38 to 9MM conversion

5mmgunguy

How well does the 38 special to 9MM work? Any problems shooting a .355 bullet in the .357 38 bore?

Wehrmacht_45

In what gun? Cant use a 9mm in wheelguns without star or moon clips. Also the pressures for 9mm are higher so it would not be good for some guns. Personally accuracy would most likely be mediocre.

5mmgunguy

its a S&W j frame in 38 special converted to 9MM...and I agree the accuracy would suffer.

iceracerx

You are only talking ONE THOUSANTH of an inch per side of the bullet. That won't have much bearing on accuracy. If you think it's a big issue, reload the 9MM cases with .357 projectiles.

dcinffxva

I've got one of the Ruger Blackhawks with a 9mm cylinder, and it shoots fine. It doesn't need moon clips either.

AdamsQuailHunter

Hello "5mmgunguy"[:)]

I make the assumption that you are NOT the one that RUINED a perfectly good S&W "J" frame. If you were - you need your brains examined. The value of the gun is now almost nil. If it is like one other "J" frame I saw that had been RUINED, you couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle at more than 15 feet and would "key-hole" almost every time at 25 yards.[xx(]

Best Regards[:)]
Steve Adams
AdamsQuailHunter

5mmgunguy

no i haven't ruined anything...i just wondered about the conversion...because i was reading about it in another post

Jim the PA Hunter

5MMGUNGUY,

I have a Ruger Blackhawk SS 6 Inch 357 mag. that was made in the late 70's. I also have the matching late 70's Single Six SS 22lr and comes with a 22 mag. cylinder.[^] ANYWAY.........

Guess what! [:0] About 5 years ago I was at a flea market in eastern PA. I spotted from a distance a small white box with a red flannel pouch sitting on top. I made a bee-line for it and just as I suspected, found a Ruger cylinder inside. I asked the fella selling it "how much?" for which he replied "five bucks".[:p] Since the box label was worn and unreadable I then asked what caliber the cylinder was. ( I suspected 9mm Luger) He said it was for 38 specials. He stated it came with his 357 magnum which he had sold years ago.[?] I explained to him that an additional cylinder was not necessary to shoot 38 specials through a 357 magnum and all I got was a blank stare. [:I]

Long story short..... Yes I bought it and after turning a few thousands off the front of the cylinder where the retaining rod goes through, it fit right up to my Blackhawk frame.[:D] I've fired several hundred rounds through it and so far I can hold a 3 to 4 inch group at 25 yards using a pistol rest. I play around with swinging tennis balls suspended from a string at 25 yards and gongs too. I have been shooting FMJ's but I'm thinking of trying some XTP HP's for the occasional woodchuck that presents himself at close range. I hate to use the rifle at 50 yards! [V]]

I would not ruin a perfectly good S&W J but maybe you can find another cylinder somewhere and convert it. You can always put the original cylinder back in the gun to shoot 38's.

BTW: My Ruger cylinder does not require "moon clips". But then, the Blackhawk is a Single Action western style frame. [8D]

5mmgunguy

Thanks for the input!