fire them to fire-form the cases.

You might need to expand the case before trimming depending on your trimming method.

Reload as normal.

The big issue is the headspace correct for the chosen parent case rim thickness.

If you want a roll crimp a .38 Short Colt crimp die should work.

 

[smithra_66]

I just picked-up a nice S&W PC 986 chambered in 9mm. I know most of you guys that post here have been around and have a pretty solid knowledge base.

Not sure I'd ever do it, but I was assuming it would be safe to shoot .380 acp ammo through this gun (assuming the cases would fit on the moon clips)?

And what about .38 S&W? I have two old boxes and both ammo I've tried fit into the cylinder. Although the case rim thickness might not be thick enough for the firing pin to contact the primer?

Is their a 9mm AR type case so moon clips aren't needed? Or a good case to modify to make some?

Not sure I'll try any of this, but I like the options. Especially loading up a rimmed case.

Thanks.

It's a very common misconception that a lot of people have....they think a 380 Auto is to the 9mm Luger what a 38 Special is to the 357 Magnum.

This is NOT THE CASE.

The 380 Auto is a straight walled case and it has a different rim cutout. It was developed by JMB in the USA. The 9mm Luger is a tapered case. It is much fatter down near the case head than the 380, and has a larger diameter head/rim. It was developed by Georg Luger in Germany. They have absolutely nothing in common other than bullet diameter.

This means that when you fire a 380 in a 9mm chamber, the chamber walls will not be supporting the lower part of the case and rupture may result. Also, add to the fact that it is shorter and won't be headspacing on anything but the moon clip, and a 9mm moon clip would be awfully loose for the 380 rim which is smaller (they don't even use the same shell holder).

The 38S&W has a .361" bullet diameter. No go for your gun...same way you can't shoot it in a 38 special firearm. That doesn't even account for the issues I mentioned about that the 9mm chamber would be cavernous for a straight walled case like the 38 S&W near the base.

simply put: SHOOT ONLY THE AMMO THAT YOUR GUN IS CHAMBERED FOR.

Easy rule.

 

[reddog81]

My 929 is chambered for 9x21 and I think the 986's are also. The 9x21 case is slightly longer and will headspace off the case mouth. Classicfirearms had 50 round boxes earlier this year for $20 and I started a thread on it. You can find 9x21 brass and that is what I use when reloading for my 929.

Using anything else like .380, 38 S&W or 9mm rimmed is a fools errand and not worth the effort. 9mm ammo or brass is the most common stuff out there.

 

[DWalt]

One of life's mysteries is why Federal was seemingly unaware that the high-pressure 9mm Federal cartridge would fit into a .38 S&W chamber. I imagine that after a few blowups of customers' old break-top revolvers chambered for .38 S&W, and maybe a lawsuit or two, they were convinced that continuing to load the 9mm Federal represented more risk than they wanted to take. It has been 3 or 4 years since I saw any 9mm Federal at a gun show. Some guy had a half-dozen boxes, and wanted $75 per box. I passed. Another option for use in that 9mm revolver could be the .38 Short Colt cartridge - at least if it is still in production. It is essentially identical in appearance to the .38 S&W, except the case and bullet diameters are slightly less. Think of it as being a short version of the .38 Special. Its factory ballistics are weak, about like the .38 S&W's, and some use it in .38 S&W revolvers, even though the fit in the chamber is a little sloppy. But it works. The .38 Short Colt case is ideal for use with snubby .38 Special revolvers which have a very short extractor rod throw as positive ejection is much improved. I keep about 100 rounds of .38 Short Colt (rather aggressively loaded) for use in my Colt and S&W snubbies. It is easily reloaded using .38 Special dies.

 

[DWalt]

"The 38 S&W has a .361" bullet diameter. No go for your gun...same way you can't shoot it in a 38 special firearm."

Not necessarily always true. I have seen instances where the .38 S&W cartridge WILL chamber in some .38 Special revolvers. Same is true of the .38 Super cartridge. Not always, but sometimes. It is doubtful that any .38 S&W cartridge will fit fully into any 9mm chamber.