Hillbilly77
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I fired an entire magazine of .380's through my M&P 9c
- Thread starter Lost Lake
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The .380 will fire in the 9mm chamber since the extractor holds the round against the breech face sufficiently for the firing pin to ignite the primer. Upon firing the case rams against the recoil surface of the slide. It is not a wise move given the current difficulties in finding ammunition. Save the .380 for pistols in that caliber.
Just as an aside, a similar situation have more than once occurred when people were firing M-1 Garand rifles in .30-06 and inadvertently loaded 7.62x51mm/.308 caliber ammo. The rounds feed, fire and eject just fine. POI is usually lower on the target than what is normal using standard M-2 ball. There is usually no problems from this particular error. The casing shoulder is blown forward fire-forming to the chamber. Normally the fired casing ejects and the rifle feeds the next round. But of course it is best to fire any firearm with the correct ammunition.
Just as an aside, a similar situation have more than once occurred when people were firing M-1 Garand rifles in .30-06 and inadvertently loaded 7.62x51mm/.308 caliber ammo. The rounds feed, fire and eject just fine. POI is usually lower on the target than what is normal using standard M-2 ball. There is usually no problems from this particular error. The casing shoulder is blown forward fire-forming to the chamber. Normally the fired casing ejects and the rifle feeds the next round. But of course it is best to fire any firearm with the correct ammunition.
K.macocker
Member
I don't see how any damage could occur at all.
The shell is shorter. So it doesn't go as deep into the barrel. Everything in the back of the shell would be pretty much the same. If the 380 rounds were hot it prob would have even cycled fine.
Where in the world damage would occur or how it would occur shows me some folks are not well endowed in the world of mechanical understanding(s).
You made a mistake. You're only the millionth person to do this. Have a great day and sorry people are so quick to chop you down good sir
Kmac
The shell is shorter. So it doesn't go as deep into the barrel. Everything in the back of the shell would be pretty much the same. If the 380 rounds were hot it prob would have even cycled fine.
Where in the world damage would occur or how it would occur shows me some folks are not well endowed in the world of mechanical understanding(s).
You made a mistake. You're only the millionth person to do this. Have a great day and sorry people are so quick to chop you down good sir
Kmac
This occurred a year ago & you're still getting scolded. Must be quite an echo here.
I give you credit for originally posting this. It's always better to learn from another's mistakes.
I'd like to say this would never happen to me because now I only use .40 cal. There's a reason for this.
I give you credit for originally posting this. It's always better to learn from another's mistakes.
I'd like to say this would never happen to me because now I only use .40 cal. There's a reason for this.
Nframecollector
Member
Never assume.
C'mon guys... I was beat up about this LAST year...
Now you have to find this old thread and pick on me again???
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If it is on the www it never dies. I will basically say the same thing I said back then. It was good of you to post your experience so that others reading this thread (forever
) can be reminded and learn.
Soldiernurse
US Veteran
Seriously!?!
All the 380 pistols I used to own functioned with a blow back operation. I doubt the OP was in any serious danger at anytime. The extractor held the round against the breech and when firing pin hit the primer the case pivoted a very slight amount, probably .005" or less until it fired and reseated against the breech. The forward portion of the extractor claw was never in danger and I fail to see how the extractor itself was in any way stressed.
I'm not recommending the practice but I am saying some of the above posts are unnecessarily harsh. I appreciate the OP's attempt to share his experience and hope the knee jerk reactions don't serve to quash other like minded folks.
I once fired a 30/06 round in my 338 Win Mag. Now that was dangerous and my shooting glasses saved my eyes.
I'm not recommending the practice but I am saying some of the above posts are unnecessarily harsh. I appreciate the OP's attempt to share his experience and hope the knee jerk reactions don't serve to quash other like minded folks.
I once fired a 30/06 round in my 338 Win Mag. Now that was dangerous and my shooting glasses saved my eyes.
Soldiernurse
US Veteran
Nope, it needed to be pointed out until the bashing stopped!I don't think the people who criticized him really had intentions to BASH to him. It was more of a knee jerk OMG shock and posted. All of us want him to be safe. But, coming on post after post accusing BASHING .. is doing the same thing you are criticizing. It only needed to be pointed out ONE time
Smith357
US Veteran
Thank you for the reminder.
With the two rounds being so darn close I can easily see how it happens. while not getting them mixed up in a magazine for a gun I have had .380 brass get mixed in with my 9mm brass and have loaded up a few .380s with 9mm loads. At first I just felt like the brass had already been de-capped and re-sized, luckily the bullets fell out of the brass when they dropped down into the ammo bin, after a few of these mistakes I learned what to feel for and what to look for. Now whenever the case sizes too easily I pull it and inspect it sometimes it's a .380 that got picked up at the range by mistake. What would happen if one of these made its way into my old Model 39, i don't know, but I'm pretty sure if they found their way into a .380 there would be some damage.
With the two rounds being so darn close I can easily see how it happens. while not getting them mixed up in a magazine for a gun I have had .380 brass get mixed in with my 9mm brass and have loaded up a few .380s with 9mm loads. At first I just felt like the brass had already been de-capped and re-sized, luckily the bullets fell out of the brass when they dropped down into the ammo bin, after a few of these mistakes I learned what to feel for and what to look for. Now whenever the case sizes too easily I pull it and inspect it sometimes it's a .380 that got picked up at the range by mistake. What would happen if one of these made its way into my old Model 39, i don't know, but I'm pretty sure if they found their way into a .380 there would be some damage.
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I was at the farm with my oldest daughter and we had a .22, a BG380, a M&P9c and a M&P40fs. I wanted my daughter to try them all and I had all different boxes of ammo out, from Win WB to reloads, FMJ to HP. We were going to shoot about 800 rounds at clay pigeons, reactive targets and old refrigerators.
I remember loading the 9c mag and thinking the last round was weird. It really took a lot of force to get it in the mag, then it didn't seat quite right. I thought maybe I was crushing the spring. I walked onto the range and after the first shot I smiled and thought this 9c has such a light recoil I just LOVE it!
But the next pull of the trigger was a click. I racked the slide and ejected the empty round. It fired and then click. This went on for the entire magazine with me thinking I must have a shell pinched in the bottom of the mag causing the follower to jam or something. Each round had to be hand ejected.
It wasn't until I went back to the bench that I realized I just shot 13 rounds of .380 from my 12 round 9mm magazine....
The .380 is called the 9mmKurz or short for a reason, a buddy tryed to load .40S&W in a 45acp magazine and wondered why they kept falling through???? He is very experience, after first couple it dawned on him? billy
ginzo
Member
Glad your safe.
TheNakedGunFighter
Member
You know what happens. As soon as you post something like this, most will pull out their little ladders and climb up onto their soapboxes. They will then start preaching as though in all their years of shooting, they have never made any type of mistake. It just makes them feel so good about themselves to belittle someone who had the nerve to warn others to be as careful as possible.
I just wish I knew how it feels to be oh so perfect.
I just wish I knew how it feels to be oh so perfect.
I have shot a few 380s out of a 9mm by accident. The bullets are a bit smaller and do not build pressure. They sound more like a pellet gun than a 380. I have been on another site and some are trying to say it can not be done with out blowing up your breach. LOL Not true at all. The brass will crack or at least expand a bit over normal, but it will not blow up the breach. I do not recommend trying it on purpose. I also knew a few guys up north who would shoot 380s out of 9mm maks, its the same type of thing the bullet is a bit smaller in diameter and rattles down the barrel. I don't recommend doing it but it can be done without damage. There was even a video of a guy shooting 9mm or 9x19 out of a 9mm mak, It worked but I would not do it, that may cause a problem, the 9mm parabellum may be higher in pressure.
9x19 in a 9x18 PA-63 - YouTube
9x19 in a 9x18 PA-63 - YouTube
hangnoose
Member
NO HALO HERE
My eyesight aint so good either, made my share of mistakes and invented many new ones. messing up with a kid around kinda deserves a little bashing, it won't kill ya, I'm sure you have heard some before. Posting about a foul up is just plain asking for it. IF SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, STOP, AND CHECK IT OUT! R-U gonna be OK to drive her home? LOL,JK. Glad it ended up being alright.
My eyesight aint so good either, made my share of mistakes and invented many new ones. messing up with a kid around kinda deserves a little bashing, it won't kill ya, I'm sure you have heard some before. Posting about a foul up is just plain asking for it. IF SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, STOP, AND CHECK IT OUT! R-U gonna be OK to drive her home? LOL,JK. Glad it ended up being alright.
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But the next pull of the trigger was a click. I racked the slide and ejected the empty round. It fired and then click. This went on for the entire magazine with me thinking I must have a shell pinched in the bottom of the mag causing the follower to jam or something. Each round had to be hand ejected.
It wasn't until I went back to the bench that I realized I just shot 13 rounds of .380 from my 12 round 9mm magazine....
Lordy Mercy---and you are going to tell everybody!!!
The bullets are the same exact diameter - .355. The .380 or (9mm Kurz) round is lighter, usually 85 to 95 grain, whereas the 9mm parabellum is heavier, usually 115 grain and up, hence the 380 bullet is slightly shorter. Additionally the 380 case is 9x17 as opposed to 9x19 for the parabellum.
So if by "smaller" you mean "shorter", I agree.
The barrel should be just fine. In that regard, it's no different from shooting 125 grain 38's in a 357.
Except for that pesky jamming thing...
Besides, our good friend Lost Lake has a great deal of firearm knowledge (I've certainly learned much from him!) and if there were a problem with his 9C, he would no doubt have discovered it long ago!
I am grateful for these types of confessions, even old ones, as it serves as a reminder that my passion is not for a toy, these things have a certain danger associated with them and I need to be ever mindful of what I'm doing!
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