Should these work OK?

[pmeisel]

Ordered some bullets awhile back (I still don't cast) and when it came in I didn't check it close, just put it away. It's been months and packing slips and receipts are long gone.

I thought I orders 158 grain .358 diameter -- the box that came in, when I actually looked at it, was labeled 125 grain .356. Well, I don't own a 9mm, so my first thought was to try to trade em to some body.

But I was just messing around in my shop, and decided to mike them and weigh them.

They are 125 grain, but they mike out at .3575.

I wouldn't want to push them too hard, but they should be fine .38 or +p loads with some Unique, shouldn't they?

[mdi]

IF they are larger in dia. than the bore dia. With only .0005" over bore size I'd think you would get leading in your .38. But, mebby they would obiturate enough, but being commercial cast I wouldn't think so.

[Lead melter]

I agree with mdi. You may be in a pickle here. Try a few, because it may work great, but if not, look for a 9MM owner to trade them too. In my often errant opinion, heavy for caliber boolits seem to work better than lighter ones do. Just my 2 cents.

[btroj]

I had a box of 500 commercial 158 rn for 38 special. Supposed to be .358, were .356. Needless to say, I got very good at removing lead from the gp 100. After 75 or so they would go thru the target at 25 yards sideways.

Good luck, keep a brush and chore boy pad reqdy. You will need em.

Brad

[bobthenailer]

i have shot many 9mm 125 gr rn cast bullets sized to 0.358 from 5 different diffrent 357/38 revolvers with no problems , but thet are not as accurate at 25+ yards as the 158 gr bullet.
unless you are useing them in speed loaders or full moon clips as i do for fast reloads! id just swap or sell them for the correct bullet

[missionary5155]

Good morning
If this is a revolver then you want to check also if the boolit is fat enough to fill the cylinder throat. Always remember the throat is where it all starts. Seal that well and you have started well. Single shots are the same..

[runfiverun]

make a few and shoot them.
oversized is not necessary but correctsized is.
a half a thou at 750 fps probably not that big a deal.
but you might learn a lesson about undersized and hard if you push them.

[rhead]

Buy a 9mm.. Any reason for a new gun is a good reason.

[Bass Ackward]

With bore diameter, the loss is really flexibility because you need to do what the bullet requires, not what YOU want it to be. But any hardness bullet will seal with a fast and high enough charge.

I shoot .357 all the time in 125 grains with 2.9 / 3 gr BE. No smoke. (@14/15 BHN)

Want more diameter? Roll them in LLA. That will give you another .001. Some of these other concoctions guys are using will add more.

The BIGGEST reason that folks have trouble with a bore diameter slug is their reloading dies don't produce enough case neck tension to get the pressure up fast enough. Either that or they bell too much for a short bearing length bullet. Then they choose too slow a powder too.

But you CAN make almost anything work, just maybe not how you want to do its all.

[mdi]

Buy a 9mm.. Any reason for a new gun is a good reason.

The voice of reason!

[Crash_Corrigan]

Go for the gusto. Try something different. Try pp those babies and see what you get. If after wrapping it can fit into the chamber then you are golden. Try it you may like it.

[pmeisel]

Thanks for the wide variety of advice, guys. A busy work schedule has kept me off the board a few days. I will mull this over in front of the bench this weekend.....